2003 FatBoy

[Zeus36]

Thanks Zeus,

Think you just changed my mind. I’ve always wanted a fat boy because of that crappy 2nd terminator movie. Who was I kidding? I got rid of a perfectly good road glide ultra because it’s too friggin slow, hot, lopey, I know better... Back to searching for a cruiser mama be happy on all day.

When I bought the black Fat Boy with the red pinstripe, I didn't even realize it was a Terminator 2 paint scheme. (Smaller pinstripe than the 91). I love my Fat Boy, just won't go twin cam.
Been riding and working on Harleys since 1982. Took the Wide Glide apart and reassembled it in my basement in Ohio the winter I bought it.

A few months ago I picked up a 30th Anniversary Gold Wing GL 1800 in Candy Red - it's my daily driver. Same torque as my Gen 2! Now the choices for weekend riding are Vmax Gen2 for dusting any competition, Fat Boy for quick trips, Vmax Gen1 for fun or scaring the public, Gold Wing for groceries or parts runs. Used the Honda to pick up parts from the Harley dealership

I'll second Parminio's suggestion for a Gold Wing to haul your better half... I don't ride the GL 1800 like most of the Gold Wing folks. I'm redlining first and second often and bumping the rev limiter during shifts. They move well for a big bike. That new DCT version 7-speed automatic is getting heaps of praises.




Some Fat Boy eye candy for you...

 

[Vmxmario]

There is also the triumph rocket 3 which makes the fat boy look svelte.
View attachment 80133

The Rocket 3 was the most ridiculous, heavy, leg cooking, with a John Deere looking engine, I rode in my life !!
Even the Gold Wing feels light and nimble compared to the Triumph
The engine (the most visual and main attraction of the bike) looks like a farmers tractor, which puts this bike on the
same league of mechanical abortions like The Boss Hoss.

 

[DreamV4]

How about a kawasaki vn1500.

One of my favorite bikes, I had about 5 of them. Lots of power.
Rocket3 is my dream bike, there is nothing more respectable! All Harleys are just kids toys, comparing to Rocket.

 

[gentsvmax]

As sad as this is to say
I’ll throw a couple of cents in the ring on this.
Forever I have been anti Harley all kinds of bikes over the years but no to Harley had a really beautiful red 2010 vmax I did what I wanted to it had it setup beautiful for me my own work.I even ghosted flames on the intake cover to match the 2005 I had put a lot of Kim’s on that bad girl
Had a brain fart
I had been looking at 2013 Fat Bobs for awhile very traditional
so I traded the Gen 2 for a beautiful bone stock red head see the theme here
There is some kind of weird cave man thing about riding a harley it is very true if you are really going to ride it and push it it’s brute force again very cool
Well I tooled around on that for awhile did some nice work to it all harley wille g stuff the skull
One winter I decided I would take the next step I bought a turnkey Vance and Hines big radius set up again all my own work the intent was to bring it to where I could really push it riding
harley believes this to be a true riders bike.an oversized set of Avon cobras I was done
tore up the back roads for a couple years and a year on the east coast. I had bought bags over time and a high back for my now wife all easily removable for dual or solo Cool
And the siren Call of a vmax I saw an add for a 3500km 2014 vmax it was to much for me to deal with took a drive to Halifax and drove it home it was a very comfortable feeling sort of like an angry hug
I gues the point is this if you can get a fuel injected 103 dyna looney at stop lights but pans out liquid smooth Gold.
I have had my limit in carbureted engines I’ve moved on
the work that was done was my own with carefully selected stock bikes once you start stepping outside of that things get pricey
most times I’ll be quite honest I don’t like other peoples mods so much
Harley is a cool ride but my soul belongs to a naked gen2 and I throw the bags over it and cruise and ride that regardless of what my buddies are riding sure I got to stop for gas more often but hey it’s all about your ride
For sure there are really nice world cruisers that are for better price
you will have less headaches with fuel injection
Be warey of mods have a really good look
Bring a white piece of paper with you for checking oil
Be suspicious of a bike that is warm when you get there
It should be cold and started when you arrive when it gets warm use your paper you would be surprised at times

Sorry for the rant my wife is doing a first aid course at the bee yard and waiting to grab her for lunch break

Cheers
Peter

Yea the carbs are a headache for sure, the ONLY reason I'm straying around the HD dealerships.
I went Saturday to Rocky Mountain Harley with my brother, he just picked up a big HD, looked at a sick-*** 114 Break Out, some Dyna,s and other big bikes of which names I cant remember, King, classic, road and glide come to mind. I am sure the one for me will be at least a 114 and of course 6spd.

I just cant get over how much jap bike I could get for a third of the price of everything I thought I could see myself with at the HD store.

Sure feels good though when I see a group of HD guys crowded around my Max and taking pics of it.
If I do get a wild hair and pull the trigger on the Harley I wont be gettin rid of my Vmax.
Thanks for that story and good advice CoastalGrey, Ill keep a clean white shop towel for the oil check, used or new bike LOL.

 

[wacokid]

I got a helluva deal in '14 on a '13 Rd Glide Ultra Classic. And being the last year of the RG (discontinued), I thought I should jump on it. I still had my FJR, and two more projects in the garage. We flew to SD to pick it up and rode all the way back to Tejas in August. I was caught off guard how hot a HD is. Yes, it was August, but even without a helmet it was damn near unbearable in OK/N TX. I rode the FJR with a helmet and gear 58,000 miles in 15-20 states and it never felt that hot. Kept RG 3 years, put 5k miles on it (pathetic, I know), sold it for the same I bought it for, and sold every project I had to start up/build a shopdiminium on some land we finally paid off. Sold the house when that was completed for a wonderful profit in '20, two weeks before the "lockdown" (thank god closing went thru), or I wouldn't have the Max now.

I want a Wing, she says I'm not old enough yet, even it is the F6B. I even want another FJR, but she never liked riding on that one. Her favorite I've had was the first brand new bike I ever bought. '01 V-Star Classic 1100. I was 26, 6', 205lbs, 30" waist. Now I'm still 205, but 5'11" and shrinking apparently, 33/34" waist and don't want to be fat guy on a little bike... Showed her All the bigger ones and she's nope, nah, oh god no, lol. Maybe I just build her a bike and ride my max Han Solo..or just show up with something, idk.

Thanks for all the replies, and am I ever glad Monday is finally in the books.

 

[tbird71]

Nothin wrong with a fat guy on a little bike as long as it's not TOO little.
I'm a lil fat and while an 1100 VStar is certainly not "little" it's def not for me. I like the BIG Yams like the zv1900 Roadliner and the Royal Star v4s. And yes a 2013 HD RG Ultra with a 103 Twin Cam WILL be hot. I have a 2015 Police FLHTP and it's very bearable with no lowers to trap heat and no trunk. I personally like the 103 motor by that time HD had finally got the Twin Cam dialed in IMO

 

[vmax101]

Nothin wrong with a fat guy on a little bike as long as it's not TOO little.
I'm a lil fat and while an 1100 VStar is certainly not "little" it's def not for me. I like the BIG Yams like the zv1900 Roadliner and the Royal Star v4s. And yes a 2013 HD RG Ultra with a 103 Twin Cam WILL be hot. I have a 2015 Police FLHTP and it's very bearable with no lowers to trap heat and no trunk. I personally like the 103 motor by that time HD had finally got the Twin Cam dialed in IMO

Sooner or later, if we're lucky, we all become fat guys riding a bike!