When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Welcome Area OnlyNew Member Welcome Area Only. Be sure to pop in here and introduce yourself & let us know what Harley Davidson you own. Save your bike related questions for the proper area.
I am looking to get my first bike. I thought as a beginner (5'9'' 165) that the sportster would be the obvious first choice. However I have just finished test riding both the Sportster 1200N and the Dyna low rider. I was actually amazed how well the bigger Dyna handled. I actually felt much more secure and balanced on the bigger Dyna than the Sportster.
I hope this helps anyone else in the same dilemma of deciding the right first purchase. Don't be intimidated by the larger bike. Test ride both.
I'm 5'8" and 170 lbs and I thought that the Sporty was too small. But the Dyna Street Bob was just right, so that's what I bought. Had it for 2 years and no thoughts of trading it for anything else.
Get the Dyna! I started with a Sporty and traded it after 30 days! The Dyna is better in every way and doesn't cost too much more. I drive a Street Bob and love it. The Sportster was pretty but just didn't perform well.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.