My 575 mile "testride" on a Dyna Switchback.

[Rattlehead]

Thanks to so very lucky timing I got a $200 voucher for a Harley rental from a member here by the name of Prubert (that's again man   )
I decided to take out a 2012 Dyna Swtichback. Basically, it's a Dyna with a trick set of hardbags and a quick detach windshield. Both of them can be removed and put on in a matter of seconds. It's a really slick setup.
Here's the bike (I removed the windshield for the majority of my ride):





Here's my thoughts on this bike after a 575mi day trip on it:

I LIKE:
-the suspension. If you look at the spec sheet you'll immediately notice the pitifully short travel (3.9" in front, 2.1" in rear). However, that doesn't even begin to tell the whole story. Harley (or whatever vendor they sourced for the parts) got the damping SPOT ON! Somehow this bike completely hides the fact that it's working with 1/2 the travel as a "good" setup. The ride is firm and sporty (I like) but exceptionally well controlled and almost never harsh. Only NASTY bumps/holes cause it to bottom out. I never felt uncomfortable on this bike over the entire trip, no matter what the road conditions. The REALLY nailed it with this one.  

-The look. What a GREAT looking bike.   The wheels are a ringer for the "Torque Thrusts" on my old Mustang and the overall look is just fantastic.

-The hard bags. They were small, but very usable and secure. With the addition of a tail pack of some sort, I could easily pack enough for a week long excursion in them.

-The sound. This has one of the best factory exhaust I've ever heard. The 2:1 pipe had a smooth deep rumble, without any of that wretched "blatty" sound so many seem to go for.  It was quiet, with just enough rumble coming through when cruising but it had a nice "snarl" to it when you twist the grip to the stops.  

-The transmission. Harley catches a lot of flak for its "clunky" transmissions but I personally think it's unwarranted. The shifts are positive and solid. I never missed a shift and I could change gears on it just as fast as my heart desired. The ratios are perfectly spaced and ideally suited to the engine. To me, a Harley trans is very much like driving an old car with a T-10 or a Muncie gearbox. Those shifter always felt like it would take arms like a gorilla to hurt them. They were 100% tough and reliable.



I KINDA LIKE:
-The floorboards. They were very comfy and it was nice to be able to move my foot position around. However, they were too far forward. I found that if I let my heels hang off the back of them, it was just about the perfect position. If they were moved back 6" or so they'd be great. Also, I was constantly worried about dragging them. Although it was never a problem, there were several times I don't think you coulds have slipped a thick piece of cardstock in between them and the road.  

-The handling. The bike handled well and had enough cornering clearance to not only run with traffic, but to get into the "not-so-legal" range of speeds. I found that 1.5x the posted corner speeds (45 in a 30mph curve) and even 2x in some cases (30 in a 15mph curve) was easily done without dragging and the bike was comfortable with it. However, the steering could be a touch sharper and it developed a bit of headshake as you came up on "the ton"  

-The brakes. The brakes felt strong when used together. By itself, the front seemed a bit lacking and it felt as though it needed bled (spongy lever, long travel before anything happened). The rear brake was strong and very useful. Like I said, used together they were quite good. I just think a dual disc setup in the front would be nice for a bit more power on that end.


I DISLIKE:
-The engine- lots of complaints here. It makes beautiful noises. The subtle mechanical clatter from the valvetrain and the oh-so perfect exhaust note were great but those were the only things I liked about it.

The bike just felt "gutless". Now, I'm not comparing it to my normal ride (Hayabusa) but to other cruisers I've ridden (my favorite of which has been the Yamaha Warrior). The engine has a strong initial pull but it flattened out WAY too soon. It was, quite frankly, a boring bike to open up. Also, to make any kind of acceleration happen it took CONSTANT rowing of the gearbox. It didn't pull well at all below 2000rpm and it was flat and gutless above 4000 rpm. Honestly, I expected more and was very disappointed by the Dyna, which is supposed to be the "Hot Rod" of the big twin lineup.  
Also, it generated a LOT of heat in traffic. If you sat for more than a few minutes, the seat and your thighs would get hot FAST. On the road there was no problem at all, however, this is the LAST bike I'd want to be stuck in a traffic jam on.

-The idle shudder; also an engine complaint.
This bike didn't have that nice off rhythm gate of a "typical" Harley. Instead, the idle speed was set so high all you got was a constant, and annoying "shudder".  This cleared up by about 200rpm off idle (almost immediately) but it was just annoying at stoplights. My Sportster and Buells had WAY more of the Harley "potato, potato" idle and I always enjoyed it, this bike however, didn't have that.

I HATE:
-The seat: I didn't dislike it, I HATED it!
It was far too soft and made my butt sore after only an hour or 2. I had a hard time going between gas stops as it was just such a horrible seat for my butt.

-The windshield: Utter, complete and total garbage. The buffeting on my head was so sever that I couldn't even read the exit signs on the interstate. The quick release system was wonderfully simple and effective, which is good, as if you're over 5'6 you're going to want to throw that POS windshield in the garbage ASAP. I'm SO glad I ditched it for the majority of my ride. It was on the way home that I stopped by the dealer and got it from the back of my car and put it on. I regretted that decision for the remainder of my time with the bike.

