R1150R vs. Harley Dyna

[sjbmw]

but I'm not comfortable on the BMW (as passenger)- it will be your solo bike.

Bikes are very different on the road than in the showroom. Get the bike that you desire, not necessarily the one that's the 'logical best choice'. Chances are an aftermarket seat will improve the passenger (and rider) comfort, but it's not a guarantee.

She said the 1150R would be the 'solo' bike - does that mean a two-up bike would be in the garage too?

Before she discounts 2up you might want to point her at tor1150's ride site.
http://www.motorcycle-overland.com/

2up across Canada.

[yjleesvrr]

I'm Looking for primarily for a bike that will cruize, along with some spirited riding. Occasionally throw in some solo touring & possibly some track days.

Based on your criteria that you indicate - mainly spirited riding and track days, you are definitely better off with the R1150R. No contest.

My Dyna Super Glide Sport is the best handling Twin-Cam ever made by Harley. It was discontinued in 2006 because the lack of chrome made it less popular. I actually bought mine in '05 because I knew the bike was going to be discontinued and I wanted to buy the one traditional big-twin HD that had decent handling. But the extra weight definitely makes itself felt in the twisties, not to mention that the cornering clearance is nowhere near what my R1150R and SV650 allow.

The Dyna is a fun bike in its own right - and enjoyment of the unique HD character is something no one has been able to duplicate. But the R1150R is more of an all-rounder that will fulfill a wider role.

[Ves]

Here's my perspective regarding the handling and ability to do track days.

I've only ridden a Harley once... it was a Deuce?....I guess that's sort of like the next step up from a Sportster... But I did ride it all day through the twisties on some of the California mountain roads. I was actually surprised how well it handled. The owner told me that he had no problems keeping up with the sportbikes. I don't know about that, and I wasn't going to try it since it wasn't my bike, but it did handle well.

The main problem with it is the riding position. The leaned back, feet forward, bars high, raked out front end may be OK for crusing the twisties, but when the pace picks up it will not give you the steering response and control that you have to have. Cruisers and sport bikes are two opposite worlds. The R1150R is good compromise between those.

There's a reason sport bikes have steep steering angles, their bars low, pegs high, and usually dual 320mm disks up front. Once you're on the track you realize why nothing else works.

In the four years I've been doing trackdays I've never seen a Harley on the track. I've seen just about every other kind of bike, including touring bikes, but not one Harley, not even in the introductory class.

The only thing with a Harley engine that you could take on the track would be the Buell line of bikes. A Buell Ulysses (I think that's how you spell it) is a good all around bike and it has the Harley "Character" plus other unique features you will not find on any other bike. The other smaller Buell's would make even better track bikes but poorer all around bikes.

Finally, having ridden my old R850R on the track, unmodified except for lower bars, I can definitely tell you that the BMW RxxxxR class of bikes work on the track, a lot better than a Harley ever could. But it will force you to hang off the bike more because those huge cylinder sticking out the side will limit your lean angle. I've seen BMW R1200S's running in the Intermediate class on track days having no problems keeping up with full out sport bikes.

In closing, if there's really even a remote chance you're going to go to the track, the Harley is not going to do it for you.

[riceburner]

I wouldn't decide on a bike based on it's "character" either. "Character" fades as new bikes come out and as yours ages.

I'd dispute that (quite strongly too), character is something that doesn't fade away, if anything it grows as you learn the foibles of your bike over time.

[GypsyRR]

Sure, but Gypsy also wrote:

Nice write up Hopz. If I was going to look twice at a Harley, it would be the V-Rod. But usually, I'm just looking straight ahead over my windscreen.

I agree with you about true character of a bike. I was referring to implied 'character' that can cause impulse buying, and did not make myself very clear. You are so correct about true character, which is proven over time.

[Just-Beeming]

I tell them "if a Harley is what you want, then don't waste time buying other bikes - there is no substitute. If a MOTORCYCLE is what you want, then consider other brands/types".

This is probably the best way I have ever heard this described. I just had a woman friend tell me she wants a 'little Harley'. (she is not a rider)
I found myself struggling to describe this perspective.

I agree with the self-identiy of ridership as well...I had my Dyna for a season...I did not identify with the 'biker crowd'... I can respect those who are...but It's just not me.
I am, however, a motorcycle rider. I better identify with my peers on BMW, Honda, Yami and Euro bikes.
I just always felt like a 'mis-fit' with the cruiser crowd.

No tatoos and black leather ...ha...just a joke...really!

Just Beeming

[Hopz]

The discussion about my BMW experiences and my wife's feelings about Hondas was not intended to be a hijack, nor a diversion. It was, perhaps, an object lesson in the process of comparing the Harley and BMW brands.

Think of it as a parable.

Someone asked if I was keeping the Harley... most assuredly yes! The BMW will be an addition- if the deal is made. I know touring on a BMW is great fun, but frankly my new friends... I am growing uhhh 'mature" and the Road Glide (edit: AKA Geezer Glide, or BarcaGlide)is where we want to spend our long tour hours. The BMW is for a different kind if fun.

