What you Get
The Fat Boy might be considered the prototype for the entire class, but we felt it was time for some fresh meat from the Motor Company-in the form of the new Dyna Fat Bob. The Boy may epitomize that singularly American chunky look, but the Bob goes the other way, with a 0.7-inch-shorter wheelbase, funky dual headlights, a bobbed fender and footpegs instead of the expected floorboards (you can choose from forward-mounted pegs or midmounts; we opted for the latter). Though it's least like the other bikes here stylistically, it retains some of the Boy's distinctive features such as disc-style cast wheels and fat tires (but sans the full fenders). The tank-top instruments remain, but the fork legs are exposed, and the rear suspension utilizes an adjustable dual-damper setup along with dual front-brake discs. Engine cases and other components get the dark treatment, while covers are polished. The Fat Bob uses Harley's rigid-mounted twin-cam, 1584cc, aircooled twin engine. Standard EFI and Harley's current-generation Cruise Drive six-speed transmission make for an impressive package.
Even though the Fat Boy wasn't invited to this dance, you can see its reflection in Kawasaki's Vulcan 1600 Classic, which cribs many of the same styling cues-right down to the headlight nacelle. Where the Vulcan steps up is with engine tech: Its liquid-cooled 1552cc mill brings overhead cams and four valves per cylinder instead of Harley's pushrods working two valves in each jug. The Vulcan's five-speed gets power to a shaft final drive instead of the Harley's belt, but like the Fat Bob, the Kawasaki uses external, adjustable twin shocks out back. The Kawasaki throws in convenient bits like a helmet lock, adjustable rebound shock damping and a tool kit under the locking side cover. Then there's the price-the Vulcan Classic lists for $10,699, while the Fat Bob starts at $14,795 for just a black stocker.
We hadn't tested the Road Star since 2004's Mega Twin test, where it was outclassed by its much-bigger competitors, the Honda VTX1800N and the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000. The Roadie had just received the updated 1700cc engine back then, bored out to 1670cc and filled with new 97mm pistons. Other tweaks included bigger 298mm front-brake discs, a retro speedometer and wheels with standard tubeless tires. It also received a more radical camshaft and a less restrictive airbox, but at that point the EFI wasn't yet in the mix, so we were happy to land this year's upgraded model-in fact, we waited for the fuel-injected version to build this comparo around. We feel the $11,899 Road Star is much more at home in this smaller class, too.
The Roadie's new electronic fuel injection features a single throttle body with dual injectors (one for each cylinder); a throttle-position sensor linked to the new ECu supplies info about throttle opening so the ECu can adjust ignition timing. To accommodate the new plumbing, Star fit the fuel pump and filter in the fuel tank, which squeezed fuel capacity from 5.2 to 4.7 gallons. The right handlebar pad gets a switch to select the functions appearing in the tank-mounted speedometer's LCD window. Star chose to deliver our Road Star in S trim, which ladles extra chromium onto the switch gear, frontbrake master cylinder, front fork and levers (and adds $700) but is otherwise mechanically a straight Road Star.