I'm going to get my first used hd and need some help. If I get a sportster, it has to be 07 or earlier for the efi. I know dyna has it as well but I'm not sure what year it was a standard factory install.
Also, this is going to be my main transportation. Since I live in southern california, cold is the biggest problem I have with my bike starting up. I know we don't get snow down in my area but I don't want to say "too cold to ride because of efi".

So what year dyna has a reliable efi for year round riding?

Btw, I a small guy, 30 in inseam, 120lbs, 5'8. I can't go for a bigger bike.

Thanks for the help.

Tom

 

all I can tell you is that I ride an 09 sportster in all weather excepting ice and snow.

never has a problem starting.

also, I bought new. I liked the Iron 883 and had a price of 7100 out the door.

There was also a street bob for 1400 OTD.

at the end of the day, I decided that, though the dyna was certainly more bike, it was not TWICE the bike that the sportster was.

Easy decision.

 

First of all, welcome to the forum. There are a lot of discussion threads here on that very same topic. Just use the SEARCH box in the upper right.

Is this your first bike? I think this can make a difference in someone's choice.

It's all personal preference. Take a Sporty for ride. Then take a Dyna for ride. Compare the pros and cons of each. Then go from there.

 

IMO, if moneys tight get a sporty, if you can swing a few more bux go Dyna.
Just thinking if you go sporty and ride as much as you say, your gunna want a bigger bike sooner, JMO...

 

Oh yeah...save now and get the dyna.

 

Okay, some questions.

First, where in So Cal are you?

You say this is going to be your main transportation. How far do you plan on commuting with it? What's your other transportation?

Do you like a bit of performance? Do you like to ride twisty mountain roads or are you looking for something better suited to long rides on the highway?

What have you been riding up to now?

------------------------------

That done, here's some things to consider. Overall the Sportster is meant to be more of a "sport bike". It's great for high traffic areas or twisty roads as it is very manuverable and agile (short wheelbase with a high center of gravity).

The Dyna is a bigger version of the Sportster. It's more at home on longer trips and on the highway than the Sportster is. Because it is a little larger it's not quite as agile in tight situations. This also depends on which Dyna you get. My Wide Glide, for instance, is much less nible than my Sportster because it has less ground clearance and a longer wheelbase. The Dyna will feel more stable though because it has a lower center of gravity.

Some folks will tell you get the Dyna because eventually you'll want a bigger bike. This is somewhat true, I did want a bigger bike because I'm 6'1" and 230. However, I WON'T get rid of my Sportster because there are some things it's better at than my Dyna.

Also, don't buy into the "power" thing. A 1200 Sportster is just as quick as the fastest stock Dyna. There are also Sportsters producing over 100 hp without spending a ton of money. Power to weight, Sportsters have an edge because they are much lighter than a Dyna.

As for worrying about the cold...My Sportster is Carbureted and I have ridden it on days when it was 26 degrees out. It fired up fine. A well tuned and maintained carbureted bike shouldn't have any issues starting even when cold so don't just throw out pre-07 Sportsters because they have carbs.

For longevity, I rode my Sportster from So Cal to Vegas and to Pheonix. With the stock seat the Pheonix trip was uncomfortable. With my more comfortable 2-up seat, the Vegas trip was no problem. I could put 150 miles on it before needing gas and didn't need to stop any more than this. Of course, this was with air shocks installed. Stock the Sportster's seat and rear shocks are really pittiful. However, for your size you may be just fine with the stock shock.

 

I originally bought a sportster 883 custom....loved the bike and ride the crap out of it. However, it want long,, maybe 2 years, and I was looking for bigger and more powerful...ended up getting a wide glide last year...could saved myself some cash getting the dyna from the get go

 

I love my Carbureted '02 Wide Glide! Fits me perfectly (I'm 6'2" and 210lbs) and is great two up, too. Sportsters are great, too, but my vote would be a Dyna, especially if you plan to do longer rides or road trips.

 

I originally bought a sportster 883 custom....loved the bike and rode the crap out of it. However, it want long,, maybe 2 years, and I was looking for bigger and more powerful...ended up getting a wide glide last year...could saved myself some cash getting the dyna from the get go

 

I currently ride a 97 suzuki savage or ls650. The bike is in an open garage exposed to the elements. I have a cover for it but that can only do so much good.
Power wise, whether its a 1200 or a 1450 doesn't matter. My little 650 does a great job.
I don't commute to work, 3 miles, but I do plan on taking the bike through the mountains, to vegas, and Phoenix.
Simply I'm looking for a dependable bike that I can take long distances(without refilling every 100 miles), it will start every time regardless of the temperature here(I have to drive in the winter), comfortable to ride, and doesn't leak oil like my existing does.

Cost is an issue of course. Can't spend more than 10k.

Thanks for the quick replies everyone.