Is Fatboy Good Bike for 1st Timers

[NEWHD74FAN]

Roddyboy, welcome to the HDTimeline forum and your first post...congratulations to rediscovering your love of motorcycles. The Fat Boy is a fine ride and certainly has style, low slung classic look of a hard tail, but without busting up yours...like in the "good ol' days". Test ride to be sure, keep in mind your applicaion (it is no bagger, nor is it a sportster), they have a unique ride that comes with low center of gravity, long look, with low slung hidden shocks and frame.

 

[Dustball]

Fat Boy is a great first bike.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Does this bike put a smile on your face so big you want to laugh? Test ride one or rent one for a day and put some serious miles on then you will know:s

 

[rmarino14]

I Put on a fat boy wheel I hate those spokes breaking and poking a hole in the tube and costing a fortune to fix at the stealerships, I Can not tell the differance in the solid wheel vs the spoke other than there is no spokes to poke holes in your tubes!

My brother-in-law has a 09 fatboy with the solid front wheel and that is his only complaint about the bike. He does a lot of highway riding to work and on windy days or riding near big vehicles he notices the bike being thrown around by the wind gusts. He never noticed this with his other bikes without solid wheels. He wants to change out the front wheel to a non-solid one.

I've ridden the bike and love the way it rides. Compared to my sporty it rides like a Cadillac.

 

[Mainah]

Welcome to the board. Don't let anybody scare you away from the Fatboy. I went from a 73 Sporty to a Heritage that had Fatboy wheels so I can tell you with complete confidence that it was one of the best handling bikes I've had. The wheel issue is a complete myth and I've never heard anyone who rode any distance with any solid wheels complain about them. The Softail chassis with it's low seat and floorboards is an excellent touring machine, all you need is a good seat and windshield. For two up riding you may want to upgrade the shocks to air units for a little more cushion. I would never trade one single mile ridden on my Softail and although I traded up to a Glide If I had room for another bike it would be a Fatboy. Here's a shot of the Heritage in touring dress.

 

[glyd-n]

If this is the bike you want, go for it. If you don't you will always second guess the decision. With the prior time in the seat that you have and taking the course you should be fine. Just take your time and familiarize yourself with the bike and how it rides/handles. As long as you have good lower body strength it should not be a problem. As for far as the wind, a good stiff crosswind will make in bike react differently.

 

[blackant]

Take the MSF ridder course also. Rode bikes all through highschool, then quit for 20 plus years. Took the MSF beginner course, learned a lot of stuff that might just save my life. Best thing I did before restarting ridding. now I take the advanced course about every 2 years or so. Learned a lot of stuff there also. safe ridding to all.

Hi Tricky Doc, thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to take the advanced class.

I still love my screamin eagle. Wouldn't exchange it for anything.

 

[pgcris]

I was in your situation 3 years ago and a friend gave me what turn out to be very good advice. if you wanna ride more than 40 miles and your not 19 you might as well go for a heavy wieght, road king, street glide, road glide, electra glide, etc. I bought a 07 rk classic and have put 30,000 miles on it. you will get use to the bike, it's just a little different handling the wieght. Remember it's not about brawn and strenght it's all about balance and finness. I think the thing about the turbulence and the fat boy has something to with the solid wheels, more sail area more affect.

Agree I'm 5'6 and 11/16 had not ridden in 15 years I now have a Electra glide ...just need to get comfortable on it ..it is about balance ...I was a little nervous at first especially when I put my 5' 11" inch wife on the back...( I like them Tall?) What bothers me the most is the way they build new highways...we had an addition to interstate 95 where concrete was used and groves were cut in it kind of sucks for about ten miles.

 

[Irish Hog]

If you ask me the RoadKing is a really nice bike to ride. I can certainly say that I find it much easier to ride the RoadKing than my previous Wideglide. I like the idea of siting straight up rather than stretched out, I also like the floor boards. I was really surprised at how smoothly the RoadKing rode when I first rode it. I

 

[billyd1]

Get the bike you really want and in the long run you will save money and be happier You will adapt to the bike quicker than you think as you ride. Try before you buy! :s