HARLEY-DAVIDSON DYNA WIDE GLIDE
Long-Term Wrap-Up
EIGHTEEN MONTHS WITH THE DELIGHTFUL DYNA
UNLIKE HARLEY-DAVIDSONS of the 1970s-bikes that were substandard in nearly every respect-Our longterm Dyna Wide Glide has been the definition of quality and reliability. To say this bike has held up well would be a terrific understatement.
General maintenance has been relat i v e 1 y i n e x p e n s i v e, totalling $503.96. This includes Harley's 35point. 10.000-mile serv ice, per f o r m e d b y H a r 1 e y - D a v i d s o n o f Westminster, California. Aside from a warrantied starter, a leaky push-rod tube and a new clutch cable, there have been no repairs.
The stock Dunlop Touring Elite II front and Elite S/T rear performed well and lasted nearly 10,000 miles. Replacement rubber came from Avon (P.O. Box 336. Edmonds, WA 98020; 800/624-7470) in the form of its Roadrunner AM20 front ($93) and AM2 1 rear ($1 17). In the 2300-
plus miles since their mounting, the 11rated Avons delivered good grip and stability and appear long lasting. The stock brake pads also yielded good results. With 12,265 miles on the odometer, the front pads still show plenty of life. The rear pads, however, need replacing.
When ridden at higher speeds, the Dyna Wide Glide, with its high-rise handlebar and feet-forward footpeg location, requires a determined grasp on the grips. Over extended periods, this can be tiring. For a reprieve, we ordered National Cycle’s (P.O. Box 158. Maywood, IL 60153; 708/3430400) Beaded Heavy-Duty Windscreen and mounting kit. As mentioned in our Long-Term Update (CIV. March 1994), the police-style screen ($180, $50 for hardware kit) kept the bugs off our faces but accomplished little else. According to Publisher Larry Little and Editorial Director Paul Dean, who rode the bike to Harley-Davidson’s 90th Anniversary in Milwaukee, the underscreen turbulence was practically unbearable.
We also sampled Harley-Davidson’s Sport windshield. The handlebarmounted screen ($125) fit perfectly
and looked terrific, but as one tester put it, the resulting turbulence “was like being slapped repeatedly for 200 miles.”
More worthwhile modifications included chrome reducedreach levers ($55) and chrome saddlebag supports ($70) from Harley-Davidson, and Renegade II saddlebags ($400) from Auburn Leather (One Caldwell St., P.O. Box 33 8, Auburn, KY 42206; 800/635-0617). Apparently, another party shared our sentiment for the conc ha s - a nd - ro 11 e rb u c k 1 e-e q u i p pe d leather bags, as they were stolen from our Newport Beach editorial offices.
“I like my Dyna Wide Glide’s quality of build, low seat height, low center of gravity and handlebars, but dislike its brakes, seat, kickstand location and lack of passing power. -Ray Bradley Neunan, Georgia
For a bike of this price, it is downright tacky not to include a toolkit. I built one using my own tools and carry a BMW flat-repair kit. Otherwise, the bike is superb. I’ve put 26,080 miles on it, and it is the most-enjoyable motorcycle I have ever ridden.” -Freddy White Morehead, Kentucky
Quotes from the logbook
The E~yna~ Ghde is sor1~f tIt~e a Barcalounqer with the V~brc massage op on. Ser~u~*y~ this bike has ][[~Ø~d up awfuPy well; it looks and feels ne~ after almost42~OGO ni~impressive1
Jimmy Lewis2 yetto xit tn a tong wi's on our long term Dyna Wide Glide, but Qf Arnencan Iron Is a bear. espectalty the clutch
• *taiIpack to lean against, the FXDWG is comfortable for the Singly capable in the tw~st~es The Progressive shocks are jor * bver the stock dampers.
Mikuni’s (8910 Mikuni Ave., Northridge, CA 91324; 818/885-1242) newly developed HSR.42 carburetor ($395) was our first performance modification. The smooth-bore HSR42 comes complete with a chrome air cleaner and adapter, throttle cables, mounting hardware and instructions, and was an easy, bolt-on addition. Besides crisp throttle response, the HSR42 provided a small gain in peak horsepower (53.7 compared to 52.2) and a negligible loss in torque.
A slash-cut Boulevard exhaust from Cobra (4760 E. Bryson, Anaheim, CA 92807; 714/779-7798) was the next addition. Nicely crafted and brilliantly chromed, the lightly baffled pipes ($250) were a snap to install. When used in conjunction with the Mikuni carb. they boosted midrange performance slightly at the expense of peak power. We also tried an Internal Disc Staggered Dual exhaust ($484) from SuperTrapp (4540 West 160th St., Cleveland, OH 44135; 216/265-8400). Like the Cobras, the Staggered Duals use stock mounting hardware, but require more effort to install. With the supplied 12 discs in each muffler, the Wide Glide produced 54 horsepower at 4850 rpm and 71 footpounds of torque at 3050 rpm.
Our initial test of the Dyna Wide Glide (CW, June 1993) revealed a harsh ride. We replaced the stock shocks with ones from Progressive Suspension (11129 G Ave., Hesperia, CA 92345; 619/948-4012), and were delighted with the results, with one exception. Spring preload adjustment requires a special tool ($28.30 from Progressive) and shock removal. Then, the wire clip located inside the lower spring-retaining collar can be removed and repositioned. Aside from that inconvenience, we highly recommend these $367 dampers.
All considered, our Dyna Wide Glide has proven impressive. Indeed, its handling, durability, performance and versatility have absolutely exceeded our expectations. To quote Alexander Pope, “Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.”
Before taking delivery of my FXDWG, I had the dealer install new pipes, saddlebags, grips and a small windshield. The first 1000 miles were a big adjustment from my FLHS, but I just returned from a 2800-mile tour through Colorado and am pleased to say the bike performed flawlessly.” -Tony Dallas, Texas
$12,550
