2018 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Bob Review | MC Commute
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- It’s another commute with Zack! As usual, please feel free to suggest a bike you want to see featured here. If we get enough comments, we’ll send him home on that one next.
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It’s no secret we’re always trying to get our staff to work a little harder. Especially the ones that always seem to have too much to say. “Write it down!” we always shout at each other. Zack Courts is a classic case, always arriving to office after his commute with a bunch of opinions about the bike he’s riding. Too much this, not enough that, and occasionally has some decent insights that we thought might help consumers or entertain enthusiasts. So we strapped a camera and microphone to his helmet and told him to turn it on when he leaves his house. A lot of him talking in his helmet is complaining about drivers, yelling at red lights, and wondering why billboards aren’t more expensive. But sometimes he actually talks about the bike, and those are the parts we keep. Got a bike you would like to see discussed? Let us know and we’ll send him home on that one next.
Full story here: www.motorcycli...
This bike by the numbers:
Base Price: $16,999
Displacement: 1753cc (107ci)
Measured Wet Weight: 675 lbs. (306 kg)
Fuel Capacity: 3.6 gal. (13.6 liters)
Seat Height: 28 in. (711 mm)
Measured Power: 72 @ 4620 rpm
Measured Torque: 100 lb.-ft. @ 2200 rpm
For a full rundown on the 2018 Softail models, check out: www.cycleworld...
For a video of the dyno run and a graph of power, go to: www.cycleworld...
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To be honest, it's not a bad bike, it just shouldn't cost that much.
12k is max imo. 17k no thanks
How much is it?
Exactly
Why? There are premium finishes and materials used all over this bike. Most of what you find on this Harley will be a metal of some type when those same features are usually plastic on the bikes you are referring to. It's true that you aren't getting traction control and an upgraded display/electronics like cruise control and rider modes (and that is literally all you could be talking about) but you are getting metal...everywhere. All about what is important to you I guess. I could really care less if I have the ability to switch between "urban" and "sport" and if my speed limit is digitally presented. Who cares as long as I can see how fast I'm going. However, when I touch my bike it's nice for it to not feel like a toy. I get it though, people are used to items being throw away quality. Nobody expects anything to last any significant amount of time these days. Most of our goods are produced as cheap as possible (although they look great at first) and then consumers just toss them when done.
@@suburbanhobbyist2752 All the things you have listed also apply for other bikes like the Indian cruisers or the "Harley stile" bikes from Japanese manufacturers. But they are all Cheaper. At least here in Germany Harleys are more expensive Because they are Harleys not because they are bedder than comparable Bikes.
The reason the gauge is on the tank is so you can run any bar, fairing, even front end you want.
I expected some Harley bashing before I began reading these comments. As far as the review of the turn signals, HD’s turn signals work great. They’re self cancelling, unlike on my sportbike. Never had issues with them on my Harley so I’m not sure what the dude in the video was complaining about. Anyone who compares a Harley or any other cruiser with a big v-twin to a bike built on a sport-bike platform doesn’t know much about bikes. An apples to apples comparison would be cruisers made by Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Indian and Triumph. Harley is right on par in performance when compared to those bikes....especially the new Harley’s with the new chassis and M-8 motor. Also, this myth about Harley’s unreliabilty goes back to the AMF days. Harley’s since then have been as reliable, and in some cases more reliable than their competition. My Harley has 35k miles, zero issues! I know people who have over 100k on their Harley’s with no issues other than having to replace some minor parts that have worn out over the years. Over the past 36 years and many different kinds of motorcycles my Harley’s have held up just as well, if not better, than my metrics. Most problem bikes that I’ve had experience with were BMW and Triumph. Truth is though that in todays world all mass manufactured bikes are basically reliable, while at the same time have their own quirks and lack in performance in one area or another. Whatever bike you have, maintain it properly and you’ll get good life out of it. And if you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, it’ll serve you best to keep your mouth shut because you sound like a moron if you don’t.
