Tech
FXR vs Dyna
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Features compared
| Feature | FXR (1982 to 1994, CVO 1999 to 2000) | Dyna (1991 to 2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Years | 1982 to 1994 (Rider, Sep 2017) CVO FXR2 and FXR3 in 1999, FXR4 in 2000 (Rider, Sep 2017) | 1991 FXDB Sturgis to the 2017 model year (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide") |
| Frame | Welded steel: two-inch boxed backbone, large stampings, triangulated rear section (Rider, Sep 2017) Designed with finite element analysis; stiffer than the FLT frame it came from (Rider, Sep 2017) | Rectangular-section steel backbone welded to a cast steering head (Cycle World, Oct 1990) New frame geometry and a 49 mm fork for 2006 (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) |
| Engine mounting | Three elastomer mounts plus two adjustable stabilizer links (Rider, Sep 2017) How the FXR mounts work | Two rubber isolation mounts (Cycle World, Apr 1993; Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) |
| Engines | 80 ci Shovelhead 1982 to 1983; 1340cc Evolution from 1984 (Hot Bike, "Separating the Men From the Boys"; Rider, Sep 2017) CVO models: 1340cc Evolution (Rider, Sep 2017) | 1340cc Evolution 1991 to 1998; Twin Cam 88 from 1999 (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) Twin Cam 96 from 2007; Twin Cam 103 on some models from 2012 (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide") |
| Transmission | Five-speed on every FXR (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide") | Five-speed until 2005; six-speed standard from 2006, the first Harley with one (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) |
| Final drive | Chain at first; belt from 1985 on most models (Hot Bike, "Separating the Men From the Boys"; Rider, Sep 2017) | Belt (Cycle World, Oct 1990) |
| Suspension | 6.9 in fork, 3.5 in rear travel (1982 FXRS test) (Cycle World, Dec 1981) 39 mm fork from 1988 (Rider, Sep 2017); FXRS-SP about 2 in more travel than the FXRS (Cycle World, Jul 1990) | 41.3 mm fork, then 49 mm from 2006 (Low Rider) (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) Longer rear shocks for 1993 (Cycle World, Apr 1993) Travel: no published figure found in the sources we used |
| Wheelbase | 63.13 in (1990 FXR and FXRS); 64.70 in (1990 FXRS-SP) (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) | 65.5 in (2005 Low Rider); 64.6 in (2006 Low Rider) (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) 64.2 in (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) 1991 to 1998: no factory figure found yet unverified |
| Rake / trail | 32° / 5.7 in (1982 FXRS test) (Cycle World, Dec 1981) 31° / 4.8 in (1987 FXRS-SP test) (Cycle World, Jun 1987); 29.0° / 4.2 in (1987 FXLR test) (Cycle World, Jan 1987) | 32° on every Dyna from 1991 to 1994; 28° on the 1995 FXD (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide") 32° / 5.18 in (2005 Low Rider); 30.5° / 4.5 in (2006 Low Rider) (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) 30.5° / 5.1 in (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) |
| Weight | 575 lb dry (1990 FXR and FXRS); 585 lb (1990 FXRS-SP) (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) | 644 lb as shipped, 666 lb in running order (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) Earlier Dynas: no factory figure found yet unverified |
| Ground clearance | 5.25 in (1990 FXR and FXRS); 6.00 in (1990 FXRS-SP) (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) | 4.1 in (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) Early Dynas were short on cornering clearance; 1993's longer shocks helped (Cycle World, Oct 1990; Cycle World, Apr 1993) |
| Lean angle | No published figure found for any FXR | 29.5° right, 30.5° left (2017 Low Rider, SAE J1168) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) Earlier years: no published figure found |
| Seat height | 26.50 in (1990 FXR and FXRS); 27.50 in (1990 FXRS-SP) (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) | 26.8 in (2006 Low Rider) (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test) 26.8 in unladen, 25.4 in laden (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 gal (1985 and 1987); 4.2 gal (1990) (Harley-Davidson 1985 FLT/FXR Owner's Manual; Harley-Davidson 1987 Owner's Manual; Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) | 4.9 gal (1993 Low Rider) (Cycle World, Apr 1993) 4.7 gal (2017 Low Rider) (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications) |
| Aftermarket support | Dedicated FXR frame and parts makers still trade; see our Builders & Parts directory Some original parts are now obsolete, such as the late 1984 primary bearing (eHarleyParts, bearing 8980) | No published figure found comparing the two aftermarkets |
| Resale | See Market pricing below | See Market pricing below |
Figures are from the year and model named in each cell, so compare like with like. Test figures come from one magazine test bike. Factory dry weight and "as shipped" weight are not measured the same way as a test bike with fuel.
Pros and cons
FXR: pros
- Three-point rubber mounting with stabilizer links (Rider, Sep 2017).
- A frame Harley's chief engineer called five times stiffer than the FX frame (Cycle World, Dec 1981).
- More ground clearance on paper: 5.25 to 6.00 in for 1990 models (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) vs 4.1 in for a 2017 Low Rider (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
- Lighter on paper: 575 lb dry for a 1990 FXR (Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual) vs 644 lb as shipped for a 2017 Low Rider (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
- Well documented problems and fixes, year by year (see Known Issues).
FXR: cons
- The newest regular production FXR is a 1994; the last CVOs are 2000 (Rider, Sep 2017).
- Five-speed only (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide").
