I've had mine since May, and absolutely love it. The stock bars work surprisingly well in twisty sections, but adding a fairing and a new seat helped out huge. As for the 3.5 Gal tank, my personal best is 316kms, or 196 miles. Still had a litre of fuel left. Also, that's with a Stage 1 using Powervision, S and S Stealth and a TBR Gen 2. That's pretty decent range...
Nice review bro alot of folk gripping about no more dyna but once one gets past that i think harley made an awsome choice on fully revamping the softail/dyna line into what it is now
Some beginners have rode three wheeler and four wheeler, some dirt bikes, and some have rode "scooters" and are ready to make the plunge. Some have no experience at all and want to ride and look to your wise words for suggestions! Great review!
Great review man I know this is the 2018 review but I’m picking up my 2020 fxbb in vivid black this week and this video just made me even happier with my choice the shifting and handling like you where saying is exactly what I was hopping for on my first Harley 👍thanks for a great review
Hey! Im pretty sure I just bought this bike today and pick it up Saturday! If anyone in the San Antonio area is shopping for a bike hit up Neil! Super awesome guy and willing to bend over backwards to put you on a bike! Awesome review and keep up the BA vids!
Nice video. We own a 2018 fxbb 107 M8 It is a 3.5GAL not 5 GAL. IT is torquey, comfortable. windy on freeway with stock bars. we went with a memphis shades gauntlet, memphis headlight block, quick release trigger lock kit. Takes lot of wind off. 2018 M8 suspension way better than my 17 forty eight or sporty was. Spot on with the stock seat review. We got the vance & hines twin slash slip ons.
To my knowledge. Have not found HD Forward controls for the fxbb. So i went with the 2018 FLSL softail slim for my bike. Way different steering, feels with forward controls, footboards. You forgot to mention the FXBB and FLSL both have an amazing 28.5° lean angle better ground clearance than 2017s
Bought one today, not because it's on the cheaper side of the Softail range but because I just love the looks - as for a decent seat, I consider a Corbin Widowmaker Saddle ....As for swapping out the handlebars, I would not consider it at all but wonder how it would pan out with the internal wiring and all that.....
I've ridden the whole 2018 line-up and ended up with a 2018 FatBoy S. I love the look of the Street Bob, but I found the rider triangle to be too crunched up for me. In my opinion, the pegs were just too high for "forward" mid-controls. I was seriously loving the feel of the Low Rider though. That was a great ride, but the looks and boards on the Fat Boy won me over.
Love your channel. Great review. I have an 18 FXBB added forwards from a Breakout (6'1"), T bars, qtr fairing, two brothers 2-1 exhaust and stage 1. Also, went with BMC corbin custom seat. Love it.
Really like the video and look forward to seeing your look into the newer models! I just got an Iron 883 about a month and a half ago and I believe I was told I can trade it in anytime within the first year to get the amount I paid in that time frame back. I could have misunderstood though!
I agree a t-bar would be better. But you say it’d be an easy install. I’m not so sure. That digital display looks like an issue to me with a t-bar setup. Great channel 👍
Great review. This is one of the bikes i am really considering after i take my riders course. I just hope my short self can touch the floor lol. I am only 5’3” 😂
That literally happened to me. I was thrown off the bike when I accelerated at a traffic light. Did $5000+ damage just from that! I learned to hang on for dear life after that!
Nice review, keep them coming. Also do you have any plans to test and compare the non-Harley competition, stuff like Triumph's new Speedmaster or other cruisers, or some of the offerings from Indian?
2 years later... but yea I think I want a softail (streetbob) over a sportster. all your points pretty much confirmed it. *sigh* now i gotta tell the wife how much it costs
The last street bob was a 2017 Dyna, they should have called this something else. Give me that Harley Shake over this any day, I just had the opportunity to test drive a 2017 and a 2018 and they were actually very close in price, got to tell you I'm definitely a dyna man. The more I see of the 2018 the more I'm happy with my choice getting a 2017.
I rode a 18 Sportster and a 18 Slim, liked the sportster way more, the softail didnt feel like a harley at all...even tho im not used to riding harleys
I guess the M8 is a very good engine, but when I test rode this bike last year I didn't like the riding position or the look of this bike. Dyna Street Bob is one of the most beautiful bikes in my mind, but this one does not look good. If I could get a Dyna Street Bob with the M8 engine fitted in, it would be the best combination.
