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2010 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo: The Lowest Harley But does Lo mean women will like it? By Genevieve Schmitt, Editor 11/16/2009

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For the last few years, since Harley-Davidson has made a concerted effort to market specifically to women, there has been at least one new model every year that has features most women riders deem desirable -- that being a very low seat height, reduced reach to the bars, and great styling. While The Motor Company won't come right out and say "this is a motorcycle for the ladies" because pigeonholing one motorcycle over another for a particular demographic segment is not good marketing, there are now bikes designed with women in mind, that's for sure. It's my job at Women Riders Now to tell you what models they are and extol their virtues.

Part of Harley's efforts marketing to women include shooting publicity photos that include a woman riding the motorcycle it thinks women will be drawn to, like this picture of a woman cruising on the Fat Boy Lo.

For 2010, the hot new model designed partly with women in mind, (but also young men; more on that later), is the Fat Boy Lo. While many riders may be quick to judge the bike as a low version of the popular (and now 19-year-old) Fat Boy -- a younger brother or sister if you will -- the Fat Boy Lo has enough differences to be more of a step sibling, almost a cousin, as Harley is marketing it as part of its new Fat Custom segment, with a "fat custom" defined by a beefy, heavy-looking front end, a fat front tire, valenced-type fenders, and non traditional finishes. I won't be surprised if a custom Fat Bob is in the works for next year as that bike already has two of the four fat custom criteria.

Genevieve test rides the Fat Boy Lo while touring the International Selkirk Loop that travels in Idaho, Washington and Canada. The riding stance is somewhat aggressive as she leans forward to reach the handlebars.

One of the reasons women will be attracted in the Fat Boy Lo is the simple fact that it now has bragging rights as the Harley-Davidson model with the lowest seat height – 24.25 inches. That is low! Up until then, the lowest Harley was the Softail Deluxe at 24.5 inches and it's no coincidence that the Deluxe is hugely popular among women. (Just take a look at my review of that bike and all the reader comments.) For the record, the 2009 Rocker also has a seat height of 24.5 inches, but that model was discontinued for 2010.

Genevieve's 5 foot 6.5 inch frame more than fits on the Lo -- plenty of bend in the knee and a slight bend in the elbow -- just enough to muscle the beefy bike around. Riders smaller than her should fit on the bike as well. She's wearing the Electra Leather jacket and Haley leather pants from Scorpion reviewed on WRN, and the Scorpion EXO900 Transformer Helmet.

The Fat Boy Lo utilizes the same chassis as the Fat Boy (with its 25.4-inch seat height) but the rear suspension is lower by 1.15 inches and the seat is narrower. Any rider who couldn't flat foot the Fat Boy because of losing inches in the leg spread of the wide bucket saddle will mostly likely be able to flat foot the Lo.

The seat on the Fat Boy Lo, not as wide as on the Fat Boy. Also notice the leather tank panel, a nice design touch.

The biggest issue from women of average height about the original Fat Boy is its wide "fat" profile and lumbering ride. The Lo does feel "narrower" because of that new seat, but mostly because of the narrow profile of the handlebars. They are very different than the Fat Boy's.

The Lo's bars are almost drag style (straight across with a slight bend towards the rider) in that the rider must reach forward to the bars.	The bars on the Lo are smaller in diameter and are positioned much more forward of the rider instead of the flat buckhorn style of the Fat Boy where the grips are brought back to the rider.
Anne Tattersall, a 23-year-old rider from the Netherlands who Genevieve met on her tour, demonstrates the riding stance on the Fat Boy. She prefers this over the Lo, shown in next photo.	Anne, who stands 5-feet-4, said the lean forward to the bars on the Lo grew uncomfortable after many miles in the saddle.

The position of the handlebars was the most noticeable ergonomic aspect of the Lo for me (even more than the low seat height) and over many miles, reaching forward like that gave me a crick in my neck. If there's going to be forward handlebars like that, there's a natural need for forward foot controls to balance out the body stance, and the Lo doesn't have that. While you wouldn't classify the foot controls on the Lo as being mid-mount (just below the knee) my legs were bent just over 90 degrees feet resting on footboards just north of the knees.

