Harley-Davidson Fat Bob First Ride Review at RevZilla.com
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- Harley-Davidson Fat Bob First Ride Review
www.revzilla.c...
So long Dyna. You had a good run. Like any Hall-of-Fame performer, however, even the best find themselves in retirement sooner or later, and 2017 just happened to be your last lap. With the MoCo dropping the beloved Dyna and replacing it with the all-new Softail lineup, 2018 ushers in a new, lighter, sleeker, and more nimble roster for Harley-Davidson. In this review, Lemmy takes us for a ride on the all-new Harley Fat Bob through the canyons of California while at the official launch of this new era for Harley-Davidson.
More On the New Harley Softails:
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I took a Softail Fat Bob for a test ride, and I will be the first to say Harley did a phenomenal job. The bike is better in every way compared to the Dyna line, but the thing that disappointed me was the lack of character. That bike has little character if any at all compared to my Dyna, you dont hear the mechanical noises of the engine or the clunking sound the transmission make when you change gear. Some riders who ride sportbikes might say its a good thing that the bike doesn't make all those noises and is smoother, but I feel that those noises are what gives Harley's character.
DynaRider12
True but Harley needs these idiots that want the "refined bikes"... because you and I already have a bike and we do t buy a new one every 5 years they need to attract these morons ...so unfortunately they have to make these changes.
Those mechanical noises are just imperfections of the engineering of the bike and that "soul" you re talking about are just your memories on a simillar bike. Maybe you just want the old stuff. Buy a second hand hd. Modern bikes are what it says, modern, and the clients are always right.
cheetor18 you are right, the clients want modern bikes. But, if you knew anything about Harley, you would know Harley has been selling bikes with those mechanical noises for 115 years (Sportster's still make make those noises). And as for imperfections, imperfections are what gives things character. If everything was perfect then everybody would be robots and motorcycle's wouldn't give us a thrill.
I rode a couple '18s at a demo and they ride just as bad as they look Harley took the "Harley" of the bike.
Interesting perspective. As a sport bike (mostly) rider, I always thought harley's were all very same'y. I realize you could say this about sport bikes too, but Harley's never did it for me. This thing, however, has gobs of character in my eyes. Looks like something the Terminator would ride through a flaming wall. Quite literally the first Harley I've ever had this much interest in. Different strokes.
The bike was ugly when I first seen it.. It grew on me after about a week.. I went back and took a test ride. I'm now an owner of 114 fat bob. Love it. Hate the pipes.
You hate the design or sound or both?
Can you tell me what is the worst thing and what is the best thing on this bike?
@Nightraid yourface I threw some after market diffusers on them, it really makes a difference in the sound and look. Love it!
I have to admit I am a Rice Burner Fan All the Way, but this Fat Bobbett has caught my eye!
Thank you for the good review. I had a Harley roadsters 1200 which really had a lot of vibration. Now I'm shifting from my kawasaki versys 1000 to Harley fat Bob. Hope I don't get disappointed.
Well said sir! That's what I've been trying to tell all the naysayers. Before you naysayers continue to talk negatively about the new 2018's and "losing the Dyna" (which stands for progression ironically enough,) go test ride one already, and then cast your judgements. They're a lot of fun to ride 👌🏼
BLOCKHEAD It's not about the performance and corner handeling, it's about the classic looks , about the ability to costumize , vibrations of the engine, sound ...all that is gone now. Thats why there are neysayers. If you are just about performance you could get xdiavel long time ago
It's a Harley, so you know there will be an abundance of aftermarket customization options. There's still vibration that you can feel when you crank the bike up. Granted, it's not as much as say my 17 FXDLS, but there's still some. If you want less performance, less corner handling, a heavier bike, a stiffer seat, then nobody's stopping anyone from buying a pre 18' Harley (or non M8 more specifically.) It doesn't make sense to hate on a company for making progress and well overdue updates on both the performance side, and tech side. Lighter weight frame, cooler running more powerful engines, better handling, better suspension, better comfort... besides the style of them, which is incredibly subjective and again, can and WILL be changed / customized b/c people don't leave Harley's stock... what's to dislike? Someone says "I can make your Harley run faster, cooler, lean better. Also, I can also stop the engine from cooking your right leg." And people say "Nah, I'm good." Wha?!