“Look out society, I’m riding a Harley Davidson” 😂 Great review.
It’s a Great bike. I Love mine. I’ve been lucky to have owned quite a few Harley’s over the years, loved them all and still do. But this one does it for me I love it soooo much. Well done Harley this is the all in one Harley Davidson, Fun, Fast, Looks Ace, Handles Great, So comfy it’s got it all. It’s my every day Harley. Some people don’t like the change but what I say is You love your choice of Harley and I love mine This One. Each to there own. Ride One.
FAST?????
How is it for long range trips? Wind? Gas mileage? Seating?
Harley Davidsons are not built for speed or for power. Harley davidson is all about the ride, the cruise, enjoying every single minute on this comfortable, orgasmic sounding machine.
If you want speed get a super bike, you want power get a super bike. You don't want to pay so much, get a Honda NC. Harley is not for everyone obviously, but don't compare it to things that it's obviously not made to compete with.
Harely Davidson, the only company that people will watch a 14 minute video on. Simply to write hate comments about 😂😂.
Same with 🍏
Is it really a surprise that everyone hates pretentious douche-bags? We need to make sure they know they aren't welcome in society because they're stupid and suck.
Torque is what you feel when you accelerate. The pull... Horse power is the product of torque and RPM, mechanical work. So 100 for torque is just a massive feel of power, no matter the gear or speed -considering legal speed limits.
Thanks for the review.
It's got 13 ft-lbs more torque at peak than the 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 S for those idiots complaining about HP vs displacement. Big cruisers require torque.
I did the fatbob thing for 25,000 miles it was fun to a point on flowing sections of road i would ride with my feet on the rear foot pegs to improve my center of gravity it helped a lot it served me well but had many flaws once it was out of warranty i moved on . The decision was made very easy by the poor after sales service i got from my dealer. I think a lot of viewers would might like to see some entry level bikes on the commute. I am patiently waiting waiting for the Z900RS to hit town.
HD engines are excellent. They don't generate a lot of horsepower, by design. They're designed to produce lots of torque, over a wide but low RPM band. That "power shape" is great for cruising. You guys are used to peaky crotch rocket engines that spin up to 10K, a completely different "power shape" that is great for racing.
New H-D marketing slogan at 11:23 : "The Fat Bob: It Beats Walking."
Gecko Lux does it though?
yeah but tbh with a top speed of 110..you can comfortably cruise at 90 on this np. that's really all that matters. if you can cruise at highway speeds quickly and comfortably, the horse power doesn't matter. the torque more than makes up for it
Wow so many people don't understand torque curves and powerbands, or the main difference between sport bikes & cruisers. Maybe you should just try riding the bike than picking and choosing from a spec sheet that you don't even understand. Two different riding styles for two different goals.
and what is the torque goal? not trolling really interesting btw
RedboRF you need to google the difference to understand what they both are
RedboRF torque is the actual rotation force produced by the engine measured at the crank or rear wheel. Horsepower is a figure calculated by multiplying the measured torque by the rpm the torque was measure at, then dividing that number by 5252. Engine design and power bands are basically determined by how the motorcycle is to be ridden. High torque low in the rev range for cruisers at one end, and high horsepower high in the rev range for sport bikes at the other with a bunch of options in between. That isn't set in stone, but should get you going in the right direction to figure the rest out.
Yeah, but this is the only cruiser that puts that low amount of power with that big of an engine. Triumph and Indian produce more power with much smaller engines and they have torque too.
@@RaghunandanReddyC not as much torque. Trust me. I have the scout and a 103 twin cam street bob.
The indian produces a lot of power up at higher speeds/rpms
But the harley can pass cars like nothing at regular traffic speeds. My indian cant do that unless im in at like 4000rpm.
Basically riding in 1st gear with the engine screaming.
“...Harley Davidson...beats walking...”
