Guys I have a 12 RK and 09 suzuki boulevard, wife is out of work so looking to lessen bills. Thinking of selling the 2 and getting a switchback. I cranked a switchback when I bought the RK and it vibrated so bad I could feel the ground shake 10' away...how do they ride once going and to they all shake that bad at idle? How do you like it overall?

 

I demoed one and it was fine. 100 lbs lighter than my '13 SG with the same 103. Goes like stink. I was going to get it but got the SG instead for the batwing and cold weather up here. If I had bought it I would have added an oil cooler as only the touring's come with them. It's a Dyna so you will probably get a lot more responses on the Dyna forum.

 

Its a great bike and the fix for the vibration is easy. Where the Muffler mounts to the frame you put a plastic washer on each side back with a metal washer remove the bolt and use a pin and a clevis. Someone on here actually posted the fix with pictures in the dyna forums. I loved my just wanted a radio and cruise. Couldn't afford the Ultra and the Switchback

 

switchback is a good bike, but its a bit small, i'd rather get a Softail heritage, its got that real sweet old school look

 

Keep the RK, sell the zookey.

 

Agree. ( or if in real financial straits, go the other way around)

You walk into a dealership and you are a dead man. they will win on the sale and the trade in(s).

2.) the Dyna replaced the FXR.
the Dyna is less expensive to assemble, which was the prime driver behind the design.
the swingarm is supported only in the center ( the FXR was supported on each end)


the rubber mount system is similar to touring, bob and weave at idle, smoother at speed.
holding the front brake at a stop transfers vibrations to the chassis


interesting comment on the exhaust mod- that makes sense. on my FXR, the 2/1 muffler is supported by a brace off of the tranny end cover, so the entire exhaust floats with the drivetrain.

mike

 

I traded a 13' Switchback for my 2014 Road King, I did the exhaust mod on the SB but I still had to ride around its vibration. While the SB was a nice ride at most speeds I could not handle its exhaust and bags shaking all over the place, its Poor brakes and small bags. After putting 5000 miles on it and never removing the bags and a lot of two up riding, I realized I should have gotten a Road King to begin with.

 

I liked my Switchback, it was just a little too small on long rides for me. I did ride to and from Myrtle Beach (750 miles each way) in a day. It is lighter making it a blast around town or on shorter runs, but it will not be a RK on the highway. The stock windshield was pretty worthless for me, ended up getting a Klock Werks Billboard (same windshield fits on a RK). The only other complaint of the FLD is that more than a few parts are limited to that model only including exhausts.

 

Yes, touring and dynas all shake at idle, they are not counterbalanced engines. Generally the rubber mounted touring and dynas shake at idle but smooth out at speed, counterbalanced engines such as the Softail line will be smoother at idle, but some say that they tend to 'buzz' at higher rpm/highway speeds

Nasty vibration at highway speeds on the Switchback is a *very* common complaint, I'm amazed they havent addressed it. At work, someone mentioned they were considering a Switchback, I asked him if he had test ridden one.

Nope. He subsequently did, and ran screaming from it.

 

I suggest asking in the Dyna forum as well but my friend had a 12 switchback and he got the d&d 2 into 1 exhaust as soon as he got the bike to remedy the vibration issues. Not only did it remedy the problem but it was super quick and tons of power in the mid range. I don't know if refinancing is an option but if so that might be a good idea too.

I had an 09 king that I loved so I know it isn't an easy decision to have to make. If at all possible try to keep the King. I think both the switchback and the Road king serves their respective purposes well but since you already have the King keeping it might be the easier and cheaper route.