So I stopped at Woodstock HD and took a few bikes for a test ride, a 2018 Street Bob and a 2018 Fat Bob.

So here’s my take...



2018 Street Bob

Street Bob: it is a looker at 1st glance and I was surprised by the differences between the new and old models.
Pros: It had some very impressive torque with the 107. It handles Nicely and is even more nimble than it predecessor. Apparently, it’s like 60lbs lighter.
It still comes with the standard mini-apes and does allow for more lean. Additionally, the seat and ride does feel a bit more cushy.

Cons: Although was the lean angle is broader, in order to achieve this, they raised the mid controls higher up which makes you sit in and awkward seating position with your knees bent up more. This puts your body in a position which places your back at a 120 degree angle in order to hold onto the mini apes. When you lay into the throttle you have to hold on because of the torque and the seat does not keep you solidly seated.

Overall the Street Bob is a nice bike, but you won’t be able to ride it much more than around town with the current configuration.


Fat Bob: It was a bit unusual looking and not exactly Harleyesque, However what it lacks in looks, it has in the ride. I had to be convinced to take this one for a ride. My first reaction when they showed it to me was... “it’s so damned ugly”. They urged me to take it for a ride and promised I would be pleasantly surprised after riding it. So I took it for a spin.
Pros: this bike has gitty up. No problem getting up to 65 in a hurry with this thing and because the seat has some support in your lower back, you stay in the seat when you lay down the throttle. Handling was way better than expected. It isn’t a sport bike, but it is damn close. It handles superbly, very nimble and it take the aggressiveness of my style of riding. The seating position and back support makes this bike very comfortable and the forward controls are more reminiscent of a Sportster 48 where they are comfortable enough for people with shorter legs or longer legs. I felt like I could ride this bike all day with no issues. The head light is super bright. That head light is a contentious topic for many. I don’t think, even as aggressive as I ride, I would scrape the pegs much if at all. That is yet to be seen.

Cons: yes, it is an ugly SOB, but it does grow on you, especially the denim Red. The head light is about the ugliest feature on this bike and because it is so new, you will probably have a hard time finding a cowl for it. Other than that, I don’t see anything you can’t like about this bike.

Overall: I’ve always had a hard time finding the perfect bike for me. I wanted a sporty handler that has a lot of comfort for longer rides and still takes the bumps with no issues. I needed a lot of gitty-up and torque that makes a cruiser a cruiser. What I wanted apparently didn’t exist.... Harley has finally achieved the ultimate sport cruiser with the new Fat Bob. I am sold. It’s not the prettiest looking thing, but boy is it fun, fun fun! It’s like a Sportster 48 for big boys.

Helps to ride it before you sit at your armchair and rate it. To take a test ride on a bike gives you a true sense of why it is what it is. You can look nice on your Softtail Fat Boy or Slim but good luck trying to ride it aggressively into the turns. It’s made to cruise around town. The Fat Bob is made to ride aggressively. It is what it is. Take it or leave it. I gave an honest review and actually took the time to ride it.

Pretty damn ugly...but I can respect the way it rides. The moco probably could’ve changed some of the finishes to make her look a little prettier instead of just mass producing one hell of an ugly bike....just a poor choice in design decisions in my opinion...

I have to disagree with some comments on here about the Fat Bob. I think HD did a fantastic job with the design, and the headlight is one of its best features. I haven’t ridden one yet but I will next month. I have read many reviews on it though and according to what I’ve read it’s a pretty amazing bike. Harley faithfuls knocked the FXR back in the day too, and now people appreciate it for both its style and performance capabilities.

As far as the Street Bob. Beautiful styling as well. It’s 17 lbs lighter, not 60 lbs lighter, than the previous model though. 653 lbs. s 670 lbs. Which is still light for a big v-twin cruiser. I’ve read many excellent reviews on this bike as well. Great styling, quick, nimble and tons of fun to ride was the most common traits in those reviews. The ergos on this bike are perfect for people like me who appreciate mids for riding more aggressive.....5-9, 30” inseam. I believe forward controls are available for others who like to stretch out more.

All in all I think HD did a great job with these new Softails, both in style and performance. At this point, if I could take 5 of the 10 new Softails I’d choose the Fat Bob, Sport Gilde, Street Bob, Low Rider, and the new FXDR....with the Fat Bob and Sport Glide being my top two. The FXDR is very intriguing but I haven’t seen it in person yet.

Better gas mileage though. These aren’t touring bikes. 165 miles on a full tank isn’t bad. It’s only 30 miles less than the previous models. Most people stop every 100 - 150 miles to fuel up and stretch their legs anyway.