This one time, a time-travelling android rode, what was to become, an iconic motorcycle to rescue an obnoxious teenager who would later go on to save the human race. If it wasn’t for that motorcycle, John Connor would have been murdered and life as we know it would have come to an end. At least, that’s what I learned from Terminator 2 when I saw it when I was 7, so forgive me if I’m already slightly partial to this bike.
That motorcycle was a 1990 Fat Boy.
The Fat Boy has maintained its iconic looks over the last two and a half decades(!!!), as its styling has improved only subtly. I was lucky enough to be riding the Fat Boy S, which is the premium version of the regular Fat Boy. In the Fat Boy S the signature chrome look of Harley Davidson is gone – instead, you get a brooding matte or glossy black motorcycle that screams style and, well, also literally screams. The Fat Boy S comes with a Screamin’ Eagle twin-cam as standard (producing 146Nm of torque). The over/under shotgun exhausts sound lovely and complement the roaring V-twins. These extras on the Fat Boy S, which include cruise control, push the price up to AED 106.5K, compared to the regular Fat Boy, which retails at AED 96k, has an air-cooled, twin-cam 1700cc engine producing 126Nm of torque.
Clutch down, feet up, the Fat Boy S is surprisingly agile for a heavy cruiser. It’s extremely well balanced and because it’s lighter than its heavier brothers (the Road King etc.), that makes it easier for the weight transfer as well as leaning into corners, even though it weighs 320kgs. The ride is smooth as butter and deceptively light. The thick 140/200 Dunlops on both front and rear mean you have tons of grip for cornering, overtaking or speeding off the line.
That agility is a bit of a double-edged sword. The combination of the thick rubber, balance and low center of gravity of the Fat Boy S will give you the confidence to lean in further than you would on the heavier cruisers, which means if you’re not careful, you’ll end up scraping the footrests on your turns. The bike almost goads you into leaning further, because it can handle it, then the scraping sound of the footrest against the tarmac reminds you that you’re riding a heavy cruiser and not a street shredder. Not the worst of flaws, but definitely something that you need to keep in mind, especially around smaller roundabouts or U-turns.
As mentioned earlier, the big block you’re sitting on delivers plenty of torque – 146Nm of it. So much so, that overtaking in the 6th gear requires only a slight flick of your wrist – part of which is credited to the Fat Boy S’ electronic throttle, which levels out the throttle response. Like it’s bigger brothers, the Fat Boy S is deceptively quick and while the vibrations of the 1800cc twin cam are more noticeable than the bigger Harleys, it’s still very, very manageable.
The seats are comfortable and riding position has you sitting low, just above the block, with the handlebars within natural reach. I’m not a fan of high-rise handlebars so these work just fine for me. One thing I’d add to the rear seat every time is a back rest. You don’t want your passenger falling off and if they’re going to be clinging on for dear life (which they will if you don’t have the backrest), your helmets will smack into one another.
And while there are modern touches in the tech department, the console hasn’t changed in probably two and a half decades! It’s still got the iconic control knob right in the center, below the big speedometer, with the fuel gauge and fuel cover on either sides. The only thing to watch out here is that if you’re wearing a full face helmet (and you should) you can’t really see the speedometer without having to physically look down – which when you’re riding through the busy highways in the UAE can cost you one second too many. And though, as many of my friends know, I am a huge fan of Harley and the Fat Boy S, one thing that would make the bike even better and easier on the legs would be liquid-cooling it. I took the FBS into the heart of Bur Dubai’s traffic during rush hour and my legs regretted the decision.
Still with its classic look, blacked out frame and air cooled Screamin’ Eagle twin cam, the 2016 Harley Davidson Fat Boy S is a sight to behold and a pleasure to ride.
Photography Credit: Lakshik Perera
