Well kids, it's time to jump on the 2009 Harley-Davidsons. Apparently, I didn't piss anyone off enough (for once) so, they're gonna let me continue riding and writing (?). Yipee!

Bandit calls and says, " Hey Jon, they have a bike for you down at the Holding Facility." Great, I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning (which is actually 2:30 P.M. for me).

"Hey Jon," Bandit says, "What are you going to call the article? It's a Fat Boy ya know."

Yeah, I know. It's a Fat boy, a F-A-T B-O-Y, wudda ya gonna call it, boy? Yeah I get it shecky! Yes, I'm gonna call it a Fat Boy on the Fat Boy...ya happy now, funny fuck? Much laughter on the other end of the line, I hung up on him.

Not from being offended or anything like that, rather, I was a little pissed that I didn't think of it first! The next morning I bummed another ride from Kevin Blaty from Blaty Racing, to the Holding Facility. Upon arrival, I saw the Fat Boy.... Thank God! It's not blue and black this time, instead, it's a really stunning metal flake, deep red...a very handsome ride.

I take off and once again head for the deadly SO. CAL freeway system. Whoa, what the fuck? This steering is different, I'll check it out when I get home. It's very stable on the road, in a straight line. No wobble or shit like that. This baby was really detailed at the Holding Facility.

They keep all the bikes very clean down there, but this one looks like it just came off the showroom floor, but it didn't. A hand full of editors from various media have had their way with her before me, but she looked great. Alan Barsi at the Facility watches over each new model example (Alan, never mind the c- note for that....it's the holidays, we'll let it go). He's responsible for an entire fleet of H-Ds and Buells for the motorcycle media, commercial filming, displays and Hollywood movie opportunities.

Two days later (hey, I have other shit to do too) I ride to my usual local spots to get to know her. I didn't have as much road time on this model as the others, as it had to be turned in a tad sooner than usual, but that's okay, I didn't need the extra time.

The Fat Boy is made for cruising, she does it well. She's not real happy with an occasional flicking or whipping about. Yeah, I know, cruising is the general purpose of the Harley line up, but on a good number of the line up, I can flick her around some old lady's Buick or do a little high spirited riding. The Fat Boy doesn't like that and she tells you so. To me, it takes much more input from the arms than the others, and she is one of the "lighter" bikes in the line- up at 714 lbs, with all fluids, and that includes all the beer in my gut, and a full tank of gas.

Shit, I just spent two days on a nine-foot long custom chopper and even it was effortless in the adrenaline/high jinx department. I couldn't figure it out at first (as usual) but then it became semi-apparent to this fat boy (me). It's that front end.

I compared the '09 Softail Deluxe and the '09 Electra glide Standard to the fatty, both of which I thought were good bikes in '08. So lets dump some rake and trail numbers on the table. I'm not real hip to their meaning, but you are. The Fat Boy is 31 degrees, 5.80 inches of trail and the Softail Deluxe has 32.1 degrees, 5.80 in. while the Electra Glide is 26 deg. 6.69 in.

Last year the Fat Boy jumped to 17-inch wheels front and back...same, this year. They also threw a 200 rear on her. For me, steering the Deluxe and the Electra was far better than the Fat Fuck, uh, I mean Fat Boy. Dancin' around was just easier on the other two. I guess I'm missing something because I am aware of the fact that the Fat Boy sells very well.

Fer shit sakes, Cycle World Magazine named the '08 Fat Boy "best cruiser." I don't know, maybe those bigger 17- inchers may be part of it, or possibly those big heavy solid-pie plates they use for rims may be the culprit. I do know that big front rim can act as a sail in bigger cross winds.

A few weeks back when we had those crazy ass fires here in SOCAL, I rode the big fatty up to Yorba Linda to check on my sister's house during the fires while she was at work. On the north bound 55 freeway in strong Santa Ana cross winds, the bike reminded me of my sailing days on a Hans Christian 38, leaning towards the wind.

No shit, I was leaning, kinda hanging off to the right side of the bike to go straight. Not a whole lot of fuckin' fun.

On to Page 2...