Let's not forget, Harley's mentioned coming out with a ton of new models over the coming years. If this is their baseline that they're building from, can probably expect some good things as they get a bit more experimental with looks and style.
BLOCKHEAD Ok , I was at the dealer today and saw a 2018 Street Bob and i'm taking my words back dammit :) You can definitely feel that you have a 107 cui monster rumbling underneath you , all the mechanical sounds are there. Well i must say im impressed , and to all people talking shit like i was i suggest go see it try it , the pictures and videos just dont do the fair job at presenting these machines. I bet if you put some V&H short shots on the Fat Bob you would get that old look people are looking for . I have to agree with you , cheers
austin quinn they are performance bikes in the cruiser market.... lol actually go to blockheads channel and see a sportsbikes opinions on the new fat bob. a f it ill give you a spoiler the guy says it leans like a damn sportsbike...
I’m all for progression and innovation but they could have done that to the dyna line just as easy as they did with these new softails..dynas prob being their best selling line besides their touring line why not make those bikes that much better and give them the M8 engines instead of completely dumping the line up and alienating the core of Harley’s younger buyers...most dyna riders aren’t gonna give up there dynas to get something that’s drastically more expensive no matter how much better they ride and feel
My friend took one of those for a test drive today. I didn't know the existed until I saw it. It does kind of restore my faith in Harley. It's a really nice bike.
The 1st HD that I would love to own. Great job HD!
Test drove three newbies and left woth the fatbob just is amazing 👏
After test riding the 18 Fat Bob recently I'll say I was extremely impressed by how nice it handled everything. My main issue is the price, seeing as you could get a 18 Road King for about the same price and a non H-D performance oriented bike for close to half the price.
Still waiting for the 5 gallon tank. This bike was made for me but hate range anxiety or pushing it to the next fuel stop.
I've never been a Harley fan but understood and respected what they were and are for many people. This bike really interests however and it may even be put on my shortlist for next riding season.
Personally I love the front fairing, its modern but really aggressive and unique. However the exaust is a punch in the stomach. As always, Lemmy you are the best reviewer out there. Fantastic landscape by the way :)
Alessandro Fumi and I can confirm that the exhaust really kills a lot of the performance. A 107 is running circles around my 11r fat bob right now. The exhaust will be first thing to go.
Bought mine 6 months ago.. worth every penny
Test rided 117 recently. And i have a nice one to compare - XJR1300SP. What i've liked: seating position very neutral and relaxed, good suspension - i've tried to hit as many pot holes and manhole covers as much as possible and it worked 'em out well. Very easy to ride slow in traffic, lots of low down torque and easy clutch. Brakes are very good. Seat's nice, but for longer two-up would need something wider and more padded, sundowner maybe. Did not liked stock rear brake pedal position, i would position it more upright. And it handles, swerving round potholes is easy peasy. H-D made a very nice naked bike.
Picked mine up Saturday, what a sweet bike!
I was thinking the same about the bars. A "Hollywood Bars" upgrade, or custom equivalent would look a feel better too for just a little more rise. As far as the Dyna Chasis, if you REALLY can't let go, I think you can probably get last years model with real low miles out there for a better price than new. There are bound to be plenty from riders trading in for this new incarnation of the Fat Bob. This bike is HAWT!,...and I LOVE IT! ... and got me crunching numbers...
Review the Harley Davidson Slim!
Another great (short) review! Lemmy is the best at doing these bar none! I like Zach's reviews from the other mag but Lemmy always has relevant information albeit to short (longer reviews please). Just rename the company to LemmZilla, I'm sold!!!!