Overall, I just didn't "click" with that bike. It was a fine machine and it has some REAL high points (the awesome suspension and beautiful looks) but it just didn't "speak" to me at all. I don't regret taking it, in fact I'm glad I did as I feel the Street Glide and me REALLY wouldn't have gotten along. I am happy to have had the opportunity though.
Thanks again to Prubert. This was a great experience and a ton of fun.

[Justin]

Nice write up  . Won't be able to use mine for a few months yet. Being a Hayabusa rider too, I suspect my findings will be similar. Of course, I have an old airhead too, so I am used to clunky old school shifting and no power  .

[HanksXXX]

Gotta love that 60's retro styling...lol

[Rattlehead]

Nice write up  . Won't be able to use mine for a few months yet. Being a Hayabusa rider too, I suspect my findings will be similar. Of course, I have an old airhead too, so I am used to clunky old school shifting and no power  .

Might want to double check your voucher. Mine expired Nov 30.

Set your expectations LOW!    The Hayabusa and the "big twin" aren't in the same league, heck, their not even in the same universe.  
The bikes really are nice but that engine....UGH!

[Prubert]

The big twin in the softtail & touring lines is much better than the Dyna.  There are some compromises that make it a bit rough.

It will definitely not be a busa...


Prubert

[Rattlehead]

The big twin in the softtail & touring lines is much better than the Dyna.  There are some compromises that make it a bit rough.

It will definitely not be a busa...


Prubert

Honestly, the "roughness" of the Dyna didn't bother me one bit. I found it to be quite pleasing once underway and I never suffered any numb extremities (hands feet or butt) during my ride.

The "Character" of the engine itself is what bothered me.
-the idle doesn't have that off rhythm "potato, potato" of a classic Harley; the sound kind of like a classic car with a big cam in it.   Instead, it just had a steady, uniform pulsation at idle; very un-Harley IMHO.  

-the throttle response is just slow. You twist the throttle and it just feels like its trying to turn a 5000lb flywheel; there's no snappiness to it what so ever. The Yamaha Warrior that love so much has a MUCH "snappier" response to it despite also being a large displacement (102ci), air cooled, pushrod twin. The Sportster still has a bit of that "snap" to it and I found that I GREATLY prefer that Sporty engine in terms of "character".

-The powerband is just "lazy". There is no point in revving it any more than 4000rpm as it is completely done by that point. Now, that's fine if your a person that is never in any hurry, doesn't care how long you have to wait to get out into traffic, will linger in the passing lane for a 1/2 a mile to get around someone or will just stay behind a slow lane slacker until they decide to turn or never cares about "cracking it open" and feeling at least some rush of acceleration. I'm none of those things.

Like I said, I just didn't "click" with that powertrain. It reminded me a LOT of the trucks I've owned with the smogger-era 70's V8's  in them. They pulled good down low but the flattened out VERY early and made pretty pitiful hp for their size. They were always the low point of those trucks just as the engine, in my opinion, is the low point of that Dyna.

Now, I've ridden low hp bikes plenty of times and had a great deal of fun on them because they just had the right "character" to them. My wifes single cylinder Suzuki S40 (Savage) immediately comes to mind (boy I had fun thrashing on that thing!   ). That Harley was just all wrong though. I honestly think I would have enjoyed riding a 1982 shovelhead better than that 2012 "twinkie". The Shovel is still WAY short on power but the character is "just right".

[SVTNate]

I rode a friend's Softail Deluxe the other day.  He recently bought it - used, with all kinds of stuff done to it.  Air cleaner, Thunder Header (doesn't match the look of the bike *at all*), apes, chrome... all the typical Harley mods.

Now, I have some experience with the Touring models, but never a Softail before.

My impressions are similar to yours.

1.  Comfort.  Okay, the apes were too high for me, but honestly I think I would've liked them if they were a bit lower.  Despite the Deluxe's lowered suspension, it was a comfortable bike to ride.  

2.  The engine.  I love that the Softail bikes have the balanced motor.  Nice, smooth idle.  No paint shaker sensation like the other bikes.  This bike had the 88ci motor.  No power, but overall I liked the low end torque and the smoothness of it.  It made great sounds, of course.  The Thunder Header has a nice deep rumble to it, although again the Deluxe has that fantastic vintage look and the exhaust didn't match that at all.  Hey, previous owner.  My buddy agrees with me.

I would like to ride a new Deluxe with the 103 motor and compare the power.  And of course, I'm not expecting this bike to keep up with my Speed Triple, but I would like more power from it.

3.  The tranny.  I was surprised.  Positive, smooth shifts.  Very solid feeling.  Easy to find neutral.

4.  Handling.  Better than I expected.  It leaned further than I thought it would without touching the footboards to asphalt.