Says a walker
Blinkers: Will Shut Off automatically even in straight line after short time, so you simply never have to worry about them and keep on looking at the trafic. Having started with this type of system it was the opposite for me having to get used to remembering to SHUT them off on my then new 2016 Africa Twin and having to look down to be sure I did not forget them! Eventually you get used to either method - simply muscle memory in action eh! Good honest review by the way +1 on louder pipes :)
Peter Brophy True, great point. I'd still prefer a bike with the normal left thumb control that cancel on their own though. My Vmax will cancel them after so many feet or something like that, but doesn't have the weird controls haha.
first time i've test rode a Harley i've found them very intuitive and easy to operate. Second best was BMW but with stupid canceling button.
Regarding turn lights switches, I think H-D does the best ones ever, especially the autocancelling that works perfectly. Great bike overall 👍 Thanks for your video
I've rode this bike and the Softail Slim recently and they were the first Harley-Davidsons that I actually truly wholly enjoyed. You can poke fun at the numbers, but the Milwaukee Eight is certainly an engine that screams "I am finally moving forward with the times." And that's really what Harley-Davidson is trying to do with this year's models. Their demographic is *dying* and they need to cater to a younger market. I think they're taking a step in the right direction. I know everyone in their arm chairs gives HD all of the crap in the world, but seriously, go try one of these bikes. I'm not gonna say they're the best thing since sliced bread and they're maybe not a $16,000 kind of nice, but they are most positively very interesting and pleasant motorcycles to ride.
Love the turn signal buttons on my HD's One of my favourite features coming off an Aprilia.
Question for the next MC Garage: 70 hp from 1800cc? Are they using cigarette lighters for sparkplugs and a wooden crankshaft or something?
Lars van de Velde 2 large rats.
Seriously. I know they're 'torquey' but my Tuono has a HUNDRED more hp and only 10% less torque. Weighs 200 lbs less. Has Top-spec brakes and suspension. Abs, tcs, corner abs, wheelie control, cruise control, tft display... the list goes on. FOR THE SAME PRICE. I don't 'hate' this Harley. But it needs to be $10-11k
RoadRunner Tuono's an awesome bike.
The worst part is they actually can make less crappy engines. Their 750 is by no means show stopping, but it isn't this bad.
Actually only has 2 less horsies.
BillyJoe1305 it's always been an American thing, compare muscle cars to European cars from the same era, same power outputs, but much smaller engines in Europe...
the diff between smthg like this is that it wont accelerate faster and faster bc it has no hp but it will accelerate harder and harder. a sportbike unless its a liter has nothing down low. these dont rev anywhere near as high but has way more twisting force which is real muscle and flexes from nothing.
The blinker auto cancels at a certain degree of lean. If you're changing lanes then you would have to cancel the blinker on your own. If you make a right turn or left turn then the blinker auto cancels. FYI
How do they even do that... 70hp from an almost 1800cc engine... 'Murica I guess
ikr
Lol. It takes a special kind of engineering philosophy to produce so little from so much.
can engines of that cc have about 140 horsepower and about the same torque.
Its tuned for torque, as all Harleys are. If you watch the video, Zack actually explains that this engine makes a lot of torque. A high torque bike for the street is brilliant, because it feels fast from down low in the rev range. High BHP bikes usually make peak power high in the rev range, so you usually dont feel the full power of these bikes on the street... As a great man once said, Torque for the street, BHP for the track.
B. Smitty Pitiful, really. People buy them for the sound and look, but they are slow af.
Well, after doing my research on Harley's with the 103, 107, 110 & the 114... I was looking for a good handling for what it is, powerful... Especially torque, with slightly less vibration that has newer tech like available cruise control, ABS, digital readouts in the instrument cluster, full LED lighting, and great looks... I have decided to buy a low mile 2019-2021 H-D Fat Bob 114 for next spring. I wouldn't mind a 107 either, but the 114 doesn't cost much more, so that's my choice. I'm glad that's over with lol... It look me like two weeks to decide...
I love Harley’s blinker controls
Oh great another MC Commute!
