Dyna Switchback - Update

On the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin


I just submitted this to Kiwi Rider as one of the 'breakouts' on the ride to, and report from, the NZ HOG Rally.
(The Ride Video is HERE)

FLD Dyna Switchback.

 If you refer back to the December 2010 edition of Kiwi Rider, you’ll find the Quick Spin article we published on the Switchback, and that we were quite impressed with the bike.

Well, update that – after this 2000km tour-test on the machine I now have to say I’m REALLY impressed with the bike.

Adam offered to swap machines with me a few times on the ride, thinking I might be more comfortable on the larger chassis of the Road Glide. As much as I like the ‘Roady’ too, it was my most recent test bike, so I politely declined, partly because I was actually very comfortable on the Switchback – and partly because I was keen to see it through for the full journey.

We did several long days in the saddle, back-to-back, and apart from the last 15minutes of the second day, where I was just starting to get a little saddle sore, it was exemplary, for comfort and riding enjoyment. We sat on a sensible pace for most of the way down, smiling smugly at the Highway Patrols who passed us several times on the ride.

What I like about the Dyna is that it’s very enjoyable at around legal touring speeds, with the 103 cube engine also delivering pretty good overtaking power for reeling off easy passing manoeuvres on the semi trailers and logging trucks we encountered on the way.

 It has cornering clearances somewhere between the Touring Chassis of the Road Glide and that of the Softail, but wicking it up on the long sweeping bends of SH85 also proved it is a pleasant handling rig too. It does deliver more vibration at the upper end of the rev range compared to the Touring Chassis Harleys, but only when really giving it the business.

The lovely torque of the engine means that it’s a motor you tend to short-shift and enjoy its pull rather than tap it out anyway.

Then when you get to the venue, simply unlatch the hard bags, unclip the screen and it turns into a ‘Mini Fat Boy’ – a stylish cruiser.

Switch it back to touring kit and it’s a ‘Mini Road King’ in only a few seconds. Yep – make that REALLY impressed with the Switchback. Definitely worth another look.