one of my favorite bikes the moco ever made is the FXR...... but they can be very hard to find in decent shape for the kind of money you are looking at spending. Most are 20 years old now and will need a fair bit of upkeep but they are very cool. If I were you I'd probably pick up the newer twincam fxdx and call it a day....... I do want me an FXR one day though.........

 

Love my FXDX, its a great bike. I wasn't looking for another bike but it showed up on Craigslist and was bone stock with low miles. Sometimes the right bike just comes along.

 

So what makes the FXR handle better than a FXDX ? Just wondering since the DX has tunable suspension front and rear. Somethin about the fxr's frame ? Or is it just opinion ?

 

Frame design and motor mounting system. No amount of suspension tunning can compansate for flex and wobble. The only wa to fix the Dyna is with True track or simmilar system.
I just installed it on my FXD and it made a HUGE difference. Without even trying, I'm dragging the bar that connects my mufflers together. Now I need taller shocks ....

 

Although it is possible to find a unmolested FXR the fact is that most have been monkied with. I definitely wouldnt trust many people when buying an old HD. I am not by any means saying they are bad bikes,but the fact of the matter there are way too many backyard wrenches that think that they can "improve" their own machines and basically ruin the reliability of that machine.

For a first bike I would start with a FXDC or FXDB as with this generation of HD owners your more likely to get a low mileage steed that has been babied by a poser biker and only been wrenched on by HD techs. Which for the most part makes your odds of getting a good machine way higher than a hacked up machine thats had 10 owners in 20 years. The FXD bikes also look better than FXRs.

If yu want to ride more and wrench less than the twin cam fuel injected machines are the way to go. 6 speeds