Rod Chapman•5 Dec 2013

REVIEW

Harley-Davidson FXDF Fat Bob

Name: Harley-Davidson FXDF Fat Bob
Brand: Harley-Davidson

Discover why Harley-Davidson's FXDF Fat Bob is the Motor Co's top-selling model Down Under. It looks tough, rides well, and is a lotta bike for the money

The popularity of individual Harley models ebb and flow and right now, years after its 2007 introduction, the FXDF Fat Bob is enjoying its time in the spotlight. To the end of September 2013 a total of 525 Fat Bobs had rolled off showroom floors, making it Harley’s top-selling model Downunder and indeed Australia’s seventh-best-selling road bike.

For 2014 the Fat Bob has copped a styling makeover, receiving Harley’s ‘Dark Custom’ treatment, which in this case includes a variety of blacked-out components including its alloy slotted-disc rims, tripleclamps, headlight trim, rear shock covers, and battery box cover. The diagonal stripe on the fuel tank is another fresh touch, as are the ‘blunt-cut’ staggered mufflers, the instrument console, the slash-cut rear guard, and the recessed twin LED taillights. The seat is also new, with a new design, a perforated cover and silver contrast stitching.

Still available in Vivid Black and Black Denim, for 2014 the Fat Bob is joined by Amber Whiskey and Sand Camo Denim paint schemes.

TOUGH GUY

The model’s press blurb waxes lyrical about the Fat Bob’s tough-guy stance but looking at Bikesales Network’s press bike, in moody Black Denim, it’s difficult to disagree. This is a solid, muscular machine and with its chunky 16in rubber, low and internally wired drag ’bars, acres of black, and substantial tank, it’s every inch the backstreet brawler.

With a low 690mm seat height, getting on the thing should prove easy for anyone taller than a garden gnome. Don’t be misled, though – with a wet weight of 320kg it’s still a hefty beast to manhandle in the drive.

The Fat Bob fires up with its trademark V-twin tattoo, which even with stock pipes is still pleasing to the ear (not that that will save them from a life of dust and dead spiders in the corner of most owners’ sheds).

The ride position is at once both comfortable and commanding and it should accommodate a wide range of rider heights. I’m 188cm (6ft 2in) tall and I appreciate the generous legroom, the easy stretch to the ’bars, and the largely upright ride position.

The seat deserves special mention. It’s incredibly plush and comfy – more like settling into a beanbag than straddling a traditional cruiser ‘saddle’ – and the lumbar support holds my backside firmly in place under hard acceleration.

READY FOR TAKEOFF

Hard acceleration, you say? You better believe it – wind on the throttle from a red light and the Fat Bob surges forward, turning cars into specks in its mirrors in short order. The Twin Cam 103 engine is a sweet unit, producing a powerful wave of useable torque from low down and right through its beefy midrange.

The bike might visibly shake with vibration at a standstill – all part of the attitude – but it smooths right out with a few revs, though leaving plenty of V-twin character. Actually, the mirrors do blur considerably, but that’s not unexpected in a bike with two big ol’ pistons thumping away beneath you.

There’s ample punch available at road-legal speeds and even at 110km/h on the freeway there’s plenty of oomph for overtaking. At 100km/h in sixth gear the ultra-relaxed mill is barely ticking over at 2250rpm.

Speaking of gears, Harley’s six-speed Cruise Drive transmission offers a good spread of ratios and shifts up or down with little fuss. Sixth gear is tall – strictly for the highway. Big-inch cruiser folk will be impressed with its refinement, while others may think it’s a little clunky, mainly when shifting between lower gears at lower speeds. It works well enough, though sometimes it takes a little extra prodding to find neutral.

The fuelling also holds up its end of the deal, although the Fat Bob can get a little lumpy when trickling along at low speed, like when in stop-start traffic. Still, it’s not enough to really be a bother, and it’s hardly the native habitat for a long-legged brute like this, even if the fairly narrow ’bars mean it’s far more adept at lane filtering than its specs may suggest.

GET DOWN

Dynas have always been up the sportier end of the Harley spectrum and the Fat Bob upholds the tradition well. It’s a weighty machine but its no-frills chassis and suspension package handle the bulk well, the thing tipping into corners with a light-enough shove of the ’bars before tracking nicely through the bend.

With a 29-degree rake, rangy 1620mm wheelbase and fat rubber it’s hardly blessed with the agility of a superbike but treat it with respect and it rewards with a stirring ride that soothes the soul.

The cornering clearance is healthy for a heavyweight cruiser but the suspension finds its limit over bigger bumps and dips, which transmit a fair jolt to my spine. Overall, however, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the bends, even if the kneeslider set may scoff at the comparatively sedate pace.

Who cares? Not me – I’ll leave the sportsbikes to keep the cops and their cameras entertained while I revel in that Harley thunder at or near the speed limit.

The brakes offer good power and decent feel and they’re backed by the safety net of ABS – no complaints there.

I recorded an average fuel economy of 5.4/100km, which gives a safe working range of around 320km from the 18.9-litre tank. That’s great going for a large machine and the comfort afforded by the seat and ride position allows me to make full use of its distance-devouring ability.

Glitches? Only that the sidestand sits flush with the primary cover, making it a little tricky to hook and, as mentioned, those blurry mirrors.

The analogue speedo has a small inset LCD display, the trip button on the left-hand handlebar allowing me to dial up one of two trip meters, the odometer, clock, gear/rpm indicator, and the always-handy ‘range to empty’.

The self-cancelling indicators work well and I love the keyless ignition – just keep the fob in your pocket, jump on, flick the central console switch to ‘on’, and away you go.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Fat Bob’s overall finish is superb. I like the matt Black Denim tank and guards, and the red diagonal stripe adds a pleasing dash of colour. Quality touches abound, like the recessed twin LED taillights, the laser-etched ‘Harley-Davidson’ branding on the alloy rims, and the high standard of the chrome.

After 500 or so kays aboard the Fat Bob, I can definitely see its appeal. It looks tough, it rides well, the quality is there and, at $25,495 rideaway, it’s a lotta Hog for the money. It’s Big Twin kudos without the Big Playa bank balance – and it’s a thumbs up from me.

SPECS: HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDF FAT BOB

ENGINE

Type: Air-cooled, four-stroke, OHC, two-valves-per-cylinder, 45-degree, Twin Cam 103 V-twin

Capacity: 1690cc

Bore x stroke: 98.4mm x 111.3mm

Compression ratio: 9.6:1

Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE

Claimed maximum power: N/A

Claimed maximum torque: 131Nm at 3500rpm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Six speed

Final drive: Belt

Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR

Frame: Tubular steel

Front suspension: 49mm conventional fork, non-adjustable

Rear suspension: Twin shocks, adjustable for preload

Front brakes: Twin discs with four-piston calipers

Rear brake: Single disc with twin-piston caliper

Wheels: Cast alloy

Tyres: Dunlop D427, 130/90B16 front, 180/70B16 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Rake: 29 degrees

Trail: 125mm

Claimed wet weight: 320kg

Seat height: 690mm

Ground clearance: 125mm

Wheelbase: 1620mm

Fuel capacity: 18.9 litres

OTHER STUFF

Price: $25,495 rideaway

Colour: Vivid Black, Black Denim, Sand Camo Denim or Amber Whiskey

Test bike supplied by: Harley-Davidson Australia, www.harley-davidson.com.au

Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres

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Harley-Davidson FXDF Fat Bob

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