Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127795
where the Springer's front end is simply not as willing to cushion the blows. And yet, mediocre suspension or no, the Bad Boy's handling could not be faulted. The bike had a very low feel too it, which was rock stable in a straight line and made for easy transitions into turns at any speed. While we would not say that the 625pound Hog was a razor-sharp handler, the bike would go wherever it was deliberately pointed, and without much of the pogoing hop and flop that we experienced on other H-D models - even though the Bad Boy's 32-degree rake is identical to that . of the Dyna Wide Glide we tested last year. Hmm, maybe that lower front sus.pension does serve a purpose after all. Slow-speed handling was excellent, too, as the bike was easy to balance and did not feel floppy in the front end when rolling to a stop. Stopping. Another problem we had with the Bad Boy. We will never figure out why Harley-Davidson continues to send motorcycle after motorcycle out the aoor with poor brakes, and we feel that if there was a single area on every Harley-Davidson that needed attention, this is it. We would expect a lot more braking performance from th.e 11.5-inch, single-piston binders than we get. The front stopper offers a rather mushy feel a t the lever and requ ires a hearty squeeze to bring the motorcycle to a safe stop when at speed. Best results came by using both the front and rear brakes at the same time while performing an accompanying downshift or two to enlist the aid of the V-twin motor's enginebraking capabilities. The rear brake was a bit on the sensitive side, and caution had to be used to avoid locking the rear wheel during the occasional panic stop. Ergonomics were actually quite pleasant for cruising but a mixed bag when touring. The Bad Boy's low bar and seat combined with its forwardmounted pegs' and foot controls offered . a reasonable base of ope~ations from which to conduct the business of "lookin' bad." The dashboard, complete with new electronic speedometer, was easy enough to read, though we ~ould have liked separate odometer and tripmeter windows as opposed to the combo unit that appears on. the Bad Boy. Switching from odometer to tripmeter readings is as simple as touching the rubber-coated button found on the side of the dash. The handlebar and its accompanying controls are easy to reach, but some of our testers, who are more used to Japanese machinery, felt that the switchgear felt different. Some of our shorter testers liked the layout of the bike in all riding conditions while others felt that the lower handlebar did not sufficiently cancel out what we like to refer to as the "mainsail effect," a term describing a riding position which forces the rider to endure an excessive amount of wind blast at higher .speeds. When riding two up, some of our passengers had only minor complaints about the diminutive size of the rear pillion, and many of them longed for a backrest on (Left) The blacked-out Springer front end Is a large portion of what sets the Bad Boy apart from the other models In the Softaillineup. The chromed bulletstyle headlight provides plenty of illumination for nighttime cruising. The 11.5-inch, singlepiston front brake is lacking In both power and feel. (Below) Two coil springs and one chromed telescoping shock handle the front _ demplng chores on the bad'boy, providing a rather stiff 4.2 Inches of travel. (Below) Slotted 16-inch wheelis another unique styling cue. Slotted rear brake offers decent stopping power but Is touchy. The Softail rear end provides a hardtail look while concealing twin horizontal gascharged shocks under the rear of the frame. (Left) Same 01' song: The Bad Boy's 1340cc Evolution V-twin offers a plethora of torque and the classic, though muted, HarleyDavidson rumble. (Below) HarleyDavidson styling designers opted to jazz up the Bad Boy seat with studding and conchos to further enhance the appearance of the bike. Harley-Davidson FXSTSB Bad Boy SpecifIcations Ust price $14,425 (4g-state)I$1 4.715 (Califomia) _.. Air-cooled. 45-degree V-twin four-stroke with two valves per cylinder. Bore • stroke 88.8 x 108.8mm Diapl.cament : 1340cc eo.p 1on rallo 8.5: 1 Cartouretlon .40mm constant veloCity with enricher and accelerator pump Ignition ..... .Inductive. battery powered. V-FIRE III electronic breakerless with solid-state dual-stage advance Starting .y Electric Clutch Multi·plate with diaphragm spring in oil bath Tra l.elon _ Five-speed. constant mesh Engine Fl_1 Drive .. _ Chasels S_ 1on Front R. .r Rake _ Belt Tubularmild steel _.........• Springer- style. 4.2-in. travel -Softail- style. 4.06.-in. travel 32 degrees Trail. . . . . ..•............................. 5.25 in. Wheelba... . _ _ 64.41 in. Dry _Ight 620 Ibs. . Brak .. Front .................•... 11.5 in. x 0.20. Single piston Rear 11.5 in. x 0.20. single piston W...../tirH Front Rear Helmet, Shoe; RJ-l0V Sunglasses: Penhall Boz ~ longer trips. ,Night riding was never a problem as the rather smallish 55/60watt Halogen headlamp provided plenty of illumination. Longer trips are not necessarily what this particular bike· was designed for; Harley-Davidson offers several models with engines rubber-mounted in the frames th.at would theoretically provide a better touring platform. Stilt, many of our testers never really complained that the Bad Boy vibrated excessively over the long haul. The 4.2-gallon fuel tank with its dual filler necks delivers a reasonable range whether on the mean streets or the open road. Harley-Davidson claims a fuel mileage of 43 mpg in Jacket: First Gear Ranger Gloves: Spartan Summer Glove Boots: Gaeme Dakota Apparel courtesy of Tucker Rocky Distributing and Penhall Optical Windshades. the city and 55 mpg on the highway. We were averaging somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 miles per tank on our various commutes to and from the Cycle News offices. So the question remains, did HarleyDavidson succeed in producing a custom for the '90s? That may only be decided by who you are. Of course, nonHarley fans will dismiss the machine as nothing more than a repainted, rehashed version of the same old motorcycle, but even the Harley faithful might be split Dunlop Elite MH 90-21 on 21-inch spoked wheel Dunlop Elite MT90616 on 16-inch slotted wheel on just exactly how to put this motorcycle into its proper perspective. There wil1 be those who will not appreciate the rougher ride and the more antiquated look afforded by the Bad Boy; they will instead opt for one of the more contemporarily styled H-Ds. But there will be those nO$talgic souls who can fully appreciate where the Motor Company has been, and want to be able to say that their motorcycle reflects a part of that heritage. They might be enamored of the classic appearance of that Springer front end but not so attracted to the glitz and glamour of the chromed-out Springer Softail. They just might want a bike that looks a little lower, leaner, a bjt more "bad." That's what Harley-Davidson is counting on. The Harley-Davidson FXSTSB Bad Boy is for those people. It worked for us. (N