Harley-Davidson is the Madonna or the Michael Jackson of the motorcycle world. The company has the experience to know what works and sometimes that simply means refreshing an old favourite and transforming it into something ‘new'.
And there's another good reason for reinvention. Harley's income plummeted along with the global recession and the company has had to lay off more than 1,500 workers, close Buell and sell the MV Agusta, purchased only recently. Nota great couple of years.
Hence the new Fat Boy Special. Originally introduced in 1990, there'sa story that the Fat Boy was named after the atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima (Fat Man and Little Boy) and that the silver paint scheme had been inspired by the Second World War American B-29 bomber. Urban myth perhaps, but the story doesn't appear to have had a negative effect on the Fat Boy's sales. Possibly because most Americans have no objection to live nuclear testing, but probably because it's a genuinely good bike and it looked so cool when ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2.
The Fat Boy and the new Special version are both from the Softail range. The term applies to Harley-Davidson bikes designed to look like vintage bikes (those without rear springs) but with the comfort of modern suspension hidden underneath the chassis. And rather than being rubber mounted like the Touring or Dyna models' engines, the Softail's Twin-Cam powerhouse is rigid mounted in the frame with a counterbalance shaft to reduce vibration a little.
A hefty 125Nm of torque is delivered with rumbling conviction from just 3,500rpm. The lazy nature of an engine with so much potential at low revs blends perfectly with the rest of the bike's character.
The power delivery is smooth with a delicious roll-on/roll-off vibe and the bike glides around bends; it doesn't so much turn in, but dip.
The Fat Boy Special is quite a size, weighing 330kg ready to roll, but it's all perfectly controllable once you're up and running. If the engine stays calm, so do the vibrations. Excite it with high revs and the mirrors tremble in response, so it makes perfect sense to have a ‘Cruise Drive' gear which works like a mechanical ‘chill pill'. Slide into sixth, a green gear indicator lights up on the display, the revs drop and the bike's vibrations relax.
The riding position is relaxed too, as long as your pace is gentle: both legs spread either side of the 19.7-litre fuel tank, complete with a satin-chrome console, speedometer and ignition switch,a leather tank panel with the Harley-Davidson medallion and satin-chrome tank side badges. The stainless steel ‘mini beach' handlebars are narrower than the standard Fat Boy's and all the wiring is stashed away internally, so they look uncluttered and clean. They're a comfortable stretch away and with the bike's ample steering lock and low centre of gravity, the Fat Boy Special is agile and easy to steer at low speeds.
The feet-forward cruiser riding style is not overly exaggerated. Sometimes, hugging the fattest tree in the world from ground level would be more comfortable than riding an outstretched low rider, but this is not too bad. The half-moon footboards and the low 680mm seat could be adjusted to suit my long legs as I could feel my lower back pressing into the rear of the re-shaped saddle. In general though, the custom-styled Special is quite comfortable in town and towards the maximum speed limit. Beyond that or into a brisk wind and the bike's unprotected front end makes the windblast feel like it's trying to strip you off the bike, peeling your fingers from the bars as it presses against your chest, tearing your thighs away from their contact patch on the bike. If you intend to ride everywhere flat stick, cancel your gym membership — you won't need it.
The Fat Boy Special isn't about sports riding though, it's about chilling. It has 5mm less ground clearance than the base model and a lower lean angle, but it can still give a rewarding ride. The brakes however, need consideration. As longas you're prepared to think ahead andcan anticipate the need to scrub speed, they're OK. Haul the anchors on foran emergency stop and the power isless impressive.
There's not really much difference between the standard Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and the Special. It's basically a darker, lower ride with narrower handlebars. So although only one bike is called Special, they both are really.
Specs & rating
- Model: Fat Boy Special
- Engine: 1,584cc air-cooled V-twin
- Transmission: Belt drive through six- speed gearbox
- Max power: NA @ NA
- Max torque: 125Nm @ NA
- Weight: 313kg (dry)
- Fuel capacity: 19.7 litres
- Price: Dh83,900
- Plus: Low vibrations, comfortable riding position
- Minus: Brakes