I dig this bike a lot, but I still am going for the 17 Lowrider S.
Beautiful looking bike that performs. Was set to buy one last summer. The 3.5 gas tank was what killed the purchase. In this area of the far west coast riding long distance is my norm. Regular cruise of 220 miles is normal. Riding distance in the mountains or deserts might easily find you out of gas and on foot. Looking to fill up every 140 or so miles is a drag and unacceptable. May next year find the Fat Bob with a full 5 gallon tank.
Im the odd man out. I actually prefer this headlight to the older one. It looks clean, and tough. The only things i dont like is the smaller gas tank, the pipes, and the rear fender should be about 2" lower in the back, without sacrificing comfort.
My wife has a 2020 Low Rider S (ironically, with the Milwaukee 8 117)...and it HAS the 5-gallon tank...AND (if you're like me and like it, the dual gauges on the tank)...which I SO MUCH want on my Fat Bob 114...I've been eyeing it for months now...in the garage...staring intently at each wiring route, tunnel depth, mounting point...length...with IMMEDIATE 'dragon rage' in her eyes telling me 'DON'T YOU TOUCH MY BIKE!!!'
That she would DARE think I would disassemble both her bike, and my bike, just to see if her stuff would fit on my bike...even for just a test-fit, before I dropped an order, and such...why, I don't know WHERE she comes up with these ideas...I gave her, her backrest back...
I'm glad i found this channel it's a great review to tech me about the bikes I'll be working with
This bike is growing on me, though I prefer the styling of the new Fat Boy. I hope they redo the Sportser line with similar upgrades, and definitely not move to a water-cooled engine. Low rpm torque is a huge appeal of a Harley to me.
sportster is their unofficial "heritage line" because it hasnt really changed much.
Maybe so. But it looks much smaller than the Dyna Fatbob. The older Fatbobs had a bigger feel to them. For a guy 6 ft or more, these things have a mini bike feel to them. And the even cadence of “putt putt putt” at idle is just wrong. The rider pegs that have been moved up and back is a move in the wrong direction. But Harley need to change with the times.... Us old white guys are dying off and there’s no future in living in the past. Harley has been part of my life for forty years and has enriched my life with cool machines and great people. I wish them success.
Bill Harley's vision was to have best performance bikes. Original HD wasn't about stylin but about crazy engines and power/performance. I think the direction of the new lineup is 100% of what HD should be all about. The design of the Fat Bob is so steampunk. It's amazing IMO. But there are so many HD models in the lineup for people looking for a classic look.
I hate that they muffled the sound though, waiting for aftermarket exhausts...
Just test rode the 2018 Street bob yesterday. I'm 5'5" with a 28" inseam. The mid controls felt ok to me and also the set height. The only problem with this particular bike is the rear brakes. I pushed as hard as I could on them and they didn't even slow the bike down. I've heard others say the same thing on reviews. Is this common with all of them or just some of them.The front brakes were very good. I loved the clutch and the friction zone. The seat felt good also although with the mid controls and the short reach to the bars, I felt like I was pushing myself to the back of it. Even with my short reach, I would have to adjust those bars farther forward. I love the styling and think that it would be my choice over any of the Sportsters. It looks like what a Harley is supposed to look like for us old guys that remember it in the 60's and 70's. I would buy one as a second bike now if it wasn't for that back brake not working. Just looking for any information on a way that it could be sorted out. It really pulls at my heart strings.
Everything is really good.....except tiny tank and unfinished rear side...
Been waiting for this video!! Love these video reviews!
After seeing this bike I am glad I kept my '09 and '12 fat bobs.
