While visiting a HD dealer in Bangalore, India, I was sold on the '14 Fat Bob on display. I thought it fit my needs pretty well - drag bars, good seating position, good power (didn't take a test ride as there wasn't a test m/c available).

After returning home to do a bit of research on the bike, I saw that the bikes in India (the Street Bob and Fat Bob) still have the older TC 96 engines instead of the newer 103 engines by default. Frankly, I am ticked off by this. I emailed the head of HD India and got a call back (next morning - good response times) from the head of their customer experience department who gave me some blah on how using the TC96 instead of TC103 reduces the landed costs and so on and how TC96 is a better engine. Cost-wise, I dont think having a 103 would increase the price by more than 2-3%. BFD!

What I saw on the net was that except in Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and India, all other countries have 103 as the standard.

Anyway, here is the question - is there anything else I can do to get HD-India to give me a 103 instead of the 96? What really irks me here is that the '14 FB in India is an old engine in a new bottle (to mix metaphors). The irony is that, as a customer, I am asking them to sell me a bike - in standard configuration and all I get is blah on why it can't be done. If this doesn't happen, I'd rather forget about HD - lots of other MoCos willing to sell their cutting edge stuff here.

Thought I'd vent. Thanks for listening.

 

wait till next year. they may come with the 103. also it may be their government won't allow the bigger motor yet.. besides I've ridden both and the difference is very minimal. good luck either way..

 

We had the 96 in Australia for one year after the US had changed. I'd say you'll see it phased out soon.

 

Thanks for the replies.

FYI - the higher end models like fat boy and up have the 103 here. Just not the dyna.

Btw, is the 96 on the way out?

 

As far as l know, the 103 is only a big bore kit anyway. l've had both, you'd be hard pressed to pick the difference between them....

 

im not aware of any 2014 us model still using the 96.

my 09 has a 96 and runs just fine.

 

There's nothing between them on paper. You get identical performance on the dyno with both engines. Which is odd considering the extra CCs of the newer one.

So, I'd really not be worried about having a 96 rather than 103.

I'd guess they are working through old stock of engines and by next year it will be 103 all round.

 

Hell it's only 7 cubic inches! Hardly noticeable! My son has a 96 and I get him by a fender in a roll on. That stuff about a 96 being a better engine is total BS! Same engine...1/8" larger bore....WoooPeee!

 

The 96 was standard for the 13s and the 103 was only about a 3 or 4 hundred dollar upgrade from the factory, and then 2014 the 103 became standard. As far as them being the same on paper doesn't surprise me and my guess it has to do with how restricted they come, I would say you would see the difference in the engines with the same stage ones done to both.

As far as the OPs question, I can see how they were trying to keep the cost down but they really should at least have some of both. If that's just the way it is over there and you have to pay a little more for it because of import maybe that's just the way it is. But you should still at least have the option! If it was me and I'm fairly impulsive, and when I have something in my sights I can't wait for next year haha so I would end up just getting the 96 being that you wouldn't know the difference anyway.
Now if you know you are going to be doing a lot of work to it anyway to get more and more power then really it wouldn't matter because you would be replacing and changing it up anyway.
You could always see what they do have in the 103s and make it fit like the FB also.

 

That's what I am thinking. They are just running through the old stock of engines. I'd rather wait and get the new one. I did hear that there were some differences (apart from the 7 cu.in). It was fairly tech for me to understand.

But, then, a 300-400 $ upgrade is 2-4% of the otd price. I should have the option at least. Just bloody hubris again - take it or leave it kind of behavior.

So, is the 96 on its way out?

Thanks for the replies, guys.