The Extremely Rare Harley-Davidson Built Just For Daytona Beach

Concept vehicles and special editions are some of the most exciting things produced by the top vehicle manufacturers. Temporarily free of the need to compete with a particular model from a rival or appeal to a specific demographic, these are the models that can engage imaginations and push boundaries. Some of these vehicles are showcases for upcoming tech, others are a bit more of a flight of fancy, while still others are twists on existing models created to honor a special occasion or event.

Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson has certainly been in the business long enough to know how to keep the spotlight on its bikes without sacrificing the iconic Harley-Davidson look. For example, the Dyna Street Bob, which made its debut in 2006, has been dressed up for plenty of special occasions, including the 50th anniversary in Daytona Beach, Florida, where the manufacturer hosts a party each year.

This model, known as the FXDB Daytona, was truly one of a kind. Let's take a look at why it was created and its specifications, just how rare it is, and what one might cost you these days. If you're a Dyna frame fan, you'll especially enjoy this.

Whether you have a preference for driving on four wheels or two, the very name Daytona is sure to have deep meaning for you if you're a petrolhead. Daytona Beach hosts the Daytona Truck Meet and the Daytona Bike Week every year, where enthusiasts gather to celebrate the greatest vehicles, accessories, customs, racing action, and everything else these respective vehicle types have to offer.

March 1991 marked 50 years of the legendary Daytona 200. (Although the first official run of this race took place in 1937, its annual run was interrupted by World War II.) The 200-mile motorcycle contest is the stuff of legend among bikers, and for the 50th race, Harley recognized that a very special keepsake was in order. This was the FXDB Daytona Dyna Glide, and only 1,700 were made. 

The Dyna Glide shape was a different Harley-Davidson frame than normal and was at the time a new venture for the company. Interestingly, the bike was based on the FXDB Sturgis from 1991, which was also designed to honor the 50-year anniversary of The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The two models, released so close together and built upon the same frame, were pretty similar.

As would become characteristic of the Dyna, the FXDB Daytona attempts to blend power and performance with the old-school looks that make classic Harley machines so distinctive. This particular model is a Street Bob, which eschews subtlety in favor of a powerful twin-shock suspension and a potent engine as other Dynas would.  

The Daytona features a four stroke 1337cc air-cooled engine, powering it to 71.5 lb-ft of torque and a max horsepower of 67. Even over 30 years ago when this bike first came out, it wasn't the most powerful model in the raw specs stakes. Testing the model in October 1991, Cycle World concluded that "its acceleration and top speed were embarrassingly inferior to any 600cc sportbike." However, as the publication also noted, there's more to the machine than that. It isn't, nor is it intended to compete with, a 600cc sportbike. It's a piece of Harley history designed for the purpose of remembering another piece of Harley history, as the "March 1991 50 Daytona" legend proudly emblazoned upon the model clearly signifies. 

An additional front disk brake and touches of a color scheme Harley-Davidson deems "two-tone Indigo Blue Metallic/Gold Pearglo" are among the few factors that separate the Daytona from the Sturgis. By virtue of the Daytona's limited availability, it has become a collectible among Harley enthusiasts. While it's not one of the rarest Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever built, it's still pretty hard to come by.

Some motorcycle enthusiasts prefer to happily ogle one-of-a-kind models behind a protective layer of glass, while others want to own a piece of history for themselves. As would typically be expected of any special edition model, though, the Dyna Daytona didn't come cheap. The unique model carried a $12,120 price tag in 1991, which amounts to approximately $27,116 in today's dollars.

In December 2005, a Bonhams auction for a Swiss Daytona highlighted the niche value and rarity of the model. The specific bike, stated by the company to be "one of only 17 allocated to Switzerland and ... bought new from a Harley-Davidson dealer by the current owner," sold for 10,925 Swiss Francs. That's the equivalent of $7,745 at the time, or roughly $12,000 today after adjusting for inflation.

Whether the Daytona is more of a collector's display piece or a daily rider would, of course, depend on the owner's tastes. Regardless, there's no denying this bike combined nostalgic style with a modern performance that would later help Dyna motorcycles become some of the most successful Harley-Davidson motorcycles in history.