But that is exactly my point.

The vast majority of HD owners are in it for the intangible things that HD has always marketed towards "Look, Feel and Sound of a Harley Davidson".

The Dyna may not have been a Shovel Head Super Glide, but it had the look. A Dyna may not have had the performance of a FXR, but it had the feel.


So with that, the biggest thing keeping people loyal has been the look since other bikes, Indian, Victory and the other Metrics have always been more bang for buck. Now you make your bike look like those bikes... while still costing more and not performing as well? Ummmmm

Also, all those performance upgrades are still mediocre. 10% faster then slow is still slow. 1-degree more lean is still garbage. 5lbs lighter is still a bloated pig.

My Dyna is a slow pig with 13.5 shocks. It's a bro-bike. If I wanted something that actually performed "well" I would have bought a Busa, R1, Triumph-anything or Victory for the same price and had a "better" bike.

I don't need to ride a 2018 to know I don't want it. Riding it won't make me want it either. I'd sooner get a Rocket-3, Diavel, Hyabussa, Scout or even a V-rod. I absolutely HATE the soft-tail look.

I love how people flip out and scream "posser" if someone throws shovel/pan style valve covers on a TC/Evo, but riding around on a bike that pretends to be a hard-tail while gaining none of the benefits, in fact it goes the opposite way...that is legit apparently.

(Benefits being weight reduction, simplicity, better lines and better power delivery).

 

Finally someone talking some sense. Couldnt say it any better.

Getting tired of reading ....

oh, the company is evolving...

oh, they have to change with times...

oh, you are being resistant to change...

OF Course. They have to do what makes them more money, or what makes them survive. But this is not a business lessons forum. This is Dyna forum.

So stop being cute guys, we all know what's best for HD.

cvaria is right, there is nothing wrong with the new Fat Bob.

The only thing wrong with it is that HD badge on the tank.

 

Well it's obvious what HD is up to:

- rejuvenate the customer base by offering "modern" bikes
- lower production costs by merging two model lines into one
- update the technology to comply with applicable standards, such as EU6

That's all nice and clean and perfectly understandable.

Except that HD's unique selling point in the last 30 or so years was tradition, heritage, history. From an engineering point of view (forgive me, I'm German) the Dyna was bad and the Sportster is worse. But I love my Dyna and prefer it over contemporary bike offerings as I would prefer a 65 Mustang over a 2017 BMW 3 series.

So don't give me the "improved technology" stuff. That new Fat Bob looks nice and it probably delivers better than the original in most measurable disciplines. The only problem is that a Ducati XDiavel will blow it out of the water when it comes down to design, technology, engineering, performance.

Big risk there, HD.

 

I've done 1100 mile days on my Softail a few times. 600 and 700 mile days routinely. A bike is not a tourer, a rider is.

 

My thoughts as well... here's hoping.

 

Dynas, the way we know them, will never be back.

But there is a possibility. Historically, influential models in vehicle industries have made a comeback.

Look at the Mini. It was produced for about 40 years and then was abandoned. But, it was acquired by BMW and found a new market. It's not the same, but the looks are there and have improved in many ways. Similarly, the Beetle made a comeback.

There is a chance that HD will sell the rights to a smaller manufacturer through which the Dyna production would continue

 

Seriously, it's a swingarm and two shocks...not the foretelling of a planet killing comet.

 

I was looking at the frame design and just for starters, the way they made the rear lower frame should be significantly more rigid, not to mention the mono rear shock alignment and attachment to the backbone.

No pair of shocks are exactly the same, so I would guess the my '17 FXDLS fights itself constantly. Same with the forks; although I'm not sure how the stresses compare.

The triangle is one of, if not THE, best shape for maintaining strength.

 

I think Abe Lincoln is credited for that quote!

I would assume they have an R & D that gathers such data from testing.

I love my FXDLS, but I know what proper suspension/chassis design it was mad e to, and it most likely will pale in comparison to the '18's.

 

HOG was selling at around ten back in 2009. Today it's closing at forty six.TERRIBLE investment with those quarterly dividends on top of it.