ok so iam checking out this bike on c/l it's a 99 fxd nice bike the guy wants to sell it for an fxr what is the difference between the two and what is the difference with the 99 and the 06 and up i know they changed the frame up but is one better than the other i mean does the old fxr handle better than the 99 and does the 06 do better than the 99 hope this makes sense http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/1637265190.html

 

Well your actually looking at an fxdx which is a great bike and that one appears to be well sorted. I actually think the owner posted about his bike recently. The major differences were obviously engine as well as the frame

 

thx for the response but can you tell me the difference in the handling of the two is the frame better on the 06 and up than the 99 right off the bat i can tell the swing arm is a lot more beefy and just plain looks better imho , and you find that post it would be cool is it in classifieds section?? thx again.

 

The FXR chassis pivots the swingarm at the frame. The FXD chassis pivots the swing arm from the back of the transmission.... meaning the FXD swingarm does not attach to the frame. The FXR is a rubber mounted setup as well, many feel the FXR is a more solid handling chassis...no doubt because of this. Show me one sport bike with the swingarm attached to the transmission/engine much less in a rubber mount configuration. There are stories that HD bagged the FXR because the frame had too many pieces and was too time consuming/costly in production. Anything that can speed up mass production AND save money will get the nod. The FXR many claim was the best handling HD ever.....I certainly would never make that claim about my Dyna.

Tech23

 

ok cool thx for the info does that mean the 06 went back to the swing arm to the frame configuration , that does sound hokey to me to have a swing arm to the trans though .

 

I believe the 06 and newer Dyna swingarm are also transmission mounted. There are other refinements that make the 06 and up Dynas better handling bikes that the earlier Dynas...49mm forks, & one inch diameter axles all contribute to a more solid handling ride. True Track and Sputhe have made lots of money selling mount stabilzers to deal with the wet spaghetti noodle handling of the pre 06 Dynas. I don't know how many of the stabilizers they sell are being put on the later model Dynas (06 & up). I would think most go on the older 39 and 41mm fork equipped bikes. In my opinion, it was a stupid design to mount the swingarm to the transmission like they did, it is also my opinion that I'm glad I replaced the Dunlop 401 & 402's with a more modern tread design before I spent alot of money on other more expensive handling fixes. Remember...you will adapt to anything you ride, the more seat time you put in on it the better you will be able to ride it.

Tech23

 

Interesting response Tech23 for one who is not involved in knowing what it costs to manufacture a True-Track stabilizer. Sorry to disappoint you but just has many units have been sold to Dyna owners with bike years 06 - present. It may not have been Harleys brightest idea to build the Dyna and the V-Rod with but one stabilizer to say the least but it is still cheaper than a funeral to add stability to an ill handling motorcycle than to risk adapting to a Harley that statistics have shown maim or kill 800-1000 bikers a year. Just food for thought.

 

Just out of curiosity, do you have statistics from the NHTSA on how many of those Dyna accidents are caused by instability in the frame vice riders pushing themselves beyond their riding ability?

I'd be willing to bet most are caused by the latter. I ride my FXDF pretty hard, never had a problem with the handling. I pushed my FXRS just as hard but you can only push so much on the street with traffic.

 

I wish HD would have included them on the Dynas, especially with that questionable swingarm mounting. You may have sold many stabilizers to 06 and newer Dyna owners...but I don't care, I have a 2000. I also never commented on how much each unit cost's. I have seen the group buy discounts and that is great. My standpoint is why should I pay you $$$ for...as you say, is a HD design flaw. When a class action suit dictates that HD step up and retro fit the Dynas with the "missing" mount stabilizers, opt out, or refund those that have purchased (out of pocket) remedies...then I will take my bike in to be retro fitted. I have heard that Eric Buell thought the Dynas should have come equipped with them. I have not heard about Dyna riders dropping like flies either....yea they can handle like a rubberband or like they have a hinge in the middle. I achieved great results by replacing a collapsed front isolater and switching to different tread pattern tires. The Dyna rubber mount system can fatigue and mileage really plays a small part in when the mounts sack out. Draining your engine oil onto the front mount will shorten it's life even more. The weight of the engine is always supported by the rubber mount whether its parked in your garage or going down the road. I am not saying you have a bad product, actually I think its a quality piece....all I am saying is I should not have to pay for it since it was omitted from the factory, most likely as a cost cutting and or styling measure. Other HD and Buell models have them, and so should the Dynas.

We all learn to ride around handling characteristics whether we realize it or not. The torque effect of shaft drive bike...where the drive pinion tries to climb the ring gear causing the back of the bike to rise on acceleration...fork dive on heaving braking...some bikes have anti-dive to combat this. These examples do not constitute a defect...just a characteristic of the bikes handling. I'm sure that would be HD's standpoint as well. I have owned Honda ATC 3 wheelers, quads, 2 and 4 stroke dirt bikes, and a Honda FatCat. I owned all of these different machines because they ALL required different techniques to ride. Just curious...were did you get the 800-1000 bikers killed per year statistic? Is that just a general statement or are you saying 800-1000 Dyna riders per year have died due to the lack of engine mount stabilizers ? Too many ambulance chasing Lawyers these days to believe that... sorry. I do understand your wanting to sell your product though.

Tech23

 

Tech 23 makes some great points and I won't bother to argue anything he has said......that said, I don't think the bike you are looking at has any of the features folks are speaking of. That bike on Craig's list is not an FXR but rather a Dyna and as such isn't going to offer the difference people are speaking of.

The price is too high for a '99 model but a price tag of $6-$8 is reasonable so if you can make a deal jump right in, otherwise just go for something much more cost comparative.