Road Test: 2015 Harley Fat Bob

Positioned between the entry-level Sportster line and the wildly popular touring bikes, Harley-Davidson’s Dynas include models like the Street Bob, Lowrider, Wide Glide, and even a touring bike in disguise, the Switchback. Another notable member of the Dyna family, the Fat Bob we tested for Bikernet features a unique styling featuring dual headlights and taillights, massive wheels and tires, and blacked out finishes all around. The Fat Bob is a tough-looking bike that seems poised to kick ass in and around the urban jungle. 

 

The Fat Bob is powered by a 103-inch rubber mounted Twin Cam that produces generous amounts of grunt and more precisely, 98.8 ft. lbs. at 3500 RPM. It is meshed to a 6-speed transmission. Do yourself a favor and don’t be afraid to take advantage of the engine’s entire power band. Some riders tend to believe that these engines are only good at lower rpm. These guys can fail to enjoy the pull that Harleys have to offer up in higher revs. We certainly didn’t hold anything back during our test, letting the Fat Bob’s heavily muffled exhaust find its voice. 

 

As is often the case with all street-legal motorcycles, EPA constraints reduce the bark of the 103-inch rubber-mounted Twin Cam to a whisper. Fear not, there’s a very healthy aftermarket scene out there, and you can easily find a bolt-on replacement system that will change the looks, the tone and the performance of the Fat Bob. You will find some of these manufacturers under our ‘Sponsors’ tab on the Bikernet main page. 

 

Over the 49mm forks framed in blacked-out clamps are the wide, drag-style bars. These give you increased leverage so you can steer and tame the heavy front wheel’s inherent resistance, allowing for some surprisingly nimble moves on the road and in city traffic. This is important on a bike that tips the scales at a hair over 700 lbs in running condition. OK, so the Fat Bob isn’t a small bike by any means, but over time, you may end up figuring out ways to squeeze the most out of the lumbering beast. That’s what I did.

 

With increased performance comes the need to properly put all this available power to good use and to that end, Harley-Davidson made their optional Premium Ride Suspension upgrade available to us on this FXDF. The system includes a pair of Premium Ride Emulsion Shocks (P/N 54000066, $599.95). These trick-looking black anodized shocks are nitrogen gas-charged to resist oil aeration and work with the internal valve stack to provide increased compression and rebound damping control.

The 36mm pistons and low-viscosity high-performance oil allow these shocks to react quickly to small bumps and keep the tires in contact with the road surface for confident, controlled handling. A wider pre-load range offers more load capacity than Original Equipment shocks too.

You will need to use the locking threaded adjustment to fine-tune spring preload to the riding situation – from a solo back-road blitz to a fully-loaded two-up freeway tour. Urethane bumpers cushion bottoming under load.

These shocks are finished with black-anodized billet top caps and black progressively-wound springs. The kit includes a left and right shock and a preload adjustment spanner. It fits 2006-later Dyna models (except Switchback and 2007-‘08 CVO™ Fat Bob models).

 

You can also opt for the fork upgrade. The Premium Ride Single Cartridge Fork Kit(P/N 45400058, $349.95) is tuned to work in concert with the Premium Emulsion Rear Shocks. Fork damping is controlled by a specifically calibrated piston and valve stack that delivers a linear damping force curve for consistent feel throughout the compression and extension of the suspension. With this cartridge the forks react more quickly to rough roads, inspiring rider confidence in sweeping corners.

 

The compression piston provides low-speed damping for a better rider feel, and the rebound spring provides a smoother feel during topping. The cartridge fork resists bottoming and dive, and the triple-rate spring and oil lock allows the forks to absorb bumps and resist wheel hop for improved control under hard braking.

 

Since comfort and control are defining elements of Harley’s Premium Ride Suspension and as our Fat Bob came equipped with it, I decided to put the Dyna through a variety of challenging riding environments including construction zones, county roads and some less-than-glamorous sections of the L.A. Freeway system. 

 

In so many words, I can tell you that the Fat Bob sticks to the ground at all times. There was no wheel-hopping, skidding or ‘squirelly’ vibe coming from the back or the front. As a whole, the Premium Suspension setup delivered a smooth and confidence-inspiring ride that made my time on the Fat Bob a real treat. I noticed great compliance over road bumps, as the wheels seem to always maintain optimal contact with the surface. 

 

 

Further reinforcing that feeling is the bike’s deep saddle. It’s large and plush without looking like a couch cushion, and is arguably one of the best motorcycle seats I’ve experienced on any model. As for the optional ABS braking, it works well with the dual front discs and single rear unit to bring the hefty bike to a prompt stop in all conditions. As always, don’t release the pressure on the brakes if you ever get that ‘pulsing’ sensation; it’s just the ABS doing its job.

Overall, the Harley-Davidson FXDF gets our stamp of approval. Check out Harley-Davidson.com to find our more about customizing options and make sure to visit your local dealer to schedule a test ride.