Harley-Davidson Badboy - Motorcycle.com
Some 20 years ago, a young Willie G. Davidson created a beautiful, blacked-out, tricked-out version of a popular Harley-Davidson model. The result was one of the coolest bikes ever produced by the Motor Company -- the legendary Cafe Racer. Based on the Ironhead Sportster, the XLCR debuted in 1977 and went out of production in early 1979. In our opinion, the bike was easily one of the coolest of the AMF era. However, no one at the time thought so: 1923 XLCR's were sold in '77, 1201 in '78 and, get this, only 9 in '79. Evidently, the bike diverged too far from the "traditional" Harley image. Ever since the Motor Company has been very conservative with its new model offerings.
As it so often happens, history repeated itself on
If you read our article on the 1998 Harley-Davidson models you may have noticed that the Badboy was not mentioned. That's because it was discontinued. Among the staff at Motorcycle Online, it is a favorite. Okay, so the name is a little corny, but short of that, we think Willie G. hit a homer with this the coolest of all Softails.
Riding PositionThe Badboy's stepped seat pushes you toward the bars so that the forward foot controls are easily reached without straightening your knees. The straight handle bars are a joy. There is no way buckhorns would have flown on this bike. The combination of seating position and dirt tracker bars creates a feeling of tight control rather than Lazyboy comfort.
From your first minute riding this bike it is clear that this is no big, heavy Softail. This bike is meant to be ridden hard and thrown around corners. A great city bike. The tight rake of the Springer front end, as compared to the Softail Custom, produces relatively nimble handling and inspires confidence.No other Softail begs so much to be opened up. And perhaps no other feels so hamstrung by the stock exhaust. The aggressive feel of this bike really seems to exaggerate the wimpy, putt-putt exhaust note. In any respectable garage this bike wouldn't last very long in stock trim. Then again, that is true of any Harley.
A Factory Hotrod
The folks in the Harley design department understood this when they laid out the Badboy. Starting with the forks, the girders are treated with beautiful black powdercoat, yet the springs are left chrome, as are the shock and headlamp. By sprinkling just enough chrome into the mix, every element of the front end stands out. The same holds true for the contrast between the chromed engine and exhaust system and the blacked frame, oil and gas tank. Brilliant. It's nice to see that subtlety still has a place within the cruiser market.
Other items worthy of note include the slotted solid chromed rear disc wheel and the bullet shaped headlight. However, the standard bobbed rear fender and minimal front fender have been used too often to be considered unique.
So does this mean another 20 years of conservative Harley-Davidson offerings that are slanted toward traditional styles? It shouldn't. The old Milwaukee firm is stronger than it has ever been. If ever there was a time to create new and exciting designs, it is now. The Badboy is a great, fun bike, and will remain a favorite at Motorcycle Online. We hope that it is only the first in a long line of such designs.
Harley-Davidson is one of the few manufacturers with the freedom to explore wild design concepts. Almost any motorcycle with a bar and shield on its tank will be viewed by many as legitimate. The bike will hold its value and it won't be seen as a risky purchase, so let's hope H-D uses this freedom. No one wants a cruiser future full of only fat, slow, 1940's-styled bikes.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Harley-DavidsonModel: 1997 FXSTSB Bad BoyPrice: ,925Engine: V-twin OHV EvolutionBore and Stroke: 3.498" by 4.250"Displacement: 1340ccCarburetion: 40mm Constant velocitywith enricher and accelerator pumpTransmission: 5-speed constant meshWheelbase: 64.4"Seat Height: 25.8"Fuel Capacity: 4.2 galincluding .4 gal reserveClaimed Dry Weight: 620 lbs
More by Don Crafts
Comments
Join the conversation