Harley-Davidson FXDXT Dyna Super Glide T-Sport 2003 — Specifications

Do you remember the time when Harley-Davidson finally realized that a custom could also be a touring bike? In 2003, the Milwaukee firm took its Dyna Super Glide Sport, already the most agile in the range, and grafted on a serious touring kit. The result: the FXDXT T-Sport. It’s as if we had given a rocker a backpack and a good pair of shoes, without taking away his leather or his attitude. The principle is devilishly simple: a more comfortable and better-designed two-place seat, an adjustable windscreen from the dashboard with a simple twist of the knob, and two waterproof, removable soft saddlebags. The whole thing may not be incredibly elegant, especially this somewhat “motorcycle aperitif” windscreen, but it is terribly effective. You can load your belongings safely and travel for miles without being turned into a weather vane. For approximately 16,800 euros at the time, you were mainly buying a new freedom.

On the road, the heart of the beast remains unchanged, and that’s very good news. The 1449 cm3 Twin Cam 88B delivers its 68 horsepower with the typical generosity of a Harley V-twin. The torque, on the other hand, is a real treat: 106 Nm available from 2900 rpm, which means crisp acceleration without torturing the five-speed gearbox. The belt drive is supple and silent. This engine is an ideal travel companion, burly but always ready. The chassis, with its double cradle frame and a dry weight announced at 315 kg, inspires confidence. The wheelbase of 1580 mm and the ground clearance of 140 mm make it a stable motorcycle, which follows its course without surprises. But don't dream: despite the "Sport" in its name, we are far from Japanese standards. The suspension, a classic fork at the front and two adjustable rear shocks, are designed to swallow the tarmac more than to attack hairpin bends. It's a motorcycle to relax on, not to push yourself.

The braking, on the other hand, shows that Harley put in the effort. Two 292 mm discs at the front, gripped by four-piston calipers, offer a perfectly honorable braking power for a motorcycle of this size. It's reassuring, especially when the saddlebags are full. The T-Sport is not perfect, however. Some details are annoying, such as a side stand often judged impractical, gauges that are not always easy to read in full sun, or turn signals that can hinder the opening of the saddlebags. But these flaws are quickly forgotten once the twin starts rumbling beneath your buttocks and the horizon unfolds in front of the windscreen adjusted to your height.

Ultimately, the Dyna Super Glide T-Sport was an intelligent and rare proposition. It was aimed at the Harley touring rider who refused to ride a Road King or an Electra Glide, too heavy and too “boat-like.” It retained the soul and engaging handling of a Dyna, that feeling of direct connection with the road, while offering real capacity to eat up highways or national roads. It wasn't the fastest motorcycle – its speedometer stopped at 170 km/h – nor the most agile, but it was one of the most versatile and charismatic of its time. A custom that wasn't afraid to cover some distance.