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What are the differences between the Harley Davidson Sportster and the Harley Davidson Dyna?

skim_halo - 2006-10-23 09:51:11 - Motorcycles

Looking through the Harley Davidson catalog of motorcycles I can't figure out what the specific differences are between the Dyna and the Sportster such that the Dyna costs about $6000 more. What do you get for this extra $6000? Also, is the Sportster really just "a Woman's bike"? Are men who ride them mocked by other Harley owners?

Best Answer:

The Sportster is a smaller lighter bike with a smaller motor,(883) or (1200) The motor, primary drive and trans are all a shared unit. The Dyna is a "Big Twin" 80" (1340) or an 88" for newer models.The motor is a unit, the primary drive is a unit and the trans is a unit. The Dyna is a longer ,bigger and heavier bike than the sporty. Sportsters are ( usually) a first Harley, a stepping stone to a big twin. Some never out grow them but most do. My old lady rode her 1200 for a year or so,then we got her a FXR which is similar( But superior ) to the Dyna. These days I see many chicks on big bikes so as a woman you may start on a Sportster and graduate to a Big Twin just like the boys do. And yes guys who ride Sporties from time to time will get some grief for it.

Answers:

As far as the differences im not sure. But a sportster was marketed as a womans bike, thus men riding them are frowned apon. Personal preference I guess. They were marketed as a womans bike because of the comfort factor, and lower CC's then the "man" bikes.

maybe women like the older sportsters because the viberate...lol...althought the new ones dont....they also have an engine transmission combination, where as other Harley's use a separate engine and transmission,...

The dyno is a lot bigger, both size and displacment. The sportster came in a 1100cc though, so that is pretty big to be considered just a womans bike. I guess thats just personal opinion.

The Sportster is a smaller lighter bike with a smaller motor,(883) or (1200) The motor, primary drive and trans are all a shared unit. The Dyna is a "Big Twin" 80" (1340) or an 88" for newer models.The motor is a unit, the primary drive is a unit and the trans is a unit. The Dyna is a longer ,bigger and heavier bike than the sporty. Sportsters are ( usually) a first Harley, a stepping stone to a big twin. Some never out grow them but most do. My old lady rode her 1200 for a year or so,then we got her a FXR which is similar( But superior ) to the Dyna. These days I see many chicks on big bikes so as a woman you may start on a Sportster and graduate to a Big Twin just like the boys do. And yes guys who ride Sporties from time to time will get some grief for it.

As one other person on here says. Their are two Sporster models, 883, 1200. The New 2006 Dyna Glide has 5gal. tank, 88B motor or 1430cc engine. The 2007 Dyna Glide has the new 96 cu. inch engine. The frame and tires and ride are totally different on the dyna, because of weight of the bike. Also a Sportster is more of a runabout type bike, even though people do take them on long trips as well.

Ok first lemme tell you that my Sporty is the fastest bike in my garage and there are four bikes in there. I have a Sporty, Dyna, Buell S-2 and a Buell Blast. Well 5 but my second Sporty isn't put together yet!!! The Sporty doesn't get the respect it should but they rock!!! They kick some serious ass if you know what I mean. They aren't just for women...they never have been. They are the "sport" version of the big twin Harley's. I didn't see any women racing them way back when Harley got into racing did you??? The differences are that the Sporty has a smaller motor selection...they come in 883CC or 1200CC. The Dyna's come with a bigger motor...mine is 1640CC but the new ones are bigger. Both bikes have rubber mounted motors so the rider doesn't get the hell beat out of them. They both have real suspension unlike the softail line. The Dyna costs more simply because the bike has a much bigger motor (that is your special difference) and they come with different front ends. The wide glide Dyna has the widest front end of that group. Just remember that Sporty's are for anyone who wants to tear it up!!!! Most of them were way to tall for girls until this year when they came out with the Low. That disqualifies them as a "girls bike" wouldn't you say? The Dyna is about 113 pounds heavier dry than the Sporty. Happy Hunting!!!

The Dyna does NOT have the 88B (counterbalanced) engine. It also does not have extra gas in the frame and does not have the oil tank in the gas tank. The 88B is in the Softail bikes, well, 96 inch now. The Dyna has a lower seat height than the XL too, except for the 883L. Some big twin riders will razz a guy on a XL, but not after following an XL through some twisty roads. For long distance comfort, or a bike with a lower center of gravity, the FX line is superior to the XL. A Sportster is definitely not just a "ladies bike" though. Some of the fastest Harleys around are Sportsters that have been hopped up to 88 cubic inches.

You are in luck. I just traded in my XL1200C for an FXDWG. Well, the DWG is a dog compared to XL. Slow off the line, and harder to make her go where you want her to go. BUT! That TC-88 motor makes for a big difference if you have a passenger. It just pulls like a train. Weight, what weight? Torque curve is huge. Not HP with this baby, but torque. I'm in fifth gear at 40 MPH. And she happpily goes lumping along getting about 43 MPG. (The Dyna Low stinks. Not because it's a bad bike, but I got a 36" inseam. I can't work mid controls.) I wanted the six speed when I traded, but the dealer had no forward control models. The Sporty is to get you "sea legs" for a bike, so to speak. The XL1200 will really teach you that H-D don't make a Japanese style bike. You end up with very large calf on the right leg, and the left arm will grow a big bulge just below the elbow. (I'm looking at mine now!) The Dyna also comes in what they call the "Dyna Wide". That is what I have now. Again, she's a bear to handle in first, but if you have experience with a heavy bike, it will just come to you. I've had many bikes. I love my FXDWG. If I could bring it inside the house, I would. Heck, If it could give birth. I would marry the 'Ol Girl! I did get rid of the Sporty since I was not considered a "real" rider with it. But I do miss the Sporty. It could scrape pegs in a turn. I won't dare lean over the 'Ol Girl any more than I need to.

The sportsters as before mentioned are a smaller configuration with a one piece case. that extra 6 grand will get you more weight, more power, and more re-sale value by far.

Sportsters engine transmission are a unit, one peice if you will, all the others have a seperate transmission,

Ride On knows what he is talking about,Seems like he always has the good ones.

I've owned both, they are both great bikes. I've had four Sportsters and 9 other HD bikes over fifty years. The Sportster has a smaller engine and is not a woman's bike. The Dyna series has extra gas in the frame and the oil bag is in the gas tank. Dyna is much more comfortable and lower to the ground. The difference is in the performance, if you get the Dyna you will know where the 6K went to. I have an 06 Ultra Classic and have NEVER mocker another bike owner. I never even mock the jap bike owners, we're all bikers. The only thing I didn't like about the Dyna (Street Bob) were the handlebars which can be replaced. Ride on Brother.

Sportsters are more of a racing bike, small light. Also, they are a unit construction (engine transmission are together) where as a Dyna has a seperate engine trans.