In my opinion, the handlebar and low-in-the-saddle position of the Lo begged for forward mounted foot pegs -- like what's on the new Dyna Wide Glide.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to a motorcycle's ergonomics and I realize it's a very subjective topic but I've ridden enough motorcycles to know when the ergonomic triangle is dialed in just right to appeal to a variety of riders with minimal modifications. It will be interesting to see how customers react to the Fat Boy Lo, particularly when the largest segment of riders Harley-Davidson is trying to reach with this new Fat Custom is the "the young adult." Read young men ages 18+.

If these young males are not going to be attracted to the Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron (retro and cool), then they'll fall into the another category of what Gen Y riders are into when it comes to their toys –- low and badass. Just look at how popular the whole low-rider truck and automobile scene is. It's all about appearing to be laid back and cool, but with a generous dose of attitude and speed when you need it. The Lo's aggressive handlebar stance mixed in with laidback cruiser styling and a flat black attitudinal paint job is meant to appeal to what male Gen Y riders are seeking right now.

But what's in the Lo for women other than the low seat height? Well, I enjoyed the energetic quality of the ride. Even though the Lo's 731-pound weight is nearly the same as the regular Fat Boy, the forward riding stance made me feel like I could lean into the corners more –- like on a sportbike. In that respect, the bike had a more tenacious feel to it over the laid back Fat Boy. Don't let the 700-plus-pounds scare you. Being so low to the ground with a center of gravity to match, the Fat Boy Lo is a breeze to lift off the kickstand; in fact you don't have to lift very far before the bike is upright.

Speaking of the kickstand, a quirky little issue exists with the kickstand because the bike is so low. The kickstand when engaged lands on the pavement smack dab underneath the left floorboard. When reaching for the kickstand tab with your toe, your shin hits the floorboard first preventing your foot from reaching any further to the tab. (See photo below). This requires some reaching and maneuvering of your foot to grab the tab enough to pull it towards you. This issue doesn't exist on the Fat Boy; I'm guessing the lower ground clearance of the Lo leaves you with less room to reach for the kickstand underneath the floorboard.

Genevieve's tour guide, Diane Norton, demonstrates the reach to the kickstand on the Lo.

In this close up shot, you can see her shin hitting the footboard leaving her no leverage to reach her toe over the tab to grab it forward.

The Lo is powered by the same Twin Cam 96B motor that drives all the Softails. That translates to 1584 cc (cubic centimeters). The B means the motor is counterbalanced to the frame to reduce vibration. I did notice a little more vibration than what I normally experience on the Softails (like compared to my ride on the Fat Boy and the Softail Deluxe), coming through the seat when I rolled on the throttle, i.e. sending power to the rear wheel. Perhaps that's because of the thinner, cut down seat.

Shifting through the six gears is effortless, and neutral is easy to kick into place. New for 2010, is a helical cut 5th gear, which means the gear edge is cut at an angle so transition to and from 5th gear sounds smoother.

Clutch effort is moderate; hands with average strength won't get tired pulling it in to engage it. I find the standard finger reach from the handgrip to the clutch and brake levers on Harley Softails is a bit of a reach for women with smaller than average hands. Ergonomically shaped levers where the edges are smoothed and angled towards the grip, or an "easy clutch" type of product that reduces clutch effort and allows the lever to be adjusted closer to the grip usually solves this issue.

With the Lo being so low to the ground, there is a greater chance you're going to scrape the footboards in a turn. Since I knew it was possible, I hesitated leaning into the corners as much as I could because I knew I'd do it and I don't like the feel of that sudden jolt when floorboard edge scrapes the pavement.

Shotgun exhausts feature satin-chrome mufflers and muffler shields (very nice finish) and flat black header shields.

Hope you like black because for now, the Lo is available in just two paint finishes, black (which is a gloss black), and black denim (flat black). Complimenting the black tank and fenders are black painted components that are normally chrome or billet aluminum on standard models. Items like the air cleaner cover, oil tank, coil cover, horn cover, derby cover, front shock covers, swing arm, trip clamp covers and nacelle, headlight bucket, air cleaner cover trim ring, rear fender supports and footboards are either painted gloss black or denim black depending on the black finish you pick.

The Fat Boy Lo shown in denim black.

My test bike had the gloss black color. The Lo retains the Fat Boy's signature bullet hole disc wheels.

Just because it's very low to the ground, I wouldn't recommend the Lo for beginners because of its large size and powerful engine. But it's certainly a motorcycle to aspire to as one becomes a more confident rider. Harley did a good job of defining this fat custom segment with the Fat Boy Lo. It's definitely a custom with attitude. I would highly recommend a test ride on the Lo before buying to make sure the ergonomic set up is right for you.

