I racked up a total of $4,208 in parts-- a considerable sum by most standards, and more than 25% of the bike's $16,674 starting price (in White Hot Denim.) The cost didn't even include installation, which was taken care of gratis at Harley-Davidson's press fleet center in Carson, California. But at the end of the day, taking delivery of the updated bike was like getting an entirely new motorcycle. Here's how it broke down, and my thoughts on how each part turned out.
I laid the creative groundwork with the color shop option, a service which sends your fenders and fuel tank out and repaints them based on your choice from a palette of available paint schemes. I chose a metal grind finish in "Shiny Side Up Silver," and came away pretty pleased with the results. Though the finish turned out to be more matte than I expected, the transformation proved impressive-- a great (but at $1,899, pricey) way to dramatically alter the look of the bike. One minor quibble, though: there's a small rough edge of paint on the inside of the fuel filler cap (which isn't visible when the cap's in place.) But other than that, this is one good looking paint job, with well-finished details like a hand-pinstriped rim of black that separates the grind section from the silver paint.
I carried the silvery theme through to several other areas, including the handgrips ($69), slotted hand control levers ($139), chrome switch housing ($99), and chrome switch cap ($19)-- click here to see the setup-- and the effect worked out quite nicely, if I do say so myself... though you can also see what I'd change by clicking Next.
Oval Aluminator Billet Style Mirrors ($199) play well with the other metallic bits, as seen in this cockpit shot, as does the shiny air cleaner cover (visible here, a bargain at $64) and the Narrow Band Billet Floorboard ($199) and Brake Pedal Pad ($49), which complement the handgrips.
The Screamin' Eagle Street Performance Slip-on Shotgun Mufflers ($449) counteract the shininess with a bit of matte black, as does the shield kit ($189)-- all while adding a growly but subtle rumble. And then there's my favorite detail, the Solo Spring Saddle in brown leather ($269), which requires a $279 installation kit. I'm happy to say that I actually find this old school setup more comfortable than the stock seat, which had a tendency to press uncomfortably against my lower back.
So there you have it: a transformation from bone stock to fully customized, all via Harley-Davidson's factory authorized parts. To see what I would (and might) further change about the setup, click "Next".
- >>Click here for Long Term Fat Boy Lo Update #6: Customizing Fatty<<
- >>Click here for Long Term Fat Boy Lo Update #5: "Getting" Fatty<<
- >>Click here for Long Term Fat Boy Lo Update #4: So THAT'S Why They Call it "Lo"!<<
- >>Click here for Fat Boy Lo Long Term Update #3: Customizing Fatty<<
- >>Click here for Fat Boy Lo Long Term Update #2: Did I Just Join a Secret Club?<<
- >>Click here for Fat Boy Lo Long Term Update #1: Say Hello to Fatty!<<
Mileage Log
- Total Miles Ridden: 1,379
- Total Odometer Miles: 2,931
- Average Fuel Economy: 38.2 mpg
