Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob in the driving report

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Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob in the driving report

Good vibrations?

The Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob is the only Softail to have an upside-down fork and frame tubes painted in matt black. And otherwise? How does the new Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob drive?

M.ad Max: “Fat Robert” comes across as mighty martial, cool and casual. "Muscular-crouched" is what Harley calls it. Accents are set by dominant, copper-colored elbows. The rear one first winds forward around the ignition cover like a boa constrictor and then hugs the front colleague in parallel. Great car! Stylistic devices: What is bulky and important is the roughly coarse profile of 16-inch tires with fat 150 mm front tires in a tracker look under the chopped front fender. It is crowned by the daring, slit-like rectangular headlights between widely spaced fork stanchions. A piercing look!

Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic in the driving report

What can the new Harley tourer do?

The only Softail with an upside-down fork

The Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob is the only Softail with an upside-down fork and frame tubes painted in matt black. Fat Bobs has been around since 1979, now for the first time in a rigid frame look. Black powder-coated, the V2 looks really bad. Here the fat 114er optionally works with a 102 instead of 100 bore and an insane 114.3 millimeter stroke (107: 111.1 mm). Makes 94 hp and 155 Nm. As with all Softail sisters, bolted rigidly in the new frame, the biggest twin is there right from the start. A lot of flywheel mass ensures a quiet resting heart rate: idle speed is now only 850, previously it was 1,000.

Traction control? Unfortunately not

Good vibrations? A lot when stationary – the balance shafts work effectively. Punch? No question. Here the kevlar-reinforced toothed belt is tearing. Oops, the 180 is sideways. Dunlop’s D 429 struggles for grip. Traction control? Unfortunately for all Harleys nil. At least the almost 1.9 liter V2 of the Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob can be put on the gas in a finely dosed manner via ride-by-wire. It sounds full-bodied, not obtrusively loud. According to the speedometer, 100 km / h means only 2,250 tours in sixth gear – a real overdrive. In the fifth it is a moderate 2650 rpm, it usually fits better. Red area: at 6,000 turns. But anyone who gets lost here simply has not understood it. The transmission, including all gears, primary, secondary and therefore overall gear ratios are identical on all Softails, regardless of whether they are 107 or 114.

Tour guide drives like a prick

Grabbing the bull by the horns with the thick butted, wide, flat handlebars turns you on. The English tour guide drives like a prick. He probably wants to demonstrate the significantly larger chassis reserves (full damping!) And slightly increased freedom from banking. Clearly, the footpegs placed far forward will scrabble at some point. American way of grinding. You quickly get used to the somewhat strange turning behavior of the wide front skin. Even so, the Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob rolls very well. In addition, the only double disc with four-piston calipers at the front offers the best braking performance of all Softails! A fat and expensive furnace, the Fat Bob 114. More show in series than with this custom bobber off the shelf is hardly possible. You can start at around 19,200 euros.

Technical data Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob

Engine:

Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 45-degree V-engine, transverse, two balance shafts, each with a chain-driven camshaft below, four valves per cylinder, rocker arm, hydraulic valve lifters, dry sump lubrication, injection , 2x Ø 55 mm, uncontrolled catalytic converter, Alternator 390 W, battery 12 V / 18 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt, secondary ratio 2.060.

Bore x stroke 100.0 x 111.1 [102.0 x 114.3] mm
Displacement 1,745 [1,868] cm³
Compression ratio 10.0 [10.5]: 1
Rated output 64.0 kW (87 PS) [69.0 kW (94 PS)] at 5020 rpm,
Max. Torque 145 [155] Nm at 3,000 rpm

Landing gear:

Double loop frame made of steel, telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm, triangular swing arm made of steel, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 292 mm, double-piston floating caliper, ABS.

Light alloy cast wheels 3.00 x 16; 5.00 x 16
Tires 150/80 16; 180/70 B 16

Dimensions + weights:

Wheelbase 1,615 mm, steering head angle 62.0 degrees, caster 132 mm, spring travel front / rear 130/113 mm, seat height 710 mm, empty weight 306 kg, permissible total weight 526 kg, tank capacity / reserve 13.2 / 3.8 liters, service 8,000 kilometer intervals.

Guarantee: four years

Color: Black, red, beige

Price: from 17,895 [from 19,195] euros

Additional costs: 540 euros

Manufacturer’s specifications, 107 cubic inches;
[Bracketed values: 114 cubic inches]

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