The Fat Boy Lo is priced starting at $16,299.

Specs At A Glance: 2010 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo (FLSTFB)
Displacement: 1584cc
Seat Height: 24.25 inches
Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons
Weight: 731 pounds
Price: Starts at $16,299

WRN Recommendation
The Fat Boy Lo is a different sort of motorcycle -- just as the Rocker and Rocker C are "different." If you're a fan of the Fat Boy, you might like this bike. If you like your cruiser to err on the side of sporty, you might like this bike. The Fat Boy Lo is really in a class by itself.

Related Articles:
REVIEW: Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe
Harley-Davidson Unveils 2010 Models
The lowest seat heights on the market

I just traded my 2004 Fat Boy for a 2010 Fat Boy Lo. I just got to say I love it. Yeah, it weighs more than my last Fat Boy. But I think it's more balanced. The lower and narrower seat are perfect. As far as the handbars go, I think they are great. I am 5 feet 8 inches and have a inseam about 34 inches and I have no problem with reach, and to me the ride is very comfortable.

Everybody has different riding postures. And tha'ts why Harley has a custom part book.

Sherri
Tomball, TX
1/31/2010

I traded my 2009 XL 1200 Low for the Fat Boy Lo. Liked it from the get go. I too had a problem with the handlebars. My fix was putting pullback risers on. New item in parts catalog. Living in Seattle riding is limited this time of year so looking forward to spring.

Jimmy
Seattle, WA
1/24/2010

I also really liked the bike but had a problem with the handlebars (I am about 5-feet-1). I think a set of risers would fix that or perhaps different handlebars altogether.

Deborah Speicher
Tampa, FL
12/21/2009

This is a top review. I just bought the new Lo and think the bars are crap, but will be swapping them out for standard Fat Boy bars. Good job. Keep it up



Steve
Wollongong, Australia
12/10/2009

I like the big twin, non-touring Harleys. I traded off a Sportster 883 for a Dyna Super Glide because I like the aggressive, yet not sportbike aggressive ergos and the TC96 motor. And the speedometer that you don't have to go head-down to see, on the Super Glide it is just a flick of the eye down to the bars where it sits. You can take a 35 degree lean without scraping anything and the 49mm forks make for great handling on a 630 pound bike. I'll keep the Super Glide for a very long time.

Bikes like the low Softails and the Super Glide are proof that we don't have to settle for less than a real Big Twin if we don't want to; they're not just for the guys.

TJ
Tampa, FL
11/19/2009

Well I had my heart set on the new Fat Boy Lo. It is sexy and streamlined. I love the way other H-D Softails handle so put a deposit on one in flat black. I was so disapointed that the placement of the bars made riding really uncomfortable! I was hunched over the tank. I'm 5 feet 5 inches so it's not like I'm super challenged height-wise. And because the bars are internally wired, adjustments (very little room for) and replacements were simply out of my budget based on the bike's price.

I still think the Fat Boy Lo is hot but I wish H-D would have kept the original Fat Boy bars on them in order for more women to be able to really ride this bike. The seat height felt perfect but in the end I bought a Softail Deluxe.

Lauren
Portland, OR
11/17/2009
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the handlebars were an issue.
Genevieve Schmitt, Editor

Nice write up! I rode this bike at Sturgis and loved it. Although I am 5 feet 11 inches and don't really need the lowered seat, but I enjoyed the unique position.

Leah Petersen
NYC, NY
11/16/2009

Having come from a background of Japanese street and sports bikes (currently ride a Honda CBR600RR) I was very pleasantly surprised by the Fat Boy Lo when I took it out for a test ride. It was the first Harley I ever rode, and I was was admittedly concerned about the 700+ pound weight - at least an extra 300 pounds on my current ride. Given my 5 feet 4 inch 120 pound frame, it was more than a little daunting at first, but then, so was the CBR when I first started riding again a year or so ago. But the Lo really handled very nicely through the curves and had quite a bit of punch in it when I opened up the throttle.

I'd want to take it for another ride before I buy, but it's definitely on my wish list. I'm looking for something I can really take long rides and tour on, and the crotch rocket just doesn't make the cut for that type of riding. I'm hoping the Lo will make those long rides much more comfortable.

