1999 Harley-Davidson FXDX - Motorcycle.com

Yawn. Point please. The point is, how do you connect a colorful past to an uncertain future when faced with difficult-to-gauge millennial expectations?

The Twin Cam 88, a 1450 cc Evo-zilla, is a revelation in a sporty cruiser platform. Sure, the engine has proven itself capable of hauling around an Electra Glide's bulk, but it's in exploiting the Twin Cam's willingness to rev that makes the FXDX such a fun ride. Those of you used to short-shifting will be missing out if you don't start riding the redline, especially through the squiggly stuff, an area where this cruiser excels.

Wheelbase is extended a smidge on the Sport to 63.88 inches from the Super Glide's standard 62.5 inches, lending a little extra stability, but with 28 degrees of rake the Dyna's hardly a candidate for Chopper of the Year. It is, however, Harley's top choice for the long and winding roads, and with a nice compliant suspension that is a workable compromise between plush and sporty. It took a little effort to toss this mount into a turn, but once there it behaved well, holding the line obediently, and with plenty of curve-soaking ground clearance. Mid-corner rough stuff could inspire a little Chassis Bump Boogie -- not exactly "confidence-inspiring", whatever that means.

Unfortunately, the 1999 FXDX brakes are still Harley brakes. Improvements are in the works for 2000, but the new brakes, which are said to be excellent, won't be able to be retro-fitted just yet, and for now you've got to watch yourself on the '99 FXDX when going deep into a hole. Late brakers will likely be rendered simply "late" if they try it too much. For standard cruising/street duty the 11.5-inch triple discs are better than two, however, and they do their duty, but don't get into any stoppie competitions, because you'll be humiliated. The rear brake is functional, does its job well, but it's a 'government' worker. It doesn't do more than necessary.

Rider accommodations are sporty, meaning they're not overly comfy. The dirt-style bars seem just a little far forward and a little too wide on the stock bike -- not unreasonably so, but enough to make you feel it on hundred-mile highway stretches. The leg positioning is nice, though, and highway pegs come standard so you can stretch out those muscles when you're not swerving through the passes. Mirrors perform splendidly, with less vibration than you'd expect given a 45-degree V-twin.

Harley was feeling magnanimous and gave us two Super Glide Sports, one bone stock and one tricked out with Harley aftermarket gear. Both were black and both were beautiful by everyone's account, evaluators and non-riders alike. This is an area where Harley-Davidson already has a distinct edge and the FXDX does right in exploiting the style factor.

Oddly, not everyone agreed that the heavily accessorized FXDX was the nicest, with some distinct differences in opinion about Harley's new cafe quarter fairing especially. Nothing really beats a Harley's readiness for customization, though. The whole package, from the curved-to-fit-your-hand grips to the billet footpegs to the custom seat showed that this was an excellent platform to combine a love of leaning with a love of gleaming and customization in general. And everyone agreed that the blacked-out motor and the bike's sleek, sporty lines were, well, sexy.

The accessorized bike had free-flowing, Screaming Eagle Dyna slip-ons as well, and aftermarket cans are something from which most Harleys vastly benefit, and this bike was no exception. Throttle response was impressively improved once the two 725 cc cylinders were given a little more room to breathe, about 16% more than stock, although these slip-ons gave the bike the hiccups on cold start-ups. If you buy these or any performance muffler, you might want to re-adjust the cold idle. Still, this is an essential upgrade for new owners.

Everyone that rode this bike pretty much fell in love, with the way it looked on the boulevard, the way it handled, the way the big twin finally could push down on the asphalt with some fat authorit-eye. It's an endearing ride. And that in light of the feeling that Harleys can be a little deceptive sometimes.

But you still won't have a '48 Panhead, that jacket won't really be very road-worn, you might get cancer from the cigarette, and if you're sixty pounds overweight well, that hot number might come up as a big zero. But thousands still flock to dealerships across the country anyway, looking to cash in on the fashion of it all, even if fashion is all that it is. It doesn't take too many years to figure out that honesty isn't at the core of fashion.

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