Street Bob not made for long trips wrong. Back in the day riders would ride a chopper long fork to Sturgis. I rode a 1200 Sportster from Hudson WI to South Carolina on interstate, I added a windshield So one could add a windshield and a sundowner seat to the Street Bob and tour on. Yeah a bigger bike would be better. In the spring I'm getting a Low Rider for local and touring on. A You Tube man rides his Low Rider all over and long trips check out Back Road Biker Adventures channel on You Tube
Really don’t like the look!! Tank looks strange without that dash for me, speedo also doesn’t scream Harley to me.. not a big fan wrong direction for me from Harley-Davidson 👎
Mr. Borjas Looking at the speedo comes second to looking at the road so probably the thing you look at the most would be the Speedo, he also stated that the tank wasn’t too great either which I would consider the heart of the bike! If you have this bike don’t be butt hurt if someone doesn’t like it you CHILD and if you don’t have this bike why the hell are you so touchy?
I appreciate the time you took to review this, but those things are uglier than sin. It looks like a Yamaha VMAX. The tank is hideous, the pegs are positioned weird and it doesn’t feel like a Harley. You’re better off buying used and building your bike. Anything prior to 2017 is the way to go. As for me, I will never buy a new Harley. Good Job Harley, you eliminated the Dyna line up and alienated your core base. Ugly overpriced bikes that the working class can no longer afford....great job!
How does it not kill every guy who's owned a harley, that there's that big ugly radiator up front? That makes it look like every metric cruiser out there except for yamaha. It's a deal breaker for me. I'll take the clunk into first. I've listened to a few of M8's and they dont even sound like a Harley anymore. Also for the price.. not a fan. Great review though.
wildbill13s This is Harley answering the complaints of the market. Especially first time owners. When you buy a $20k machine you expect certain things to be refined and Harley did just that. That clunk can be unnerving and the heat has ALWAYS been an issue. The Harley shake isn't appreciated either these days and find me a stock Harley that sounds good right off the floor. Everyone adds slip-ons or full exhaust anyway.
Ill take the cooler engine with a radiator any day. These M8s run SO much cooler that the twin cams. I can sacrifice a little of the "classic" look for a better performing motor
I understand what you guys are saying, and to each their own. My point is, their big twins were air cooled since the beginning. The clunk never bothers me. If you spend any real time on a motorcycle, you get used to the unique character that WAS harley davidson. They used to be quirky, run hot, and they were over engineered (pre twin cam). Above all, they did their own thing. Now they're just like the metrics. My wifes 2012 72 sporty sounded better stock than a stock m8. I dont hear the harley "tumble" in the exhaust note. You can put pipes on it but that doesnt change that. I guess it bothers me that they're following the crowd instead of doing what they did for a century. Dylan said it best, "times they are a changin'. Peace brothers. Thanks for the replies.
wildbill13s You're right, times are changing and Harley needs to catch up. The definition of insanity, is, doing the exact same fucking thing over and over again, expecting shit to change. Harley isn't Coke or Pepsi in the fact that their recipe is expected to remain the same. If that was the case then we'd still have the 1905 motorcycles. Times change and companies have to change with it. The masses want cooler running, less vibration, more efficient engines.
I LOVE how you can actually see what's in the mirror vs. the old vibration in the mirrors what a change.
I've had mine since May, and absolutely love it. The stock bars work surprisingly well in twisty sections, but adding a fairing and a new seat helped out huge. As for the 3.5 Gal tank, my personal best is 316kms, or 196 miles. Still had a litre of fuel left. Also, that's with a Stage 1 using Powervision, S and S Stealth and a TBR Gen 2. That's pretty decent range...
I love mine. Road warrior fairing, vance and hines exhaust, lucky daves tbars, and saddlemen explorer seat. Very happy with the M8
What size t bars do you have? I’m torn between 12” San Diego or 13” lucky 13s
Whats up blockhea....bikenbird?
