The legendary Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle defined the "fat custom" category and imitators everywhere tried to copy its magic. This original continues to turn heads wherever it rolls, with fat tires, fat bars, a fat fender and a big, powerful, black powder-coated, counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B engine. The Fat Boy model is the very definition of a heavyweight motorcycle, delivering a bold styling statement and a wide, comfortable riding stance.
I guess the first thing I should disclose is that I've never really liked the Fat Boy moniker that Harley-Davidson put on this Softail motorcycle. The logic for the first word in the Fat Boy name comes from the beefy appearance of the motorcycle, including a muscular 140 front tire. Is it a boy bike? As it turns out, the Fat Boy is a stunningly good boulevard cruiser. I'm a big fan of the balanced Twin Cam motor with the rigid mounting for city cruising. Everything is where it should be on the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.
That fat front tire, along with a boisterous 200 rear tire (both are Harley-Davidson branded Dunlop 17-inchers), gives the Fat Boy both a solid presence and a solid ride. The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy's weight all but disappears beneath you, thanks to the low-slung Softail frame. Despite the fat front tire, the Fat Boy is more than nimble enough around town. No one is going to describe the Fat Boy's Softail suspension as plush. Braking on a Harley-Davidson is always a crapshoot. In the case of the Fat Boy, the rear brake is the way to go. On the freeway, the Fat Boy is a decent ride. Yeah, 6th is stratospheric on this bike.
If you're the kind of rider who likes to head for the canyons, you'll find the Fat Boy a bit ponderous. Harley-Davidson did update the Fat Boy this year, but the changes are minor. The horn switch does double duty as the odometer switch.