Oh weird it's a Harley.... I wonder how the comments are? Oh.... cancer.
I would be curious to see the dyno after pipes and a tune. and again after the HP cam.
The horsepower is low because that high torque is available from 2000rpm. The torque high horsepower and torque on a sportsbike comes at 10K plus rpm. A harley is designed for usable power, power you can access
They only do 71 HP so that you can buy their parts to make it gain more HP. So, you spend 17K on a bike and then spend 3K+ for more power. They are all about marketing and they are masters at it.
The best bike is the bike that puts a smile on your face. Biggest smile is the winner. It's pretty simple. Thanks for the review😁
The thing about Harleys is that if anything is particularly good, it’s only “good for a Harley” and making something that’s just acceptably good costs WAY more than it does from anyone else.
YEEEEEEEEESSSS, I'M saving this one for Saturday breakfast, it's gonna be fun.
The thing about the apparent lack of power compared to its competitors is that this engine is stubbornly different than most other bikes. Theyre engines are 45 degrees. I think the only other bike to get close to that is the m109r at 54 degrees. Their engines are torque monsters given their horsepower. The m109 is 100hp and 110ftlbs. The 107 is 70hp and 109 ftlbs. AND 100 percent of that torque is delivered at 2700 rpms. The only other bike that can do that is the rocket III and thats 2300 ccs.
Factor in that harleys are still belt driven ( another stubborn feature ) and its really commendable that theyre putting those figures out with essentially outdated technology. Idk. Im not a harley guy, but i could see myself on one of these 2018 steeds.
Never been an HD guy but I won a used Heritage Softail Classic and kept it about a year. The exhaust was embarrassingly loud. Otherwise I really enjoyed the ride and it was the only bike I could get my wife on.
You live in California which is the state with the most restrictive exhaust regulations in the world. So I’m surprised that you are surprised at how quiet it is.
The blinkers are great! 10,000 on mine and very happy with it.
Hey Zack, horsepower is nothing more than an equation of torque and distance (distance in a motor is rpm). This is why a bike like a Harley doesn't produce high horsepower numbers, they just don't turn the revs. Great videos! Love every one!!
Had my Sportster 17 years and love the engine. But never get used to the indicators and they self cancel at the wrong time quite often. It has been a very reliable bike though, perhaps I got a good one :-)
Rob Edmunds evo was always a solid motor.
When looking at HP/TQ numbers a good rule of thumb is the closer the two numbers are the harder the engine is working to turn the crank. When the HP is lower than torque (like some diesel motors) the motor is "working really hard".
The reasons Harley Davidsons have high torque and low horsepower is because they are long stroke narrow bore engines (under square) and they don’t rev very high. That’s the important part since horsepower is a math equation. They have tons of torque but they don’t rev much past 5k rpms because the pistons are moving so dang fast to make that long stroke and any faster they’d disintegrate being an inherently unbalanced pushrod v-twin. They have definitely mastered the most archaic engine design
Lets nit-pick complain about Harley's turn signals. Complain about the under powered (AIR COOLED) engine which has a small cam in it for more torque not horsepower. He called it bad horsepower for a liquid cooled engine, its liquid cooled as in oil cooled heads... Believe me HDs can make HP with just a cam swap, but HD doesn't sell their bikes because of HP. If you don't understand why people want torque then you aren't trying to and never will.
Ha! I love the HD blinker system. Love the look of the Fat Bob too, demo'd a 114 and thought it was pretty sweet.
Starting at $17000? Get the fuck out of here! For that much you can buy a bike that will shit all over this in just about every metric.
not just about every metric, every single metric. Except the all important metric of tonnage of females picked up at the bar.
But for only 17 grand you get the right to the HD tattoos and fringed leather cosplay.
If you want to compare cruiser to cruiser, just pick up a Yamaha Raider and get it flashed. 101 HP and 129 ft-lb at the wheel. www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/raider%20stk%20vs%20final2torque.gif
Lifted_Above low rider s all the way.