Was looking at the iron 883 love the look and the front rim on that bike, also was looking at the roadsters for more power. Rode my gsxr rocket to the Harley dealership and win I left all I could think about was the 2018 fat bob. I love everything about it except the price. Close to $18,000 used with about 8,000 miles on it. That was the only thing I didn't like. But I guess I'm just gonna save up the$ for another 5-6 months and get it. Beacaus if I don't I no I'll cuse my self for not saving a little longer and buying tha bike. I Love it! Can't wait to have a Harley added to my arsenal of bikes.
Lemmy, how would you compare the Fat Bob to the Muscle?
I am a Ducati guy ..
And just bought my first Harley
Yup. 4 Ducatis and 3 Triumph..
And 1 Aprilia...
Now 1 FatBob
That bike is HOT. I've never ever ever considered buying a HD...until I saw this bike.
i'm on my way to my local delaer to test ride both 107 and 114 fat bob next week... #happylittleboy !!!!!
Need to test ride one, I've already test ridden a Low Rider S, which is an amazingly good bike as well to compare them. I still find it strange that they chose to install the 3.5 gallon tank on the Fat Bob when the previous version had a 5 gallon tank and the LRS had a 4.7 gallon tank. Usually a sport cruiser is a bike that you actually want to ride some distance, and the 3.5 gallon tank puts a big limit on that much like it did to the Indian Scout, which is reduced to bar bike status because of that comically small 2.5 gallon tank.
It’s a Great bike. I Love mine. I’ve been lucky to have owned quite a few Harley’s over the years, loved them all and still do. But this one does it for me I love it soooo much. Well done Harley this is the all in one Harley Davidson, Fun, Fast, Looks Ace, Handles Great, So comfy it’s got it all. It’s my every day Harley. Some people don’t like the change but what I say is You love your choice of Harley and I love mine This One. Each to there own. Ride One. My last bike was a Low rider S which was great but I Love this more.
Did you get more time on a Heritage?
I test rode the Heritage and the Breakout. I thought both were super comfy. The passenger accommodations and storage of the Heritage make it much more practical for me. A couple things I didn't like.
1. The Heritage dove like a seal on the front brake. The Breakout felt fine doing the same thing. I thought they used the same forks, but there was a major difference between the two I rode.
2. Both had a noticeable lag between apply throttle and the engine actually picking up. It's like nothing, twist more...nothing, twist more...wham! Sure I'd get used to that, but my Triumph has a wireless throttle too and it doesn't have any such delay.
I only noticed the delay when throttling up off idle. Once going they were fine.
Personally I've got to side with the reviewers who say what ol' LemLem does: get out and ride it, it's objectively better. Factually better. AND better with the butt dyno! That pretty much rounds it out. I understand the nostalgic opposition, but not to the degree that I think it's worth all the hubbub.
neal quit copy/pasting your comment everywhere, god damn.
I love all Harleys but this one got my ♥️. New fat bob is my next goal in life. Gotta work hard couse this shit is so expensive lol
Love the headlight
The only thing I see is what they should have done with the new Fat Bob is to give it a 6 gallon gas tank due to its size of engine. The Dyna Fat Bob had the 5 gallon it would make more sense to have a bigger gas tank so you could enjoy the ride more, I have a 2015 Dyna Fat Bob and love it. I did take the the 2018 out for a spin and yes its a cool bike with lots of power but with just a 3.5 gallon gas tank I wouldn't spend the money on it just to be a bar hopper or short commute. I would then just go with a Sportster then if i wanted the short ride. My friend has a new 2018 Fat bob and when we always go riding from Gainesville to daytona on the weekends he always has to stop for gas and he keeps saying I should have got the electric glide lol for just a few more thousand. Harley has to rethink their gas tank size for softails for 2019.
I test rode this bike. It is a decent ride, but it's not classic Harley-Davidson. Sorry Lem, as a Dyna owner, I wouldn't trade. I didn't buy a softail, because I prefer the road feel and handling of the Dyna. I'm holding my final opinion till I ride the new Street Bob, but the '18s are just not a suitable replacement for the H-D classics.
