Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

This Fat Boy is built around the Milwaukee-Eight 114: a 1868 cc, air-cooled 45° V-twin rated at 94 hp and 119 lb-ft, rigid-mounted in a tubular steel double-cradle frame and calmed by dual counter-balancers. Around it sits the look that made the name, with solid Lakester disc wheels, a fat 160/60-18 front and a massive 240/40-18 rear. It's low, chromed and heavy at 699 lb (317 kg) wet. That's the point, not a flaw. In the cruiser class it's still the bike others get measured against. A reference point!

Read the spec sheet and the purpose is clear. A 26.6 in (675 mm) seat, belt drive, six speeds and torque that dwarfs the horsepower figure point to relaxed, low-rpm cruising on boulevards and open highway, not to chasing corners. You get ABS, an LED headlight, a USB port and preload adjustment on the rear shock. Cruise control and heated grips are options. The 5.0 gal (18.9 L) tank and a claimed 47 mpg give you a usable range. This bike is for the rider who buys presence, sound and stance first. Pure attitude.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	94 hp (70 kW)
Torque	119 lb-ft (161 Nm)
Displacement	1868 cc
Engine	45° V-twinMotorcycles With V-Twin Engines →
Cooling	Air-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	BeltMotorcycles With Belt Drive →
Front tire	160/60-18
Rear tire	240/40-18
Seat height	26.6 in (675 mm)Motorcycles With a Seat Height Under 30 Inches →
Wet weight	699 lb (317 kg)
Fuel capacity	5.0 gal (18.9 L)
Fuel economy	47 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard
Cruise Control Motorcycles With Cruise Control → Optional

Comfort

Heated Grips Motorcycles With Heated Grips → Optional

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

The Truth on the Street

None of this comes from my own logbook. It's what has settled out of years of rider talk: pit lane conversations, evenings at club meets, owners who stop me at rallies, and the messages that land in my inbox. On the Fat Boy 114 the talk sorts itself into two clear camps.

What owners never want changed

Nobody who owns one wants the styling touched. The solid Lakester wheels and the bulldog stance are what sold most of them, and they will tell you nothing else in the cruiser aisle stands like it. Riders who stepped up from the older Softail add that the materials, the lighting and the instruments feel a grade more solid. Engine talk runs calmer: heavy pull from low down, and little interest in the top of the tach.

Where the enthusiasm runs out

Steering effort is the complaint that surfaces most. The broad rear tire wants a firm shove to change direction, tight maneuvers feel lumbering, and twisty roads reward reading them early. Cross-shoppers point at the short equipment list, with no ride modes, no traction control and no color screen. A few bring up gusty days, when side wind works on those solid wheels enough to numb hands and wear you down.

Known issues

Rear shock preload adjuster bracket may fracture

suspension occasional Recall

The mounting tab on the rear shock preload adjuster can crack under normal use, potentially allowing the adjuster to contact and damage the rear tire. This can lead to sudden tire pressure loss and increased crash risk. Warning signs include unusual noise from under the seat, difficulty maneuvering, and abnormal rear tire wear. Official recall (NHTSA 25V375) was issued for 2018-2024 Softail models.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Metal-and-Muscle Presence

Rumble & Character

Low-Speed Confidence Despite Mass

Relaxed Boulevard Ergonomics

Living-Machine Feel

Relaxed Torque Authority

This bike Class average

The shape of the Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS — numbers and character vs. the average Cruiser

Head-to-head: Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS vs. its rivals

Power

94 hp This bike 91 hp BMW R 18 165 hp Triumph Rocket 3 GT Chrome 94 hp Indian Scout Rogue 88 hp Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT

Torque

119 lb-ft This bike 117 lb-ft BMW R 18 163 lb-ft Triumph Rocket 3 GT Chrome 72 lb-ft Indian Scout Rogue 72 lb-ft Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT

Displacement

1868 cc This bike 1802 cc BMW R 18 2458 cc Triumph Rocket 3 GT Chrome 1133 cc Indian Scout Rogue 1084 cc Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT

Wet weight

699 lb This bike 761 lb BMW R 18 699 lb Triumph Rocket 3 GT Chrome 545 lb Indian Scout Rogue 522 lb Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT

Seat height

26.6 in This bike 27.2 in BMW R 18 29.5 in Triumph Rocket 3 GT Chrome 25.6 in Indian Scout Rogue 27.5 in Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT

The 'Should I Buy It?' Score

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best cruiser for Sturgis?

This is your best fit: a big air-cooled V-twin, solid wheels and decades of Harley identity. Roll into Sturgis or Daytona on it and nobody asks what you ride.

Made for Florida State Road A1A · Black Hills · Main Street, Daytona Beach

Best retro motorcycle for road trips?

A solid match if you want classic style at an easy pace. The low seat and relaxed torque suit historic routes, but it's heavier and more boulevard-minded than a lean modern classic.

Made for Park Loop Road · Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

It can cover park loops on the highway, but it's a partial fit: it has no luggage system from the factory and cruise control is an option. For full-load, two-up trips, look at a dedicated tourer.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2012

Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLSTF (FLSTF-MY2012)

The Original Fat Custom Icon

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 114 FLFBS. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.