LMFAO!! I concur, for the price point of the fatbob someone could get a Triumph T120 or Thruxton R.
Low end torque on a bike is nice to ride. It sucks dropping 2 gears to accelerate and pass someone on the highway, I’d rather stay in 5th or 6th and just roll on the throttle. The nice thing about Harley’s is steady power always. Is it the best bike for commuting? No. Do they look cool? Yea. If another company makes a old school looking, cool, v twin with a better motor and suspension I’d get one.
ZX-14R has pretty good low end torque. www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/zx14%20Stk%20vs%20final.gif
Lifted_Above yea, but it’s ugly. Same thing with busa’s. Honda goldwings are super torque and probably perfect for long commutes, but they’re just as ugly. If Yamaha made a larger version of the bolt with maybe a 1300 cc motor I’d be all over that.
I guess you are full of shit if you haven't bought an Indian by now. You haven't have you? You don't even ride.
Whenever I see a rev counter on a chopper/custom/cruiser bike, especially Harleys, I think "Wow! They've gone modern!". Excellent video, guys!
Are you sure you're dynoing that correctly? That's very odd that you only got 70something HP out of it. People are testing these aftermarket with 95+HP at the wheel with slipon exhuast.
Nice and chunky, rugged-looking bike, I like it
I recently got a Sportster and I fully agree with the blinker spiel. I'm used to the separate controls by now, but half the time I'm still turning the signals back on when I try to cancel. It's a pain in the ass to check every time you make a turn, but it's what you gotta do.
On my Harley I put aftermarket controls on and move the right signal button to the left side.
Hey Zack!!! You rock brother... Give Got me addicted to MC Commute... I admire your style of crazy, funny, intelligent rant... All the best guys!!!
I agree on the blinker comment. I always turn my blinkers back on after they’ve auto-cancelled 🤣
I love the bars. Totally flat like my MT-01. A bit flat tracker-esque.
Indicators: I prefer a switch on each end. Reminds me of my R1100GS. Works well.
I like this bike apart from the excessive weight and feet-forward stance. My MT-01 weighhs 265 kg wet and tanked up. It produces 89 bhp and 110 ft/lb at 3,750 rpm (crank figures). It will see any sports bike off at the lights.
Excellent video.
Agreed on the indicator control. Hate the fact you also have to sometimes loosen right hand grip to reach the button.. just ruins the throttle control.
You CAN cancel a right blinker with your left thumb, two quick touches with your left thumb. Plenty of other bikes besides Harley have self canceling blinks
Good review. After an adjustment period I got used to the blinkers. I always cancel them before they auto cancel. You get used to it and I after awhile I never look down to see if it cancelled anymore as it does. Personal preference but you do get used to it.
I like the old BMW indicators which had the buttons on either side of te handlebars but had the separate cancel button on the right side.
A great bike! Just love it. Thanks for the vlog!
I test rode the 114 Fxfb yesterday and I thought it was really fun! Big clunky noisy experience
The Fatbob can be had with the 114ci as well, and then like a stage 4 screamin eagle kit with exhaust will bring horsepower up to like 125-130
For blinkers it is not a big problem at all when you use it a few days. In fact autoancel is super. You only push the button once and then forget
Solid bike for people who like low end grunt - and decent looking. I was not a big fan of the cruiser riding position (mainly because it gets uncomfortable over 65 or so unless you have a lot of air control) but I do enjoy the off the line grunt of big cruisers. You have to watch them off the line or they'll walk away from you (up to 30-40 or so).
This video sums up the thoughts of most 25-30 year old's thoughts. I am 29, I owned a hd once..when I was much younger, went back to more sport bikes. I now am over that, looking for more of a cruiser again, but every time I think about getting a hd again, the low HP, high cost, and many options always make me look else ware. Probably the reason why hd is struggling. The people my age the COULD afford the cost of a new bike, end up buying something else..