Performance wise, yes the '18s are stellar. They have power, response, handling, and comfort, but so does my '14 FXDB.
My biggest prob with the new lineup is that H-D keeps thinking they are going to "attract" &/or "convert" new and non-H-D riders, but the truth is, you either ride an H-D or you don't. Personally, I can enjoy all types of MCs, but I'll only ever depend on my H-D. I imagine that's the way most riders feel about their chosen style of bike.
Sorry H-D, but I'm anxious to see how long it takes before the next "big" idea comes out.
Out with chrome on with mean Battlestar Galactica headlight and black tone engines!
Thanks for the great review Lemmy!
I'm getting a fat bob by next summer cant wait! Nice review thx
I own a sportster and I tried both the fat bob and the fat boy (sounds dirty) and I had a blast, both have their character fat bob is more off-road and the fat boy more... luxurious go check my videos on them. Nice work Leny.
Are you going to do a street bob review? I'm torn between the street bob and the scout bobber. Any suggestions?
Buy the Scout. The engine is orders of magnitude better. Both bikes have awful gyno chair ergos, but the Scout doesn't redline at 5500rpm. The Scout also doesn't have dual counterbalancers flinging around on a press together crankshaft.
I wish they have kept the dual headlight which is part of the fat bob personally
I do like it. Glad it performs well. Can you comparison between this one and old one?
So is there any headlight swaps I'm not digging the led
I don't like HD one bit. But this one is pretty cool looking.
an extra 100cc's wont mean much on those 1700-1800cc V twins, ill test ride em but i doubt you can even feel any difference between 107 and 114
Just test road on the 24th of Sep. This is a bad ass beast very fun
Lenny I am a big fan of your reviews especially on Harley as you seem to know your stuff. I have been dying for a decent review of the 2018 Road Glide CVO. So do you think you could make that happen?
Great review and I really like all the aspects except the price. The 114 will set you back close to $20,000 and I think HD is going to start and price themselves out of the youth market.
I don't care a rat's ass about Harley in any flavor, but love me some Lem Lem reviews! Cheers Bruh!!
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
Cruisers in general aren't bad beginner bikes. They're heavy, but that weight is held down low so they aren't too hard to balance. Still, I'd sooner get something used and worse-for-wear as your first bike. It's very likely you'd drop it, and if I dropped a brand new Fat Bob I would certainly cry. -Kraus-e
This is the best bike that Harley makes, all the rest are just old styles
I'm a sport bike rider and a sport tour rider and i sold my 2 bikes to get a 2021 Fatbob, awesome machine with Japanese Showa suspension and Japanese Brembo ABS brakes
The Lowrider S was in the running for me as well, but the ergos were all wrong for me
I gotta say, I was just about to 'drop the hammer' on an Indian Scout with its 100-hp engine in 2019...and really liked the cut of it overall, when I happened to see a 2019 Fat Bob at Bike Week...and after seeing it, just couldn't get it out of my mind. It had just that little 'mmmmph' extra, that the Indian didn't have...that, and the Indian had an almost-too-small frame for me (I'm 6'5", so every inch of frame keeps me from looking like a 'dad' riding his kid's 80-cc minibike...knees stuck out and all). I was good with the 89-hp, I'm not out for drag racing on the street...and if I wanted 'blinding 200-mph speeds', I'd just drop the cash and buy a Hayabusa. To me, they aren't stylish at all...and after experiencing the Fat Bob, the Indian fell into 2nd place...pretty hard. The Milwaukee 8 was the finishing touch...
I bought the Fat Bob...and the only two critiques are the TINY 3.7 gallon tank (should have stayed 5-gallons) and the two-into-two exhausts...because you're only getting ONE bag on it...to hide that god awful license plate mount! (you're not dual bagging a Fat Bob with those factory exhausts!) Harley should look HARD at these two factors for 'further engineering' efforts.
