Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy 2011 — Specifications

Speaking of the Fat Boy is to evoke a piece of American popular culture on two wheels. While one immediately thinks of that iconic scene from Terminator 2, it's amusing to note a detail for the purists: contrary to what the heads-up display in Terminator shows, the motorcycle presented in the film is actually a 1991 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy. This confusion does nothing to diminish its aura, quite the contrary. It crystallizes an ideal of raw and imposing custom, a block of chrome steel that seems hewn from a single ingot.

In 2011, the beast evolved, but its DNA remains intact. Beneath its rigid frame appearance, Softail technology conceals rear suspension that softens the jolts of the roads without betraying the line. The engine, now a 1584 cm3 Twin Cam 96 V2, delivers a torque of 127 Nm from 3000 rpm, a value that is felt more than it is analyzed. The announced power, 73 horsepower, may make sports enthusiasts smile, but here, the important thing is elsewhere. It is this fat push, this vibrant rumble that counts, a sensation amplified by the weight of 330 kg fully fueled. One does not ride a Fat Boy, one rides it.

On the road, the behavior is in the image of its style: affirmed and uncompromising. The position is low, the handlebar is wide, the 699 mm seat installs you close to the valve covers. The generous wheelbase and the 200 mm wide rear tire offer reassuring stability, but make tight turns a weighting exercise. The wide footpegs touch early, reminding you that this machine is made to swallow straight lines, not to scratch curbs. Braking, with its single disc at the front, requires anticipation, but the standard ABS provides a welcome safety net on this colossus.

Compared to its Japanese rivals, more nervous and lighter, the 2011 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy does not play in the same league. It is aimed at those who seek an experience, a presence, a lifestyle much more than a simple means of transportation. At 20,725 euros, it is a significant investment for a motorcycle that displays a modest top speed of 160 km/h. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. The target audience is clear: the contemplative traveler, the chrome aesthete, the one for whom the journey is as much about attitude as it is about destination. It is a motorcycle with character, with its assumed flaws and irreplaceable qualities. An icon that, despite the years, keeps its bulk well in place.