I saw that the 2016 has a "HO" version of the 103 and I drooled. Reality my 2014 pulls like a champ even with 2 up riding. When the 2yr factory warranty expires I will install a stage 1. It would have wasted 2 years of tremendous riding enjoyment to wait for the the 2016 HO and I can do more for less then 2k to up grade mine on my own. 2014, 2015, 2016, the LR is a fantastic bike to own and drive even bone stock. My nit isn't with the engine, it is fabulous. The passenger seat looks great but it sucks for the woman who actually has to sit on it. I put a stock Switchback seat on my bike and my rider can't give me enough hugs while we are riding.

 

I ride mine in 6th gear at about 55mph, will accelerate ok, at 2000 rpm engine is not lugging unless going up a steep grade, but then I always ride my bikes in the highest gear possible to get the best gas mileage.

 

You aren't doing your motor any favors in the longevity department and the gas mileage is probably worse with it lugging like that...

 

Bought my first new HD in Oct of 1994. Still have it. Rode it to work today. I ride to work almost everyday. Where did you hear of this? Not saying it isn't true, but... My Dyna (I've only had 1) pulls like a freight train @ 2500rpm. must be because it's an EVO! I'm 225. I haven't seen 160lbs. on a scale since I was a sophomore in HS. I took great care in what I did. I didn't over rev, I didn't "lug" it, and I was not at constant rpm and throttle setting for a prolonged period. Every owner should be so lucky to have someone as careful as me. Heck, I even have mechanical sympathy. Must have come from all those motorcycle mechanics classes and mechanical engineering thingys...

or, maybe being a tribologist has something to do with it, heck I don't know...

Oh yeah, you can buy my 21 year old Dyna as it's in the "for sale" section of this board. It has the "indestructible" EVO as it's powerplant. Just turned 128 thou, so it's ready to rebuild. Or, not.

 

I think you'd notice more difference between the two if you had them in a gear where there was power to move the bike better. Sure, it's making the same power regardless, but you and I both know gears affect how it's put down. If it pulls away a little bit in 6th, it's going to pull a lot more in 5th, 4th or so on.

Having said that, I too like to cruise in 6th down around 2k-2200 if I'm solo and just putting around. There isnt anything wrong with it if the motor is tuned for it. On a stock bike, non HO, it doesn't have the beans to do it though.

 

WFO in 6th going 50? I think the only thing that proves is how little acceleration a harley has when its not in the power band...maybe if you were in 3rd..

 

Wait a minute! Are you fellow members telling me that the 2015 and 2016 are geared differently?

If so, then my comparo means very little.

How many here shift @ 5000rpm, on a regular basis? Especially to a cold engine?

 

geared the same.

 

No, what I'm saying is go do the same comparison in 3rd gear instead of 6th. Report back.

And I shift around 5k at least 2-3 times every time I get the bike out. I love how it sounds up there.

 

Sorry to resurrect a somewhat dead thread, but here goes~

I had a chance to ride a 2015 Dyna Low today. Not just around the dealership block, but for 120 miles in about 4 hours. This included twistys, sweepers, high speed* freeways, and stop-n-go traffic.

My observations~

I had ridden both 2015 & 2016 FXDL's only briefly before this "test ride."

This bike has 3,000 miles on it, and is fully broken in. It has a detachable sissy bar & rack, and "lay down" plate mount.

Now, on to the ride...

My ride started out in stop-n-go traffic, which lead to the 4 lane freeway. Zipping along at 60mph or so, (traffic held the speeds low.) I never noticed before, but the FXDL is very cramped in the leg room dept. While the bars are moved back "about an inch from full forward position" they didn't seem too bad, but did feel kinda wide. This "width" became problematic once the speeds got up. I noticed they offered too much sensitivity when traveling in excess of 70MPH. I also noticed that they are not "square"when the bike is traveling arrow straight. The bike also pulled to the left when you take your hands off the bars. Not terribly, but it's there. Anyone else have this malady on their FXDL?

Next portion of my ride was some medium (40-65MPH) sweepers. The bike likes anything in the "55 and under" speed for leaning over to where the pegs touch down. Above that and it gets nervous. Above 80MPH while keeled over, and I get nervous as the bike is entering a "wobble" phase. Stock suspension, btw.

Next were the twistys. Palomar Mtn's famous "tighside" offers 63 turns in 7 miles of clean, wonderful traction asphalt. Along with a 3000' vertical climb, it makes for some fun. Unfortunately, I was in the way of most all the sport bikers that frequent the area. I waved them by, and they went on their way. I noticed the front brake is quite sensitive as compared to my FXD. Dual disks are nice! The speeds here are 33MPH in the tightest curves to "almost 70MPH" in the 2 increasing radii turns. I noticed the rear shocks were very firm, and the front kinda mushy. The rear shocks are on the #3 setting for spring preload (I weigh 225, btw.)
Next was the high speed sweepers with some more tight stuff thrown in. The bike doesn't like being pushed very hard. The Michy Scorchers didn't do too bad as I removed the chicken strips. The brakes work ok when scrubbing off speed moderately...as long as the bike isn't leaned much at all. Braking during a lean strips most confidence in the tires as they "howl" under protest.

There is one particular section of road that is fenced on both sides with minimal traffic (usually.) This happened to be one of those times, where a rider could "pull the trigger." So, I did. Acceleration is "adequate" for speeds below 60-65MPH. Above that, and the rate of acceleration is abysmal. It took practically a mile to get up to "high" speed. The bike was trying to wallow to the point that I wouldn't want to do that again. Strategy here is...to ride the motorcycle within the parameters that Harley had in mind when they designed and built it. The bike is happiest there.

Hopped on the superslab on the way home (about 20-25 miles, or so.) Traffic was rolling along at 75 to 80MPH as it usually does. The bike likes to follow rain grooves, but I think that might be more the tire siping than the frame geometry or suspension settings. But, I could be wrong on this.

Anyway, that is what I learned while riding a motorcycle for 4 hours instead of 4 minutes. When the "giddiness" of riding a newish motorcycle falls away, you really get to "see and feel" some of the idiosyncracies that can make a bike that perfect bike or a mistake. I may have dodged a bullet by not buying a LowRider as I'm just "too cramped."