Loved taking the new line on a demo ride but two things with the Fat Bob that annoyed me. The foot pegs were so damn tiny it was uncomfortable and secondly that heat from the upper exhaust pipe was scorching the back of my thigh. They just didn't knock my socks off. Especially for the price.
Lemy thx for the review! I love what Harley did with the softails this year, but I’m thorn between this Fat Bob and a Road King Special, please answer me this, how is it that according to the specs in HD’s website the lean angle is almost the same between these 2 bikes but you don’t scrape pegs on this bike but yes on your 2017 Road King review?
Harley likely measures lean angle without a rider, so with different suspensions/spring rates/sag between the two bikes, the Road King likely sits lower than the Fat Bob when you're riding it. That likely caused Lemmy to scrape the floorboards more easily on the Road King. -DrewZilla
RevZilla thx guys!
I still like my 2014 fatbob..Ive had 3 Vrod muscles and can honestly say,I enjoy my fatbob much more..
The 18 fat bob converted me to a Harley lover
I wanted handlebars which are a little narrower and just slightly closer to the rider as my arms are a little stretched to the stock bars. Which specific bars would you recommend?
With the 1 1/4" clamping area, there aren't a lot of options. You might consider the following. -DrewZilla
*www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/la-choppers-1-14-hefty-superbar-handlebars-for-harley
Great review. Love the 2018 Fat Bob with the 114.
Thanks for the great review Lemmy! Could I ask what cameras you use for your videos?
For all the on-bike footage, Lemmy was using GoPros. Others were shooting the ride-by footage, so we don't have those specific cameras. They were likely DSLRs. -DrewZilla
Hey Lemmy amazing Video thanks for sharing!! I Got a question, what intercom head set do you use? Sorry for the question, but you are the expert... Greetings from Mexico City
Lemmy is using the Sena 20S. -DrewZilla
*www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/sena-20s-evo-bluetooth-headset
dose this bike ride and handle better than a lowrider s.
Is it a better option to the Indian Scout, or is it a totally different bike?
I really want to be impressed by that upside down front fork. A good suspension on a harley? Stock?
The sportster or the street rod is a better comparison for the scout. This thing costs twice as much money and has a way bigger engine and more power.
SharkGlide17 hard to say. The Scout doesnt feel much like a sportster. More like a slightly less powerful vrod with lighter handling. The Street Rod is cool but feels less powerful with better handling and bizarre ergos. 1200 Sportsters have that nice torque down low then die in the mid range.
I have not yet ridden a 2018 HD but this 114 sounds like a completely different engine than the polaris 1133. Lots of torque down low where the Scout is going to come alive at 4500 and continue to pull past 7,000.
Still trying to get my mind around that headlight; the rest looks very though
Cool vid Lemmy. Do a Street Bob review as well !
So I got on the phone with my local dealer and he told me the fatbob should be my first bike because of my size and I am quite suprised
Sounds like an upsell to me. -DrewZilla
What's a Dyna?
Great review how would this be for beingner riders
This is quite a big and powerful bike, so it is not ideal for beginners. It's a lot easier to learn to ride on a smaller bike. -DrewZilla
Looks amazing. Can't wait for demo ride day.
How does this compare to Triumph's T100/120 line? How about the comparison with the new Speedmaster?
The T120 is about 500 pounds dry with 80 Hp and 77.4 Ft-lbs of torque. The T100 is about 470 pounds dry with 55 Hp and 59 Ft-lbs of torque. This Fat Bob is about 650 pounds dry with 107 Ft-lbs of torque (Hp is not given). The new Speedmaster is about 540 pounds dry with 77 Hp and 78 Ft-lbs of torque. Even though the Fat Bob has the most torque per pound, the T120 is 150 pounds lighter, so the T120 has quicker handling. -DrewZilla
How is lane splitting on this?
Hello can you do a video on how to wash and dry your motorcycle?