Nice review bro alot of folk gripping about no more dyna but once one gets past that i think harley made an awsome choice on fully revamping the softail/dyna line into what it is now
Some beginners have rode three wheeler and four wheeler, some dirt bikes, and some have rode "scooters" and are ready to make the plunge. Some have no experience at all and want to ride and look to your wise words for suggestions! Great review!
Got it since March
same color as this video, loved it
107 Street Bob = "Iron 883 on steroid"
Great review man I know this is the 2018 review but I’m picking up my 2020 fxbb in vivid black this week and this video just made me even happier with my choice the shifting and handling like you where saying is exactly what I was hopping for on my first Harley 👍thanks for a great review
Absolutely love mine, display sucks in the 3 o'clock texas sun behind you though
The Demi red paint is awesome
My exact reaction when you dipped on the ramp was exactly the same haha can’t wait to get this.
Fantastic video! Looking forward to more test rides. Keep up the premium content BnB!
Hey! Im pretty sure I just bought this bike today and pick it up Saturday! If anyone in the San Antonio area is shopping for a bike hit up Neil! Super awesome guy and willing to bend over backwards to put you on a bike! Awesome review and keep up the BA vids!
Awesome man congrats on the new bike! Be sure to let the dealership know BNB sent ya 😉
Nice video. We own a 2018 fxbb 107 M8 It is a 3.5GAL not 5 GAL. IT is torquey, comfortable. windy on freeway with stock bars. we went with a memphis shades gauntlet, memphis headlight block, quick release trigger lock kit. Takes lot of wind off. 2018 M8 suspension way better than my 17 forty eight or sporty was. Spot on with the stock seat review. We got the vance & hines twin slash slip ons.
To my knowledge. Have not found HD Forward controls for the fxbb. So i went with the 2018 FLSL softail slim for my bike. Way different steering, feels with forward controls, footboards. You forgot to mention the FXBB and FLSL both have an amazing 28.5° lean angle better ground clearance than 2017s
Bought one today, not because it's on the cheaper side of the Softail range but because I just love the looks - as for a decent seat, I consider a Corbin Widowmaker Saddle ....As for swapping out the handlebars, I would not consider it at all but wonder how it would pan out with the internal wiring and all that.....
I just bought a 2019 and man don’t get me wrong I love louder pipes but man she grunts stock and it sounds great
I've ridden the whole 2018 line-up and ended up with a 2018 FatBoy S. I love the look of the Street Bob, but I found the rider triangle to be too crunched up for me. In my opinion, the pegs were just too high for "forward" mid-controls. I was seriously loving the feel of the Low Rider though. That was a great ride, but the looks and boards on the Fat Boy won me over.
Just bought a new 2020. 2into 1 Vance and Hines. Breather and stage 2 cam. Traded my road king for it. Perfect for the dragon
I got about 12000 miles on mine. Love it.
Can't wait for more test rides!
Every thursday for the next 5 weeks!
Lovin the new into Bro!!! Congrats on the partnership 🍻🍻🍻🤙
Thank you sir! Is that a new logo??
Bike N' Bird yeah mate, what do you think? I’m nearly at 1000!subs now 🤙
Definitely grabs the eye more. Congrats man!
Bike N' Bird Thank you Sir
Love your channel. Great review. I have an 18 FXBB added forwards from a Breakout (6'1"), T bars, qtr fairing, two brothers 2-1 exhaust and stage 1. Also, went with BMC corbin custom seat. Love it.
That sounds like one sweet ride!
So when are you going to test ride the 2018 Harley fat bob???????
The logo, the motorcycle whit the crow, makes me think in SOA series...
Great vids buddy thanks for helping with my questions earlier today! 😁
Thanks man no problem!
Enjoyed your review. Thanks.
Want this bike hopefully 2020 is my year for a brand new Harley
I have forwards on mine at 6’1 and love the bike even more 👌🏼
John Ellerby
Were did you find your forwards
bigteddybear012001 Thunderbike website (based in Germany)
Thanks
Really like the video and look forward to seeing your look into the newer models! I just got an Iron 883 about a month and a half ago and I believe I was told I can trade it in anytime within the first year to get the amount I paid in that time frame back. I could have misunderstood though!
