Anyone out there who has ridden a Harley Fatboy and an NT700?

Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
77
Location
Ashford, Kent. United Kingdom
Bike
2006 Black NT700V ABS
So I have a confession to make - with the impending final payment on the mortgage I find myself idly browsing the net for a potential
garage mate to keep my NT700 company. I must confess that I have a passing interest in a HD Fatboy - In particular the 15th Anniversary model of 2004/5

The thing is, I have never ridden anything other than rice burners and have absolutely no idea what it would be like to ride. I will at some point
try to get a test ride of one before I commit to buy, but if anyone has had the pleasure and would mind giving me their thoughts, particularly how
you would compare it with the NT700, I would be very interested to hear. I would be using it for trips of 100-200 miles at a time so reasonable comfort is high on the list of desirable features.

Thanks
Graham
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
128
Age
60
Location
Milwaukie Oregon
Bike
2010 Red NT700V
Are you able to rent an HD in the UK? Here in the US for about $100/day you can rent a Harley. That would be, to my mind, the best way to find out. I myself cant ride 'crusiers' for more than about 80 miles. The seating position with my feet out in front of me makes my back hurt so bad I have to get off and lay down even with a backrest. That is just me though. I have several riding buddies that absolutely LOVE their HD's and Japanese cruisers. Two buddies ride HD's, one a Suzuki Boulevard (that he bought from me, that how I know I cant ride them) and another with a Yamaha. The Japanese bikes look like Harleys but seem to be much easier/cheaper to maintain. They also tend to be loud, heavy and less agile at low speeds, but most people who ride them say the loud and heavy are positive and not negative qualities.
Just my 2? and of course, YMMV
 
Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
115
Location
Michigan
Bike
2013 Harley Police bike
Two completely different motorcycles. I sold Harley's for over 20 years. I once rode another person's Fat Boy from my home in Michigan to Orlando Florida, a distance of about 1200 miles. I rode over 800 miles the first day and the remainder the 2nd. day.
Compairing our NT 700's to a Fat Boy is like Compairing a Ford F250 HD to a Chevy Malibu.
If you can rent any model Harley in the "Softail" line for a day or two, you should do that before you buy.
A short story; back in 1974 a friend bought a new Harley Superglide. First time I rode it just 3 miles and did NOT like it. About a month later he went on a family vacation and left his Superglide with me with instructions to ride it at least 500 miles. When he returned from his family trip, I had ridden his bike over 1000 miles and did not want to give it back. The more I rode Harley's, the better I liked them. The only reason I have the NT is the lighter weight and Harley does not offer a similar bike. I am just to old the move 900lbs of motorcycle in my garage.
 
OP
OP
gbrand42
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
77
Location
Ashford, Kent. United Kingdom
Bike
2006 Black NT700V ABS
I do appreciate that they are completely different bikes, but for example I have driven a VW camper van and a Lotus Elise and I think I could explain to someone who knew nothing about them basically what the major differences were. I was really after how people who had ridden both found the comfort on longer distance trips - for example you may find you can only ride your NT 100 miles without any discomfort but can happily do 200 on the Harley. Also how does vibration through the grips compare as I do sometimes get numb hands after a couple of hours?

Thanks for the suggestion about hiring a bike for a day or 2, this is a great idea and not one that had occurred to me. I've now done a little research and my local dealer will hire me a Heritage Softail Classic for ?130 per day which I will certainly do nearer the time.
 
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dancer

Guest
I have a 06 fat boy witch I love.It has a 88B cubic inch balanced motor it is almost vibration free,it runs so smooth no thumb numbing at all.All of the other bikes that I have owned numbing and ridden for 65 years have had vibration that was thumb numbing.o not buy a HD Dyna model The fat boy and the Road King are super bikes.Models newer that 06 have bigger motors.Another thing they have running boards witch are great...Good luck
 

DirtFlier

Site Supporter
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
3,332
Location
Troy, OH
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
[...I liked them. The only reason I have the NT is the lighter weight and Harley does not offer a similar bike...Electraclyde]

The new 500/750 series of Harley comes close to filling your bill but you'd need to add a windshield and hard bags. My friend has a 500 and it's quiet and doesn't seem to shake at all.
 
Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
115
Location
Michigan
Bike
2013 Harley Police bike
I did test ride the 750 when they were first introduced. Mirrors provided an excellent view of my shoulders. Not wide or high enough to actually see behind me. Aftermarket, universal fit windshields were a crapshoot at best. No hard, lockable bags avaliable, (then or now). I did like to power and handling as far as I could test on a 15 mile test ride. Bought my NT700V (red) used shortly after that. If I could toss both bikes into a box and shake well, the result would probably be MY perfect bike.
 
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