- Year-specific problems to check, such as the tapered mainshaft before 1990 (H-D Tech Tips #17, Aug 1989) and the late 1984 primary leak (H-D Service Letter ML-271, 1985); see the Buyer's Guide.
- Small tanks: 3.8 to 4.2 gal (Harley-Davidson 1985 FLT/FXR Owner's Manual; Harley-Davidson 1990 Owner's Manual).
- Some original parts are listed as obsolete (eHarleyParts, bearing 8980).
Dyna: pros
- Built through the 2017 model year, so far newer bikes are available (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide").
- Six-speed transmission from 2006 (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test).
- Fuel injection on later models, keyless ignition and optional ABS on the 2017 Low Rider (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test; H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
- Bigger engines over time: Twin Cam 88, 96 and 103 (Rider, 2006 Dyna Low Rider test; Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide").
- Bigger tank: 4.7 to 4.9 gal (Cycle World, Apr 1993; H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
Dyna: cons
- Cornering clearance was a weak point on early Dynas (Cycle World, Oct 1990; Cycle World, Apr 1993).
- Less ground clearance on the later Low Rider: 4.1 in, with 29.5° and 30.5° lean angles (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
- Heavier: 644 lb as shipped for a 2017 Low Rider (H-D 2017 Low Rider specifications).
- Two engine mounts instead of three (Cycle World, Apr 1993). Wikipedia says this gave poorer vibration control, but the claim has no cited source there (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide").
- Early Evo Dyna factory dimensions are hard to find; we have not located a factory sheet yet unverified.
Market pricing
The data is thin
Guide values are the only source with enough coverage for both bikes. We found just three live asking prices for near-stock FXRs, none we could verify for the CVO models, and we did not collect Dyna asking prices. eBay sold listings and Cycle Trader are not included: both bar automated collection, and we have not yet done a manual review. Treat everything below as a rough guide, not an appraisal.
As of October 2026. US dollars. Ranges only.
Guide values by condition: J.D. Power
| Group | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FXR, Shovelhead (1982 to 1983) 3 model-year pages | $17,060 to $18,125 | $10,600 to $10,975 | $7,080 to $8,065 | $5,545 to $6,950 | $3,820 to $5,195 |
| FXR, early Evolution (1984 to 1985) 3 model-year pages | $19,140 to $20,060 | $11,255 | $7,250 to $8,065 | $5,985 to $6,625 | $4,475 to $5,195 |
| FXR, Evolution (1987 to 1994) 10 model-year pages | $8,205 to $12,440 | $4,900 to $7,390 | $2,090 to $3,140 | $1,030 to $1,350 | Not listed |
| CVO FXR2, FXR3, FXR4 (1999 to 2000) 3 model-year pages | $15,175 to $18,100 | $9,940 to $10,420 | $4,620 to $5,065 | $2,385 to $2,780 | Not listed |
| Dyna, Evolution (1991 to 1998) 7 model-year pages | $9,000 to $16,280 | $5,490 to $9,890 | $2,315 to $4,345 | $1,030 to $2,495 | Not listed |
| Dyna, Twin Cam 88 (1999 to 2006) 4 model-year pages | $9,475 to $20,310 | $5,840 to $9,735 | $2,525 to $5,525 | $1,195 to $3,520 | Not listed |
Source: J.D. Power motorcycle values condition-grade values, as of October 2026. Each range spans the model-year pages we read (listed under Sources), not every model and year. J.D. Power values its 1982 to 1985 FXRs well above its 1987 to 1994 FXRs; we report the figures as published and have not found J.D. Power's reason. "Not listed" means J.D. Power shows NA.
| Group | Low retail | Average retail |
|---|---|---|
| Dyna, Twin Cam 96 and 103 (2007 to 2017) 6 model-year pages | $4,760 to $8,005 | $6,260 to $10,535 |
Source: J.D. Power motorcycle values, as of October 2026. For these years J.D. Power gives low and average retail values instead of condition grades, so they do not line up with the table above.
Guide values: Hagerty
| Bike | Hagerty #3 Good | Other grades |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 FXR Super Glide II (Hagerty) | $5,400 unverified | Shown to signed-in users only |
| 1992 FXR Super Glide (Hagerty) | $5,500 unverified | Shown to signed-in users only |
| CVO FXR2, FXR3, FXR4 | Not retrieved | Not retrieved |
| Dyna, any year | Not retrieved | Not retrieved |
Hagerty publishes one grade (#3 Good) without an account. We could not confirm the month Hagerty last updated these values.
Asking prices
| Group | Asking prices | How many | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near-stock FXR (1991 to 1992 Evolution models) | $6,900 to $14,000 | 3 live posts | October 1, 2026 | FXR Archive market check, Oct 1, 2026 |
| CVO FXR3 and FXR4 | $10,999 to $17,500 unverified | 4 snippets | Undated | Cycle Trader FXR search |
| Dyna (1991 to 2017) | Not collected | None | n/a | n/a |
Asking prices are what sellers hoped for, not what bikes sold for. Three posts are far too few to call a market range. Single listings and sellers are never shown here.
Not included
- eBay sold listings: not used. eBay forbids automated access to its site without permission, so this needs its official API or a manual review, and neither has been done yet.
- Cycle Trader: not used beyond the undated snippets above. Its listing pages blocked our checks.
- NADA Guides: its values are now published by J.D. Power, shown above.
FXR Archive | Tech | October 2026