Its true but it has to be a qualified model. It was my understanding that all new sportsters qualified but of course there's all sorts of small print
Ahh ok yeah I see what you mean!
I agree a t-bar would be better. But you say it’d be an easy install. I’m not so sure. That digital display looks like an issue to me with a t-bar setup. Great channel 👍
SckippyDee Bung King has a 10” riser that will fit the new Street Bob.
I have it my 2018 not bad at all
I have 12” risers on my 18 and it was super easy
Tank swap with the tank from the Softail slim and it would even better.
I think the street Bob is a much smaller and easy to use for anyone like my self
heck yea man get them demo rides!
Do you think its a good beginners bike for someone who has never ridden a motorcycle before and I am going to take my msf motorcycle course soon
Great review brother! I'd love to see you do one with the new slim. I'm stuck between the street Bob and slim, if love to hear your thoughts.
Great review.
This is one of the bikes i am really considering after i take my riders course.
I just hope my short self can touch the floor lol. I am only 5’3” 😂
Fuck yes! I love my FXBB.
It really shocked the hell out of me. Expectations vs. What I got
This bike wins out of the 2018 softails in that category.
It's like a dream after my Iron 883. It's light compared to the other Softails, I think the 114 would be seriously overkill in that bike.
That literally happened to me. I was thrown off the bike when I accelerated at a traffic light. Did $5000+ damage just from that! I learned to hang on for dear life after that!
Nice review, keep them coming. Also do you have any plans to test and compare the non-Harley competition, stuff like Triumph's new Speedmaster or other cruisers, or some of the offerings from Indian?
If the opportunity presents itself yes
Can a 5 gallon tank be placed on?
Good review.
2 years later...
but yea I think I want a softail (streetbob) over a sportster.
all your points pretty much confirmed it.
*sigh* now i gotta tell the wife how much it costs
What kind of shoes and gloves are you wearing? I dig them. Pretty cool.
Hey Woody! All my gear is linked in the description 😁 let me know if you have any questions
Bike N' Bird I sure will! Thanks!
The last street bob was a 2017 Dyna, they should have called this something else. Give me that Harley Shake over this any day, I just had the opportunity to test drive a 2017 and a 2018 and they were actually very close in price, got to tell you I'm definitely a dyna man. The more I see of the 2018 the more I'm happy with my choice getting a 2017.
I rode a 18 Sportster and a 18 Slim, liked the sportster way more, the softail didnt feel like a harley at all...even tho im not used to riding harleys
it has the oil tank under the transmission so its a dyna with a softail swingarm
You're the reason harley is failing.
Til u ride to the coast n get left behind sore
What would u recommend, say street vs fat bob?
Fat bob 100%
Can you change the riser since it got the speedo on it
Yes you just need to extend the wires
I test rode this before the Fat Bob. I liked it but it just didn't feel right for me...
What’s your take on a Harley low rider s
Never had the chance to ride one.
How would you compare this bike to a fat Bob?
Fat Bob is definitely more nimble but a totally different riding position. Definitely an apples to oranges comparison
Liked the test ride video can you do one on a 2018 Breakout
Unfortunately I didnt have the opportunity to ride the Breakout but I did get to ride the fat boy which is very similar
Did you get video of that ride I am looking for a new on not sure what I want yet though
Yes. It will be coming out in a couple of weeks
Ok cool man like to see it ..and congratulations on everything going right you
the bike looks like a sportster in person
Give me a center console and same thank size as the 2017 model and I'll be happy. The digital odometer ruins it for me, I just can't.
From videos and photos, I felt the same, but seeing it in person I really liked it :)
Works well for me.
3.5 gal? 3.3 on a sporty? 🧐 why? Now I can go the same mileage as a new 2018 street bob
I get 50+ mpg out of my 04 carbed 1200. Actually ran out of gas at 163 miles before. But I’m only 180 lbs with gear
That was a question a lot of people asked. Harley's answer was they wanted a slimmer tank profile.
Glad you like my bike lol! I opted for crash bars and kept the mids! If you wanna see a club style FXBB you should go check out my channel 👌
That display looks really tiny. Not sure if that’s how it looks in real life or if that’s just how the camera makes it seem.
Definitely the camera. Wide angle lens. Its very easy to read.
