2010 Harley Fat Boy - My first review
Finally, I managed to clear my diary and take my 2010 Fat Boy out for a decent run. Since taking collection about a month ago, I’ve been restricted to half an hour here and half an hour there.
Yesterday, the hottest day of the year so far (and boy, didn’t I know it) I took Fat Boy from Dorridge, down the old A34, through Stratford and on towards Chipping Campden and finally to Etherington to meet up with an old friend at his house. John has a “G reg” 1200 Sportster and I was amazed at the difference in size between a modern Fat Boy and the older 1200’s with their skinny little tyres. As John put, he sit’s “on” his bike, whereas he considered that I sat “in” mine.
After a mug of tea and some idle chit-chat, I got on my way again, setting out for home. The longer than normal ride there and back, gave me a taste for my stock handle-bar set-up which I had adjusted the previous night, pushing the bars forward by about two inches. Maybe the previous owner had adjusted them back a long way but they finally felt just nice. I’ve been thinking about making the investment in some 16 inch Apes and frankly, now that I’ve had two hours in the saddle, I’m not so sure I’d be doing the right thing. My problem is that I’m after a “look”. So I may have to sacrifice comfort for my daft ego.
In terms of performance, I’m really happy with the pulling power of these 1584cc engines. I have the stage 1 kit with Vance and Hines Big Radius exhausts, not only do they sound awesome, but she pulls like a train. I love the sound when I open her up and the revs are holding her back a tad. I thought about trying to describe the sound of a big twin on the written page. I gave up!
Handling is better than expected, although for some reason, I’m still anxious over right handers, particularly slower speeds like Stonebridge Island for instance. I’m wary and feel that I’m somehow on a knife-edge. Is this because the bike’s unbalanced now that we took the stock exhausts off? I’m hoping this is mostly in my head since I seem to be getting over it slowly. Fast right-handers are fine.
I’ll leave you with a thought. In the main, machines take the feminine form, therefore trains, ships, cars and bikes are referred to as “she” but my Fat Boy seems a wee bit too boyish to be called a “she”. Do I persevere and continue down the “she” line or come up with a new form? Jury’s out :)
