Bike is in the shop for assorted and sundry repairs. Got a loaner for a bit, a 2012 Fat Bob- my scoot is a 2011 Street Bob. Went on a fairly demanding 500 mile putt last Sunday, some of the same passes and grades I've ridden on my SB, which has a few suspension mods. Thought I would offer up a comparision between the 2 models ( because I'm bored and have entirely to much time on my hands).

For starters, the MoCo has done a good job making the Fat Bob feel like a larger machine. I've ridden an Ultra Classic, and while the feel is not comparable, the FXDF feels much closer to the Ultra than my FXDB. The fatter rubber on the FXDF is likely the reason.

The stock 103" has some nice low end grunt compared to the stock 96" ( yup, Captain Obvious comment), but not as much as my converted 103" with a good pipe and intake, and the top end pull was fairly pitiful. Pretty smooth running bike, however.

Forward controls with, for the love of God, heel stir-ups. Comfy, and I sure hope they don't ask me to replace them, given how much I was grinding them. My feet kept reaching for the mids whenever it got twisty. Mids with highway pegs is the way, man. Turn in felt slower on the Fat Bob, despite the steeper rake.

Brakes were pretty decent with the double discs up front, but some Lyndall Z pads would sure help it out.

And to sum it up, FUGLY bike man. It is so ugly it is almost cool looking. Overall, a pretty decent scoot, be a good bike with a few mods.

 

I've seen a few with the single headlight....Damn that is the way to go ! I had my heart set on the FB until I saw the 2 bug eyes....
I am more than happy with my SB though !

 

I think then double headlight throws a lot of people off and it's a love it or hate it affair. I didn't care for it, so I swapped it out for a street bob 5 3/4. Love it now. I am pumped to get my JD's FXDXT fairing and west coast mx t's on mine... I suspect they will be game changers.

The FXDF has a lot of redeeming qualities, dual disc, cast wheels and the wide rubber gives it a planted feel, but it retains the manueuverability we all love in a dyna.

forward controls are a must for me, but there are times I would like mids.

I'm not surprised it felt more like a touring bike. When you compare rubber size and wheel base between a fxdf and any touring bike they have the exact same tire width 130 in the front and 180 in the rear and the wheel bases are damn close. When you compare that to the FXDB it's conceivable the street bob will lean and turn easier with a 100 front 160 rear where as the fxdf will feel more solid, planted and handle uneven pavement a little better. Having ridden both, that has been my experience.

 

My '09 has mids and it is pretty decent for blasting the canyons and crest here in SoCal. The SB is a great looking and handling bike, but the FXDF is like a personal tank that really hustles. Solid all the way through. It's style falls between the cracks for some people, and even I have to squint a little every now and then to see it as "good looking", but then I fire it up and it just never says "no". From the drivers seat it looks just fine and I don't plan to ever get rid of it. One day I might try the single headlight....thought about swapping rear fenders too...but I ride it nearly every day so it hasn't sat still long enough in the past 6 years to change much. Even my paint projects dried while I was riding it. It just flat out never quits.

 

Glad to hear the review. I was at the dealer last week looking at the new SB and the guy tried to sell me on a FB and said that it's the sportier dyna and handles way better than the SB

 

"way better" is a typical sales superlative. Different, for sure; better...some would think so..."way" better; salesman talk. Since when does being heavier make you sportier?

 

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His words. Not mine. I'm sure he would say the same is the SB cost more than the FB

 

I have owned both. The SB felt all wrong from day one. A 34" inseam and mids do not mix. My knees were above my hips: ouch. I am convinced the only people that NEED mids to control a bike have shorter inseams. At 6'1", I ride pretty aggressive and have never had a problem with forwards.

I felt every bump with the SB and the FB made them all go away. Apes, even mini ones don't mix with my style of riding. I felt like superman. I had low drags on the two Harleys I had before the SB and now the FB has them and I am happy again.

Two distinctly different style of bikes. I like to look at both but the FB felt right from day one and I will never go back. YMMV

 

The FXDF is Tank like, compared to my SB. And almost 40 lbs fatter, with some of that being un-sprung weight in the mags and dual discs. I have dual disc and 12" Biltwell apes that are schedule 40 and really noticed it at first, stills feels lighter than the FB with the fat tire and mags.

I wanted a Fat Bob, but didn't get one due to the lack of mid control option in '11- dealership wanted almost 2k to convert one. Took some serious coin to mod my Street Bob into a better bike all the way around than a stock Fat Bob, quite a bit of it in the suspension and brakes; riding this stock Dyna reminded of badly the stock suspension sucks. The fat tires and wide glide front end do 'absorb' some of the swing arm/motor mount slop,but it's still there, really noticable getting on the throttle after the apex in corners and when entering high speed sweepers.

 

It's all a matter of preference brother. I honestly prefer the look of a SB to a FB for pure visual appeal. I much prefer the ride of the FB to the SB. Change the looks or change the ride, it all costs.