Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114 2024 — Specifications

The Fat Bob received a small gift from the MoCo in 2023: cruise control. The era of electronics is set to settle into the entire Milwaukee production line. But given the character of this machine, will it really be activated!?

It has always been the rebel of the Harley lineup. A rule-breaker, a right-handed curve-bender, a troublemaker for those fond of provocation. A character trait that now extends to the entire model, from the bottom of the connecting rods to the end of the frame. Because everything changes: engine, chassis, silhouette! The Fat Bob is no longer what it was; it expresses more, and silences the detractors.

Let's start with the biggest shock of this new Bob. It's no longer a Dyna, but a Softail. We are therefore dealing with an entirely new generation, exchanging its dual lateral shock absorbers for the new faux-rigid frame. Does it betray its culture? Not really, because its surly spirit remains. And by adopting the new Softail structure, it benefits from a seriously increased rigidity. Not to mention another significant improvement in damping. Like the entire Softail range, it features a new shock absorber located under the seat, more effective and equipped with a practical adjustment knob just behind the right calf.

From the front, the Softail Fat Bob is menacing, and quite a bit so. Courage seems required to grasp its front fork. The inverted fork promises efficiency and rigor, holding a sizable front rim shod with a 150 mm wide tire. With a nice set of brake discs and a truncated fender, the wheel seems like a single block, ready to crush cinder blocks and sneakers. This major evolution is accompanied by a drastic weight loss. 15 kilos have flown off in the transformation.

Menacing, yes. Nothing seems better to qualify this new chapter of the Fat Bob. Its design is completely redesigned. More compact, even more stocky, it looks like it's returning from a wrestling match... with sociopathic bears. Since the previous model, the rear fender has been cut in half, the seat has gained a fuller profile, the tank has tightened, the exhaust line becomes ostentatious, and the offensive gaze shifts into a robotic joust. A beautiful array of LEDs, almost terrifyingly bold for a MoCo model. To the point that it looks like it's been borrowed from a Japanese bike. The Fat Bob is no longer the playful bike in the lineup; it's a savage looking for a brawl, with one of the most impactful designs in the modern history of the brand. It shakes things up, and they’re going to love it for that.

A strong, tense face must have the muscle tensed and worthy of its status. The Milwaukee Eight will respond perfectly. In our opinion, the 114 version is the one that best suits it. Such a sense of aggression must have a response, large injections of metal through pistons that long to burst the walls. And here is the job of the big twin: to rip out the emotion and atomize the past. Let's not even talk about the Twin Cam 107, almost forgotten. Let's see the vexation that the M8 114 intends to inflict on its rivals. The block sends 15.8 mkg at 3,500 rpm, as well as 93 horsepower in attack of emotions. With this effort, the Fat Bob can properly lift the heart, make passersby tremble, and challenge any pulsation enthusiast, whatever their nature. Full of torque, calming its vibrations at idle and tinged with modernism with its 2 spark plugs and 4 valves per cylinder, the M8 engine has not forgotten its fundamentals with a very American depth of operation, dug in the fever of Wisconsin.

What an entrance! For its conversion to Softail format and the appropriation of the Big Bloc M8, the Fat Bob has pulverized its identity towards an authentic demonstration of force. A grizzly of the road, for lovers of spicy dishes and mechanical subtraction.

M.B - Constructer photos