Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider
The Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider traces its origins to Harley’s first factory custom. At the 1977 Daytona Beach Bike Week the Motor Company unveiled the FXS Low Rider. The first Low Rider had extended front forks and shorter rear shocks to put the rider just 26 inches off the ground.
Table of Contents
Vital Stats
Manufacturer | Harley-Davidson |
Model | Dyna Low Rider |
Bike Class | Cruiser |
Years | 1995 - 2009 |
Configuration | 1584 cc air-cooled fuel injected |
Top Speed | 115 mph |
Weight | 641 lb (dry) |
Height | 47" |
Seat Height | 26.8 mm |
Wheelbase | 64.60" |
Background of the Dyna Low Rider
The Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider traces its origins to Harley’s first factory custom. At the 1977 Daytona Beach Bike Week the Motor Company unveiled the FXS Low Rider. The first Low Rider had extended front forks and shorter rear shocks to put the rider just 26 inches off the ground.
The FXS also sported drag style handlebars, mag wheels, raised white lettering on the tires and a two-into-one slash cut exhaust. Powering the new Low Rider was the 1,200 cc Shovelhead engine. The FXS Low Rider became Harley’s best-selling 1977 model.
Variations of the Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider
In 1982 Harley-Davidson rolled out its first FXR model, the Super Glide II, with a lighter chasis than the FX models. By 1986 all of the FX models had been converted to the new FXR line or discontinued, with the exception of the harley wide glide, which was pulled from the 1987 line up. The FXS Low Rider became the FXRS Low Rider in 1983. Harley introduced the first Dyna model, the limited production Sturgis (FXDB) for the 1991 model year.
The Dyna family (with the FXD prefix in its model designations) boasted Harley-Davidson's first CAD (computer aided drafting) designed frame.
The new frame was essentially a perimeter frame, with no center tube between the transmission and engine. The engine had two rubber mounts instead of the three found on previous Harley frames. This resulted in more vibration at idle, but the Dyna frame was more rigid than its predecessors which meant it had less vibration at highway speeds and enhanced handling.
1994 was the final model year for the FXR models and the FXSR Low Rider transitioned to the Dyna frame and became the 1995 FXDL Dyna Low Rider.
Early Years
The new Dyna Low Rider differed significantly from the FXRS Low Rider. It still had the narrow, 320 rake front end, but the mag wheels of the FXRS were replaced with laced wheels on the Dyna. The Dyna Low Rider had buckhorn handlebars instead of the drag style bars of its predecessor.
Harley-Davidson gave the 1995 Dyna Low Rider the 1,340 cc, air-cooled 450 V-Twin Evolution engine, belt final drive and a five-speed transmission. The Low Rider generated 47.6 horsepower at 4,900 rpm with a top speed of 102 mph.
The new Twin Cam 88 engine debuted in 1999 on the Dyna Low Rider and the rest of the Dyna and Touring families. With the 1,450 cc, air-cooled V-Twin, the 1999 Low Rider had a top speed of 102.5 mph and 68 horsepower at 5,400 rpm.
Middle Years
The Low Rider got even lower in 2001. Harley lowered the suspension and added a new custom seat to bring the seat height to 26.2 inches. The bike also sported a new pull back riser and low rise handlebars.
Fuel-injection was added as an option on the 2004 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider. Models with fuel-injected engines were given the model designation FXDLI.
Later Years
A new six-speed transmission, the Cruise Drive, was added to the Low Rider and the rest of the Dyna models for 2006. The front forks on the Low Rider were revised, going to 49 mm with a 30.50 fork angle and 290 steering head angle. These changes in the front end bumped the seat height to 26.8 inches.
Harley increased the displacement on the Twin Cam 88 and renamed it the Twin Cam 96 for the 2007 model year. The 1,584 cc power plant came with electronic sequential port fuel injection standard, so the “I” was dropped from the model designation for the FXDL, and all the Dynas.
2008 marked Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary. To celebrate, the Motor Company offered a special limited-edition anniversay version of 14 models, including the Dyna Low Rider. The anniversary package included a special Anniversary Copper and Vivid Black paint job, copper air cleaner cover, a copper colored seat insert and 105th Anniversary badging.
The 2009 Dyna Low Rider, the last year of its production, saw the addition of a silver faced speedo with a fuel range read out. A new low profile front fender and new graphics on the tank were also added for 2009.
The Dyna Low Rider In Culture
In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Tonight Show host, and avid motorcyclist, Jay Leno had guests on his show autograph a 2001 Low Rider. Among the stars to sign the bike were Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington, Arnold Scharzeneggaer, Terry Bradshaw, Russel Crowe, Angelina Jolie, Adam Sandler, Nicole Kidman, Magic Johnson, Ozzy Osbourne and many others. Leno then auctioned off the bike on eBay and donated the proceeds to the Twin Towers Fund. Frank Davis, 37 years old at the time, had the winning bid of $326,000.
Model and fomer WWE female wrestler Christy Hemme owns and regularly rides a Harley-Davidson Low Rider.
The Low Rider has been featured in the background in scenes in several movies and TV shows, including the films Bravo Two Zero (1999) and Afghan Knights (2007) and the Fox series Malcolm In The Middle and Sliders.
