After the Fat Boy and Street Bob, here comes the Fat Bob. Sporting the brawny looks of the former and built on the same frame as the latter (yes, it's a Dyna), Harley-Davidson's black sheep features a dual-shock rear suspension and a Twin Cam 96 engine with rocker arms and wet-sump lubricating system.

After the Fat Boy and Street Bob, here comes the Fat Bob. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Add dual headlights, fat tires, chrome bits and sleek Bobtail fender, and you get a machine that will inevitably appeal to long-time fans of the genre. True to Harley fashion, the Fat Bob will always turn heads with its dark treatment, hefty tank and machined aluminum wheels.

Modern, manly powertrain
Motivated by a 1,584cc V-twin that produces 75 horsepower and 92 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm, the 2011 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob receives a singular air filter and 'Tommy Gun' 2-1-2 exhaust. The matte black-painted engine with polished cooling fins is technically advanced for an air-cooled, large-displacement twin.

The closed-loop electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI) system improves combustion, making accelerations and decelerations more progressive. The ignition and injection systems work together to limit fuel consumption and eliminate clatter noises, while the drive-by-wire throttle allows the rider to manage output more easily and effectively.

The 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission sure is manly to operate, yet I found it ideally calibrated to make the most of the generous torque and reduce the frequency of gear shifts.

Steel, steel, and more steel
Dyna models ride on a steel tube frame with a thick, rectangular backbone that provides decent rigidity. Harley engineers rightfully banished plastics and used steel for the mounts, fenders and side cladding. The rest of the Fat Bob's chassis is pretty classic, notwithstanding the size of the tires and dual-disc front brakes.

The 2011 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob is motivated by a 1,584cc V-twin that produces 75 horsepower and 92 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)