Harley-Davidson Tyres

Fifty-five tyre listings sit on this page. Twenty-eight are Dunlop, twenty-three Michelin, and four carry no maker in the title. Dunlop say they have "served as the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) for the majority of Harley Models since 1983." Michelin's Scorcher range has been co-developed with Harley-Davidson since 2008. Before a Scorcher is homologated for a Harley, Michelin say it "undergoes rigorous testing to ensure Harley-Davidson's performance and handling requirements are fully met." One quirk worth knowing: the listing titles use Harley's own American spelling of the word, so a search for the British one finds nothing. Search by size instead.

Which size fits your bike

The size and construction code on your existing tyre decides fitment here, not the collection filter. Only 21 of the 55 listings carry a model tag. The rest are catalogued by size and part number alone. Check your old tyre's sidewall before you order.

Where a listing is tagged, the Touring bikes sit on 16", 17" and 18" sizes: Electra Glide, Road Glide, Road King and Street Glide. 44026-09A, a Dunlop D408F 130/70B18 front, and 43200001, a Dunlop D402 MU85B16 rear, are both tagged that way. The 19" fronts split by bike, not by size. 43100063, a Dunlop D401F 100/90-19, is tagged for Dyna and Street Bob. 43100045, a Dunlop D408 130/60B19, is tagged for Road Glide and Street Glide. Same rim size, different bikes. The 240/40R18 rear, 43189-11, is tagged for Breakout and Fat Boy. The Pan America runs its own pair, covered below.

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 says a tyre must not be used on the road if "the tyre is unsuitable having regard to the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put or to the types of tyres fitted to its other wheels." The DVSA's MOT inspection manual for motorcycles names one combination this catches directly: "a radial tyre fitted to the front and a cross-ply or bias belted tyre fitted to the rear." That matters here. On this shelf the D407 rear and the D408F front each come in both bias and radial versions. So the B or R after the size on your old tyre matters, before you order a replacement for one wheel only.

The number after the slash

The aspect ratio. As the MOT manual puts it: "The aspect ratio of a tyre is included in the size marking. For example, a 170/55R17 has an aspect ratio of 55%."

The number and letter at the end, such as 65H

Load rating and speed rating, set by your bike's own approval. Michelin's guidance is that a motorcycle "must be equipped with tyres that comply with the homologated dimensions, which include the load and speed ratings defined as safe for your vehicle." It isn't a figure to choose for yourself.

Scorcher Adventure or Anakee Wild: the Pan America choice

Two different tyres fit the Pan America here: the Michelin Scorcher Adventure pair (43100042 front, 43200042 rear) and the Michelin Anakee Wild kit (43200050). Harley-Davidson's own UK shop lists the Anakee Wild as an off-road rear in the same size. Michelin's own line for it: "The most adventurous of our trail tyres." The Scorcher Adventure is pitched the other way, promising "a new level of on-road stability."

Riders who have run both tend to agree, independently, across more than one thread: the Scorcher grips well on tarmac and copes with gravel without drama, while the Anakee Wild feels more planted off-road but noticeably less settled at motorway speed. More than one rider also found it wears faster under road use, loaded and on hot tarmac, than the tyre it replaced. None of that is a lab measurement. It's a pattern across independent riders, not one opinion, and it points the same way each time: choose by how much of your riding is off-road, not by which tyre looks the part.

What else you need with a new tyre

A wheel that takes a tube needs a new one fitted with the tyre, not the old one refitted. Dunlop say "a new tube should be fitted at the same time." The valve stem gets replaced too. Dunlop's FAQ says the same job needs a new, properly fitted valve stem on a tubeless wheel, or a new tube on a tubed one, every time. TyreSafe's own advice is the same: "When replacing tube type tyres always use a new inner tube."

Not every Harley wheel takes a tube the same way. Dunlop's own fitting guidance warns that not every cast wheel, aluminium or magnesium, is suitable for a tubeless tyre. Worth checking against the wheel itself if you're not sure which type is fitted. Whatever the tyre, the wheel needs balancing afterwards. Dunlop say the assembly must be "balanced before use" and rebalanced every time the tyre comes off or goes back on. TyreSafe's own checklist says the same: "Make sure your tyre/wheel assembly is balanced correctly."

If only one tyre is badly worn, it's worth thinking about the other side too. Dunlop's own guidance is that a new front on a worn rear can cause instability.

Fitting, and what to expect ordering one

Dunlop are blunt about who should do this. Their fitting guidance says only specially trained people should mount a tyre, because improper mounting can make it explode and cause serious injury. TyreSafe say much the same. If you're unsure about condition or pressure, their advice is to "take your motorcycle to an approved fitting centre and speak to a qualified professional." Our Leeds workshop fits the tyres we sell. Ask the parts team when you order and they'll book it in.

Most of what's on this page is ordered in against your bike. It's rarely sitting ready on our own shelf. We'll give you a date, not a promise that it's here today. Every tyre here is a genuine Harley-Davidson part under its own H-D number, for sale at 10% off RRP with free UK delivery available, and the rest of what's genuine for your bike is in Harley-Davidson parts.