Harley-Davidson updated its touring line-up last year; the new range comes with the new Milwaukee-Eight engine, which has proved to be rather impressive. The Milwaukee-Eight engine is only the third-generation of the big twin engine in the last 80 years. This new-gen motor has brought with it a range of updates including four valves and twin spark plugs per cylinder for more efficiency.
Of the eight new Softails which have been launched, four are headed to India. But the most radical looking of these has to be the Fat Bob, so we decided to give it a go first.
On the outside
While talking about the styling of the Fat Bob, they said it was designed for the zombie apocalypse. And there no is doubt in that; it would look perfect ridden by Milla Jovovich in the next Resident Evil movie. The small 16-inch wheels with thick 150-section front and 180-section rear tyres add to its character. The bronze finished exhaust headers flow into short stubby mufflers, further adding to its muscular look are the short, chopped fenders at both ends. The entire 2018 Softail range features LED headlamps, however, the Fat Bob’s rectangular headlight gives it character and a unique look.
Powering the motorcycle
The Milwaukee-Eight engine is available in two different capacities internationally – the 114 (1,868cc) and the 107 (1,745cc). India will only get the smaller 107 version. Harley says that the new engine will run cooler thanks to its ‘precision oil cooling’. A big advantage of the efficient cooling is that it has resulted in a quicker revving engine.
The new Harley’s performance has gone up, thanks to a significant loss in weight. The chassis alone has gone down in weight by 6 to 8kg and the overall weight loss figure is 17kg. The chassis is now redesigned and stiffer by 65 percent than the outgoing models. The suspension has been completely redesigned, which has led to a setup with a monoshock hidden under the seat. Not only does this give the Harley a traditional hard tail look, it also improves ride quality and handling.
The ride
The Fat Bob is developed to be the performance model of the new Softail range. The Fat Bob has the sharpest rake from the line-up at 28 degrees. Moreover, it is the only bike to get 43mm inverted forks and twin front disc brakes, like the new Roadster. This version of the Softail also gets a remote preload adjustor for the rear monoshock. All of this make this big motorcycle surprisingly nimble; however it doesn’t turn in as quickly as the Street Bob. Nonetheless, it scores higher in mid-corner stability and gets improved cornering clearance. The Fat Bob scraped its pegs the least of the Softails we rode in the two days. The riding position will not convince someone to go fast around bends at first, but the Fat Bob manages to do it with grace, that is, if you put in the effort at the handlebars.
Pricing
The Fat Bob, along with the other India-bound Softails, will be launched by mid-October. The new engine and tech will marginally increase prices. The outgoing Fat Bob costs ₹13.5 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the new one is expected to be priced between ₹14.5 lakh and ₹15 lakh.
