I'm getting old, so I got a Harley

[orbframe]

And I love my '17 low rider s

2017 was the last year for the Dynas.

 

[Maddevill]

I don't know. I tried the Harley thing and they, along with every other cruiser I've tried KILLED my lower back and tail bone. That includes the Vulcan and Rocket 3. I guess if you have a really good seat it can help. I find myself most comfortable on a sport touring bike. Slight forward lean, weight spread out between my arms and legs.

Mad

 

[bigpoppa]

I don't know. I tried the Harley thing and they, along with every other cruiser I've tried KILLED my lower back and tail bone. That includes the Vulcan and Rocket 3. I guess if you have a really good seat it can help. I find myself most comfortable on a sport touring bike. Slight forward lean, weight spread out between my arms and legs.

Mad

My experience has been almost exactly the same. I've had cruisers off and on over the years (most recently a Victory Cross Country) and while I enjoyed them in general, I found all of them put too much weight on my tailbone, limiting my ride enjoyment for anything over 2-3 hours.

I can't do the supersport thing anymore either due to the forward lean and tucked in legs.

I recently went back to a sport tourer and it immediately felt like a favorite pair of old jeans. Mainly upright riding position and my body weight is spread out more and most importantly, off my tailbone.

I do miss the ability to stretch out my feet on the long floorboards of my Victory but overall the larger sport tourers fit me the best.

 

[originalsturge]

I rode both 2017 and 2018 bikes. And even though I like the look of Dyna, ‘18 Street Bob is what I’ll be getting. Better engine, better suspension, better frame and ride quality.

then spend another 10k to make ride like it should and produce any amount of power that it should from factory with the amount they charge for them. if i was gonna go cruiser id get an indian or victory. every hardly ive ridden was garbage in every way, even with the mods to make it "right", as for comfort havent found one stock that was in any way comfy to ride.

 

[Jalopyshoppe]

Better engine, better suspension, better frame and ride quality.

You read too many brochures. The M8 is a damn tractor engine compared to the twin cams I have ridden.
I realize I have a biased opinion, but it find it interesting that the new Dyna-tail has interested non HD people but is a complete insult to previous HD fans. My small group of fanboy friends are deeply united an a complete hatred for all things 2018 Softail. From the Fat Bob to the Low Rider, nevermind the actual softail based bikes. The common opinion is that the new bikes might as well be Indians or Metric Cruisers as they lack the character of whatever makes a Harley a Harley.
I'm personally not a fan of or impressed by the chassis/dynamics/ride quality of the new dyna-tail. It's remarkably better than the previous Softail, but it's not nearly as good as any of the even mildly modified Dynas.
Yes, the Dyna needs modification straight out of the box, save for the Low Rider S and maybe the old FXDX. SO if you're someone who buys an oem bike and leaves it stock, then the Dyna-tail may be a better option.
The bulk of you will read into this and say character=unreliability/poor quality but for those who get it, well, please chime in.

 

[RRR70]

then spend another 10k to make ride like it should and produce any amount of power that it should from factory with the amount they charge for them. if i was gonna go cruiser id get an indian or victory. every hardly ive ridden was garbage in every way, even with the mods to make it "right", as for comfort havent found one stock that was in any way comfy to ride.

Aren’t you a ray of sunshine.

 

[Abacinator]

Are they assless chaps?

All chaps are assless. If they had an ass they'd be pants

 

[OldMadBrit]

How old is old?

I'm 60 and just got this arty

 

[originalsturge]

Aren’t you a ray of sunshine.

have we met?

 

[TheRobSJ]

then spend another 10k to make ride like it should and produce any amount of power that it should from factory with the amount they charge for them.

Don’t go down that rabbit hole. It’s a cruiser...they’re not supposed to go fast. When you do try to go fast on them, you quickly exceed the limitations of the chassis, which of course opens another rabbit hole as you try to make it handle properly. I’m glad I came from a V-Rod to the Electra Glide. It’s a good reminder to me that no amount of time/money spent is going to make my big ass Electra Glide as fast as the V-Rod. So why try?

And I’m glad I had sportbikes before the V-Rod. Because that was a reminder that no amount of time/money would ever make it handle like a sportbike.

 

[Not Karl Malden]

The Sunday afternoon Harley ride is a leisurely cruise to find a restaurant somewhere. It doesn't matter if the bike has a 30 degree maximum lean angle on a ride like that. I am now an official member of H.O.G. Never thought that would happen.

It's not as unnatural as you first think - especially as we get older and throw bum backs into the mix. In my case it's the whole aircraft carrier sized Electra Glide Ultra, but even with L5-S1 damage I can ride for hours in comfort - try that on a stock Japanese molded torture saddle. Not sure about a cruiser - probably depends on a rider's body mechanics. Hey if it works for you enjoy the ride 30 degree lean and all. Plus if you join a local HOG chapter you'll meet lots of older riders you can swap stories with about trusses and medications.

 

[originalsturge]

Don’t go down that rabbit hole. It’s a cruiser...they’re not supposed to go fast. When you do try to go fast on them, you quickly exceed the limitations of the chassis, which of course opens another rabbit hole as you try to make it handle properly. I’m glad I came from a V-Rod to the Electra Glide. It’s a good reminder to me that no amount of time/money spent is going to make my big ass Electra Glide as fast as the V-Rod. So why try?
.

