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Alpha and Omega
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Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Fatboy
Basem Wasef
01/01/2006
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Photography by Kevin Wing
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Though the Harley-Davidson brand is built on fierce
individualism, the ubiquity of its bikes often contradicts its independent
spirit. To reassert the swagger that put the near-century-old company on the
map, Harley formed its Custom Vehicles Operation division in 1999—a timely
creation that pre-figured the recent tidal wave of custom bike builders who have
gained international attention. The new CVO Screamin’ Eagle Fatboy kick starts
the old-school Harley image with heightened performance and iconoclastic style.
The long list of custom styling touches and mechanical modifications
definitively elevate the special edition bike above the paradoxical anonymity of
its stock counterparts.
Rather than blindly slathering chrome over every
surface, Harley has carefully offset the shiny stuff with a range of aluminum
textures, as well as a color-matched frame and swing arm. Key points of
interest—the front fender, the tank, and the rear fender—are painted in a
clear-coat-covered “metal grind” strip bordered by roughly painted accents. The
effect is not unlike a racing stripe gone diabolical. The CVO comes in three
color combinations: Nebula Yellow Pearl matched with Cobalt Blue, Autumn Haze
against Abyss Blue, and Canyon Copper set against Concord Purple. Ghost flames
on the bike’s lower half add yet another decorative layer. Depending on personal
taste, the bike’s appearance might be regarded as rich sophistication or visual
cacophony. But there is no arguing the head-turning ability of this bike. Quick
stops for red lights and gas trigger comments, questions, and—without
fail—volumes of unequivocal praise.
Preserving the flow of the bike’s lines
are clear-coated, stainless steel braided brake, clutch, and throttle cables.
Smoked turn-signal lenses with amber bulbs that emit a warm, mellow glow, hang
discreetly from the handlebar. The single seat—wrapped with curved,
chrome-plated steel—could double as modern sculpture, and buckshot-patterned
grips, mirrors, levers, and strut covers bring a sense of levity to the CVO’s
otherwise serious use of metal.
 RIDING STYLE
Helmet: Arai
Jacket: Schott Perfecto
Pants: Levi’s
501
Gloves: Vanson
Boots: Red Wing. (Click image to enlarge)
The thin spokes of chromed 17-inch wheels are
the antitheses of the standard-issue Fatboy’s solid disc, aluminum wheels. Not
only are the CVO’s wheels an inch larger in diameter, the front and rear tires
are also lower profile—each gains 50mm in width, measuring a beefy 140 mm and
200 mm, respectively. A wider frame tail, rear fender, and rear fender strut
cover accommodate the swollen tires. Though a lowered suspension counteracts the
taller wheel and tire proportions, the CVO gains almost an inch of
clearance.
The taller CVO possesses a marked handling edge over a standard
Fatboy; its improved clearance allows for a greater lean angle, making 700
pounds of motorcycle easier to wrestle into turns. Though it is still a bike of
considerable heft, the bike’s improved geometry reduces the Softail’s
floorboard-scraping tendencies on twisty roads. The improved handling comes at
the expense of ride quality, however, as the tighter suspension dynamics convey
even more road imperfections than a standard Softail.
Its bored-and-stroked
103 cu in V-Twin aids the CVO’s campaign for rapid forward motion. Based on the
88B V-Twin, the leaner, meaner, and larger Screamin’ Eagle power plant features
a new flywheel assembly, pistons, and balance shaft that produce 96 ft lbs of
torque at 4,000 rpm. Not only is that figure 11 ft lbs more than the stock
Fatboy’s, the engine’s peak power arrives 1,000 rpm later. Though Harley doesn’t
release horsepower figures for the CVO, the seat-of-the-chaps impression
suggests that the decidedly torque-ier power plant is complemented by a
significant boost in horsepower. A hydraulically actuated clutch rounds out the
power train with surprisingly positive and crisp engagement.
This Harley will
never be confused with a superbike, but the engine’s upper-end snappiness is a
welcome enhancement to the otherwise dull performance of a stock Softail: The
power band is no longer a flat, featureless terrain. It pulls strongly off the
line, and its willingness to shoot toward higher rpm—confirmed by a small,
aluminum tachometer—is accompanied by an exhaust note that pushes Harley’s
signature bass thump into a slightly higher register. The aggressively
mechanical sound suits the bike’s unique combination of style and performance.
Larger proportions, a love-it-or-leave-it paint job, and sharper performance
endow the $29,000 Harley-Davidson Fatboy CVO with a striking road presence that
distinguishes it in any cavalcade of Harleys. While aftermarket builders hawk
countless variations with uniquely customized looks and ballsy performance, they
lack the one thing that makes the Custom Vehicle Operations Fatboy well worth
its price: a benediction from the factory validating it as a genuine
Harley-Davidson.
www.h-d.com
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