Quick Ride
QUICK RIDE
ROUNDUP
H-D DYNA CONVERTIBLE Harley's multi-faceted motorcycle
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MATH can be a peculiar thing. In the case of the FXDS-CONV Dyna Convertible, one equals two. It’s simple, really. The motorcycle replaces a couple of models, the FXR Sport and FXRSCONV Convertible. The FXDS really is two bikes in one, possessing both cruising and touring abilities.
When the long road beckons, the Lexan windscreen offers very good protection, although it
appears less integrated into the motorcycle’s design than does the H-D Road King’s screen. Switching to cruise mode and removing the screen takes only a minute or two; just undo four Allen-head screws that bolt into plastic clamps fitted to the fork tubes. Once the screen is off, wind blast to the chest encourages moderate speeds.
For the full stripper look, Harley’s cordura nylon, plastic and leather saddlebags also come off easily. Just turn a large thumbscrew at the bags’
rear, then lift them from two mounting studs. Full marks, then, for ease of mounting, but some form of theft-deterrence would be nice. The Convertible’s bags are smaller inside than would appear. There’s room, however, for a carefully planned weekend for two.
As per Harley-Davidson usual, the Convertible, with its rubber-mounted Evo engine, is a torquey beast, one that’s wellsuited for touring or a little chugging around. The rider, incidentally, is able to tell just
how many revs the engine is turning, as the Convertible is one of the few H-Ds with a tachometer.
Whatever sort of riding you chose to do, the Convertible, priced from $12,725 to $12,950, depending on choice of paint, steers more willingly than does its chopper-like linemate, the FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide. The Wide Glide, with a 32degree steering-head angle, likes big, sweeping turns, sort of like a ’74 Caddy, while the Convertible, with a 28-degree head angle, is capable of sharper arcs, more like a new Eldorado. This difference is as noticeable during a lane change as it is on a winding road.
When the road begins to twist and turn, the 621-pound Convertible copes pretty well for a machine of its size and nature. A non-adjustable, 39mm Showa fork provides a smooth, compliant ride, but things are not so good at the rear. Preload-adjustable Showa shocks, with 4.7 inches of travel, are effective at sedate speeds, but if you pick up the pace, bumps in corners induce pitching and wallowing.
Of course, the Convertible can’t be transformed into a H-D VR1000 race-replica, but it can do lots of things quite well. There are flashier, more popular Harley-Davidsons on the market, but few handle double-duty as capably as the Convertible.
-Robert Hough
