Harley Davidson 2005 FXDC

It has been 14 years since the first Dyna Glide officially rolled out of the factory back in 1991 and over the years we have seen many changes to the ever expanding line up.

In 2005 the newest addition to the line up is the Super Glide Custom and I guess you are all wondering how the guys at HD headquarters manage to satisfy our appetite for new bikes and at the same time make all the bikes different. That's the thing about Harley's, although the bikes may only appear to have a few different attributes; every one of them has its own feel and style.

The Super glide is well known for it's Roadholding ability and no-fuss stlying - this year's models run with the same concept - just better.

The one thing I really like about the Super Glide Custom is that it feels so nimble; I have honestly never been a big fan of the cruiser's but only after a few minutes in the saddle I felt completely at home on the bike. The front end is light and predictable it inspires confidence. Like all 2005 Dyna Glide models, the custom is powered by the rubber mounted 1450cc Twin Cam 88 engine. You still get that nice lumpy idle, yet amazingly once underway the engine is extremely smooth, vibrating mirrors are a thing of the past. Those of you that are familiar with this engine know that it pulls like a freight train, great for touring the open roads but even better on the back roads where you can really give it a workout.

The Custom has smooth lines and a great finish. From the stretched tank with the performance style fuel filler cap right down to the low-slung, two-up seat.

Oh yeah and if you didn't notice already this thing is dripping with chrome.

Our particular model had a dark burgundy finish with some pin-striping. The engine has been silver powder coated with chrome covers, the headlight and headlight "eyebrow" are chrome as is the fuel cap ring, speedometer and the dual exhausts. The FXDC is one of meaner looking Harleys (along with the night-train) because of it's lean, long and low styling. No extra ‘fat' in sight. If it were up to me, Arnie would have been riding one of these instead of a fat boy in terminator 2.

Firing up the custom was an easy affair, pull the choke out a bit press the starter and hey presto it's alive. It maybe a little too quiet for most Harley lovers but a trip down to your local store for some screaming Eagle pipes will soon fix that. Give it a couple of minutes to warm up and you're away.

Out on the road the custom is superb, you can hardly feel the bikes 297kg's. Pushing it around a car park cetianly helps jog your memory if you happen to park nose-in on a slight slant! Lacking any extra fancy bits, the custom also looks a lot trimmer than many of the big twins in the harley line-up.

The seating position is very comfortable, not as upright as the sportster but not raked out like a softail. The quality of all the controls and switch gear is outstanding, Harley really do a great job in this department. There is nothing tacky in sight all the switches have a nice soft feel with rounded edges. The positioning of the speedo is perfect, front and centre and easy to glance at while not taking too much attention from the road ahead.

The handling of the custom was outstanding for a cruiser. We were quite surprised how well it handled itself through the twisty roads on the Old Pacific highway. Although we did manage to scrape the bike on both sides, the Custom has plenty of ground clearance.

We did find the suspension a little too soft and on occasions it rear end would bottom out, would have been nice to have the adjustable suspension like its brother the Super Glide Sport. The gear changes are still that old faithful clunk but you get used to it quickly something traditional Harley enthusiasts would be used to.

The brakes on the Custom comprise of single disc front and rear which is adequate in this case but you really needed both of the to pull up sharply, something I am not used to having mostly been a front brake only man myself.

The new clear-lens, reflector-optics headlight provides great visibility at night, very similar to the V-Rod's lights we raved about in last years review. It not only was effective the new headlight also looks good. The small touches like the small H-D logo on the lens really finish off the bike nicely.

Fuel economy, as with most HD's the fuel economy is surprising for such a large engine. The FXDC we tested could easily do close to 300kms without trying too hard.

There was one area that the Super Glide Sport did poorly in was two-up riding. Riding with two medium sized blokes aboard, the FXDC would scrape on all but the mildest corners. After riding solo - enjoying the great lean angle, this came as a big surprise. Considering everyone wants a ride on a Harley, something would need to be fixed in this department.

It would be and easy fix with stiffer springs fitted maybe it was just a one-off thing on the test bike we had.

Also, for those of you who like riding in the rain, we got caught in a heavy section of rainfall and the bike didn't choke or splutter once.

All up the Super Glide Custom is one of the best Harley's I've had the pleasure of riding. The FXDC is great for all conditions with outstanding features and ergonomics. If you are after a crusier that looks 'the goods', handles well and carries the HD badge this is it. You could go one step further to the Super glide sport if you don't mind the blacked out engine. The FXDC is a great mix of Class and performance in cruiser terms.

Special thanks to Blacktown Harley (02 9621 7776), IRPR and the staff at HD Australia for supplying this test bike..

Review written by: Andrew Berry
Photos by: George Ihring

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