5.  Brakes.  Okay.  Not awesome, but definitely sufficient.  

6.  Overall quality.  The switches, chrome, paint, everything is just top notch.  Lots of nice little details, like the chrome oil lines that come out of the nicely chromed horseshoe oil tank under the seat.  This bike had a Harley accessory flush-fit gas gap and matching LED gas gauge.  Very cool.  This particular Harley does not leak at all that I can tell.  I don't know if that is even an issue anymore.

7.  Handling.  Of course it's no corner carver, but despite the weight and wheelbase, it's easy to maneuver at any speed.  

For a cruiser, I think it's overall a great bike.  The look... well that is what these bikes are mostly about.  And the Deluxe does not disappoint.  The full fenders, tombstone tail light, spokes with white walls, auxiliary lighting, it all comes together so well.  I think it's just about the best looking bike out there, honestly.  I love the look of it.  

If I was looking to spend that kind of money on a bike that is fun to ride around at legal speeds and cruise the coast, the Deluxe would probably be my choice.  The belt drive is smooth and maintenance-free (basically), it looks great, it's comfortable, and performance is adequate for that sort of riding.  I would like to feel another 20-30HP and more torque from the motor, though.  The stock 88ci is pretty weak.  I remember the noise coming from the Thunder Header upon wide open throttle.  WOT on my Speed Triple - you better be looking ahead.  The Deluxe, though... I sat there watching the speedo, thinking "This is it?"

[Powder Addict]

A little late, but finally getting around to my write up.  I rented mine in early September.

I would also like to say Thanks to Prubert for the one day rental of a HD.  I, like many, had some pre-conceived notions about HD that I’ve wanted to challenge.  My one day on the HD was a great experience and chance to challenge those notions.

I went with the Electra Glide with the 103ci engine.  I wanted to try the Road King, but I wanted to take my wife with me on a day ride.  She is terrified of riding motorcycles.  The Electra Glide had he wrap around arm-rests, which provided her with the security she needed to go along with me on the ride.

When I stopped in to reserve my bike earlier in the week, the salesperson kept trying to move me to a smaller bike.  I’m not a huge guy, maybe he thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the weight.  I rode my KLR in, maybe he thought that’s all I knew how to ride.  Once I assured him I had over 80k miles under my belt and was not intimidated at all by the Electra Glide he loosened up.  

I picked up my bike in Glenwood Springs.  The people were friendly and helpful.  I had some friends meeting me to go on the day ride, so while we waited he showed me the features of the bike.  

Once we went on our way, I immediately noticed the weight of the bike.  The huge bike coupled with having a passenger was not a problem at all, but made stopping a bit more exciting.  But once on the road, the bike hid it’s weight well.  In fact, while moving I really enjoyed riding it.  For such a huge bike it actually handled better than I expected. Preconception: overturned.

We took 133 over McClure pass into Delta, where we stopped for lunch.  It was a joy in the corners.  Not fast, but fun.  The suspension was not as plush as I had expected.  There were a few areas where the road wasn’t top notch, and every bump really rattled through the suspension.  For a bike at that price point, I’d expect the suspension to be absolutely top-notch.  After lunch we road over Grand Mesa outside of Grand Junction, and caught back onto I-70 and took I-70 back to Glenwood.   One of my favorite roads.

One thing I really liked was the seat.  We spent about 6 hours on the bike, and my butt felt as fresh and comfy at hour 6 as it did hour 1.   I didn’t like the seating position though.  My back was crying about 2 hours in.  

One thing I discovered early – when coming to a stop, the passenger floorboards will slam into your legs if you are not at a complete stop when you put your feet on the ground.  

I was also not impressed at all with the engine.  It’s fine as long as you are just loping around, but at 103ci I’d expect a lot more power.  Having to downshift at 75 on the interstate, so I could pass someone, with an engine that big, is inexcusable.  I know gearing plays a huge part, but still.  I had my 250lb friend on the back of my Ninja 650R last summer, and with the two of us on it pulled much harder in 6th gear than this bike did.  Preconception: validated.

My wife really enjoyed the ride, and liked the passenger seat.  The luggage racks were nice, as it was cold in the morning hot in the afternoon so we could easily store the heavier jackets in the afternoon.  And, I’ll admit, I LOVED the stereo.  I plugged in my mp3 player and listened to tunes much of the ride.  And yes, I DID play “Born to be Wild”.  For a second there, I almost “got it”.  Yes, while riding a HD, I DID feel a bit bad ass.  Preconception: validated (but in a good way).

The bike effortlessly hums down the road.  It’s slow, but you don’t want to ride it fast.  I was never

It’s not the bike for me, but I did enjoy it.  There’s 0% chance I would ever buy one, especially for what they cost.  I would still like the opportunity to ride a Road King someday, without a passenger.  

So:

Pluses:
Looks
Seat/Passenger Accomodations
Luggage
Stereo
Handling

Minuses:
Riding Position
Engine!!!!
Suspension doesn’t soak up bumps all that great

Thanks Prubert, it was a great day, and I really enjoyed my exposure to HD.