Motorcycle Wednesday-EMERGENCY MEETING!!!

"Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns" (themarvelous1310)
08/23/2017 at 09:46 • Filed to: Harley-Davidson Softail, Softail, Harley-Davidson, The Odd Custom, Lanesplitter, Oppositelock, News

Well, this happened:

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Harley-Davidson Motorcycles new 2018 Softail American cruisers are totally redesigned in 12 new… !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

FINALLY Harley-Davidson makes the Softail great! They got good suspension and a stiff chassis FROM THE FACTORY! Less WEIGHT! New engines with real POWER! They’re better looking, even the intentionally retro ones, which is good because they’re ALL INTENTIONALLY RETRO! I always thought the Softail was a genius design just waiting for someone in the engineering department to take a second look at it and iron out the 80's thinking, and Triumph finally did it with the Bonneville Bobber... But now Harley-Davidson did, too!

And it only cost us the Dyna.

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Damnit.

The Dyna was awesome. No question about that, it took the diehard American rider marker it inherited from the FXR and ran with it, surviving the 90s and 00s as the choice for any H-D fan too big for a Sportster, who liked to ride fast and rail the turns but didn’t need bags or boards. Along the way it’s been used for every custom bike build you could imagine up to and including streetfighter and ADV/scrambler, and the aftermarket is nuts, it’s my favorite Harley ever... And they stopped making it.

I should be pissed off about this. I should be railing against the skies, cursing the fates for taking away my chance to ride off the lot on a new Street Bob, right?

Except that I still can.

The Street Bob, Fat Bob and Low Rider are all Softail models now. Here, look:

So the accessibility, attitude and spirit of the Dyna live on, but now available with the lovingly classic style of the Softail Slim, the beefy flair of the Fat Boy or the badass attitude of the Breakout!

Now, the lean angles are still way below sportbike territory (25 degrees to 32 degrees, depending on the model), but with the bikes weighing less and carrying their weight lower, stiffer and better sprung, with MORE POWER? You should be able to go pretty fast in turns on a Softail now.

Now, with all that said, I’m gonna go update all of my screensavers, dreams, and aspirations!

DISCUSSION (13)

Ssfancyfresh > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 10:10

I’ve always liked the Softail Slim. If I were to put my money down on an HD, that’s the one.

But that new Fat Boy is quite striking. I rode a Fat Boy years ago and it really changed my perception of HD bikes. I had a Yamaha FZ6 at the time. I rode it from Detroit to Las Vegas, up to SLC and back. It was later that summer that I got to spend some time on the Fat Boy and realized how much nicer that trip would have been on the Harley. It was quiet, smooth, and powerful - completely unexpected.

Anyway, these look good. I won’t miss the Dyna, but I know many will. RIP in Peace.

McMike > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 10:33

That fatbob has a lot of shoes to fill since the Dyna and VRod are now off the menu.

This is the thinnest lineup they’ve had in 17 years.

John-Palazzo > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 10:48

That was... unexpected.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > McMike
08/23/2017 at 10:56

That’s true. It also makes me wonder if there’s another model using the V-Rod motor in the future... I wouldn’t worry about these, though. They wouldn’t have axed both models if they didn’t feel like they had worthy successors.

McMike > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 10:58

CVO Street 1100

thejustache > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 11:00

As somebody just starting to look at harleys this year after 12 years of riding, this comes at an interesting time. I’ve been thinking about buying a used 2006+ Dyna in the next year or two so I could have something more modern (compared to the 40 year old bikes I normally ride), powerful, and able to ride 2 up. I was hoping to get something to keep long term - like at least 10 years or so... and now Harley does this. Am I going to be happy long term on an older Dyna knowing these new models are that much better handling and more powerful? Hmm... I’ve got to say the low rider and street bob are still pretty good looking bikes too.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > McMike
08/23/2017 at 11:01

Kinja'd!!!

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > thejustache
08/23/2017 at 11:11

I agree that it’s an interesting time, but well thought out. Indian’s been riding a cloud lately, and I’ve been seriously considering the new Scout Bobber, which I saw as having a higher performance ceiling than the Dyna Street Bob I wanted... And now Harley does this! I love the better dynamics and looks, but I do miss the look of the springs on the sides. The chrome strips on the fenders don’t really work for me either, but that’s what the aftermarket is for right?

What I’m really hoping for is that they go add a floating rear fender to the Breakout and make a new Rocker C.

Kinja'd!!!

thejustache > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 11:15

Yeah, I’m not surprised they did this at all given what Indian’s been doing lately. Performance wise I’ve been eyeing their stuff, but I honestly like the more traditional air cooled look of the Harleys over Indian’s retro futuristic vibe. If they can match the performance with the old school looks then they’ve sold me. I also dig the floating rear fender look for bobbers, but as I want a bike I can ride with my wife that wouldn’t really work for me!

jimz > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 11:22

honestly this change makes sense. The Dyna and Softail were practically the same size bikes, so having both families was more or less redundant. I have a Dyna (the FLD Switchback) and as far as riding position, comfort, and performance/handling it’s practically no different than my buddy’s ‘16 Softail Heritage.

Plus, the Dyna was compromised in some ways, in order to get the big twin/6 speed into that frame they had to both reduce the number of engine mounts (worse vibration) and mounted the swingarm to the transmission case. attaching the swingarm to a rubber mounted powertrain means you do not forget to regularly inspect the engine mounts.

I think I’m’a get me one just like this next spring, after I pay off the FZ-09:

Kinja'd!!!

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > thejustache
08/23/2017 at 14:46

Don’t be so sure...

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > jimz
08/23/2017 at 15:06

Yeah, that sounds about right to me. I can’t wait to ride the new Street Bob, it’s still my favorite American motorcycle.

McMike > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns
08/23/2017 at 16:20

Kinja'd!!!