Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom Vs. Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

Harley Davidson is one of the most popular motorcycle brands in the U.S. It has a huge fanbase in the American motorcycle market because of its quality builds and stylish cruisers. Harley Davidson initially focused on designing classic cruisers but later started to give their motorcycles a more modern look.

Most Harley Davidson cruisers are well-known for being highly customizable. In 1971, Harley Davidson introduced the FX Super Glide, its first factory-made custom chopper-style cruiser.

Harley Davidson continued experimenting with the FX Super Glide , introducing several Super Glide models. In 2005, Harley Davidson introduced the Dyna Super Glide Custom. In 2006, it was upgraded with a six-speed transmission and a new chassis design. In 2007, the Dyna Super Glide Custom was fitted with a fuel injection system to improve fuel economy. In 2014, the Harley Dyna Super Glide Custom was replaced by the revised FXDL Low Rider model.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide and Dyna Super Glide Custom grew in popularity when they were featured on Sons of Anarchy, a famous American television series based on motorcycle clubs. 

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is another factory-made custom motorcycle that is popular among motorcycle enthusiasts. The Harley Davidson K was the first Sportster model launched in 1952. Over time, the Sportster series received several upgrades. The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom has a few stylish elements that bear some resemblance to the Harley Davidson Super Glyde Custom. Its fat tires, chromed parts, and massive low-end torque make it an extraordinary cruiser.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom has a wider design, appealing to riders with its chromed engine, front forks, mufflers, wheels, and exhaust pipes. It has the vintage Harley Davidson’s attitude and classic look. The gauges are tank-mounted with a chromed fuel tank cap on the right side and a similar cap on the left side.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom has a front bobber-style fender and a large rear fender with a tail light and license plate holder mounted. There are also single-piece saddles for both rider and passenger. There is a dip in the rider’s seat to ensure a low seat height.  Below the rider’s seat is a classic battery cover.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom’s chrome handlebars have small risers and are pulled-back, so they are within comfortable reach of the rider. The chromed side mirrors and the front turn signals are mounted on the handlebar. To improve this motorcycle’s custom looks, the cylinder heads are powder-coated and the fins are highlighted.

Both the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom and the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom have similar chrome exhaust pipes and have their mufflers similarly oriented.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom has a bigger overall length of 2,344.42 mm and a wheelbase of 1,625 mm.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom and the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom share several features, including similar exhaust pipes, front and rear fenders, tail lights, and license plate holders. The Sportster 1200 Custom has high-spoked steel wheels with black lace fitted around the wide front and rear tires.

To give this motorcycle its custom look, the V-Twin engine is designed with a black chrome color scheme, an oval-shaped air cleaner cover, blacked-out rocker covers, and short chrome dual exhaust pipes.

Both the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom and the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom have similarly shaped side mirrors and handlebars. However, the Sportster 1200 Custom’s handlebars have a small swept-back angle. A small round chrome headlamp is installed with a little black plate on top for aesthetic appeal. This motorcycle’s gauges, side mirrors, and front turn signals are handlebar-mounted.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom comes with large rider and passenger seats. It also features bold color schemes with a racing stripe on the fuel tank.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom is powered by a 1,690 cc air-cooled Twin Cam 103™ engine capable of a torque of 130 Nm at 3,000 rpm. After an electronic fuel injection was introduced in 2007, it gave this motorcycle a fuel economy of 43 mpg and a fuel tank capacity of 5 gals.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom is equipped with a six-speed transmission that powers the rear wheel via belt drive. The six-speed transmission ensures quiet and smooth gear shifts.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom has a rubber-mounted engine that minimizes the vibrations. Its engine produces exceptional low-end torque and precise throttle response thanks to its refined power delivery and lightweight piston design.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom lacks short rear wheel travel and small lean angles. The rear suspension ensures a smooth ride only on paved roads. It is not recommended that riders lean too far in either direction as they risk the foot pegs scraping against the road.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is fitted with a 1,202 cc air-cooled Evolution™ V-Twin engine capable of a torque of 96 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The Sportster 1200 Custom also has an Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) with a fuel economy of 45.23 mpg and a fuel tank capacity of 4.49 gals.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is suited for beginners or average riders due to its engine not producing too much horsepower and torque. This motorcycle lacks the sixth gear required for touring and long rides, but its gear ratios suit its power output.