Possibly, but until then, take a look at the article we wrote on the topic. -DrewZilla
*www.revzilla.com/common-tread/how-to-wash-a-motorcycle
I know it sounds crazy, but why couldn't HD make a "springer front end" that is specially performance tuned for the 114 Fat-bob?
When you think about it, trends come and go. Inverting forks has always been popular in the dirt bike and even the "road race" communities.
Laying shocks down, making a mono shock rear frame section with hidden shock absorbers has been done before too, not knocking it because I think it's great and innovative!
So, why not take a clean sheet of paper, draw out a radically new designed "titanium or carbon fiber springer" or even a "leading link" front suspension system. Leading links were popular in dirt bikes in the 70's and on current "speedway" motorcycles.
It seems to me that the "Fat bob" line will be HD's R&D platform in the foreseeable future.
I myself have a 2014 HD Fat bob that I love, but I'm keeping my eye on the 2020 Fat bob.
The little guy in my head tells me that "2020" will be an amazing year for HD.
On another note, I really like the HD "Live wire" too.
When dinosaur fuels completely disappear, or the oil companies get another wild hair to screw the public and ratchet up their prices, the "Live wire" could be a viable option albeit silent, svelte and doesn't attract attention to you.
I might fork out the 30K necessary to purchase one, or wait until the price drops down just like any other electronic device like computers, TV's, percolators and wrist watches.
Hopefully HD is doing R&D to extend the mileage to about 400 miles and creating a "speedy charge system" to improve both ends of the spectrum.
They can do this by borrowing technology from NASA or JPL (Jet Propulsion Labs) in California.
General Patton once said "If everyone's thinking the same, then nobody's thinking".
Cheers!
- OTL
Did you ride the low rider yet? Im looking in to getting that model, i sat on it yesterday and love how it feels just sitting on it. Like it way more then the street bob
He rode them all a bit at the launch, but we didn't shoot a video on the Low Rider. You can read Lemmy's impressions in the article he wrote. -DrewZilla
*www.revzilla.com/common-tread/2018-harley-davidson-softail-first-ride-motorcycle-review
Riding visor up and no glasses. Tough.
Lemmy you're such an HD fan boy. Sounds like possible, maybe, perhaps a decent performance bike from HD?
Do a full review of all 8 Softail models
ZLA Lemmy Aww Geez. Wish I could. LOL
did you do a review of the Fat Boy?
Not a video review, but Lemmy reviewed it along with all the other new Softails in this article below. -DrewZilla
*shop.revzilla.com/common-tread/2018-harley-davidson-softail-first-ride-motorcycle-review
I agree that this should bring new people into the brand. It might be enough to get me to take my very first test ride on an HD.
I wonder how much a thinner front tire would liven up the handling though.
ReflectiveBelts
Ol yeah, going to bring new riders. 20 grand just to get started on the new Fatbob. Add the usual bs and some much needed extended warranty and the doors will be knocked down with new riders and their fat wallets.
I currently own 3 HDs and lucky I've been able to waste so much money over the last 28 years on 8 different ones, but today's younger generation are too damn lazy to have that desire and passion no matter what the motor company does.
New riders can’t wait to drop 20k on this...NOT! Good job Harley, you just helped boost import motorcycle sales. I wouldn’t trade in my Cali-style FXDL for this V Max looking thing. It’s a good thing there’s an abundance of used bikes and aftermarket parts available.
That’s an AWESOME bike! I don’t think they should have named it the Fat Bob though, a name like the ROAD BOB would have made more sense. It looks hungry for dirt roads, it’s a Road Warrior.
what is the model of 1st bike in the pic blue color?
At 0:16, it's the Softail Low Rider. -DrewZilla
I got myself a fatbob ... any solution for the gauges getting fogged up?
If they're fogging up on the outside, you can polish them with an anti-fog spray or anti-fog wax. -DrewZilla
RevZilla the fogging is inside the gauges of course...