I will keep you posted. The advice to the original poster has to be to carefully consider how the unit will be used, and what his true feelings are concerning its ownership.

There really is no "right" answer. As I grow more "mature" I notice that "right" has a way of shifting here and there.

Maybe I'll start another thread on philosophy of motorcycles.... stay tuned.

[yjleesvrr]

Someone asked if I was keeping the Harley... most assuredly yes! The BMW will be an addition- if the deal is made.

Amen to that! Life's too short to spend time with one bike. There are about 8 bikes I want to add to my stable over the coming ten years. All ranging from a dual sport to a dedicated luxobarge. I'm doing the best I can to avoid driving a cage, even if my 325i is a hoot to drive and you can't haul 30 bags of mulch on a bike like I can in my truck.

Harleys are good comfortable bikes these days. They're reliable and fun to ride in their own right. As my 50 mph laydown last winter showed, they're durable bikes as well. Besides the ability to withstand wrecks, there's something about a large-displacement 45 deg. single-crank pin v-twin that oozes character. My Roadster is still the queen of the stable, but my two other bikes fulfill certain roles that the R cannot.

[Brownw3]

Hopz:

I'm a bit more polarized than most posters. It sounds as if what you really wanted was the Motor Company bike. If that's what you want, you should have already purchased it, because nothing else will work for you. I love all motorcycles and would own one of each. Unfortunately I only have room for two (one a sidecar rig), they are both BMW's. I've ridden without a break for 25 years.

I love the Harley Davidson mystique and have owned one and got it out of my system (Luckily I was 20 and young and strong, too.) The bottom line: Harley Davidson is mythos, tradition and loud, rolling fashion accessory, BMW is a true riders machine

Looking objectively:

Engine: BMW
Drive Train: BMW
Safety: BMW (ABS and ASC)
Exhaust: You won't be enjoying the "thunder" after a 500 mile day. My first promise
Performance: Not even the beginning of a comparison
Handling: I don't even like trying to turn a Harley Davidson. On a BMW your next twisty is whatever you want it to be.
Service: Some don't, but I love my dealer.
Comfort: BMW ( get a Sargent touring saddle and forget passenger discomfort. I promise you, there is almost nothing worse in the universe than a day on a Motor Company, or any other cruiser's, pillion.)
Distance:BMW, there is no other choice for distance riding, IMHO
Brakes: Not even in the same century., much less decade, BMW
Temperature and Engine Wear: BMW
Reliability: Once again, not a contest, BMW


Looks good in a Satrbucks Parking Lot: Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson's are really cool. Really, I love them. If you're going joy riding with the missus, I highly recommend it. You can get all the accessories and really have fun with the whole crowd, etc. I'm certainly all in for fun and most people are social motorcyclists.

BMW riders are like alcoholics, one drink of the road and we're teetering off the edge on the way to Argentina on two wheels and we demand our bikes get us there with minimal hassle. No prestige, No branding (a lot of folks don't even know BMWs proud cycling history), No chaps or cool jackets, kids won't point at you and say how cool it all is...

But you can ride the living daylight out of it. If you're going to go motorcycling, you'll be a bit dissapointed with the Motor Company Offering, once again my HO

[sjbmw]

"BMW riders are like alcoholics, one drink of the road and we're teetering off the edge on the way to...."


Well, there you have it.....we have been exposed.....

[OU812]

Hey, I have chaps. And they work too! OK, so I ride with a lot of Harley's. But the chaps do keep me warm on those frosty mornings.

[twinboy]

Here is a topic I can offer an opinion on as I have a 2000 H-D Dyna Super Glide Sport FXDX and a 2004 BMW R1150 R.Both are equipped similiarly with better seats, bags, windshield and luggage rack.
First the Harley,it has the fully adjustable front fork that actually works very well and can be dialed in to your riding style and adjustable rear shocks of decent quality.The plush seat,quick detach windshield,bags and rack allow long tours,although the bags don't have the capacity or ease of use of the BMW.It has dual discs up front which take a four finger grasp but stop the bike very well once your learn to use that grip.The motor is rubber mounted and shakes at idle but once going is extremely smooth,noticeably smoother than the BMW!Low seat height means easy to mount and great low speed control.On the highway it will just run quietly since I must be the only H-D rider to keep the stock exhaust.Reliability.I had one problem with the rear cam bearing which H-D fixed and extended the warranty to 50k or five years.It works well on the back roads and in the mountains of WNC as long as you don't think you are a superbike racer.Before you think I am a Harley guy this is my first Harley and I really like this specific model.It is not meant for the race track and is a great all round bike.Big plus now just about every town of any size has a H-D shop and you can modify your H-D in any way you can think of.
Now the 2004 BMW R1150R.Bought it new in 2003.Great all round bike after I put on a Sargent seat, the stocker was the worst seat I have ever sat on.The BMW bags are great with an RT bag on the left and a Staintune actually lets the motor have a minimal exhaust sound.The seat is too tall and I'm 6'2",I put on a peg lowering kit to give more leg comfort. It handles well but the telelever front end takes some getting used to.In my opinion it is nowhere as good as an adjustable telescopic front fork.There is very little road feedback,but I would like to ride one with an Ohlins shock to compare.The BMW has a buzz in the handlebars which is tiresome after a while and can be lessened with a good synch but is still always there to some degree.The brakes are great and the shaft drive on a trips is a bonus.It would do ok on a racetrack but everone on a 600 anything would pass you right away.Unfortunately BMW has reduced the numer of dealers to it lowest level in years so that they are few and often far between.The ones that remain seem to be very helpful but it is a factor when out on the road and there is a problem.Both bikes are great and have their good and weak points.Harley made the FXDX through 2005 and they are still a good buy in the H-D family.The R1150R has been discontinued but you may find a dealer with a leftover.Hope thishelps.
Twinboy

