This review examines the latest 2006 Harley Dyna machines with opinions from mcnews.com.au editor Trevor Hedge balanced with the views of experienced day to day Harley rider Neale Brumby.  Neale is the editor of Heavy Duty magazine which is a print publication that primarily focuses on Harleys. Neale was also a competitive runner in the Harley Sportsters racing series that ran in Australia a few years ago and has ridden a Harley Sportster around Phillip Island in 1m50s so it's fair to say he can hustle them a bit.

First off we will start with Trev's impressions of the new Harley Dyna models to give you the perspective from a non Harley regular before going into Neale's view on the changes as they relate to someone who has been sat on the seat of various Harley models for many years.

So over to Trev...

Harley-Davidson’s Dyna range of motorcycles have undergone some major changes for the new model year with big new forks located in much stronger triple clamps and attached to a new frame dramatically altering the nature of the beast. When riding aggressively on earlier models I managed to produce illicit creaks of protest from the spindly forks and triple clamps but with fat new 49mm forks for 2006 the whole show takes everything in its stride without any protest.

As a result the 2006 bikes hold a cornering line better than ever before and with the right amount of body language employed to help keep the pegs off the deck the latest Dyna models can be hustled quite quickly indeed. Now some of you may sneer at that comment but rest assured that in low and medium speed corners a well ridden 2006 Harley will show a clean pair of heels to a poorly ridden sportsbike.

When it comes to accelerating out the other side of that corner however things have not changed all that much with the fuel injected 1450cc twin-cam engine only receiving minor updates to improve service life. Shuffling up the cogs on the way out is a much smoother affair though thanks to a new six-speed gearbox. The sixth gear is much taller than the previous models top ratio which helps to make highway cruising even more leisurely than before. Clutch effort is also drastically reduced which is a big help when negotiating city traffic. In fact the uninitiated would be amazed at how comfortable and practical a Harley can be to commute on.

The Dyna range includes a 35th Anniversary Super Glide, FXDI Super Glide, FXDCI Super Glide Custom, FXDLI Lowrider, FXDWGI Dyna Wide Glide and an all new FXDBI Street Bob. I recently spent some quality time with the 35th Anniversary Super Glide, Low Rider and the new Street Bob and came away impressed by all three but it’s the Street Bob that does it for me.

The FXDI Super Glide is the cheapest model at an aggressive $21250 while the Street Bob comes in a full grand more at $22250. Both models share the same engine, new frame, forks, gearbox and wider rear tyre but the Street Bob’s mid-mount controls and mini ape-hanger style bars along with much more attractive spoked rims and a lower seat height just seems to be a sweeter package.

The Super Glide actually offers marginally more cornering clearance but once you have your Harley riding technique down pat both can be kept off the deck quite well when the pace gets hectic through your favourite set of bends. The infamous Black and Reefton Spurs in Victoria were part of our test route and we didn’t exactly hang around.

After the Street Bob the $25750 Low Rider was my next favourite. This is perhaps not too surprising as it shares the same seat height and peg position as the Street Bob but benefits from the ability to carry a passenger. Just don’t expect your pillion to be too comfortable. While there is space back there for a small posterior, it could never be described as an enticing proposition for a passenger.

If you have long been contemplating a Hog then the wait may have proven worthwhile as the 2006 Dyna machines certainly offer a lot more cornering pleasure than ever before. Harley is quite aggressive with their new pricing structure so if you have long lusted after a Harley now might be time for that trip to the bank manager after all..

Now it's over to Neale...