Have to ask did you get one
This Harley, like most Harleys, is AIR cooled. Air cooled engines , especially emission compliant air cooled engines will never compete with water cooled engines. I don’t think Harley will loose a single comparison shopper based on horse power. Price maybe though ;)
I really enjoy your commute videos, but I have to be a little critical of the majority of bikes you choose to review, which are mostly large capacity, premium machines. This 675lb, 1,700cc behemoth is not what would be typically considered an ideal commuter bike (unless I suppose you have a huge budget and no environmental concerns). I have been using motorcycles as my primary transportation for more than 30 years, 12 months a year, and when I buy a bike for commuting I select it according to very specific criteria:
1) fuel economy
2) low insurance premiums
3) manouverability and agility
4) reliability
5) practical and durable finish (how well they stand up to everything the weather and roads throws at them is more important than beauty, especially here in Vancouver where the vast majority of my daily commutes are in rain).
6) enough performance to out accelerate most cars on the highway over short distances.
7) low purchase prices (this comes back to point 5; i.e., if you only ride on weekends in sunny weather then a Fat Bob, MV Agusta or Ducati Panigale may make sense, but they would not be sensible commuters).
Granted, you live in sunny California and I realise that you commute on the bikes the manufacturers make available to you for long term testing, but for those viewers who are interested in purchasing commuter bikes it would be beneficial to see you test more of these machines and to talk more about the pros and cons of the different options (i.e., I would have expected to see you review all of the growing variety of 300cc sport and naked bikes, plus mid-sized twins like the FZ07 and SV650, single cylinder super motards and small and single cylinders trail bikes. These machines are not as glamorous or exciting as your usual fare, but would probably be relevant and beneficial to viewers who are interested in buying a commuter.
tldr
"As usual, please feel free to suggest a bike you want to see featured here." Anything Zach is riding is worth a watch! Thanks Zach, like the commentary, love your skills. You should do a ride to work with Ari!!! Ride to work together, with your editing chops, I'm sure it could be top notch!!! Keep up the great work Motorcyclist! Thank you. Thank you. Kind of like the Indian/Harley's in Vegas, Eclipse hunting! But do the split video style, cut to whom is speaking while coming to the office!
If you read specs for a Harley for the HP figures then you just don't get it. Some never will. That's okay though cause there are bikes made that they will get. Enjoy your ride. I have enjoyed every ride I've taken from mini bike from Western Auto to Road King. I love bikes and I'm glad there is such a variety. How boring would it be if they were all built for one purpose ?
Yeah but ... FZ 07 makes 72 hp at 11500 rpm but the Milwaukee 8 engine makes 70 hp at 3000 that's the difference!!
And the M8 only revs to 6500 which means when you try to rev the bike out it just falls flat on its face and has 0 over rev. There is a reason that Harley's are ass for sport riding and it's due to a slow revving, very low response and very low power engine and it's because HD wants to force it's customers to spend thousands just to get the performance the bike should have from the factory.
If you defend the awful performance all you are doing is enabling HD's ass raping of it's customers on "stage kits" and overpriced T-shirts.
@@A_Man_Of_Culture_ The fun is shooting out of the hole with harleys.
@@mr.b3168 but Harley's don't even do it that well, the reason it feels like you are accelerating quickly is because of the seating position. Next time you do a hole shot on your Harley kick your feet way back and lean as far forward as possible and you will feel barely any acceleration. It's the same reason 0-60 in a car that does it in 5 seconds feels pretty damn fast but doing 0-60 in 4 seconds on a sport bike just feels "kinda" fast, it all has to do with how the acceleration is being transmitted through your body.
@@A_Man_Of_Culture_ sport bikes dont shoot out fast.
@@mr.b3168 if you think that then your experience on sport bikes is likely from 600's. Go ahead and look at literbikes, you know that sport bikes that do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and launch so hard they need launch control.
Take any literbike from 2020 and they will absolutely destroy literally any other bike in not only 1/4 mile and 1/8 Mike but also 60 foot time.
