MEMBER PROFILE – NOVEMBER 2008

Name: Neil McIrvine - Bike: 2008 Fat Bob
OzHOG Road Captain & Webmaster

I bought my new Fat Bob in August, trading in my 1200cc Sportster, and am just loving it. The Sporty was my first Harley, I've had almost every other make of bike starting back in 1976 with an RD250, then I passed my test on a CB200 and went out and bought a Triumph Bonneville 750 and the list just gets longer from there on in.

Before I bought my Fat Bob I did a bit of research, asking almost everyone why they rode the model they did and also had a few test rides from Harley Heaven. I thought after test riding a new softail that I would get back on my Sporty and think it was a piece of crap, but it wasn't, the Sporty was fantastic. So after that, I decided to keep the Sporty and tweak it a little bit with forward controls and new Ikon shockers, tyres, battery and a few chrome bits.

Then I read a few magazine reports where they tested the Rocker v. Fat Bob and everyone said the Fat Bob was the one they wanted to keep. They all said it was the best handling Harley they had ever ridden. So I went down to Harley Heaven to see if I could get a test ride on one but they didn't have any in stock, in fact they said they had 40 people who had ordered them and were expecting it to be at least six months until they came in, so I put myself on the list as number 41. Then about a month later I spoke to Wayne at Harley Heaven about getting a test ride and a few weeks later I got the call to say they had one.

I was a bit apprehensive about the straight drag bars but after riding this beast for five seconds I was smiling like a Cheshire cat, grinning from ear to ear. It fit me perfectly, with forward controls as standard, the drag bars are great, the four inch risers make them just perfect, not too wide, not too high or low. One of the other bikes I had test ridden had drag bars but no risers and it felt too low for me. The seating position makes you lean forward just a bit but is extremely comfortable.

The main reason for the great handling of it is that both the wheels are the same diameter, 16 inch, the front is a 130mm and the rear 180mm, so it's a very close ratio. The tyres are designed especially for this bike, which is probably a bit of overkill, but they look great with the big chunky blocks of tread. It is the only Harley that comes with twin headlighs as standard, and has a specially designed tommy-gun exhaust. The shockers are new too, completely enclosed, another first, and easily adjustable. Top all of that off with twin front discs and new engine mounting for less vibration and you can imagine why I'm so ecstatic about the Fat Bob.

So after absorbing all of this during my test ride - in my lunch hour - Wayne said that this bike was available to buy now as it was at the end of its test ride days - so I had no option but to trade in my newly-tweaked Sporty, Wayne gave me a great deal which included the detachable sissy bar and a couple of other bits and pieces. I have done 5,000km in four months already.

I came to Australia in 1990 from Dundee, Scotland, and now live in Footscray, am happily married to Tracey, have two dogs, no kids, and ride my Harley every day, rain, hail or shine.

This is my second year as a member of OzHOG and I'm looking forward to my first run as Road Captain early in 2009. I'm also looking forward to the Make a Wish Run, for kids with cancer, and also the Toy Run in a few weeks time. Hope to see you on one or both of them.