[1150929]

This thread is a great example of the BMW motorcycle community, always a wise and mature bunch!

My take? I was always a sportbike owner (still am) and in 2003 I decided to add an all round bike to my garage. So I rented a Heritage Softail in the Florida Keys (from Miami) for 4 days, it was my "test drive" because every time I turned around somebody was telling me to buy a Harley (usually non riders). I quite enjoyed it, it's great at what it's designed to do...a nice nostalgic cruiser. But nothing more, and comparing it to a R is apples to oranges. I also rode an Electra Glide, certainly a better all rounder but still not a bike you can "'ride" in any meaningful way...and if you can't do that...than why buy one? A Dyna may be the best of the bunch, as the V-rod has no range. But with the Heritage especially, I didn't leave the parking lot without dragging floorboards. I promptly bought a BMW after testing several.

And as a track rider, PLEASE don't take any non Buell Harley to a track day...it would simply be a hazard to all attending.

[wncbmw]

Brownw3 said:

BMW riders are like alcoholics, one drink of the road and we're teetering off the edge on the way to Argentina on two wheels

Wow, that is an excellent way to put it! All those years of minimum riding while raising the boys, there was hardly a short Sunday morning ride (often my only ride of the week) that the temptation wasn't there to point the wheel anywhere but home and become a traveler again!

We all have stereotypes in our heads. The chrome butt jewelry HD crowd also includes the 'travelers' who do the long miles and back roads. The BMW crowd has it's own posers also. (Mostly posing as real riders!)

All I know is, I rode for 3 hours weekend before last in a driving rain and saw a grand total of 12 motorcycles on the road during that time. 8 were BMWs. Serious riders or crazy? Who knows?

[yjleesvrr]

All I know is, I rode for 3 hours weekend before last in a driving rain and saw a grand total of 12 motorcycles on the road during that time. 8 were BMWs. Serious riders or crazy? Who knows?

Crazy. That's what hotel staff say when I show up at their desk in January and they realize that my address in Virginia means I rode 500 miles to get to them in freezing weather.

Some of the HD crowd that buy Electra Glides, Road Glides, and Road Kings actually do ride long distances and even in rain. But seldom when it's very cold. In owning a HD myself, my assessment is that Harleys are liesure tourers whereas BMWs are for hardcore adventurers.

[sweatmark]

Haven't ridden the Dyna myself, only my brother's FLH bagger which I found comfortable for cruising/traveling.

Nonetheless, an opinion:

Cruising - if "cruising" means local riding for a couple hours, then go with H-D, especially if part of the intended experience is hang out with fellow marque owners... the H-D crowd does this better than anyone.

Traveling - I'd buy a bike with hardbag option for frequent 2+ day trips; whether that's an FLH+ or BMW.

Trackdays - as mentioned above, the only H-D product suitable for trackdays is the Buell family; I own an XB9 that handles great at the track, but gets blown away by sports 600s on the straights. I would not choose to ride my R1150R at the track... it would be fun to ride and work well, but replacement parts aren't cheap.

Wife - if it's gotta be one bike for you, then I'd get something that your wife will ride pillion comfortable & contentedly; objectively, both the H-D and R1150R would work (can't speak for the Dyna's pillion seat), but the bigger issue might be subjective. My wife and I agree that riding together is an important part of our marriage.

Dealers - you might be lucky enough to have a good BMW dealer nearby, but seems the typical US rider has much better H-D dealer options close by; surprisingly, it's just as hard to find a good Buell dealer as a good BMW shop.

Community - no question about the rich HOG heritage & community; BMW groups are much less populous, even if they're (we're) decent folks.

Good luck with your selection!

[cruiser]

I bought my R1150R without ever trying a Harley... something which weighs on my mind I must admit, especially considering my last three bikes were all cruisers... a Kawa Vulcan Tourer and two US built Honda Valkyries - an Interstate and a Cruiser. Time will tell... I have yet to 'discover' my R1150R

[yjleesvrr]

Well, it IS unusual for someone to be considering the R1150R in relation to a Dyna. Most tend to compare the Roadster to the VFR800, the GS, or a reasonably sport-tourable standard the the FZ-1.