If we install a stage 4 on to a 114 would that make more power than 107stage4
Pls lemme know
If applying the exact same Stage 4 changes to both engines, then yes, the 114 should make more power than the 107. -DrewZilla
RevZilla thanks a lot :) keep following ya
The only thing I don’t like about the fat bob is the exhaust covers
I have to agree it is a good looking bike!
Can you review a motorcycle benelli 600i abs
Lenny how do I get harley to ship you a bike?
Thank you for a great perspective. So, looks like everyone tend to compare it to X-Diavel or something, but for me the question would be how it would compare to a Triumph Rocket III. Any thoughts? Thank you.
REPLY
The Rocket 3 is almost 100 pounds heavier than the Fat Bob but has a massive 163 ft-lbs of torque and 148 Hp. That's 50% more torque and twice the horsepower of the Fat Bob. -DrewZilla
It's got 13 ft-lbs more torque at peak than the 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 S for those idiots complaining about HP vs displacement. Big cruisers require torque.
Nice review love that bike 👌🏻
Yes I'm now a owner of one of these beauties 🙂
When the revision of the 2018-19 breakout? i am between this tow
I've ridden a couple variations of this new chassis. It's not awful, but it's not amazing. The M8 is a perfect engine of you want to tow a trailer or carry a 300lb passenger. It doesn't rev (5500rpm is not revving the crap out of an engine). You can gloss over the fact that the low bars and forward controls make it a nightmare on the freeway, but it's not fun to sustain 80mph. This bike is a better Softail, but it's a really shitty Dyna. It has better numbers on paper, but the experience is like driving a well sorted F250 diesel. Yeah, it's powerful and not awful to drive, but it's still a truck. Those balancers make that engine so sluggish to rev, and the power craps out long before the absurdly low fuel cut. Add in the tall gearing and the gyno chair ergos and you have a shitty riding experience. This bike is a really shitty VMax and an even worse Diavel. Harley had a dedicated market in the Dyna, and they shit all over it with this lineup. Lighter? This bike is 12lbs lighter than a Dyna, and that's because it holds less fuel. Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining. This bike is a cost cut, just like the Dyna was a coat cut over the FXR. Take your balancers and your fake rigid frame and fuck off. Give me a bike without a bunch of crap flinging around in the cases and a frame that prioritizes rigidity over styling. Willie G isn't even part of the design team anymore. Can't you people get over the 50's?
ZLA Lemmy
First off, thanks for the honest reply. There's a lot of fluff and bullshit floating around this subject. I need to out myself as an FXR fanboi first off. I don't have a particular passion for the Dyna, but years of Harley ownership have instilled a full on hatred for all things Softail. The Softail has always been a shining example of the Willie G worshipping worst of the worst Harley rider. People who overlook the most egregious flaws in perpetual blind love for all things blessed by the bloodline of a family that saw the brand as a cash cow. I realize going back beyond the AMF days is a bit excessive, but why must we lie to ourselves about things. The Dyna is more about the movement that followed it than the bike. The wheelie/stunter crowd is the customer base that had potential to take Harley away from the nostalga/'Murica crowd. I had hoped to see HD embrace that crowd, and the Low Rider S and Sportster Roadster seemed to indicate that was happening. This chassis and attached marketing (presenting the fat bob as the flagship) is either really poorly done or incredibly arrogant. Either way, it's a move away from embracing that market, and by all appearances a move to attract the VMax/Diavel market. As you stated, those bikes will destroy this thing, let alone the rest of the lineup. I know there's still the segment that embraces the Heritage, Deluxe, and Slim models, but that's the same aging group that would buy almost anything that HD slapped their emblem on.
Is this real fast
Fast enough.
This motorcycle especially with those tires is the Michelangelo Donatello Ninja Turtle bike that's what it looks like Ninja Turtle bike