VOL. 54 ISSUE 47 NOVEMBER 28, 2017 P51
rectify—hopefully whatever
louder mufflers go on will look
as sweet as the stockers.
The go from the 114 has a
worthy partner in the new six-
speed gearbox. For too long
Harley-Davidson gearboxes
have been nothing short of
shithouse, but this 'Bob's box
is as equally impressive as the
motor. Engaging first gear is
no longer a case of slamming
two opposing pieces of metal
together—it's a much, much
smoother experience—a new
click to the old clang. And if
you don't get too greedy with
the revs and your eagerness
to find the next cog, the box's
action will remain delightfully
smooth and quiet.
You can get a little greedy,
however, when you go hunt-
ing for twisty bends because
even though ground clear-
ance is limited (it is a Harley,
after all), you can seriously
hustle the 'Bob in a fashion
that belies its stretched out
63.6-inch wheelbase and
claimed 676 pounds. She's
a plus-size model, no doubt,
but that's not to say ol' Bob-
bie can't get up and boogie.
The new frame is a whopping
65 percent stiffer than the
old 2017 'Bob—that means its
more composed when being
thrashed and allows for much
more sport riding than ever
before. Showa has graced
the 'Bob with their 43mm
inverted Dual Bending Valve
fork and its performance is
exemplary—whether you're
used to old H-D's or not—and
when matched to the excel-
lent performance of the single
monoshock out back, the ride
is smooth and enjoyable but
capable of sustaining a good
canning when required.
The overall ride is substan-
tially stiffer than before, which
is a good thing in my book,
but it might put off a few H-D
(Left) You can really
get after it on the
new Softail Fat Bob
but like all Harleys, it
has its limits. (Right)
The wide and flat
bar makes for great
controllability and
comfort.
