Plain and simple .......It's the counterbalancer.. No inertia..Sprint cars have no flywheel,clutch,--direct to the rearend.Nothing to spin ,so its all H/P to the ground.The counterbalancer is inertia -----------i.e. indisposition to motion, exertion, or change.

 

I own both a Softail 2005 Deluxe and Dyna 2006 Street Bob. Softail is a much smoother ride due to the frame and how the motor is mounted. I love it for those trips over 200 miles as it is not jarring my back and the fatique factor is not as bad. Dyna has that old time bikevibration that screams power (Even though both of mine are 88 cu engines.)and IMO the dyna seems to have a faster accelaration, maybe because of weight factor or gear ratio.Both are fine bikes. However, if I had to sale one it would be the Dyna due to the fact that the older I get the better I like a smoother ride.

 

No, Dyna engine shake is mostly at idle and low speed. As far as the ride, Softail feels lower and I liked the way it turned better than the Dyna. However, Dyna suspension and geometry are better for the twistys and I think Dynas have more ground clearance. If the vibration didn't bother me so much, I would have got a Street Bob instead of my Train.

Ride them both and you will know which one you want.

 

right you are Deadeye. More ground clearance on the Bob and better lean.Not many twisties in Fla. I'm a conservative rider and do the speed limit on the twisties. None of the open throttles and dragging the knees for me. Softail Deluxe has a lower center of gravity and feels more stable to me. But I think that is how I ride. Some of you guys with more experience around hills and mountains are better able to judge the handling of the two.

 

If you look close at the specs, some Softails have 1 ft/lb less, which is what is eaten by the balancers. Those with 5 ft/lb less also hit peak torque at a lower engine speed. This might mean the cams are different, but I think the difference is in the exhaust system.

 

Both are fun to ride, just different. I went with the Fatboy for a variety of reasons, including the floorboards and the low seating position. I just find it more comfortable than hanging my heels on pegs anymore. Like somebody above said; "ride them both and you'll know which one you want."