Originally Posted by DShizzle

I thought the Fat Bob had the Bobbed tail fender because..........

I was in the thinking that...early on they put a sportster front end on the Electra Glide...called it the Super Glide...I thought... it was '80 or '81 they used the fat tank and bobbed tail fender...called it a Fat Bob...later on used the stripped down Electra Glide (wider set) front end with the sportster tire...called it the Wide Glide...somewhere down the line it got a belt and some rubber mounts (when they coined the Dyna term) and was called the Dyna Wide Glide. Now, they terminated the Wide Glide.

Originally Posted by Robert Le Gras

It returned.

Dyna

Design work began on the replacement for the FXR chassis shortly after the first FXR bikes were offered.[7] The Dyna chassis was introduced in 1991 with a limited-production FXDB Sturgis model. The engine mounting system was more vibration-resistant than that of the FXR.[8]

The Sturgis was followed in 1992 by the limited-edition FXDB Daytona which featured a bobtail fender unlike the normal rounded steel fender offered in 1992.[7] Also introduced in 1992 was the FXDC Dyna Glide Custom. Apart from the paint scheme, the Dyna Glide Custom was virtually identical to the Daytona. Dyna Customs were all painted black and silver, and the early models featured a silver powder coat on the frame. Later production units featured a black frame.[citation needed]

In 1993 the faired and bagged FXRT Sport Glide was discontinued and the FXRS Low Rider was displaced by the FXDL Dyna Low Rider, although the FXRS-Conv Convertible and the FXRS-SP Low Rider Sport continued to be offered. The FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide was introduced in the same year. The Low Rider Sport was discontinued in 1994.

Between the 1991 introduction of the Dyna chassis and the end of the 1994 model year, all Dyna models had a 32° rake. In 1995 the FXD Dyna Super Glide and the FXDS-Conv Dyna Glide Convertible were introduced. These Dynas had a 28° rake and replaced the FXR Super Glide and the FXRS-Conv Low Rider Convertible, which were the last FXR models in regular production.

The FXD Super Glide, and the FXDL Low Rider have been in production ever since. The FXDX Super Glide Sport was introduced in 1999, featuring improved suspension components and triple disc brakes. The FXDX-T Super Glide T-Sport, with a fork mounted fairing and improved detachable saddlebags, replaced the FXDS-Conv Dyna Convertible in 2001, and was discontinued in 2004.
2005 Dyna Super Glide Custom

The FXDC returned to the line in 2005 as the Super Glide Custom.

In 2006, a new Dyna chassis was introduced[11] along with a new six-speed transmission.[citation needed] In the same year, the base FXDI Super Glide became a single-seat motorcycle, the FXDBI Street Bob, a minimal, single seat Dyna Glide motorcycle was added to the lineup, the limited edition FXDI35 35th Anniversary Super Glide was offered, and the FXDX Super Glide Sport was discontinued.

In 2007, the Twin Cam 88 engine was replaced by the 1584cc Twin Cam 96 engine across the Harley-Davidson Big Twin lineup, including the FXD series. The 35th Anniversary Super Glide from 2006 became the 2007 Super Glide Custom.

The FXDF Fat Bob was introduced in 2008. In the same year, the FXDWG Wide Glide was offered as a limited edition 105th Anniversary model before being retired.

Originally Posted by 1of2

Wide Glide discontinued in 1987?? That doesn't sound accurate.

Originally Posted by 1of2

That is my point. The Fat Bob has a fat front tire and it is an FX.
Seems to me it should be an FL.

Originally Posted by Phrogman

Yes it has a big front tire, but it doesn't have the classic Touring front end.

First letter:
F=Big Twin
X=Sportster

Second Letter:
L=Touring Front End (fork tubes are hidden behind tin covers)
X=Naked Front End (fork tubes are exposed)

Exception to the rule is the Springer line since it has been called both FL and FX depending on trim, tires and styling.

Let's forget tire size for now. Originally, the second letter X designation simply meant that Sportster parts were used on a Big Twin, mostly the naked forks. This was Harley's answer to the customization/chopping of the 60s and started in 1971 with the FX Super Glide.

The alphabet changes with the times and model names are used again and again. Originally, Harley didn't name their motors or their bike models. They just had letter designations. The customer base started the naming game, and Harley adopted it.

Originally Posted by Robert Le Gras

Interesting that the bobtail was unpopular from the start. From wikipedia:

1971 FX Super Glide

The production FX Super Glide was released in 1971 to a lukewarm reception. Particularly not well received was the "boattail", which also proved to be unpopular on the Sportsters that had it. Sales of both models improved when less radical rear styling was made available.

Originally Posted by OrangeTJ

The "boattail" is not the same as the "bobtail". The boattail was hideous, IMO. It was a big, mishapen fiberglass abomination with a funky stepped seat and didn't flow at all with the lines of the tank. To HD's credit, they took a styling risk. Unfortunately, it was a bad one.