From Sportster to Dyna
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 174
Likes: 1
From: Bend, Oregon
I swapped my old street bob with a friend that had a 1200 sporty for a week. In the end, I wanted my freaking bike back and he traded in his sporty for a street bob about a month later.
Someday I will ****** up a sportster that is cheap as hell, to build a bar hopper with. But other than that, I couldn't see myself putting any real time in the seat
Someday I will ****** up a sportster that is cheap as hell, to build a bar hopper with. But other than that, I couldn't see myself putting any real time in the seat
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Tx
Didn't want come across as not liking the 48. It was my first bike and rode it for a year. It's what I learned to ride first and will probably miss it. So far it may be a second fat bob set up for solo.
Rode to the dealer to finish up some paper work today and this thing is like a caddy compared to the sportster. Wife is happy so far, just got to get a sissy bar and will be ready for some longer rides. Haven't got it over 3500 rpm but it has some *****. You won't miss the pull on the 1200.
When I said it's easier to ride, I think it would better to say the balance is easier to deal with. Felt like it took a lot to maneuver the sportster and the fat bob is just look where ya want to go and it responds if that makes sense. handling seems a lot more responsive. Doesn't feel like I'm fighting the bike - heard it described as sitting in the bike instead of on top of it. That would be a good description. And the biggest thing for us is cruising at 70 mph @ around 2500 rpm in 6th gear vs 70 mph in 5th @ around 4000 rpm. Very smooth ride.
Before I get too philosophical, I'm happy with it. Thought it might of been too big to learn on for me but for the price difference it only took about 50 miles and I'm as comfortable on it as I was the sportster 2 up. It is a heavier and bigger bike when pushing it around. When stopping it's just a matter of putting your feet down and slow speeds seems easier to manage. Hope that helps anybody on the fence between the two.
Rode to the dealer to finish up some paper work today and this thing is like a caddy compared to the sportster. Wife is happy so far, just got to get a sissy bar and will be ready for some longer rides. Haven't got it over 3500 rpm but it has some *****. You won't miss the pull on the 1200.
When I said it's easier to ride, I think it would better to say the balance is easier to deal with. Felt like it took a lot to maneuver the sportster and the fat bob is just look where ya want to go and it responds if that makes sense. handling seems a lot more responsive. Doesn't feel like I'm fighting the bike - heard it described as sitting in the bike instead of on top of it. That would be a good description. And the biggest thing for us is cruising at 70 mph @ around 2500 rpm in 6th gear vs 70 mph in 5th @ around 4000 rpm. Very smooth ride.
Before I get too philosophical, I'm happy with it. Thought it might of been too big to learn on for me but for the price difference it only took about 50 miles and I'm as comfortable on it as I was the sportster 2 up. It is a heavier and bigger bike when pushing it around. When stopping it's just a matter of putting your feet down and slow speeds seems easier to manage. Hope that helps anybody on the fence between the two.
Advanced
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: New York
I am in the same boat
Had been looking at Sportsters for a while as a first Harley - either 883 or 1200C
Couple of weekends ago, went into a dealership and saw a 2012 Street Bob - 3000 miles and mint condition
Got that OTD for $10700..............which i think was a great deal
One of the guys over in the Sportster forums helped me out big time with that deal
But the SB just feels like a much bigger bike (even if it is not a huge difference) and fankly, looks great and am sure the extra cc's will make a difference, especially compared to the 883 I was looking at originally
Will pick it up in about 3 weeks time, once the snow and ice has cleared away!
My only issue is my insurance quote jumped from around $430 to $680 with the SB compared to the 1200C
Had been looking at Sportsters for a while as a first Harley - either 883 or 1200C
Couple of weekends ago, went into a dealership and saw a 2012 Street Bob - 3000 miles and mint condition
Got that OTD for $10700..............which i think was a great deal
One of the guys over in the Sportster forums helped me out big time with that deal
But the SB just feels like a much bigger bike (even if it is not a huge difference) and fankly, looks great and am sure the extra cc's will make a difference, especially compared to the 883 I was looking at originally
Will pick it up in about 3 weeks time, once the snow and ice has cleared away!