Backing it in is my favorite part of your ride to work.
Glad to see a fair and honest opinion of the bike according to you the rider. Appreciate your insight.
they purposely make low hp stock so you can buy the S.E stages to increase hp and torque if you wish to. its an expensive add on to an already expensive mc.
Dude, I am dissapointed. Horsepower is a number that dictates the maximum speed at wich the vehicle runs, not it's acceleration nor performance. Horsepower is given by high rpms. It is true that a sport bike has more power, but it has that power at 15000-18000 rpms. Power is just a measure of how much work can an engine do in a specific amount of time, so faster rpms mean more cycles in which work is done, and so, more hp. A big V-twin works differently, every engine cycle gives much more work, but because of the low rpm, the power is not that big. This does not mean that the bike is not performant. In fact, the feeling given by high numbers in torque is much more satisfying than high power. And even so, if you put a harley next to a sport bike, it will smoke or be at least equal with the sportbike untill you shift the first time(tried it with a hayabusa), and then, after you shift, the harley will be smoked because of the short range of rpm at wich it works! I rode lots of sport bikes and lots of cruisers. Both are nice in their ways... I'd say go learn some stuff and stop misinform people ;)
I dictate the maximum speed. One of my bikes is a Harley. It can probably do over 120 mph but I don't like over 100. Why would I need more hp? What idiot rides over 200 kph on the street?
My dream bike😘😘😘😘😘
This bike reminds me a lot of my first street bike, a Yamaha Radian. It was a parts bin special that somehow turned out greater than the sum of its parts. I wish they still made them. Made nearly 40 years ago and just slightly faster 0-60 than this Harley.
"watching the Toyota Highlanders go by" .....I had to laugh out loud :)
I'll race you any day for pink slips-------BOZO.
After reading some comments... Spins me out how some people call themselves motorcycle enthusiasts but don't understand the application of drive power when it comes to certain engine types.
The lack of appreciation for types of motorcycle engineering because it doesn't suit your style or rather don't know how or why it exists in this way is like saying that you don't understand what science is, so you just say it's dumb.
I get that people can not like certain motorcycles but if you don't like it because you don't understand how it produces power or why, or how it is applied to different situations is just hating.
Im with you on the blinkers. I rode my buddy's harley and every time i have to check to see if its off or on by cupping the blinker so i can see it blink. Im also huge on canceling the signal. I just finished riding scooters for many years. My recent scoot had a loud audible click relay. Man was that nice!
14:20 already rattled off the right turn signal
Adam Vertuca haha probably doesn't even have 1000 miles on it yet
Oil puddles in another week.
okleydokley no oil leaks from my 06 13 14 or 17...
Would love to see ducati diavel on MC Commute
The XDiavel is in my opinion a fantastic ride for a cruiser. It's very expensive though.
I like the tank, it shows the tow truck driver where to drop it off at.
oceannavagator lol!
Harley Davidson, turning fuel into noise since 1903.
The only Harley i ever wanted to buy was a 1978 Harley 250cc Motocross Bike. It was quick in the straights but sucked in the turns. Kind of like their street bikes...
My understanding is you need to put bigger pipes and air intake just for a start to unlock Bob's full potential.
I like the look with the new headlight. Does the stock headlight work well at night -- both far enough ahead and wide enough for cornering?
Zack -- I've taken to watching your older stuff 'cause I've missed ya', bro'!
The VROD, that's the cruiser for us sport bike guys.
The FXR was pretty good, I hear.
It has an oil cooler radiator , not a coolant radiator.
I'd choose the Indian Scout over any Harley. Fun to ride and reasonably priced.
I'm a bit biased due to customer service. I looked at a Scout and they said "here (key), go take a spin!", I've looked at a couple Sportsters and never had a salesman even talk to me. The last time my wife and I went to a Harley dealer we walked out thinking WTF??? Awkward...
