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Currently own a 1984 FXSB Low Rider Shovelhead and a 1999 FXDX.
The Shovelhead I have had for almost 10 years. Been a great motorcycle. Fun little jammer. NOT a highway bike. This is a bike I will be keeping forever. It is super fun around town. Even for an old 4 speed frame it handles surprisingly well with Progressive fork springs and a Screamin Eagle fork brace for the tiny 35mm front end.
The FXDX I bought 2 years ago. It is fast (to me). It has a 95" kit and dyno'd at 96 hp/97 ft lbs torque. This bike will do 90+ all day on the highway no problem. The Sputhe stabilizers, a Screamin Eagle fork brace and Progressive springs got rid of any wobble it had stock (and yes it did wobble a bit stock!).
The Dyna handles well at speed and in the twisties..... what I hate about it is I feel you ride "on top" of this bike than "in it". Even on my Shovelhead I feel more "in" the bike when I am riding it. On the Shovelhead I can crawl up to a stoplight and have the bike come to a full stop before even putting my feet down. The Dyna is very top-heavy IMO. It gets a bit sketchy in real low speed scenarios like pivoting around slowly in a parking lot. At speed it is fun. It reminds me a lot of my motocross days when it came to the 450cc bikes..... fast but not the best handlers. I also love the switches and Deutsch wiring in comparison to my crude Shovelhead switches and wiring..... not sure how a later model FXR compares here.
I have never ridden a FXR but from what I hear you sit more "in" the bike than "on top of it" like a Dyna. I would probably miss that TC95" power but I have just as much fun on my 80" Shovelhead. I'm sure an Evo 80" with a bit of compression, cam, pipe and Mikuni would be a sweet in-between power-wise in comparison to the Shovelhead and TC95.
Can't have 3 bikes... would have to sell one. If I sold one it would be the FXDX.
Will I miss it?
Last edited by garystaven88; Jul 26, 2024 at 08:04 PM.
FXR will feel high also, nature of the frame design, the dyna is actually closer to the older shovel configuration. My 82 FXR always rode like a honda seat height wise, but it handled really well, my older shovel was 4 inches lower at the seat
Last edited by TwiZted Biker; Jul 26, 2024 at 09:51 PM.
I absolutely love FXRs,I spent 10 years with an '84 FXRS Low Glide and wished I had never sold it.
It wasn't the right bike for two up touring with the wife so I bought a used '89 E-Glide Ultra but kept the FXRS.
Then the Twin Cams came out and I traded in the '89 and bought a new 2000 EG Classic but still kept the FXRS.
I wasn't made of money back then so in 2002 I caved under the pressure of making payments and sold my beloved FXRS to pay off the Classic.
Fast forward to 2019 I bought another new Electra and sold the 2000 in June 2020.
I really love the M8 Electra but I still missed the FXRS so last year I bought an '89 FXR and am currently stripping it to the bare frame for a resto-mod to be my solo weekend warrior just for fun ride.
FXR will feel high also, nature of the frame design, the dyna is actually closer to the older shovel configuration.
I see what you mean. Re-thinking it the reason my Shovelhead feels more stable at low speed is probably because of the lower shock height and way less aggressive head angle compared to the FXDX.
As for the feeling of riding more on top of the bike maybe a different seat will alter that a bit
Last edited by garystaven88; Jul 27, 2024 at 06:55 AM.
I have a 98 Dyna Convertible and an 82 FXR. Other than the motor, they are very similar. As TwiZted said, seat height is about the same. I think the FXR handles better than the Dyna too.
I see what you mean. Re-thinking it the reason my Shovelhead feels more stable at low speed is probably because of the lower shock height and way less aggressive head angle compared to the FXDX.
As for the feeling of riding more on top of the bike maybe a different seat will alter that a bit
Seat and handlebars can change a machines feel and personality completely.
Ive owned and rode many miles on (2) FX Shovels, 1 FXR Evo, and (3) Electra Glide Twin Cams.
Of everything listed above and in my opinion, the FXR was the best all around ride. The FX's are really just short trip fun machines and the FLH's are required for long haul Iron But riding but, a good swingarm rubber mounted FXR with a good seat will rode out on the long haul and keep up with the touring bikes.
i bought my 92 FXRT for shorter trips than those that are better served by my 09 Electra Glide. My feelings on the 09 are similar to what you describe on your Dyna. I have tipped my 09 over twice (in a parking lot!) Damn embarrassing!
The RT feels like a mini-bike compared to the 09 FLHTC. I really love the lower seat height and weight. I went from rasslin' a fat chick to riding a well rounded girl (my style).
I do love the 09 for long road trips and can do 800+ miles in a day no problem
I have several bikes for each ones intended riding style. Couldn't afford all that as a young man....................
I can't believe someone would say the fxr and dyna are similar. I've had all kinds of bikes. The fxr is like none of the others. I rode my low rider coast to coast and back in 9 days a couple of years ago. Multiple 800 mile days in succession were no problem on that bike. It's comfortable, stable, lightweight and fun to ride. My fxrt (as big as it looks) handles better than any of the others I have owned and hauls ***. If I'd bought it first, I wouldn't have ever bought anything else.
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Considering a FXR for Next Bike
