Harley-Davidson has cemented itself as a major piece of American culture for the last 120 years since its fruition in 1903. Even though the company has produced hundreds of different models over the years, there is one particular family of bikes that had a very strong 26-year-long run into the 21st century, and continues to be popular among riders of all kinds to this day. That, of course, is the Dyna family.

The Dyna was first introduced in 1991 following the FXR series as the FXDB Sturgis, and made its official debut in reverence of the 50th anniversary of the iconic motorcycle rally in South Dakota. Short for "dynamic", the Dyna series included a chassis that was better designed to be more rigid and stronger to handle the new Evolution engine than its predecessors. By 1995, the Dyna family had completely replaced the FXR series, and would continue to be a formidable force for riders looking to cruise, customize, and accelerate their rides to a greater standard of quality. Easily recognized by its exposed dual rear shock suspension, Harley-Davidson produced a wide range of models while using this platform for a quarter of a century before closing the book on them in 2017. So let's take a closer look at some of the most popular Dyna models that remain popular to this day, as well as inspire some of Harley's modern cruiser models.

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Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob

When Harley-Davidson released the Dyna Street Bob into the marketplace in 2006, it would go on to be one of the brand's longest-running cruisers to date. Of course one would never attribute the Street Bob's success to simple luck. The bike brought the size, comfort, style, and attitude of a medium-sized bike, but also the easy handling and maneuverability of the smaller sportster class. In other words, the Dyna Street Bob was a perfect balance of sportiness, comfort, and style.

By itself, the Dyna Street Bob covered all the bases while stock. However, it is also thanks to its simple design that made it the ultimate blank canvas for personal customization. For those that wanted to turn this bike into a tire-burning high-performance street bike, there are plenty of ways to improve its suspension, brakes, exhaust, as well as engine upgrades to make this already nimble motorcycle even quicker on its feet.

But the same can also be said for those looking to take a more laid-back approach. The Street Bob's mini-ape handlebars are already a nice perk, but the comfort can really get amplified through a forward-control conversion kit, a more comfortable seat, and even a second seat for a passenger to enjoy the ride too.

Even though Harley shut down production on the Dyna Street Bob in 2017, the bikes remain a big staple in the brand's lineup since moving over to the Softail family, trading its two exposed rear shocks for a singular adjustable mono-shock hidden under the rear fender. The upgraded Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine is a nice touch too.

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Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob

Much like its Street Bob sibling, the Dyna Fat Bob was another example of a mid-size cruiser that carried on the tradition of bikes with "bobber style." While the Street Bob favors a more simplified design, the Fat Bob makes its presence known for bringing more muscle and attitude to the Dyna family. If the Dyna class was a nightclub, you can be sure that this bike would be the bouncer.

Still based on the same Dyna chassis, the Fat Bob definitely brings a little more "bad boy" energy into the mix. With its forward controls, dual headlights, and signature chunky tires that eat cracks and bumps in the road for breakfast, the Fat Bob cannot help being the center of attention. Since its inception in 2007, the Dyna Fat Bob came equipped with a 96 cubic-inch Twin-Cam engine as a sign that this bike doesn't just look strong, it's got the horsepower to back it up. It is also because of its more rugged style and thirst for speed that made it such a huge hit among riders that enjoy rolling the throttle more than average. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that many transformed (and continue to transform to this day) this bike to be more performance-based. So at first glance, the Dyna Fat Bob looked like a bike you would see roll up to a local BBQ joint or concert. But what took many by surprise was its ability to easily outrun many of the factory sport bikes that would constantly boast about their speed. So you can picture their shock when they found themselves eating a Harley-Davidson's dust.

Today, the Fat Bob continues this double-life of a high-performance cruiser by transitioning over to the softail lineup. Much like the Street Bob, the Fat Bob is also equipped with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine. So it's a good sign to see that this bike doesn't plan on giving up its need for speed anytime soon.

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Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide

Just by looking at Harley-Davidson's Dyna Wide Glide, you can already hear George Thorogood singing "Bad to the Bone" in your head. This bike was one of Harley's biggest salutes to the iconic chopper genre by designing a low-profile cruiser that essentially looked like a hot rod on two wheels. The Dyna Wide Glide is also a perfect example of how diverse the Dyna class was, ranging in bikes that were more focused on leisure, performance, or a solid combination of both. But in the Wide Glide's case, it was built for a lazy afternoon ride through town, on the back roads, and down the highway. Because when you've got a low seat, forward controls, and a long rake, all you really have to do is hop on and relax as you keep your throttle hand steady.

Of course, with factory choppers being a very niche genre of motorcycles, they were not for everyone. In most cases, riders would prefer to look at it and appreciate it, rather than have to own it. Because unlike the Dyna Street Bob and Fat Bob, the Wide Glide's handling had its own learning curve that would take many newer riders getting used to.

Even though factory choppers like the Dyna Wide Glide come and go, it did open the door for its successor, the Harley-Davidson Breakout. Following in its footsteps as a power-packed cruiser with an attention-grabbing look, the Breakout emerged out of retirement in 2022 with its bigger and better Milkwaukee-Eight 117 engine. It is still a bike that deserves to be admired. Only these days there's a little more envy involved whenever one shows up.

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Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider

When it comes to models that boast versatility, the Dyna Low Rider is the bike that comes to mind. Much like its Street Bob sibling, the Dyna Low Rider was another example of a well-rounded cruiser that brought with it lots of potential. Simple in its design, this bike had everything it needed to thrive in any kind of riding environment. It had optimal handling to tackle even the tightest of corners in the busy city. It had the size and weight to handle hours of non-stop riding on and off the highway. It also brought with it a laid-back attitude to relax as you take those long country roads to take in the scenery.

While the Low Rider adopted more of an old-school cruiser look, it also serves itself up to be a blank canvas for personal customization. Some would lean even further into its cruiser nature by adding saddlebags, forward controls, and a comfier seat for those long runs. But some would go in the opposite direction and turn it into a high-performance cruiser by upgrading its 96 cubic-inch Twin-Cam engine to produce more horsepower and torque. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that this kind of thinking would lead to the eventual production of the Low Rider S, one of Harley's heaviest hitters in its current lineup.

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Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback

Of course, we couldn't end this evaluation of Dyna models without bringing up the Switchback. While it was only around from 2012 to 2016, the Dyna Switchback was additional proof of the Dyna's capabilities to succeed in different riding environments. Designed to be a lighter touring bike, the Dyna Switchback was essentially a smaller Road King, earning it the nickname "Road Queen." It was also popular among female riders looking to do long-range touring without having to deal with the size and weight of Harley's bigger touring models. Equipped with a pair of hard saddlebags, floorboards, forward controls, windshield, and a Twin-Cam 103 engine, the Switchback was willing and able to embark on a big cross-country road trip with the big boys.

Even though the Switchback enjoyed its limited run with the other Dynas before the class was discontinued in 2017, it did manage to create a space for its successor, the Heritage Classic, to thrive in its place. By carrying over all the touring capabilities to a softail model, the Heritage Classic is the embodiment of old-school cool by offering long-range touring capabilities without any of the additional bulk.

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