The single cartridge fork towards the front provides a wheel travel of 4.1 inches, while the short suspension towards the rear provides a wheel travel of 2 inches. This motorcycle still manages to be a comfortable and stable ride due to its relaxed sitting position and fat tires.

The Sportster 1200 Custom’s 300 mm front disc brake is decent, but the rear disc brake does not perform well since most of the motorcycle’s weight is distributed towards the rear. Its braking power can be improved by adding the optional ABS feature for $795.

Though the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom has an extended wheelbase, it’s an average-sized motorcycle with mid-mounted foot controls. This motorcycle is difficult to ride for riders over 6 ft tall.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom’s buckhorn handlebars are comfortable and are level with the arms of the average rider.

The Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom’s switchgear and controls are softer and easier to toggle.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom has a seat height of 725 mm, mid-mounted foot controls, and a neutral riding position suited for shorter riders. An average rider can ride this type of vehicle comfortably with few modifications.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is not designed to handle long-distance rides. A rider with an inseam of even 30 inches will feel pain and discomfort in the knees while riding this motorcycle across long distances. The Sportster 1200 Custom’s small wheel travel suspension cannot handle unpaved or damaged roads, the rough vibrations causing resulting in the rider starting to experience back pain. Its rear suspension comes with a preload adjustment.

Before going on a long-distance trip, make sure to check the setting. If it is not possible to improve the Sportster 1200 Custom’s comfortability with the standard features, there are aftermarket parts available that can improve this motorbike’s level of comfort.

The Harley Davidson Dyna and the Softail series come with their pros and cons.

The Harley Davidson Dyna series has good handling and is good for daily commutes. It is a more balanced motorbike better at turning corners and steering. Also, the rider can comfortably ride with a passenger as this motorcycle can handle the extra weight.

Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Softail series are lightweight and cannot carry a lot of extra weight. This motorcycle performs better if only the rider is onboard. Both the Harley Davidson Dyna and Softail series are quick, easy-to-ride motorcycles.

Both the Harley Davidson Super Glide and the Harley Davidson Wide Glide are part of the Dyna series and share a few similar features. The Harley Dyna Wide Glide has a wider front end, bigger handlebars, a comfortable stock seat, and is better suited for taller riders. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide is better suited for shorter riders and cheaper than the Harley Davidson Wide Glide.

The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 103™ engine is reliable and can last more than 100,000 miles if it is well maintained, regularly inspected, and ridden responsibly.

The Harley Davidson Sportster models are reliable, low-powered, easy to handle, and nimble. Their narrow design makes them ideal for beginners and women. Also, most of their sales revealed that most purchases were made by women.

The Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 and Iron 1200 are the motorcycles with the smallest engines in the Harley Davidson lineup.   

If you are looking to buy a used Harley Davidson motorcycle, it will cost you slightly less than the original price because Harley Davidson motorcycles tend to have high resale value. Make sure that you inspect the motorcycle’s condition carefully before making a payment.

First, you should be sure about which model you want to buy, then research the model to see if it suits you. You can also ask motorcycle owners questions about why he or she is selling the motorbike and if the motorcycle has any issues. Also, make sure to check the motorcycle’s mileage, specifications, and market value.

Both the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom and the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom are factory-made custom cruisers that have good handling and decent power output. Both these motorcycles are not ideal-sized choppers but are best suited for shorter and novice riders. Both of them are uncomfortable on longer rides, however, with some modifications, they can be transformed into good touring motorcycles. Their footrests can be repositioned towards the front to ensure a more comfortable riding position.

The stock seat can be replaced with a comfortable custom SEAT and BACKRESTS to improve comfort for the rider and the passenger. There are different LUGGAGE options available at Viking Bags, including SADDLEBAGS and SISSY BAR BAGS that help increase the motorcycle’s storage capacity.

Viking Bags also have specially designed SADDLEBAGS , CRASH BARS , FAIRINGS , HANDLEBARS , SEATS , and SISSY BARS for the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom. For the Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide, Viking Bags has SADDLEBAGS , FAIRINGS , HANDLEBARS , and SISSY BARS available.