Why a dyna over a softail??
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 599
Likes: 2
From: Montana
ackman1968 and SURFOR chop; Love your mods! I have a '67 FL and a '08 FXDC. Both have the same style of tank badge (and both are red too). I am going to put a set of fatbob shocks on the '08 to lower the back and cause I love the look. I also like the look of the full headlight "nacelle" as on my '67. Any problems with the front end mods (brakes, electrics, etc.)? Also looking to boost the motor up to 103cubic inches.
Novice
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento
To me, a motorcycle should have shocks, exposed ones. There really isn't anything appealing to me about the softails as they don't really seemed to be geared towards riding instead they just try to look cool. Another problem I have with softails is that they seem to be very cramped for the rider and at 6'7'' this is a big issue for me. My Dyna was very easy to open up and make it roomy for my long legs, every softail I sat on made me feel like a gorilla on a mini bike.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 62
From: Port St. Lucie, FL
Still owning a '06 Gold Wing trike, I kind of missed riding on two wheels again. After owning two Dyna type bikes in the past, a '78 Super Glide FXD and a '92 Daytona FXDB. I figured test ride every other big twin other than the Dynas this past summer.
Coming off the Gold Wing all the touring bikes felt lame including the screaming eagle Street Glide in stock set up.
Tried the softails and especially liked the Heritage and the Custom and finally deciding on a used '09 Custom but the stealer wasn't in a dealing mood and let me walk on a few hundred dollar difference. He wasn't interested that a dealer several hundred miles North of us was selling the same bike with less miles for several hundreds less.
Anyway, about a week later I came across an ebay ad on a used '09 Super Glide Custom selling locally at a car dealership. I wasn't really interested in another Super Glide but the price was "right" so I figured I can always sell it and recoup my cash if I didn't like it.
After my 1st ride on it all I can say was WOW! This bike was light years ahead of my former "Dynas". It handled great, braked excellent and the power on the stock engine gave me a kick in the pants feeling that the other big twin families lacked. This is my 25th motorcycle.
Now after 6K miles in 3 months, I'm in love with it! My Wing only comes out several times a month now. My Dyna nearly everyday. In my opinion, HD's greatest bang for the buck in a big twin is the Super Glide Custom.
Coming off the Gold Wing all the touring bikes felt lame including the screaming eagle Street Glide in stock set up.
Tried the softails and especially liked the Heritage and the Custom and finally deciding on a used '09 Custom but the stealer wasn't in a dealing mood and let me walk on a few hundred dollar difference. He wasn't interested that a dealer several hundred miles North of us was selling the same bike with less miles for several hundreds less.
Anyway, about a week later I came across an ebay ad on a used '09 Super Glide Custom selling locally at a car dealership. I wasn't really interested in another Super Glide but the price was "right" so I figured I can always sell it and recoup my cash if I didn't like it.
After my 1st ride on it all I can say was WOW! This bike was light years ahead of my former "Dynas". It handled great, braked excellent and the power on the stock engine gave me a kick in the pants feeling that the other big twin families lacked. This is my 25th motorcycle.
Now after 6K miles in 3 months, I'm in love with it! My Wing only comes out several times a month now. My Dyna nearly everyday. In my opinion, HD's greatest bang for the buck in a big twin is the Super Glide Custom.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 173
From: Watertown, CT
'07 walked into a dealership with a pocket full of change and spotted an '08 FXDC. Black ,Sold!
Coming off a hardtail shovel stroker I am nothing but pleased with shocks,push button start and fuel injection. Power? Plenty enough for me.
Coming off a hardtail shovel stroker I am nothing but pleased with shocks,push button start and fuel injection. Power? Plenty enough for me.
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
love my dyna
i have been riding two wheelers for about twenty plus years. Dyna bike are the essence of riding, pure unadultered riding. i pull into a parking lot with my dyna and people want to know about my bike. a softail can park right next to me and it is just another softail. when it comes down to it, though do what you can afford and ride it till the wheels fall off.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
Looked at your pic and can see why! Any plans to clean up the front end to better match the rear? ie: lose the front fender and the directionals? Maybe even eliminate the controls from the handle bar. Put a button start directly on the starter...
i have been riding two wheelers for about twenty plus years. Dyna bike are the essence of riding, pure unadultered riding. i pull into a parking lot with my dyna and people want to know about my bike. a softail can park right next to me and it is just another softail. when it comes down to it, though do what you can afford and ride it till the wheels fall off.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,705
Likes: 2
From: D.C.
Got away from the sport bikes and always wanted a Harley. And one of the reasons that I wanted a Harley was because I could personalize it, and make it reflect ME! The cost of the Dyna allowed me to do that! I also like the Non-balanced motor vibration but my wife REALLY loves it! (Seems to anyways!) I like the Softtails as well but my next bike with be a Street Glide so no Softtail in sight!!
Oh.... keeping my Dyna too!!
Oh.... keeping my Dyna too!!
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 945
Likes: 3
From: Oklahoma City
When I decided to move up from a Sporty last summer I went to a H-D factory demo day and spent the day riding a Dyna then a Softail and back and forth. I wanted a smoother, more stable ride. Less sports car and more Cadillac. A Dyna rides better than a Sporty but still has a lot of similar ride characteristics. Exactly what I wanted away from. The heavier Softail had what I was looking for in ride characteristics. It's all a matter of what you want.