2018 Fat Bob - Anyone change out the head light, rear fender, convert to mid controls?
I am considering purchasing a 2018 Softail and the Fat Bob intrigues me, however, I really dislike the new style front headlight and the rear fender. I'd like to run a single headlight and a lowrider or similar style rear fender. Additionally I'd like to run mid controls.
Has anyone already done or seen these customizations done to the new 2018 model? If not, can it be done.
I got my 18 Fat Bob S and traded a 15 Fat Bob in on it specifically because I liked the headlight and rear fender. The headlight is a stylized version of the two lamp previous Fat Bob only much brighter with the led.
The improved handling and 114 M8 was a factor also.
I may change the fat bars but only if there isn't a small windscreen available for it.
the headlight is going to be an issue... right now any way, there is no hole on the trees that i saw. it's all held in by a series of screws around the inter parameter of the trees. i thin you will be able to run the breakout headlight though. it is secured the same way. might also be worth seeing whats going on with the sport glides's set up. i'm not sure about the rake differences but, you may be able to steal those trees.
frame is the same.. low rider fender is a go. gonna need to rewire and program though.
Just left the dealer and i had a chance to double check a fat bob tree. The is a threaded narrow hole in the middle of the lower tree. Not robust enough to solely support a head lamp IMO. YMMV
I am considering purchasing a 2018 Softail and the Fat Bob intrigues me, however, I really dislike the new style front headlight and the rear fender. I'd like to run a single headlight and a lowrider or similar style rear fender. Additionally I'd like to run mid controls.
Just got mine last Friday.
Regarding the headlight -- that's kind of the defining feature of the '18 Fat Bob. And it seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it thing. Personally I love it, I love the aggressive look of it, and I can tell you it works extremely well, it does indeed light up the night. It's not turn-adaptive, but other than that it's pretty much everything I'd want in a headlight. So on this one, I think you'd either have to grow to like it, or look at a different model.
As for mid controls, I'd love mids too! But I don't think it's going to happen. There's a mid-control option for the other Softails in the catalog, but they specifically exclude the FXFB (Fat Bob 107) and FXFBS (Fat Bob 114). I think it probably has to do with the exhaust. If you replaced the exhaust entirely with a pipe that routed differently, you'd might be able to get the mid controls to fit. That said, the controls on the Fat Bob aren't true "forward" controls, they're sort of about halfway between forward and mid controls. They're a bit forward, but not too much.
Last edited by FatBob2018; 11-20-2017 at 02:01 PM.
Regarding the headlight -- that's kind of the defining feature of the '18 Fat Bob. And it seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it thing. Personally I love it, I love the aggressive look of it, and I can tell you it works extremely well, it does indeed light up the night. It's not turn-adaptive, but other than that it's pretty much everything I'd want in a headlight. So on this one, I think you'd either have to grow to like it, or look at a different model.
As for mid controls, I'd love mids too! But I don't think it's going to happen. There's a mid-control option for the other Softails in the catalog, but they specifically exclude the FXFB (Fat Bob 107) and FXFBS (Fat Bob 114). I think it probably has to do with the exhaust. If you replaced the exhaust entirely with a pipe that routed differently, you'd might be able to get the mid controls to fit. That said, the controls on the Fat Bob aren't true "forward" controls, they're sort of about halfway between forward and mid controls. They're a bit forward, but not too much.
Congrats on your new bike! I know you will enjoy it! I really like the front end with the dual front discs and I also really like the rims and wheels too.
One doesn't expect that type of light on a Harley, but I also kinda like the look of it. Being the entire bike is kinda unorthodox looking for a HD, it just kinda fits/belongs. IMO
Anyone know how many lumens the stock 2018 Fat Bob headlight puts out? I am also considering replacing the squarish stock headlight with a round headlight.
I am fine with the rear fender as is, but I did not like the side mounted license plate so I switched mine out with a relocation kit to put the plate on the rear fender.
After going through all the changes I have on my FXFB (I absolutely hate the mo****r, Fat Bob) I am now convinced that unless you absolutely LOVE the STYLING of the Fat Bob, riders would just be better off with the bargain basement Street Bob, and modifying that model.
As it is, like any Harley before it, these new Fat Bob's can be changed up, like any other model. But, why bother when you paid a premium just to get a styling exercise? I know, it happened to me.
As it is, I say, if you are going to stay from the original design, go all the way. Don't look for the easy, bolt on, way out.
11-18-2017, 06:52 PM
2018 Fat Bob - Anyone change out the head light, rear fender, convert to mid controls?