Ted Hyrons
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2009

I had the opportunity to put nearly 1,000 miles on this bike in the Black Hills this summer and I loved it. At 6 feet I don't need a lower bike but found it handled like a dream. (I don't mind a little floor board scrape now and then). Also, being so low it made it so easy to bac kup and park because of the leverage. I do agree that the handlebars aren't in the idea position for a woman. If it was my bike I'd get mini-apes and pull them back a bit for a perfect fit as I have on all other bikes I've owned. I would definitely recommend this bike!

Sandy
Hoffman Estates, IL
11/16/2009

Being short (5-feet-2 with a 26-inch inseam) any time there is a bike out there with a lower saddle height, I'm looking at it, so when the Fat Boy Lo came out, I was up at the dealers as soon as it came out.

I love the lower seat height and it did seem narrower up front, but try as I might, I couldn't reach the forward controls, and this bike doesn't come with mids. I didn't care for the reach to the handlebars and couldn't get my smaller hands/shorter fingers to grab the levers either.

The kickstand would be mission impossible for someone short like me. I want a bike that I can ride and get off of easily, not fight. Unfortunately, this bike isn't for me. I'll stick with my Dyna Low Rider which I'm glad I bought before Harley (in their infinite wisdom) discontinued it!

Lee Wos
Gladwin, MI
11/16/2009

I just bought the 2010 Fat Boy Lo last month. I am only a little under 5 feet 2 inches tall. I had the handlebars changed to mini-apes and also had mustache engine guards put on, it's perfect now. I can sit in the seat perfect now, no reaching problems. I haven't rode it much yet, except around the dealership's lot to check the handle bars, etc.

The weather here in Wisconsin has been getting crappy; the dealership gave me free storage, so that's where it's at now. Sure wish it was spring. I traded a 2009 XL883 Sportster for the Fat Boy Lo. I fell in love with the Fat Boy. nHad to have it. It's awesome!

Valita Larson
Darlington, WI
11/16/2009

I got the Fat Boy Lo in August and am loving it. I think you hit the nail on the head about many issues. My biggest beef is the kickstand. I have adjusted to it and have no trouble working it now.
I am pretty average in height (5-feet-7) and the reach issue never crossed my mind. I have good reach with most motorcycles. But the forward control floorboards would really balance things out.

I was attracted to the Fat Boy Lo, because of the low profile and the sporty look to it. I like leaning into the ride and have scraped the floorboards a few times. I am adjusting. I came from a Sportster and Dyna Low Rider. This is by far an easier bike to handle.

Thanks for pointing out some of the issues it has. I now understand better what I have been trying to figure out.

Jennifer
San Antonio, TX
11/16/2009

I have to take exception to the statement that one of the problems with the Fat Boy was it's "wide, fat profile and lumbering ride." Trust me there is nothing lumbering about the original Fat Boy. I have a 2006 Fat Boy which has been a joy to ride.

It flows through the curves beautifully. In fact, I find it to be a very well-balanced bike. Even though, at a little over 5 feet 8 inches, I am not height challenged - on every motorcycle I have owned, I have always changed out the seat for a narrower seat. Simply don't like the wide leg spread. I have also always had the handlebars pulled back to make the bike more comfortable for me, but neither of those items makes the Fat Boy "lumbering" - it is just personal preference for me on every motorcycle I have (currently three including said Fat Boy and a 2009 Road Glide).

I hope no woman is discouraged from buying a Fat Boy because of your description. I think it is a great bike for women with it's awesome balance and ease of handling!

Pat
San Diego
11/16/2009

I test rode the Fat Boy Lo recently. I have to agree that the handlebars are not in the right placement for me. However, the rest of the bike fits me so well, it's certainly worth investing a little bit of money to replace the bars. I certainly would not rule out any bike just because of a seat or bars, as those things are easily customized.

Jennifer Gennette
Wichita, KS
11/16/2009

I got to ride the Fat Boy Lo at the Demo Days at Ft. Worth Harley. I am 5 feet 4 inches tall and found the Fat Boy to be easily uprighted and maneuvered around at my height. Our demo ride was approximately 8 miles but it was a fun ride. I thought the Fat Boy handled great and leaning into the curves was fun because of the ease of handling and low center of gravity. I think I could have fun getting into trouble on this one!

Lynda
Van/Ft. Worth, TX
11/16/2009

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