Well I'll always support the cool-factor of Harley's and if the right time/ place/ deal came up, I'd ride one with pride. But after having issues with vehicles and understanding how important customer service is when issues arise, I want to know a manufacturer will be there to have my back. If they won't say hi to me when I walk in the door, I wonder how they will react if I bring my new motorcycle back in the back of my truck. I'll continue to keep an open mind though!
188 miles for me (Denver). I did a test ride in Denver and Tucson. All were great.
They are pretty cool though I would take the roadster with the inverted showa front end, not to mention way more aftermarket offerings. And who knows if Indian will make it. They haven't made it yet...
crj moto depends on the store. Some allow people to browse, others pounce on customers. Two different schools of thought. Have seen both in practice at metric and Harley-Davidson dealerships.
Used to ride my 2004 V-Rod from Massachusetts to Naples Florida and back, such a reliable bike. I ended up trading in my V-Rod for a brand new 2010 Fat Bob and could never trust it to go to the store 5 minutes away. Such an unreliable bike!
I love MC Commute- always very entertaining and informative. Even (especially) with bikes I'm not interested in.
Holy shit man, really making a mountain out of a molehill with those turn signals. Owning a HD and a sportbike I'll take the cruiser turn signals. It makes more sense to me, and the auto-cancelling is fantastic.
Iscariot18 how does it make more sense when he outlined the reason it doesn’t make sense? The brake and throttle are on the right handle bar and the left just has the clutch. Also there should be a way to cancel the signal without turning it back on if it auto cancels. There’s a reason why nearly every other motorcycle does it that way.
1,753.4cc to be exact. And 100 torque (crankshaft) is beastly?
Or 129 ft-lb (wheel) from a tuned Yamaha Raider (101 whp).
Or 122 ft-lb (wheel) from a tuned ZX-14R (205 whp).
Or 111 ft-lb (wheel) from a tuned Hayabusa (186 whp).
Or 124 ft-lb (wheel) from a tuned Vmax (188 whp).
Or 105 ft-lb (wheel) from a tuned 1290 Super Duke R (170+ whp).
All of these (except the Raider) with smaller engines. Harley guys talk about torque.
I always thought a Hardly-Darlington was the ideal bike.....until I owned two. Dull. Great test though :)
Get a V-Rod!
Psh.. did you do any engine modifications to your two harleys? Because if youve ever ridden a harley with a stage 2 cam or stage 4 kit, youd be deleting this uneducated comment lol
@@micahvelli_236 said the man in my mirrors lol
Test road this one back in Sep and loved it. But I ride a Drz400sm sooo 2 completely different bikes. Still leaning towards the Fj09 or even the Yamaha Striker
Bike looks cool!
Pipes!!! Yes, pipes are a must!!! Should come with Screaming Eagle or Vance & Hines option.
Oh dude you shouldve ridden the fat bob with the 114 engine, its way faster. Kidding aside Harley deserves some credit for the new softail line... new engine, suspension and frame. They made a concerted effort to revamp their bikes so thats something. Even if though they brought this line of bikes closer to the japanese cruiser spec of over 10 years ago.
Great to hear a non-fanboy review the new line from a realistic perspective! 75 bhp and that's their "Muscle" model. So sad to see that the only motorcycles our American companies can build to compete with the world are 600# + cruisers. American Muscle cars actual have muscle. Please someone produce a decent American middleweight, tracker, scrambler, adv...something!
I know this comment is old but the Indian FTR 1200 came and it is the first american bike that really interests me becasue it kinda is like a muscle car.
What bikes would you buy? Looking for something fun to ride around on...NC700X DCT, CB500F, or what? Open to Suggestions..what do you like Zack?
I rode it and my left hip was aching. Power was good but it was nothing special after two years with a VFR. Vibration once you get up in the revs to move along out of a stop or on the highway. Easy to ride. Fun but not quite as exciting as I was hoping for the money. If I wasn't in my 50s I would ride one to be cool. The CB1100 was more beautiful, if that matters.
How about ridding the Suzuki boulevard M109R?