1) The speedometer and odometer are more accurate on my Harley. At 75 mph, the speedo is off by 2 mph. On my Roadster at this speed, it's off by about 4 mph.
2) Highway pegs are our friends. I will often throw my legs on the boxer's heads, but the dedicated highway pegs I installed on the Dyna allows for easier foot positioning.
3) Pennsylvania and New Jersey roads gave me a renewed appreciation for how good the Roadster's suspension is. The HD isn't bad, but the conventional telescoping fork does not smooth out irregularities as well as the Telelever/Paralever suspenders.
4) Riding the Dyna naked without a windshield is gentler on the ear drums than the touring shield equipped Roadster. The flip side of this comparison is that I had to fight the wind more on the naked Dyna.
5) Throttle friction locks or cruise control should come standard with all motorcycles.
6) Thick winter gloves + thick handlebar grips make for uncomfortable fingers after a while.
7) Upright positioning is fine if you have a windshield. Without wind deflection, the upright position of the HD induces me lean forward a little bit to avoid feeling like I'm going to be pushed back by the wind.
Both the BMW boxer and Harley single-pin Twin Cam 45 deg. v-twin are uniquely character-rich engines that entertain you hours into a long ride. The only engine on the market I'd rather listen to over the Twin Cam is the 90 deg. v-twin that resides in a Honda RC51.My overall fatigue level is about the same for both bikes after the journey. The Dyna as I have it set up right now allows for more flexible body positioning, hands-off-the-handlebar cruising on the highway, and lower noise with no windshield. The Roadster's heated grips, wind deflection due to touring shield, and smooth suspension make for a more luxurious feel.
Tomorrow, I get tol battle New Jersey rush hour traffic.