Can confirm, ideal size.
I guess the M8 is a very good engine, but when I test rode this bike last year I didn't like the riding position or the look of this bike. Dyna Street Bob is one of the most beautiful bikes in my mind, but this one does not look good. If I could get a Dyna Street Bob with the M8 engine fitted in, it would be the best combination.
Street Bob not made for long trips wrong. Back in the day riders would ride a chopper long fork to Sturgis. I rode a 1200 Sportster from Hudson WI to South Carolina on interstate, I added a windshield So one could add a windshield and a sundowner seat to the Street Bob and tour on. Yeah a bigger bike would be better. In the spring I'm getting a Low Rider for local and touring on. A You Tube man rides his Low Rider all over and long trips check out Back Road Biker Adventures channel on You Tube
I want!
Do the fat bob please
1980
150 rear 🤨 thats sportster size...should be 170..
It's more nimble this way. No downside. Maybe esthetics.
Dyna all the way. This is not a Harley, it feels like a Honda. "Smooth" ? Who want to ride a sewing machine?
Really don’t like the look!! Tank looks strange without that dash for me, speedo also doesn’t scream Harley to me.. not a big fan wrong direction for me from Harley-Davidson 👎
You dont want a bike because the gauge was changed. Wow
Mr. Borjas I know!! imagine someone not buying a bike because they hate the look of it... go figure, crazy right?
Mr. Borjas everything on the bike is its FUCKING look!! Just my opinion fella, you don’t have to like it!! 🙃
Mr. Borjas Looking at the speedo comes second to looking at the road so probably the thing you look at the most would be the Speedo, he also stated that the tank wasn’t too great either which I would consider the heart of the bike! If you have this bike don’t be butt hurt if someone doesn’t like it you CHILD and if you don’t have this bike why the hell are you so touchy?
Dylan McMullen shut up, dumb bitch.
You annoying old heads keep whining over progress.
Keep your grandfather technology and let us advance.
I appreciate the time you took to review this, but those things are uglier than sin. It looks like a Yamaha VMAX. The tank is hideous, the pegs are positioned weird and it doesn’t feel like a Harley. You’re better off buying used and building your bike. Anything prior to 2017 is the way to go. As for me, I will never buy a new Harley. Good Job Harley, you eliminated the Dyna line up and alienated your core base. Ugly overpriced bikes that the working class can no longer afford....great job!
How does it not kill every guy who's owned a harley, that there's that big ugly radiator up front? That makes it look like every metric cruiser out there except for yamaha. It's a deal breaker for me. I'll take the clunk into first. I've listened to a few of M8's and they dont even sound like a Harley anymore. Also for the price.. not a fan. Great review though.
wildbill13s This is Harley answering the complaints of the market. Especially first time owners. When you buy a $20k machine you expect certain things to be refined and Harley did just that. That clunk can be unnerving and the heat has ALWAYS been an issue. The Harley shake isn't appreciated either these days and find me a stock Harley that sounds good right off the floor. Everyone adds slip-ons or full exhaust anyway.
Ill take the cooler engine with a radiator any day. These M8s run SO much cooler that the twin cams. I can sacrifice a little of the "classic" look for a better performing motor
I understand what you guys are saying, and to each their own. My point is, their big twins were air cooled since the beginning. The clunk never bothers me. If you spend any real time on a motorcycle, you get used to the unique character that WAS harley davidson. They used to be quirky, run hot, and they were over engineered (pre twin cam). Above all, they did their own thing. Now they're just like the metrics. My wifes 2012 72 sporty sounded better stock than a stock m8. I dont hear the harley "tumble" in the exhaust note. You can put pipes on it but that doesnt change that. I guess it bothers me that they're following the crowd instead of doing what they did for a century. Dylan said it best, "times they are a changin'. Peace brothers. Thanks for the replies.
wildbill13s You're right, times are changing and Harley needs to catch up. The definition of insanity, is, doing the exact same fucking thing over and over again, expecting shit to change. Harley isn't Coke or Pepsi in the fact that their recipe is expected to remain the same. If that was the case then we'd still have the 1905 motorcycles. Times change and companies have to change with it. The masses want cooler running, less vibration, more efficient engines.
1980