2003 100th Anniversary Fatboy
Hasta la vista
The epic early nineties band, Cypress Hill, are best remembered for the track ‘Insane in the Brain’. A witty little ditty, it contained the line, “Fat boy on a diet, don't try it I'll jack your ass like a looter in a riot”. This is followed by a mind bogglingly boring chorus. The opening drum base is, in fairness, pretty awesome. But this has absolutely nothing what so ever to do with the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. It’s just that it’s been stuck in my brain for the last few hours and I thought, therefore, that you might like to share my pain.
A much better, and all together more agreeable Fat Boy is the Harley-Davidson one. Indeed the Fat Boy is the original and my favourite bike from the American range. Earlier models were stars of the screen with the most famous starring Arnold Schwarzenegger riding one in the Terminator movies. “I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle”.
A lot of the machines appeal comes from the heavyweight look that it carries off so easily. I’m sold on the solid wheels which make for a stunning bike with huge amounts of presence. Add the rest of what makes a Fat Boy, wide handle bars, a large rear tyre, beefy forks and that cool front fender and it all add up to create a spectacular motorcycle.
Dominating the street
The bike has a pretty impressive lineage. Willie Davidson and his design team first presented it at the Daytona Bike Week in both 1988 and a revised version in 1989. It then went into production in 1990. The Fat Boy has been part of the H-D line up ever since.
In 2003 the American company celebrated their 100th birthday. To mark the occasion they produced a limited range of 100th Anniversary machines. This selection wouldn’t have been complete without the beast. To that end the Fat Boy is just one of these and to my mind it's the best.
While these ‘birthday bikes’ were produced in limited numbers and are difficult to find these days, I’ve found one on the used stock list in Waterford Harley Davidson. This one is finished with a chrome headlight and light bar, chrome handlebars, a chromed 1,450cc engine, a chrome oil cooler, chrome rider footboards and a set of chrome Screaming Eagle slash cut pipes. The pipes are essential, that Harley sound has to be heard for the bike to be appreciated.
Screamin' Eagle slash cut pipes
The pillion seat looks a bit too ‘friendly’ to me, but the lack of panniers really shows off the bikes muscle. Machines like this one hold their value, particularly ones with lower mileage and in clean condition. Thanks to this one being properly checked out and prepped for sale it actually comes with a warranty. Not bad for a 21 year old bike! Then again it has less than 8,000 miles on the clock.
Meanwhile riding one off a bridge over the East River in Los Angeles before chasing a Peterbilt truck that’s being driven by a psychotic robot from the future isn’t to be recommended. Then again some would say that it isn’t all that different from a sunny tuesday morning commute on the M50…
The bike in question is available from the lads in Waterford, give Mo a call on 051844200. And no, the pump action shotgun isn’t included. I’ve already asked. You'll just have to get your own...