Going from my rigid Pan, I picked a bike that handled the closest to it.
The origin of the FX "Superglide" was based on the "outlaw" style of stripped down FLs with the four speed frame which ***** G copied.
The rest is history.

 

Nothing could be finer than riding on my Dyna in the morning.

(with apologies for Gus Kahn for mangling his lyrics).

 

I like my Dyna, shakes like a crack addict at a stop light. Good 'ol rumbly Harley feel.

 

I just sold a Heritage....Nothing comfortable about that bike!
My wife rode with me on it once and wouldn't even get back on the damned thing.

If you gave me a brand new Heritage (or any Softail model for that matter) I'd trade it straight across for a 1999 thru 2002 Dyna without ever even starting the motor.

 

I have seen a few Switchbacks that people have traded in after trying to make them 2 up long distance tour-worthy. The bike is just not big enough for two larger framed people for long distance. I'm 6'2" and my girlfriend is tall as well and we can't fit comfortably on anything more than 50 miles, and that's with the back rest installed.

 

If a switchback had curse control I would probably already have one.

 

I started on a 58 Duo-Glide, rode the hell out of that bike and learned to wrench on it cause your were ALWAYS wrenchin on it. That thing would loosen up any bolt it had......Loctite was your bible...lol.

Might as well pay tribute to it. I think a little Dyna FL will do just fine, the wife is just have to get used to it, or get her own bike, or she just might like it enough to build another one for her.

 

A 58 was the first Harley I ever rode (as a passenger) when I was 10 years old. Got my own 62 when I turned 21 in 69.

 

 

I have both a Dyna and a Road King. The Dyna is a 2000 FXDX, the Road king is an 09 Classic. My regular weekend ride since the beginning of last summer (weather permitting) has been Dallas (or Houston) round trip to Wisconsin. There is no problem riding long distance on the Dyna 1up. I ride most of the time straight through (around 17 hours) but sometimes overnight in a hotel on the way. My wife and I have also toured 2up on the Dyna, Bangor ME to Cabot Trail. That was multiple 200+ mile days back-to-back. I would guess that for most Dyna models you would need to upgrade the suspension.

The Road King (and my friends before i bought mine) has been used for both 1 and 2 up weekend rides (200+) miles. The first 1000 mile day for it will be in a couple of weeks and I'm not anticipating a problem. :-)

FWIW, I have also ridden the same weekend ride on an 05 Sportster Roadster 1200 (Street glide air shocks) and a Yamaha FZ1. My wife likes the Sportster the best of all these for 2up, we must be young and in love. For 1 up I find the Sportster and Dyna equal, most of that is how they are setup: same handlebars, sundowner seat, backrest, the front end on the 2 bikes is the same, windshields are interchangeable. From riding the Sportster and FZ, I'm used to high speed = higher RPMs for cruise, which means I haven't yet seen the advantage of the 6th gear on the Road King. The same goes with the cruise control, I ride with the star screw under the throttle tight on the Dyna and Sportster. My friend tells me i ride like like I'm driving a tractor.

I'm still sorting out the Road King, I added solo signature seat with pillion. I'm working out which windshield height gives the least buffeting and still clear line of site over the top, etc. But as I said, based on the short (200 mile) checkout rides I do not see a downside other than the additional weight pushing it around a parking lot.

I agree with you on the selection of the Wide Glide as a candidate for touring. I would think that the long rake angle would provide some extra stability at Texas interstate speeds. I would be interested in knowing how the rake angle difference affects handling on grooved pavement. One thing the Road King did better was that the front wheel chatter over grooved payment was less than on the Sportster or Dyna.

TLDR - I toured all over the country (and the next one) on a Dyna and still do, got a Road King any way.