400 x 18 Rear Tire Option

All things K & Sportster

400 x 18 Rear Tire Option

Postby starcain » Wed Nov 25, 2020 5:53 pm

Through the years I’ve heard guys talking about the 400 x18 rear tire options on K Models. Many believe they were available on all Ks and ‘57 Sportsters. I was having a discussion with someone that thought the 400 x 18 was available for his ‘56 KHK. I was curious to where that information came from and he said the “harley K model” website. So I took a look and sure enough it shows the 400 x 18 Goodyear Grasshopper as option for the rear. It also shows the option was available for the ‘55 and ‘57 models. The source of information is said to have come from “The Legend Begins. Mostly I guess from Season Order Blanks.

I have that book and have looked through it but can’t find anything that states that an option
for the rear tire on the ‘55 to ‘57 models was a 400 x 18. Unless someone knows different and knows of documents other then the Season Order Blanks that shows factory tire options
the blanks seem like the best source for what was available at the time.

I have enough Season Order Blanks from 1952 to 1957 that gives a different story on the 400 x 18 tire option. One I used from “The Legend Begins” as reference for the 1954 model year.

As most of you probably know, There were usually multiple Order Blanks for any particular year. As an example 1952 had four of them. “52 plain to 52C. They would indicate any changes in parts availability, options or models added or removed. Like the ‘52 plain order blank showed the 52WL, the ‘52B blank showed both the WL and the ‘52 K Model and the ‘52C showed only the K Model. All order blanks have Part Numbers and dates when issued so it can give you an idea of when things changed.

So what I learned from the 1952 to 1957 order blanks I have is:

1952 had no tire options listed. The only mention of wheel size is listed in the Deluxe Group,
3.25 x 19 chrome rims. That’s the way it is through all four order blanks.

1953 plain order blank is the same as 1952. No options listed.
1953A order blank dated 11-20-52 shows the first 400 x 18 tire option.

1954 plain dated 9-1-53 still shows the 400 x 18 option with a Goodyear Grasshopper tire.

1954B blank dated 3-1-54 no longer shows the 400 option but lists the 3.50 x 18 Goodyear Sport Special or Firestone Sportsman for traction on rear only.

1955A shows the 3.50 x 18 Goodyear Grasshopper for rear traction only.

1956B only shows 3.50 x 18 Goodyear Grasshopper for rear traction only.

1957 only shows the 3.50 x 18 Goodyear Grasshopper for rear traction only.

Again, if someone has any other factory documents that would indicate other options
then what is shown in the in pictures I attached I would love to see them.

So in my mind, the only time that a 400 x 18 tire option was available on a K Model
or 1957 Sportster is from mid to late 1953 and early to mid 1954.

I think the chart on the website is misleading unless someone can prove different?

Stan
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52-53 (A).JPG (200.22 KiB) Viewed 3160 times
54-55 (A).JPG
54-55 (A).JPG (113.4 KiB) Viewed 3160 times
56-57.JPG
56-57.JPG (69.13 KiB) Viewed 3160 times
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starcain
 
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