2014–2017 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Chopper Soul, Boulevard Ready
The Low Rider sits in the factory-custom corner of the Harley lineup: 1690 cc of air-cooled 45° V-twin, 101 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm, and 75 hp arriving at 5,010 rpm. Output is not the headline here. The chrome 2-into-1 exhaust, polished fork legs, and split five-spoke wheels are, along with a chassis that carries 64.2 in of wheelbase without looking stretched thin. Six speeds, belt final drive, cooling fins out in the open where they belong on this kind of machine. In a segment where stance decides everything, this one earns its standing on look and mechanical presence.
On the road it settles fast. The long wheelbase and the fat 150/80B16 rear keep it composed once the speedometer climbs, and the 25.5 in seat means most riders get both boots flat at a stoplight. Mid-mounted controls and a removable seat bolster let you set the cockpit for a 5-foot-1 rider or a 6-foot-1 one, which almost nothing else in this class manages. It suits the owner who wants a Harley that becomes personal over time, and it asks for two things in return: respect for 666 lb at walking pace, and acceptance of a fork with no adjustment at all. Plan the parking, not the pace.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 75 hp (56 kW) @ 5,010 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 101 lb-ft (136 Nm) @ 3,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1690 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 100/90-19 |
| Rear tire | 150/80B16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.2 in (1631 mm) |
| Seat height | 25.5 in (648 mm) |
| Wet weight | 666 lb (302 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.7 gal (17.8 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Thumb the starter and the big twin drops into that uneven beat you feel through the tank and the pegs a half-second before you register the sound. It shakes at idle, smooths out the moment you're rolling, then comes back as a steady pulse under your palms at road speed. The riding position is what I keep returning to. Mid controls put your feet under your hips instead of stretched out front, the bars fall to hand with no reach, and pulling the bolster out of the seat moves you back far enough to change the whole fit of the bike. The belt keeps the driveline quiet between shifts. With 4.7 gal on board and nothing to hold the throttle for you, the day finds its own rhythm: ride an hour, stop, stand there looking at it, ride another. That last part isn't a complaint.
I haven't put my own miles on this one. What follows is the collective read from years of listening: talk at rallies, riders stopping me in parking lots, and what owners write to me directly. For this bike the chatter is unusually consistent, and it splits cleanly in two.
Styling is where agreement runs widest. Riders call the hot-rod shape timeless and say the quality of the finish holds up over the years. Two riding impressions follow almost as often: that it holds a line and changes direction better than they expect from something this size, and that the V-twin pulls smooth and easy from low in the rev range.
Vibration dominates the complaints. Owners describe a band in the upper revs where the shake reaches the chassis and the controls, and they say long days wear on them because of it. Brakes are the next theme: adequate at everyday pace, short on bite when a rider asks for a hard stop. Clearance is a quieter thread, mentioned by a few who scrape the pegs sooner than they want to.
Ignition switch failure from engine vibration
Engine vibration between 4500-5500 RPM can damage the internal electronics of the ignition switch, leading to engine stalling while riding. Affected 2014-2016 models. Recalled: NHTSA Campaign 16V283. Dealer installs improved switch with snap ring and reinforced PCB.
Where this Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider FXDL pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Dyna Low Rider FXDL is actually built for.
This is your bike. The stance, the noise, and the sheer amount of metal all land exactly where you want them, and it arrives at the rally looking like nothing else in the row.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Small towns and unhurried back roads suit it well, and the cockpit adjusts until the miles stop hurting. Just accept the 4.7 gal tank as part of the schedule.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Honest answer: this asks a lot of you over a long day. No cruise control, no wind protection, no luggage system, and 666 lb to manage two-up. Great for a week, hard for a month.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2007–2009
Pure Attitude, Low And Loud
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider FXDL. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
