I've been looking at both, and based purely on looks, I don't have a clear favorite.

If you were looking at roughly the same price for both bikes (rigid frame looks not a factor), why would one pick a softtail over a dyna? I've been told the dyna has better handling and acceleration, but the softail is more versatile.

Has anyone ever owned or ridden both? I'll be trading in my sporty, so I have grown accustom to great handling. Is the softail a little more comfortable on the highways for longer rides?

EDIT - I'm just looking for a general idea on Dyna and Softails - not any specific type.

 

People buy Softails for looks, and Dynas for handling. Dynas are more comfortable on longer rides. Softails have become more comfy with the balanced engine, but still not quite as cushy. Some like the rigid "feel" of the Softail, I am one of these. Something about the Dyna rubber mounted motor gives the bike a mushy feel to it. I also ride a Ducati — it is a rigid mounted V-twin. Same kind of feel as a Softail, but of course a 90-degree twin witn less inherent vibration.

 

I like the look of the dyna, but prefer the looks, handling, versetile of the softail.

 

If your looking comford then get a softail. as far as handling goes
there both are about the same, but for the long haul get the softail.

 

The Softail's solid mounted counterbalanced engine and the form/function of the classic HD FatBob gas tank on the Softails is a huge plus for me

I like the Softails with the "pseudo-chopper" look (wide rear tire/forward controls,more rake on the front fork and laid back riding position)

 

Ive had both moving recently from a Dyna - here' my opinion
The Dyna (FXD) in my case - was quicker on the pickup and felt more flickable in the corners.
The softail(Fatboy) seems slower to accerate but has more road presence - it feels a lot more solid a bike - and although it aint as quick to accerlate due to the additional weight.
Would I go back to a Dyna - no. Thats not to say it wasnt a fine m/cycle

 

I have both a Dyna WideGlide and a Softail Fatboy (and a rubber mounted Sportster as well).

I prefer the Softail for a number or reasons. Looks, lower seat height and center of gravity, and with the counter balanced engine it's the smoothest Harley I've owned or ridden in the past 30+ years.

First Harley I've ever owned that actually allowed you to see objects in the mirrors at normal cruising speeds.

 

LOVE THOSE FATBOYS - DYNA ARE NICE TOO!

 

Hopefully some who prefer Dynas will chime in. I know I posted this on the softail board, so the bias so far is to be expected.

The softail has a real clean look, and if I think about how I want a bike to look eventually, the softail will win out.

 

Funny that you should mention that, as its one of the first things I noticed when I picked my bike up.

My other bike (now permanently retired) is a 1985 Yamaha XJ700 Maxim and once you get it over about 25/30mph the mirrors are just for decoration, and its an inline 4 banger. Sucker buzzes them and your hands to death at highway speeds. But it will still out run my 07 Custom in a corner, if I'm riding solo. With the wife on back its NO CONTEST, the Custom can blow its socks off. Probably something to do with the fact that the Custom has more ci.'s in one cylinder than all 4 of the Yamaha's.

I have ridden Dynas before and they are better if your interested in tossing it around corners, but for long high speed runs. I think the Softail might be the better of the two. Besides I like the look of it better, but that's my choice not yours. As far as accelleration goes a well ridden new 1200 Sporty can probably eat both of them without breaking a sweat.

So which is better? Nobody here is going to be able to tell. We're all predgudiced to one or the other. So that's going to be up to you to decide, we made our decisions based on things WE wanted. Whether those "particular" traits are applicable to you is something your going to have to decide for yourself.

Just remember its your money, and your going to have to live with the final decision. So look them both over and see what about either one strikes your fancy. If your going to go stricly by the numbers, you might as well get a BMW or Honda. Because of their overall performace similarities choosing one Harley model over another is probably going to amount to which one you like looks of more.

I know this is probably going to start a stink but if we're going to be honest we have to face it. There are a lot of bikes out there not made by the MOCO that can clean its clock in all around performance.

Where ALL Harley's have the edge, is that in the end they are Harley's and that my friend is enough for me.