I just would want something that gets out of its own way is all. I like the power delivery of the Indian and victory motors, the hardlys I've ridden had none of it. The road queen I rode for a few days freaked me out as the front end have zero feedback to me. The electra/streetglide I rode had a funky seating position and was nearly as comfortable as the Indian bagger I tooled around on. Plus the feeling of the "wallow" those bikes did in corners made me nervous as well. The dyna and softails I've ridden felt like the same bike and did nothing for me either.

As for rabbit holes this is what I deal with all day is guys that have done cam swaps, big bore kits etc to make the bikes keep up with friends on better machines. I get that it's a cruiser but damn for as big as those motors are the minimum hp and torque they produce is sad. When I get the guy telling me this stuff my usual question is why but this bike if it's it what you want performancewise? The answer is always the same, my dad rode one so I ride one. They aren't selling bikes but a marketing strategy.
At least I come by my hardly dislike honest and have actually ridden them to form my opinion.

 

[Jalopyshoppe]

As one of those big cam, ported heads, big compression guys, there's something you're missing. Power delivery of a high strung air cooled HD engine is reminiscent of a big block V8 from the 60's. My Buell reminds me of an equally as hopped up small block. Super high specific output 4cyl cars and turbo 6's are just different. They don't hammer like a stupid Harley does.
Having ridden a few Victory's and Indians, I can see why people like them, but they don't do it for me. We could talk ergos and quality feel, but those are subjective.
The new 8 valve Harley feels like the Indian Engine to me. Both are big inch, slow revving, shallow breathing powerplants. They make torque, but I can make torque with a breaker bar. That won't get me to 100mph. An engine that makes peak power at 3500rpm is totally useful for pulling trailers. That kind of power falls into the "no fun" area for me. Theyind me of a hopped up diesel truck. I get that a 900lb bike needs a truck engine, but I think a threshold has been crossed.
As to the why, well it's what I like. I like my FXR. I like riding it. I also like that I can beat up on liter bikes on the street. I'm not laying claim to lap times, but my lack of self preservation combined with a majority of the talent pool I encounter lets me use my piece of shit 1980's era Harley to leave many sport bikes in the dust on my local favorite roads. Is it trolling? You bet! Is it fun? It NEVER gets old.

 

[DJ Thrawn]

I've gotta say my RoadGlide is by far the most used bike in the garage! Anyone why says Harley's suck hasn't owned one.

Obviously much different application than the Jap bikes but doesn't make them any less worthy of countless smiles and giggles of pure joy.

Congrats on the purchase! Buying the bike is the cheapest part! haha

 

[mrmarklin]

I don't know. I tried the Harley thing and they, along with every other cruiser I've tried KILLED my lower back and tail bone. That includes the Vulcan and Rocket 3. I guess if you have a really good seat it can help. I find myself most comfortable on a sport touring bike. Slight forward lean, weight spread out between my arms and legs.

Mad

No one rides a stock Harley. Cruisers are the most comfortable bikes by far, but one must spend to properly configure them to suit oneself.

Of course if sport tourers fit, wear them!

 

[mrmarklin]

Don’t go down that rabbit hole. It’s a cruiser...they’re not supposed to go fast. When you do try to go fast on them, you quickly exceed the limitations of the chassis, which of course opens another rabbit hole as you try to make it handle properly. I’m glad I came from a V-Rod to the Electra Glide. It’s a good reminder to me that no amount of time/money spent is going to make my big ass Electra Glide as fast as the V-Rod. So why try?

And I’m glad I had sportbikes before the V-Rod. Because that was a reminder that no amount of time/money would ever make it handle like a sportbike.

Ironically, the higher one gets on the Harley ladder of spending money, the slower and heavier the machines are!

 

[TheRobSJ]

No one rides a stock Harley. Cruisers are the most comfortable bikes by far, but one must spend to properly configure them to suit oneself.

Of course if sport tourers fit, wear them!

I’ve got a Tallboy seat, extended heel/toe levers, and a taller windshield for fit and comfort. But that’s it. I think I’m done. Been thinking about a rider backrest but I don’t really do any long rides, so it’s not really necessary.

Think I’ve spent more on lighting in the effort of being seen just in case an Ultra isn’t a big enough presence on the road.

 

[TheRobSJ]

Ironically, the higher one gets on the Harley ladder of spending money, the slower and heavier the machines are!

Slower, yes. But I swear my Ultra can carve corners (as best as one can with not even 30 degrees of lean angle) better than my V-Rod could.

 

[Pushrod]

This thread took on the same tone as the tone from the people attempting an effort to get me to attend their church down the road.

I 'get' that you are saved but, damn, the cost and commitment required for a once-a-week joyous experience make me wonder if my personal hell is really all that bad.

Then there would be the problem of all my prior friends looking at me askance when we meet again. Am I gonna' try to get them to convert?

 

[HadesOmega]

If I was gonna get a Harley I would go for the V-Rod even better the Night Rod!