My only issue is my insurance quote jumped from around $430 to $680 with the SB compared to the 1200C
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 640
Likes: 0
From: Denver
It's pretty huge. My Street Bob weighs 108lbs more than my Nightster, a 20% increase. But I traded a Road King for the Street Bob which is 105lbs more, or 16% heavier than a Street Bob and 38% heavier than the Nightster, so the Street Bob felt light by comparison. But when I hop on my Nightster now it feels very light and nimble, which is good! I like having the different riding experiences. But the Street Bob is probably as heavy as I ever want to go anymore.
Novice
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
The only downside from sporty to dyna I have found is two up. While I found the sporty cramped, the wife liked being closer to me, and hates the pad on the sissy bar, HD one piece with matching pad. The pad is too small and angled wrong. IMO looks good but fits people wrong. So I have to swap out for the two piece squarish one and larger pad for her rare trips but this combo digs in to the tripper passenger seat and a bitch to get on over the tripper and IMO looks out of place on a street bob, so it doesnt stay on long for fear of seat damage from digging in to the vinyl. From my pov I kinda miss the cramped feeling now, as we felt as one on the bike and she moved with me, now its not as intuitive for her, and misses the sporty. BTW I had the one piece pillow top on the sporty, and she loved that, though my butt hated it. Now I love the tripper, but she hates it, and I gotta say the passenger seat on the tripper is hella hard so I see her point. Guess I need an alternate seat for her too............. That being said dyna v.s. sporty is a no brainer, spend the extra couple grand and be rewarded tenfold.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,644
Likes: 397
From: Nonya, BS
Had a 1200 custom and dyna switchback, now on a road king most of the time. Find what fits otherwise you will spend a lot of money trying to make it fit.
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 208
Likes: 17
From: Pittsburgh
Sounds like my story. I started out with a '07 883 low. Great bike, but I could feel every bump/pot hole. I also found myself constantly shifting gears "up & down". I loved the bike but only kept it for 3 years. This past December I walked into my local Harley shop on a Tuesday..NOBODY in the place! And after spending 2 hours with a guy who sold Harleys for over 30 years he steered me to a Fat Bob. Bigger front forks to absorb the road..dual headlights for greater visability..drag bars which I wanted and dual front disc brakes for better stopping. I bought a used 2009 with 2300 miles in the middle of winter...got a SUPER deal on it and it's currently stored at the dealership until good weather shows up...Can't wait 
Last edited by V-Twin; Mar 6, 2014 at 09:44 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 67
From: Saint Amant, Acadiana
I took practically everything for test ride when I was shopping for mine. I just can't stand heavy bikes. Even Sportster feels too heavy. And clumsy. But all other Harleys are clumsier (not sure about XR). I like going into twisties and have fun. Smooth switching down while leaning over and hard on brakes is practically impossible, trying to do it will lead to rear slide, taming that rear slide will result in loss of speed.
So my choice was Roadster because of better leaning angle and dual brakes. Of course, Sportster is as Lego, you have to get right pieces. After changing the rear chocks and tuning the front I can do 600 miles a day no problem. A few engine mods unleashed the power, I can beat brand new Corvette driven flat out up to 100 MPH, it will catch up at 110 and pull away over 120. The downside of power is my rear tire wont last over 5k miles.
So my choice was Roadster because of better leaning angle and dual brakes. Of course, Sportster is as Lego, you have to get right pieces. After changing the rear chocks and tuning the front I can do 600 miles a day no problem. A few engine mods unleashed the power, I can beat brand new Corvette driven flat out up to 100 MPH, it will catch up at 110 and pull away over 120. The downside of power is my rear tire wont last over 5k miles.