What brand name comes to mind when you hear the word motorcycle? With all the brands out there, the one that probably rushes to your mind first is Harley-Davidson. Harley is one of the best motorcycle manufacturers out there. It’s produced more bestsellers than you can count. 

Driving.Ca compiled a list of what they felt were the 10 greatest Harley-Davidson motorcycles of all time. One of those listed happens to be the 1990 Fat Boy that went on to become pretty popular. 

What did they like about the 1990 Fat Boy motorcycle?

This bike was a hardtail by looks only because its suspension system was hidden from view. You could find solid disc wheels in both the front and rear of the cycle. Its powder-coated frame attached to the shotgun designed exhaust pipes made it look even more rugged. 

To deflect any debris or water from coming off the road’s pavement and getting onto you, Harley-Davidson used valanced fenders on both of the wheels. They nearly wrapped around the tire, but they looked good anyway. 

Driving.Ca liked the FL-style front forks, which were used on various Harleys from 1949 to 2005, according to lowbrowscustom.com. What powered the bike they rode around on was a Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin motor, but the original Fat Boys used a 1,340cc Evolution V-Twin. 

The origins of the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

Softail motorcycles are not a new concept, as explained in Srkcycles YouTube video. These bikes with their hidden suspension systems first came out in 1984 with the production of the FXST motorcycle. While they didn’t immediately take off, they started becoming more popular by 1990 when Harley-Davidson designed and built the Fat Boy. 

The two Harley designers, Louis Netz and Willie G. Davidson, are credited for the iconic styling of these motorcycles. What influenced the design of the Fat Boy the most was the custom bikes of Canada. 

We also know that a motorcycle cruiser built in 1984, which was called the “Low Boy” played a part in influencing the Fat Boy design as well because one of the Driving’s mechanics used to assemble them. The two iconic design features that were prominent in the Fat Boy and the Low Boy were the 16-inch disc wheels, and the shotgun exhaust muffler pipes. 

How popular is the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy?

Harley-Davidson never gave up on the Fat Boy. You’ll find that not only is it still being sold today, it’s also influenced the design of other products. One notable one is when it merged with the 2020 Ford F-250 pickup. The Harley-Edition of the truck has custom wheels to mimic the Fat Boy’s, and it even has the Fat Boy logo embossed on the truck. The price, however, is pretty steep. 

If you’re into Lego sets, it might surprise you to learn that they have a few motorcycle models out that you can put together. The Ducati Panigale may be the most popular set to get your hands on, but it’s not the only one they sell. Lego also has a kit for sale of a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy build. 

Another Harley-Davidson Fat Boy inspired pickup is the 2020 GMC Sierra that sports 22-inch milled aluminum wheels with fender flares in the wheel wells. GMC also illuminated the running boards and put in some upgrades for the exhaust. 

Harley-Davidson is known for its well-made motorcycles, and they have plenty of them to prove it. One of the best ones from years past has to be the iconic 1990 Fat Boy, which began years of Harley-inspired looks in trucks and other paraphernalia.