Is there a motorcycle brand more iconic than Harley-Davidson?
Sure Ducati and Triumph owners will try to convince you otherwise, but ask any non-motorcyclist to name a motorbike brand and the chances are they’ll name the big H-D.
Romanticised in movies and a symbol of American freedom, Harley-Davidson have produced many iconic models around their traditional 45-degree V-twin motor over the years. From stripped down Sportsters to fully faired Glides the all-American range has produced some classic motorcycles over years, but perhaps there’s one model that has captured the attention more than any other in the past three decades – the gloriously titled Fat Boy.
The first incarnation of this classic model arrived in 1990. A prototype had been shown at the famous Daytona Bike Week in 1988 and 1989, and the huge interest shown prompted the Motor Company to finally put it into production.
Known as the Fat Boy owning to its huge presence, the model gained instant cred as the transport of choice for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s lead character in the 1991 blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgment Day and helped rebuild Harley-Davidson’s flagging fortunes both at home and abroad.
Joining the Softail range, the Fat Boy stood out with its solid disc 16” wheels, deep mudguards and traditional but understated lines. Powered by the 1340cc ‘Evolution’ engine, the Fat Boy was largely unchanged for the first decade of its life.
The new millennium marked the introduction of a new Softail frame and the latest generation Twin Cam 88 (1450cc) engine. The Fat Boy’s ‘88B’ engine featured a revised bottom end, with eccentrically weighted balance shafts to smooth out the big twin’s infamous vibration while retaining the engine’s character and enhancing the trademark ‘potato potato’ exhaust note.
In true Harley style, the Fat Boy underwent a gentle evolution rather than regular big updates. The Twin Cam engine grew in size over the years, to 1584cc in 2007 and then 1690cc (103ci) in 2012.
Harley culture thrived in the early part of the 21st century, with the Fat Boy at the heart of the lifestyle. Part of the bike’s appeal was its ability to provide a blank canvas for owners to express their individuality. Very few remained bone standard and, indeed, Harley actively encouraged owners to accessorise and modify their Hogs.
With modification almost obligatory, Harley made sure that they were in on the act from the beginning with a huge range of official parts. A comprehensive accessory brochure was full of almost any kind of custom part you could imagine, from screens, to saddles, to handlebars, luggage and chrome bits. Harley even created its own bolt on performance tuning parts range, called Screamin’ Eagle, which included parts like air filters and exhausts.
The biggest change to the Fat Boy came just a few years ago, when Harley-Davidson underwent a significant period of refreshing its range with new engines and frames. With the latest generation softail frame, new Showa suspension and an introduction of the current Milwaukee-Eight engine. Although the look remains true to the original Fat Boy, the fact that it received a new model designation (FLFB) tells you that this is an all-new machine.
Originally fitted with the 1746cc (107ci) Milwaukee-Eight motor (the eight in the title representing the fact that it has an eight-valve engine) the 2020 Fat Boy is an anniversary special celebrating 30 years of the model, with a limited run of 2500 high end models in menacing black. This FLFBS model utilises the bigger 1868cc (114ci) version of the engine. Much like Rolls Royce (who always described their engines’ output as ‘adequate’) Harley didn’t usually officially release power figures for their motors (but put one on a dyno and it will give you 85bhp) instead it’s always been about the torque, which comes in at a stonking 161Nm.
Despite the traditional styling, under the skin you’ll find some reasonably modern tech. The Showa ‘Dual Bending Valve’ forks are a far cry from the crude suspenders on early models, and although the spec sheet still doesn’t have all the high end gizmos you’d expect on a top sports or touring bike, it’s got modern LED lights and good quality modern components throughout.
Also new on the latest generation models are bigger, 18”, wheels. Known as Lakester rims, the new wheels retain the model’s classic solid disc styling but are shod with wider (160mm front and 240mm rear) rubber for improved handling over previous models.
Today’s Fat Boy is beefier than ever, thanks in no small part to those chunkier tyres, headlight cowl and the mean looking fork shrouds, but originals remain popular. Like all Harleys, they tend to be cherished and mollycoddled by their owners, and this is reflected in their second hand prices, which continue to remain strong. For the modern classic buyer who fancies a cruiser in their life, it’s hard to go wrong with the Fat Boy.
