Vaquero 21" wheel

[jestephens]

Originally Posted by ponch

You'll have to correct scott as well as he brought them up.

A few hundred for fender spacers? What are they made of?

Few hundred for fender spacers and making the ANSI axle fit a Metric application (in my scenario for buying an HD wheel). If you don't buy the kit, you have to measure, design, and machine all of that stuff. Unless you have the appropriate material lying around your garage and do it all yourself, or have an able buddy, material, engineering, machining, and metal finishing (powder or chrome for the spacers) can add up. Estimate vs Quote, a guess if you will. - For the sake of a speedy forum response, I didn't crunch any real numbers.

In any case I stick by my original inference, which was compared to buying a wheel, tire, and fit/fabrication, $1800 isn't bad for a bolt-on kit.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by jestephens

Few hundred for fender spacers and making the ANSI axle fit a Metric application (in my scenario for buying an HD wheel). If you don't buy the kit, you have to measure, design, and machine all of that stuff. Unless you have the appropriate material lying around your garage and do it all yourself, or have an able buddy, material, engineering, machining, and metal finishing (powder or chrome for the spacers) can add up. Estimate vs Quote, a guess if you will. - For the sake of a speedy forum response, I didn't crunch any real numbers.

In any case I stick by my original inference, which was compared to buying a wheel, tire, and fit/fabrication, $1800 isn't bad for a bolt-on kit.

Engineering is one thing, but manufacturing is another. One the design is bucked out, it can be produced in china very cheaply. The other thing is, the design only has to be done once for each model. That said, the fender spacers are the least of it.

I wonder if there are trade offs with larger wheels. There are with cars and trucks.

[tazfl]

Originally Posted by jestephens

In any case I stick by my original inference, which was compared to buying a wheel, tire, and fit/fabrication, $1800 isn't bad for a bolt-on kit.

Jay, I agree with you, $1800.00 isn't a bad price for a bolt on kit. If I wasn't in the process of trying to buy a house I would consider ordering one since this is a mod I really like.

[jestephens]

Originally Posted by ponch

Engineering is one thing, but manufacturing is another. One the design is bucked out, it can be produced in china very cheaply. The other thing is, the design only has to be done once for each model. That said, the fender spacers are the least of it.

I wonder if there are trade offs with larger wheels. There are with cars and trucks.

Engineering and Manufacturing is kind of my thing.
-As an advocate for U.S. manufacturing, I will argue that we can produce inexpensively here also, and we do. Sending work to China is fine for low-skill, low-quality work. Producing in China historically offers up to 20% reduction in mfg costs, and that margin has recently been shrinking.

That considered, prices can never reach zero, people deserve to get paid for their ideas and work, and China is only an option for high-quantity parts. Custom front wheels, let alone KAWASAKI application, aren't necessarily high-quantity. That's [partly] why motorcycle parts in general are so expensive, relative market and demand. -

[ponch]

Originally Posted by jestephens

Engineering and Manufacturing is kind of my thing.
-As an advocate for U.S. manufacturing, I will argue that we can produce inexpensively here also, and we do. Sending work to China is fine for low-skill, low-quality work. Producing in China historically offers up to 20% reduction in mfg costs, and that margin has recently been shrinking.

That considered, prices can never reach zero, people deserve to get paid for their ideas and work, and China is only an option for high-quantity parts. Custom front wheels, let alone KAWASAKI application, aren't necessarily high-quantity. That's [partly] why motorcycle parts in general are so expensive, relative market and demand. -

Really? Even HD has parts made in China as do other motorcycle manufacturers. If it wasn't cheaper, they wouldn't do it.

Prices will never reach zero, but I would bet they start with blank forgings and use CNC to machine the blank to whatever they need it to be. Even if the part was made in China and only cost $50 to make, they would still charge $1800 because that is what the market will bear, unless someone undercuts them. My guess is that most of the cost is paying for the expensive equipment that makes the part.

[ponch]

You post seems to have disappeared.

It's hard to get a number, but I've read that 55-60% of a HD is sourced from overseas parts. I've read the electrical is and I've heard about some internal engine parts, BUT I can't substantiate that one. It's not something HD wants to publicize from the rooftops. Assembled in America is more apropos and it's not just HD, but all of the car and bike manufacturers.

I don't doubt your experience and expertise, I just don't see the same value in that particular item.

[jestephens]

are they making "Custom" parts in China, or multi-fit, high-quantity production runs?

I still back my original opinion, that $1800 is not a bad deal. Not beyond the limits of fair market value. Not excessively price when one considers we're talking about a wheel, a custom wheel at that, and one designed for a bike that carries a surprisingly low market share of the motorcycle industry. A wheel not unfairly priced compared to the those motorcycles that are more representative of the market whole.

You hit the nail on the head with a "price the market will bear". I can go all day on manufacturing economics, outsourcing, insourcing, and machine tools.

[h2o4x4]

love it.....going to do mine.

[highwayman2011]

Wouldn't chaps be assless pants? lol

[boyntonbeachrider]

How does that front tire affect the handling? Better or worse compared to stock?

[JTJL]

Droooooooollllllliiiiiiinnnnnnnnggggggggg...... Argh my wife is going to not be happy...... Must resist must resist...

[badboy194]

Originally Posted by h2o4x4

love it.....going to do mine.

Darn, I got some large bills coming up in a few weeks or I would be right behind you. I got a Green, but I'll bet the Blue Vaquero could really rock this look!!

[dmyers]

I have been looking at SMT wheels on ebay for $995. Your stock rotors wont work, But I'm pretty sure I can work around that.
They come setup for a vulcan just state your model when ordering

[prmcguire]

Love the Big wheel. Got so much conflicting info when I was researching it was a bit of a gamble but it worked out pretty well.
Ordered mine from mcpowersports
The wheels seem to be pretty much universal, its just the hubs you need to spec for the bike
Could not find anyone that had a Nomad HUB so I went with HD
With this much flash you may want to consider NOT using stock rotors as they dull down the look so I ordered new polished stainless rotors as well.
I purchased my Wheel for HD StreetGlide and just told them to be sure it had the 25 mm bearings.
Only real mod was milling the Hubs 1/8 Inch and same shop made the spacers- Machine work cost 50 bucks and then it bolted right on. Stock axle fit perfect in the 25MM Harley sealed bearings
All in with wheel, tire, 2 new Rotors, pads and machine work 1650.00

I found no noticeable handling difference

Have fun
thumper

[drof]

I installed the big wheel kit on my Vaquero last year. At first I was also concerned with the ride but haven't noticed any ill effects at all. The wheel from Roaring Toyz takes a tire that is only 10mm narrower than the stock rim. The bike tracks just as it had before. You can save yourself some money by "piecing" this mod together rather than buying the complete kit. The only issue I had was getting them to cut the wheel quick enough. They do not have many cut sitting on a shelf just waiting for delivery....unless you're working on HD. I had a six week wait for my wheel to get cut. And that was paying for it up front! I went ahead and bought the matching rotors to go with the wheel. No sense in covering up that wheel with ugly rotors!