Front wheel size

BigEd

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I've just been out for the first time this year and my twin, I've been using my Norton Atlas for several weeks and my first impression was "What a pile of rubbish" the steering felt really heavy and uncertain at low speed, and this is with the modified steering stem etc and a steering damper on it's lowest setting with 27" bars.
Now I have a 19" rim on the front with a 90/90 Roadrider at 28 psi (I've just blown it up) would changing to a 21" lighten it up much ?
I have never found the steering particularly heavy on my Rapide. The Kawasaki type hydraulic steering damper was fitted some years ago as although I have never had "a head shake" I put the damper on to minimise the chance.
I originally had a very narrow wider 19" rim that was on the wheel that came in the pile of bits. I used a low profile Roadrider (90/90?) Good steering but awkward fitting inner tubes due to lack of space. When I eventually had a new rim fitted on the front I stuck with a 19" (easy to find tyres ✔) but with a universal Roadrider the same as on the back. (An added bonus was that the speedometer is now very accurate as shown by the GPS.) I have been using around 30 psi and the steering damper on minimum.
The rear has an AVO monoshock unit, fully floating that jacks the rear up a bit so that may make the steering a bit lighter. I'm also long in the leg so feet on the floor not a problem.
I have the concentric mod on the Girdraulics now and have just finalised the setup with 36 lb springs and a 1/2" packer on one side. I am getting full travel and the packer gives me a bit of a margin when my wife is with me. (Often.) I'm maybe 185 lbs with riding kit, boots, etc and my wife perhaps 140 lbs.
I have a variety of bikes and at the present alternate between a 2019 Yamaha Tracer and the Rapide. I can't say that I'm overly aware of any great change in steering weight between the two but I suppose it is what I'm used to and what I expect.
 

Nulli Secundus

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I use the larger profile RoadRider on the 19" front on mine too like Eddy. I use a fair bit of steering damper too and have embarrassingly not fitted my modified steering stem yet. I use just over 30 psi and have no issues with heavy steering and I weigh about 180lbs.
 
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