Dyna, Dyna, Dyna! That's all I have to say!

 

Go with whatever you like, seriously. You will grow accustomed to whatever you get and don't let anyone tell you what you should be riding. With that said, I have to recommend the Wide Glide. I have the 2010 and I love it. Handles great and it's really comfortable on the long rides. Took it all the way to Sturgis last year and it was a pleasure the whole way. Anyway, go test ride the bikes you like and base your decision on that. Have fun.

 

I am partial to the Wide Glide (being a Dyna owner); but, also really like the Night Train styling ....

Although I've not owned one, I've ridden Softails and do not find them as good a rider's bike as the Dynas .... But, as Thatguy08 suggested, whatever you get, you'll grow accustomed to the feel and idiosyncracies of the particular model ....

I find the Softail's hidden suspension a curious feature ... a design by the MoCo to mimic the looks of their longtime standard hard tail frame (no rear suspension--just springs under the seat) ... but, since the design was introduced in 1986 it has developed it's own 25-year product history ....

I would advise against getting a new bike ... there are plenty of good deals to be had on low-mileage bikes in today's market .... Just do a little homework and learn the pros and cons of the various years' offerings ....

The posted price on the webpage you linked is not that great for a bike with 42,300 miles .... You could probably do better ... try searching craigslist or eBay ....

As someone else posted, at 42,000 miles, you would be pretty close to having to do something about the cam chain tensioner shoes on that '03 Wide Glide ... if they have not already been replaced .... To replace them with the stock replacements is going to cost $500-$700 (could be done for ~$175 parts and gaskets if you do it yourself) ... to upgrade to hydraulic will cost around $1,000 - $1,200 (~$700 for parts depending on whether you use Screamin Eagle, Andrew, Feuling, et c.) ... to change over to gear drive cams should cost around the same price range .... The same will apply (with regards to the cam chain tensioner shoes) for any pre-'06 Twin Cam motor ....

Good luck shopping for a bike and hope to welcome you to the Dyna forum ....

R/
'Chop

 

I'm 6'3 and 260, I have a street bob and ****in love it!

 

Some people can start off on a heavy bike, some can't. Only you can answer that question. Good luck.

 

Again, go with what you want. My first bike was an 883 Sportster and many told me I should go with a lighter, smaller bike to learn on. Since you have some time with the Shadow under your belt I think you'd have no issues with a bigger bike. If you want a 2011 WG, get it.

 

Take the time to do your own due diligence. No one else can tell you which bike to buy. Start w/ searches on this forum. Learn all you can about the different models and their unique traits & problems. Don't decide solely on looks. Don't get too hung up on finding just 1 special color. There are a lot of good looking bikes out there from which to choose. If you can, rent for a day a model as close as possible to what you've decided upon. Establish beforehand 1 budget for initial price (+tax, license, insurance), plus 1 for mods and accessories/riding gear. Set aside an additional amount for contingencies.

You will pay $1,000's more buying through a dealer (My local dealer had a 1999 Dyna for $9,000--I got my 2009 for $9,000 from original owner). Dealers buy wholesale and sell retail, so search private party ads on local craigslist's, to start. There's absolutely no need to travel far. Don't expect everyone to offer free rides. Find a late-model cream-puff w/ LO miles (~10,000) for sale by local owner. Make him take less. Forget these bikes that are half used up. It costs $1,000's to overhaul 1. Forget bikes that show any abuse or neglect. Pass on anything that's been damaged. Avoid all which have been highly modified. Try to find 1 as close to stock as possible.

Once you know which models to look for, be financially prepared to instantly transfer funds, generally a cashiers check works. Be certain you understand what is meant by "clear and untainted title", and make sure you get that. Arrange to conclude your transaction immediately following a complete mechanical inspection, preferably at a well-regarded dealership; this will cost little but could save a fortune.

Good judgement comes from experience. Unfortunately experience comes from bad judgement. Arm yourself w/ all the info you need. Seek professional advice regarding condition. Find an honest seller.

Good luck.

 

thanks all for the good advice. the mileage on the 03 scared me too but figured i would ask. now that a few have suggested fat bobs i did a bit more looking into them. now if i go new im torn between the wide glide and fat bob. each have a few features i like. the fat bob has the bobtail fender, the WG has the raked front with skinny tire. but after thinking about it wide would be better with my experience level. so i think if i go new it will be a fat bob. i found a 2010 with 5k miles for $13999. no matter what i do plan on test driving and maybe renting for a weekend or something. how does test drives work? do they provide a helmet and take a copy of my license or do i have to have a credit check done first or something

 

check out craigslist, tons of good deal on all sorts of bikes.

 

Went to the local dealer with the mrs last night.they have a 2010 fat bob with just over 500 miles on it, mustang seat, v&h slip ons and a sissy bar for about $15000 out the door. They r doing the 1000 mile service to it. They r holding it a couple days for me as depending how the test ride goes I'll most likely be getting it