2011 Fat Bob Model Review

2011 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob

With forward-mounted foot controls, drag-style handlebar and a sleek, two-up seat, the Fat Bob® motorcycle creates an aggressive riding position that commands respect from the road. Truly fat from start to finish, the Fat Bob features a 130 mm wide front tire with a gnarly, robust tread pattern, emphasizing the aggressive character of the “fat custom” ride. Out back, the high-performance, chrome-covered, coil-over shocks showcase the beefy 180 mm wide rear tire and perfectly complement the Fat Bob’s outstanding handling attributes. (Courtesy of Harley-Davidson)

The Harley Fat Bob is a bike unlike any other I have encountered in my Harley-Riding life. I compare it to the bastard child of a Jeep and a Fatboy after a night of ungodly swinging and partying. This bike has the aggressive styling Dyna’s are renowned for combined with the rugged appearance of a standard Fatboy. The fit and finish are second to none, as is common on today’s Harley-Davidson.

I took this bike through its paces over many of the urban landscape I traverse every day. She took everything I could throw at it and shit the remains behind her like a bulldozer tearing up the earth. I felt as if I was riding one of the four horses of the apocalypse!

The Sedona Orange paint glittered in the sun like a bass boat ready to hit the lake. I loved how the colors seemed to reflect the pearl in different shades the more I moved from side to side. Having recently reviewed a 2011 Ultra Classic, a 2010 Police Special, 2010 XR 1200,and riding my personal VRSCDX, I have had an array of different riding platforms to compare to. While the XR-1200 s what I would term an urban assault weapon, Harley’s description of the Fat-Bob as a back alley brawler hits the nail on the head.

The drag bars were beautifully clean with the internal wiring and slight pullback position. I love an aggressive motorcycle, and the Fat-Bob is a nasty beast ready to tear up the streets. Lane-splitting, hair raising, goose bump-producing, adrenaline rushes are all a common occurrence on this bike. I was able to maneuver this bike easily in traffic, parking lots, and rolling twisties. I’d love to ride one of these after the air-starved stock mufflers and air cleaner have been ripped off and replaced with a couple of performance modifications. I’d bet a mild cam, new pipes, and a tuner would make this bike SCREAM!

Like all the Dyna line, The Fat-Bob incorporates the Twin Cam 96 with 6-speed transmission. Dual-disc front brakes make this machine stop as well as it goes and gives the bike a performance edge over it’s other Dyna counterparts.

I LOVE the tread patter on the tires and although they appear to resemble dirt bike knobby, they were very smooth on the freeway! I had no trouble with the pesky lane reflectors even on the last day I rode her, which was marred by the rain. Speaking of which, the stock fenders do a decent job of keeping the water and road grime off of you, but you will get a small amount of skunk-back from the rear overspray.

Once again I’d like to thank Republic Harley Davidson for giving me the opportunity to test ride the bike and I hope you will stop by them the next time you may be in the Houston area. If you do, tell them Johnny from Bikernet sent ya…I promise they won’t throw you a beating.

·                     1 Prices listed are the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices. Options such as color are available at additional cost. Prices exclude dealer setup, taxes, title and licensing and are subject to change. Dealer prices may vary.

·                     2 Measurement reflects 180 lb. (81.7 kg) operator weight.

·                     3 Recommended 91 octane or higher fuel (R+M)/2.

·                     4 Values shown are nominal. Performance may vary by country and region.

·                     5 Standard and optional fuel systems may vary by country.

·                     6 Estimated from fuel economy tests on a sample motorcycle from the corresponding family conducted by Harley-Davidson under ideal laboratory conditions. Not all motorcycle models undergo fuel economy testing. Fuel economy and mileage may vary among motorcycle models within a family. Your mileage may vary depending on your personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition and vehicle configuration and other conditions. Break-in mileage may vary.

·                     7 Standard and optional wheels may vary by country and region.

·                     8 North America security system includes immobilizer; outside North America the security system includes immobilizer and siren.

·                     9 See motorcycle owner’s manual for complete details.

·                     © 2001-2010 H-D. All rights reserved.

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