I'm still looking for my first HD, pretty much narrowed it down to the Dyna line, and am wondering if any models have better handling then others. I've seen some wide glides with narrow front tires, with the fat bob on the other end of it. However the front controls on the FB I don't think lend themselves to better handling, by moving the center of gravity forward. Was planning on a used bike, but if the right deal can be had, a new one may be an option.


I've been riding for years. Currently have a bmw s1000r that I just can't get into. Not sure im keeping it, or trading it if I go new. I know no HD will have the handling of that bike, but I accept that. I still want to enjoy the twistys safely.


Any opinion on this?


Thanks

 

Superglide and Street Bob have the least rake of the dynas which would give you slightly better handling. They both also have mid controls. Most people here on the forum who wanted better handling have also gone with improved suspension, including longer rear shocks.

At the top of the dyna forum go to the "search this forum" feature and type in "handling" or "improved handling" and you'll find lots of threads about what people have done.

 

Love riding my Fat Bob out here on the canyon roads in Colorado - never met a curve I didn't like...

 

Good point. While the Fat Bob has slightly more rake than the SG or SB, it's got that 16" front wheel which really helps the handling.

 

IIRC, the Low Rider has increased rake which helps high speed stability.
My Super Glide handles fine but cornering (leaning) on all Dynas is limited by muffler and peg dragging.
My old BMW corners way better.

 

The Low Rider has a rack of 30.5 the rest have a rack of the Dynas are at 29. The the Wide Glide has a rack of 34. The trail varies between all Dyna models.

 

Yes, you're right about that. My mistake on the rake for the Fat Bob. That should be the best handling dyna.

 

Find a dealer that will let you test ride the different Dyna variants you're interested in. Then you'll know which you like best.

 

I came from a BMW K1200R to a Fat Bob. Night and day different bikes. The only thing I am having a hard time with are the forward controls. Outside of that the power is fine for the city and highway, I had to relearn how to corner so that I would stop scraping. I love the Fat Bob, can be just as fun at 90 mph as the Beemer was at 160 mph, and in my opinion a lot prettier, and more fun to work on. I will be trying out floor boards this spring and see how that works for me. You can buy a Fat Bob and add center controls for less then 500 dollar, see if you can find an older bike that has mid controls at a dealer for a rental or test ride, then you will know how you feel about it.

 

That's big. I didn't know you could add mid-controls on a fat bob. That's a big help, TY.