One of the most pleasant surprises at this year’s Harley-Davidson dealer show was the upgraded Fat Boy. From a distance, not much seems different and I imagine a fair number of dealers walked by it before picking up on things. I know I caught a glimpse of it from the right-rear angle and stopped in my tracks. The fat 200mm tire from the Screamin’ Eagle version has been added with solid wheels that have had .50 caliber holes drilled in them. The 17” front tire now measures 140mm across and gives the front end a meatier look. The seat is brand new and noticeably nicer looking. The most interesting change, however, was the most subtle: the internally routed wires on the new chubby bars. Casually walking by a new Fat Boy in the showroom makes you do a double take because you might think something’s been left off the pre-delivery inspection. The cleaned-up bars add tremendously to the sleek looks. Like the rest of the Softail line up, the new long-stroke 96” engine and six-speed are standard. A 103” upgrade is now a simple bolt-on, $1,200 affair.

The Fat Boy has been in Harley-Davidson’s line up for seventeen years now. Made popular by Governor Arnold’s use of it in the Terminator movie, it immediately took off and has been one of the best-selling models in the line up for its entire run. Given a counterbalanced Twin Cam engine in 2000, it was better able to take on touring duties with a windshield and bags added. Now with the larger motor and higher ratio final gear, its touring prowess should be improved, though that’s not its main purpose. As one of The Motor Company’s earliest customs, it serves primarily as an in-town cruiser and a base for extreme custom work. I remember when the first, allsilver Fat Boy was introduced in 1990; the first impression of most dealers at the meeting upon hearing the name Fat Boy caused a little worry and some laughter. Would anyone really buy a bike called the Fat Boy? Or would it make potential customers uncomfortable, like if they had to go to a theater and ask for a ticket to Woody Allen’s movie, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex* But Were Afraid To Ask? Needless to say, everyone is now comfortable discussing the purchase of a Fat Boy and the name is now part of the lexicon of Harley enthusiasts everywhere.

- Mark Barnett
Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson Photography & Imaging