I am looking for a HD. Really want a HD, but one that handles well. Obviously I don't expect it to be a real canyon carver, but something that will be fun to toss around in the twisties. In addition, looking to take it on day trips (400 miles) so saddlebags will be a must. Other than dirt bikes I have not ridden in 20 years.

I am thinking about a FatBob or FXDX. However, it seems to be pretty hard to find a FXDX. In addition, if I get a FatBob I will have a six speed, injected, 96" motor. How difficult would it be to modify a FatBob to handle like a FXDX? Would I be better off starting w/ another model? The reason I thought the FatBob is a good starting point is because of the dual front disks & steep rake angle. One thing that I do not think I would like is most FatBob's have forward controls.

 

Had an FXDX really liked it, but as soon as you sit on it you know why it handled well. Tall suspension in a tight frame, hated the sportster forks even though they were adjustable. Sold it and bought the fat bob, love it. Very substantial bike sits lower, but handles great. In my mind no comparison. 96 ci, six speed, big tires , big front end and attitude.

 

I come off of a 1200S, the little brother of sorts to the FXDX. Do the Fat Bob and just spend the money for new, quality suspension components. The FXDX was nice but now they are old with half worn suspension components and decade old technology. Budget $1,000 max to do a Fat Bob.

Get off the Progressive bandwagon and take a look at the $500 Hagon shocks, a fork spring matched to your weight and style and some Ricor Intimidators. Get away from the HD Dunlops too before they kill you.

 

I have both. FXDX handles so much better, but I'm modding the Fat Bob to make it try and compare.

Doing 13" Hagon Nitros, new springs, preload adjusters, Ricor Intimitators, forward-mids off a 2014 FXDL

 

I've never ridden an FXDX, but I do have a fat bob and have made some changes to the stock setup.

I put 13" progressive 444s on the rear, and Ricor Intiminators, straight rate springs, and preload adjusters on the front.

Forwards controls changed over to mid controls.

The handling is night and day different. I find the mid controls more comfortable (takes the pressure off my tail bone) and better for handling.

The suspension setup is firmer but still compliant and a lot more stable on long (and hard) cornering. Now I am not a big fan of Progressive, but I will say that their 444 series shocks have been great so far. I would be the first one to say they suck if they did. I went from 12" 444s to 13" 444s, because for the price they are good.

Saying a product is good or bad (simply because others do) is the bandwagon. The progressives 444s are actually really good shocks, imo but any shock sprung for your weight will be better.

What's wrong with the Fat Bob dunlops? i ride them hard as **** and they've never flaked on me.

 

the only problem with the dunlops on the fatbob is what harley charges for them. but they last a while and have pretty good traction. the pirelli night dragons are better. but you'll replace them more often.

i got the dealer to swap my fatbob to mids before it left the showroom. and have since swapped to the further forward mids. the extra coupla inches help a bunch (at least when your 6'2).

the stock suspension isnt bad. but any good set of taller shocks would be welcome. i've been budgeting around 1200 for shocks and fork upgrades just to be safe.

 

FXDX or nothing!

 

I keep thinking about selling the 02 FXDX and just ride the ultra all the time, just can't seem to let go. Love the way the fxdx handles. Jim

 

That would be my exact plan as well for my '09 Low Rider project. No doubt the 444 are a great shock but the Hagon Nitro have been deemed to be the absolute best shock at the $500 price point so far. Hagon will assemble in any configuration and allow you to swap out their single rate springs if they prove too stiff or soft. Lotta shock for the buck. http://www.hagonshocksusa.com/nitro.htm


Tires are a whole other thread but the K591 tire is about the only good performance tire to have come on a Dyna. Great compound but getting harder to find anywhere but eBay. Drag racer are really liking the Shinko 'Hook Up' and its really their 003 sport biker/road race tire. Dunno what the Fat Bob size is for the 003 front, if any.

 

About the only thing the fat bob shares with a FXDX is dual disc brakes. The rest of the bike is an entirely different animal. Lets see, the Fat Bob weighs another 100 plus pounds to start with. Fuel Injection is not a plus for me, and I am not a huge fan of the 6 speed transmission either. The 5 speed is a better transmission than the 6 speed from a performance aspect as it has less drag loss, and is capable of more horsepower. Just ask Bert Baker about that.

No bikes roll off the Harley showroom floor setup for you, the FXDX was no exception. Setting up the bike with proper shocks, and fork springs is a given on all Harley models. Even the fully adjustable 39mm narrowglide needed alot of love to be right. The fact that nobody knew how to set them up properly made building mine even harder, but I now own the special tools to do that job.

Someone mentioned the FXDX was decade old technology? A twin Cam is a Twin Cam, and the older Twin Cams with Forged Cranks and Timken Bearings were stronger than the 06 and later versions. Harley kind of shot their selves in the foot on that one. My carbed, cammed, T Header 88 incher will run away from showroom 96-103 engines all day.

I owned a fuel injected 6 speed bike and was not impressed with either the fuel injection, or the 6 speed. Now I currently own a carbed FXDX, I still would have no issues with owning a 103 Fat Bob or the new Low Rider, but I would go into that purchase knowing that I would have to buy a Thundermax tuner, new shocks right off the bat.

Dollar for dollar you get alot of bang for your buck buying these new bikes, and anybody that has a low mileage FXDX that knows what they have wont be giving it away for less than 10k. If they do it has a load of mileage(20-45k) on it, or it looks like it has sat in a dump for 10 years. A properly setup DX will handle better than a Fat Bob no matter what you do to it, but that doesnt mean its a bad bike. Shes just a big girl, and big girls need love too