FZ6 vs. Harley Dyna Street Bob

Poutanen · 07-09-2007, 03:16 PM

No I'm not talking about a race!!!

My brother owns a 2006 Dyna Street Bob (1340 cc or whatever) and I rode it up to Wasaga Beach for the weekend, and my buddy rode my FZ6. These are just my opinions based on 400 km of HD riding, after 15000 km of FZ6 riding.

1) The thing has decent power, but feels gutless compared to the FZ6, and the lack of a tach meant I was guessing what gear to put it in for good power half the time. Even with the reputed "v-twin power" it had trouble maintaining speed when climbing a hill in 6th gear at 100 km/h. The FZ6 in comparison takes just a minor roll on the throttle to maintain speed, and WOT is no comparison.

2) The seating position was weird. Even after I started to get used to it, there was no natural comfort level for me, my legs felt too straight, my arms felt too far forward, and there's no way to grab the bike with your knees to steady yourself in a turn.

3) Rolling into wasaga in squidly fashion with a wife beater (muscle shirt) showing off the tatts, army camo pants, and nike airs... was okay.

lol people certainly notice that bike more than the FZ6.

Would I ever buy one? I don't know if I'd take one if it was given to me. It's fun to be "badass" for a day on it, but overall it's useless. The neutral light stuck on for part of the ride, and I guess the vibrations fixed itself. With no windsheild, at 120 km/h it feels like you're going to get blown off the back. With a windshield, the buffeting is so bad it lifted my visor on the full face helmet. The air cooled engine meant my leg was cooking itself anytime we were going slow.

When I sat on my FZ6 to drive it into the garage in wasaga, I just about creamed...

all the controls felt so compact and where they should be, I could see over things instead of through them, and everything felt so crisp. I don't give a shit who looks at me when I'm riding, the FZ6 is the bike for me!!!

***pics on their way***

fxclm5 · 07-09-2007, 03:20 PM

good post, fz6 is by far hands down the precision surgical knife in a surgeons array of tools.
ride on

ddlloyd · 07-09-2007, 03:32 PM

that's kinda the way i feel when i ride my dad's triumph rocket III. the FZ is definitely my bike of choice.

Bredebee · 07-09-2007, 03:37 PM

pic's????????????? I have a really hard time picturing you on one of those things

ped · 07-09-2007, 03:38 PM

i had a cruiser before, yeah they blow.

wavex · 07-09-2007, 03:43 PM

Poutanen, love your posts, but you need to buy a digital camera!

Parabellum · 07-09-2007, 04:41 PM

I had a Yamaha Warrior, and I switched to an FZ6 for the exact reasons you listed:

1) Wind protection is either NOT there at all or you have a very stupid looking windshield (and buffetting of the wind).

2) No way to control the bike with your legs/thighs...huge disadvantage for cruisers.

3) Feet forward puts too much weight on your tailbone, forces your spine to bend (no good lumbar posture), and turns your chest into a parachute (see #1).

But my warrior was definitely NOT short on power. Even at 90 if yor roll on the throttle you had no lack of grunt. It destroyed just about any stock harley except the vrod.

AugieNYC · 07-09-2007, 04:51 PM

I rode two cruisers that had balls - the Yamaha Roadliner and Suzuki's M109. Both of these bikes are awesome and handle much better than most cruisers (the M109 was more like a sport cruiser). But even a polished as both of these bikes are, the riding posture isn't for me. I'm sure we'll soon see more bikes come out that will take sport cruising to a higher level than the M109 (and the StreetRod). Definitely fun to ride with all that torque but I'm still a bigger fan of the FZ6.

OLEDANO · 07-09-2007, 05:02 PM

I had ridden cruisers for the last umpteen years...Hondas, Yamahas, Victorys, and yes, even Harleys. Sometime about three years ago, I found that I just wasn't having the fun I used to have while riding. I started looking around and, fortunately, was able to ride numerous bikes. I just kept coming back to the FZ6. And so one day while out on the road sofa, I stopped in again and came home on the FZ. All I can say is...NO REGRETS!!!

The riding position reminds me so much of the street bikes I satrted on back in the day...real handle bars, upright enough to catch just the right amount of wind, feet below me like God intended.

I love my bike!!

Poutanen · 07-09-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bredebee

pic's????????????? I have a really hard time picturing you on one of those things

Bre, is that a dig?

I think that was a dig!!! Okay so I may be 5'7" and 165 pounds, but I rode the thing like I stole it!

I'll make sure I get a couple pics up for ya. Here's the new badass tattoo to go with the new (temporary) bike of choice.

DCP_3232.jpg

Magseal · 07-09-2007, 05:35 PM

is that a temporary tattoo punk???

wavex · 07-09-2007, 05:38 PM

Aaron you scared me there for a sec I though that was the german eagle! lol

Bredebee · 07-09-2007, 05:39 PM

No it wasn't really a dig , I just know how much you love the FZ so I really have ahard time picturing you on a harley ............just seems wrong . It's the equivalent to me saying a hey dude you wanna ride my 600rr today , I'm feeling like rockin a Vespa ........no man it ain't right llololol Nice tatt by the way

harleyxlc · 07-09-2007, 05:44 PM

Different strokes, as they say

I can't argue that there are things that my sportbikes do better, but I do love riding my harley and I am slightly familiar with that model

1. I don't use the tachs on the bikes that have them, so I don't miss it on the SB. I just go by sound and feel. Probably comes from my first 6 years of riding on a bike with no tach.

2. Completely agree, even with a custom seat, I can ride twice as long on either sportbike. But for me, I can ride all three as long as most of my rides.

3. No comment

I find I get just as many comments on my Triumph as the harley (the poor ninja isn't a big crowd pleaser). But agree, that isn't the point.

Nice post and glad you gave it a try. Sounds like you reinforced your feelings about your fz6, which is a good thing

And bredebee, when are you gonna ride with my on my vespa?

Poutanen · 07-09-2007, 05:47 PM

What's this german eagle business??? Actually it's the animal out of the Finnish coat of arms. I was going to go all black but I'm really glad I went with the green, more artsy, less trendy.

You're right Bre, I love the FZ! I only rode the harley because my buddy just got his M1 and wanted to come to Wasaga with me, so I rode my brothers bike while he's away (I'm watching his house, and pool!) and my buddy rode my FZ6.

I'm telling you, those december rides we did on the FZ and the 599 would be impossible on the harley, you'd FREEZE! I got cold in my textile jacket and army pants coming back at 3:00 am! It was really nice seeing the sun come up on the ride home though, very beautiful. I was by myself (buddy stayed up an extra day) and it was very humbling and peaceful to ride into the sunrise on a very calm sunday morning.

Then I had dreams about gremlins biting my feet. Yeah.