Quick Ride

Quick Ride

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB Old School goes cool

AS HARLEY-DAVIDSON looks forward to its 105th anniversary in 2008, the Fat Bob rat-rod is the Motor Company’s glance back over its shoulder, presenting enthusiasts with a modern interpretation of mid-’50s gnarly.

And if you think “rat” is used here as an insult, you don’t understand. Rat-rod is one of the 20th century’s purest aesthetics. It’s bad beauty. You know, it’s that look of favorite toys that get played with too much. “I’ll wash it when I die.”

Giving Fat Bob a stocky stance are 16-inch rims front and rear, with the front sporting a “chunky” (as Harley calls it) 130mmwide tire, complete with an aggressive tread pattern.

The wheels are classic hotrod-cast-aluminum with

oval slots-further enhancing the bike’s ’50s look. Also new on 2008 Dynas are braided stainless-steel brake lines for the dual front calipers. Above the wide rubber is a pair of 4-inch headlights in chrome pots, and behind them sits the classic big dual tanks with twin filler caps-the origin of Bob’s much-loved Fat.

Power comes from the Twin Cam 96-cubic-incher with EFI and a six-speed gearbox. Distinct details on the black powdercoated engine include a newly styled air-cleaner cover and 2-into-l-into-2 exhaust pipes with oval slots in the outer skin of the rear header, purposely designed to resemble the cooling vents on a Tommy Gun.

Completing Fat Bob’s theme of Fatness and

Bobness is a wide bobtail rear fender between dual rear shocks.

Fat Bob comes in seven colors, including a few lowglossers, but Harley is most true to Old School with the flat-black version. You need to check out the low-gloss colors such as Candy Red Sunglo, which is actually a sort of dullish, purplish, copperish... ah, forget it.

It’s indescribable; you need to see it.

Flat drag bars add to Bob’s performance stance, and the footpegs are available in either forward or mid-mount control placement. With a seat height of only 26.1 inches, it’s easy to get a leg over.

Harley-Davidson introduced Fat Bob in Baltimore, Maryland, together with its fleet of other new models, providing us with two days of riding across the state and into southern Pennsylvania. The model we rode had mid-mounted controls, which offered day-long comfort in a traditional riding position.

That chunky front tire posed a question: Would Fat Bob handle in a chunky manner? Nope. Surprisingly, Bob has light, neutral steering, and even U-turns happen with ease, the bike displaying no tendency whatsoever to fall into the turn.

The stocky, stout stance of Fat Bob gives him a look of solidness that’s unique. Of all of Harley’s many bikes, Mr. Bob just might be the most capable allaround mount, providing ease of use for short trips as well as grand comfort for blasts across the entire country. Seeing that big— oops, I mean Fat-flat-black tank between the seat and bars transports the rider emotionally. “I’m riding a hot-rod.” The main performance question with any Harley-Davidson is, “Do I look good on it?” The answer with Fat Bob is, “It looks so right, I feel good on it.”

Peter Jones