Dyna vs Softail
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 72
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From: Seacoast of NH
I just bought a 2012 wide glide this summer and love it I demo'd the Fat Bob and Fatboy softails and I prefer the Dynas. I like to feel the road and I think it's a better balanced bike as far as handling goes (perhaps due to frame stiffness or geometry). I like the wide glide; the balance, the cornering, and the handling. It fit me well (5'10"-200lbs) but you can't go wrong with the fat bob either, I was torn between those two. But I liked the rider position of the WG in the end (thinking of longer rides).
I ride daily while I can and while I may replace the seat (mostly for long rides and two up riding-but I'm in no hurry), it is a comfortable bike to ride. The Super Glide is nice too, but I like the forward controls and 34 degree rake of the WG although you can put forward controls on the SG. Thats the beauty of the Dynas, very customizable. Ride them both, pay attention to rider position, handlebar position, and ride feel and balence. You can always change your seat but handlebars and bike geom are a little more complicated. Good luck & have fun!
I ride daily while I can and while I may replace the seat (mostly for long rides and two up riding-but I'm in no hurry), it is a comfortable bike to ride. The Super Glide is nice too, but I like the forward controls and 34 degree rake of the WG although you can put forward controls on the SG. Thats the beauty of the Dynas, very customizable. Ride them both, pay attention to rider position, handlebar position, and ride feel and balence. You can always change your seat but handlebars and bike geom are a little more complicated. Good luck & have fun!
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 1
From: Nomad
Owned bikes below in that order , always went back to the Hot Rod Dyna !
1992 Sportster 1200
1995 Dyna Low Rider
1996 Fat Boy
1999 Fat Boy
1999 Dyna Low Rider
2006 Dyna Street Bob ( Super Glide in drag )
1992 Sportster 1200
1995 Dyna Low Rider
1996 Fat Boy
1999 Fat Boy
1999 Dyna Low Rider
2006 Dyna Street Bob ( Super Glide in drag )
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 261
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From: FWB, FL
Two weekends ago, I was choosing between a Wide Glide and a Softail Slim. The Slim was a 2012 and the Wide Glide was a 2013. Price were pretty close. Dealer would have given me more to work with on the Slim. I went back and forth, sitting on both and combing every inch of both bikes. In the end I chose the Wide Glide because it looks more of what I like. It's a good thing there was not a Blackline there. That would have been a tough decision.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 11
From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
I'm with Zig Zag, never could get past a bike trying to look like what it ain't (hardtail). My bro has a Heritage as his "backup bike" to his Wide. A few years ago, we planned a long roadtrip from home in the PacNW to the SW. One of us 4 bros was bikeless at the time, so he had his choice between my RKC (sig pic) and other bro's Heritage. His initial feel was for the Heritage. I installed Heritage bars and a Sundowner seat on my RKC for my own comfort, and shortly after that we took all three flavors (RKC, WG, Heritage) out for a day-long warm-up trip. We all swapped off at regular intervals and all came away with some definite feelings on the three.
For me, the Heritage felt short fore/aft, and I'm easily the shortest of us 3 brothers riding that day. I also didn't like the [balanced] motor feel when at speed; I likened the feel to when you were a kid and you put a marble in one of mom's bowls and moved the bowl in a circle to get the marble spinning faster and faster...same sensation I had on the Heritage at 50 in 5th gear. At idle, the B-motors are smooth; at speed, I find my A-motors more to my liking.
In the end, bikeless bro opted for the RKC for our trip; even asked to buy it from me when we got home! He liked the cruise, dual front disks, and 6th gear. He's since gone the way of a G'wing and is happy with it.
FWIW
For me, the Heritage felt short fore/aft, and I'm easily the shortest of us 3 brothers riding that day. I also didn't like the [balanced] motor feel when at speed; I likened the feel to when you were a kid and you put a marble in one of mom's bowls and moved the bowl in a circle to get the marble spinning faster and faster...same sensation I had on the Heritage at 50 in 5th gear. At idle, the B-motors are smooth; at speed, I find my A-motors more to my liking.
In the end, bikeless bro opted for the RKC for our trip; even asked to buy it from me when we got home! He liked the cruise, dual front disks, and 6th gear. He's since gone the way of a G'wing and is happy with it.
FWIW
Last edited by PKellyMc; Oct 29, 2012 at 04:39 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 56
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From: DFW area
I was torn between getting a WG and a heritage but I ended up getting the heritage although I cant take curves as fast on a heritage it felt more comfortable and since I spend half my time with two up it feels more roomy if you will.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 854
Likes: 20
From: CT
They're really the same bike. I mean, spend a couple grand more for a softail and look at all the benefits. 100+ lbs heavier, crappy frame and rear suspension design, no choice of foot controls, terrible handling, a horrendous bottom end that you can't rev past 6200, oh, and they absolutely suck to work on. But at least you can bolt on some apes and vance & hines and have an instachopper. And it won't shake at idle for all those main st stop lights.
Like others have said, the real question is, do you want to ride it? or do you want to look at it? If its the second one, dynas look better anyway
Like others have said, the real question is, do you want to ride it? or do you want to look at it? If its the second one, dynas look better anyway
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,450
Likes: 7,136
From: Beyond Fucital
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 60
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From: Manitoba Canada
Thanks for all the imput everyone. I was on the Wide Glide and a Fatboy a couple weeks ago. Wide Glide felt way better to me. Have to wait till January for the dealer to get in a Fatbob to see how she feels.
