Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 Vs. Harley Davidson Softail Slim

The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim share similar features, including hidden rear suspensions, a V-twin engine, and dual mufflers. Aside from these features and being Softail models, both motorcycles have their own unique styles and purposes. The 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 is a modern cruiser with powerful specs and slightly sportier ergonomics. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Softail Slim has a classic cruiser design, low seat height, and comfortable riding ergonomics.

The 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 is one of the more stylish motorcycles in the Harley Davidson lineup. If you are a fan of cruisers with comfortable ergonomics and a modern, unique look, the 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 is the best option. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a simple, lightweight, and classic cruiser with comfortable ergonomics suited for touring and long rides, then the 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim is the best option. This article provides a detailed comparison between the Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim.

The Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 was first introduced in 2008 as a part of the Dyna series. Later, when the Dyna series was discontinued in 2017, the Harley Fat Bob 114 became a part of the Softail series in 2017. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 was an upgraded version of the previous Harley Dyna Fat Bob as it replaced the Twin Cam 103 engine with a more powerful 1,868 cc Milwaukee-Eight® 114, V-twin engine. It received major stylistic updates and a modern design which helped it become more popular among youngsters.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim was introduced in 2012, catching the attention of many Harley fans due to its vintage aesthetic appeal. The Harley Softail Slim’s minimalist design attracted many custom builders. Though it has a simple design to keep its overall weight low, the Harley Softail Slim is still one of the most stylish motorbikes in the Harley Davidson lineup. It has also received major upgrades over time since 2012. The 2012 Harley Davidson Softail Slim’s Twin Cam 103B V-Twin engine was replaced with a more powerful 1,753 cc Milwaukee-Eight® 107 engine in 2020.

The 2022 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 is a cruiser with a modern Harley Davidson attitude. It has blacked-out parts with bronze exhaust pipes and silver mufflers. There is a little dip in the rider’s seat ensuring there is a backrest for the rider and a separate small passenger seat attached to the rear fender. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 has a bobber-style front fender and a tail cowl-style rear fender which gives it a café racer look.

The 2022 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 comes with stylish fat front and rear tires which help provide stability. The gauges are mounted on the peanut-shaped fuel tank. The handlebars are slightly swept back which has low risers with side mirrors and turn signals installed. The LED headlight is covered in a frame attached to the front forks and an LED tail light is fitted inside the rear fender. Being a Softail, the Harley Fat Bob 114’s rear suspension is hidden under the seat.

The 2012 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 has a higher overall height, seat height, and overall length than the 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim has a minimalist design and both blacked-out and chrome parts. The chopped front and rear fenders, a classic round headlight, a solo rider seat, and chrome separate dual mufflers give this vehicle its vintage look. The wide handlebars have low risers and are swept back so they are within comfortable reach of the rider. The side mirrors and turn signals are mounted on the handlebars and a small LED taillight is attached to the rear fender. To enhance its cruiser ergonomics, the Harley Davidson Softail Slim comes with rider floorboards.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim has a wider design and a larger wheelbase than the 2022 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114.

The 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 is fitted with a 114 cu in (1,868 cc) Milwaukee-Eight® 114, V-twin engine capable of a torque of 160 Nm at 3,500 rpm and a horsepower of 100.5 hp. The Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 has an air- and oil-cooled system that effectively dissipates the heat produced by the engine while touring or on long rides.

The 2022 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114’s engine has a bigger compression ratio of 10.5:1, a bore of 4.016 inches, and a stroke of 4.5 inches. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 comes with an Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) that ensures a fuel economy of 47 mpg. Being fitted with a bigger engine size, the Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 produces 14.5 hp more horsepower and 10.84 more torque than the Harley Davidson Softail Slim.

The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 handles well when turning corners due to its bigger right lean angle of 31° and left lean angle of 32°. The rider can comfortably lean without scraping the footrests against the ground. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114’s clutch operation is a bit harder and requires more effort to shift between gears.

The Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim are fitted with a six-speed transmission that powers the rear wheel via a belt drive.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim is powered by a 107 cu in (1,753 cc) air-cooled Milwaukee-Eight® 107, 45° V-twin that can produce a torque of 149.16 Nm at 3,000 rpm and a horsepower of 92.5 hp. It has a compression ratio of 10:1, a bore of 3.937 inches, and a stroke of 4.374 inches.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Softail Slim has smaller 27.4° right and left lean angles due to its classic cruiser design, a lower overall height of 43.1 inches, and a longer wheelbase of 64.2 inches. The Harley Softail Slim’s Milwaukee-Eight® 107 engine ensures smooth power delivery and propels the motorcycle faster. It comes with twin counterbalancers that ensure the engine is firmly mounted and effectively reduce vibrations better than the previous rubber-mounted Twin Cam engines.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim only has a horsepower of 92.5 hp, but the motorcycle has good overall acceleration, plus it is fun and easy to ride. If you are not looking for a two-up ride on highways, the 1,753 cc V-twin engine should be an adequate size. The Harley Softail Slim performs better in traffic due to its reliable braking capability. Because of the Harley Softail Slim’s standard cruiser design, it has a low seat height and a low center of gravity which makes handling easier. However, steering is a bit tough because of its heavy front.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim has a larger fuel tank capacity of 5 gal, while the Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 has a fuel tank capacity of 3.5 gal. The Harley Davidson Softail Slim is ideal for touring and long-distance rides.

The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 has a comfortable rider seat with a slight dip to ensure back support for the rider. The low-mounted handlebars are slightly swept back which makes it slightly difficult for shorter riders to reach the handlebars comfortably. Even an average rider may have to sit in an upright or a slightly forward riding position to be able to reach the handlebars. The foot controls are positioned forward to ensure there is enough legroom for taller riders. The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 is not an ideal cruiser because of its less swept-back handlebars and upright back position.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim is an ideal cruiser with a comfortable solo rider seat, low-mounted and sweptback handlebars, and forward foot controls. To improve comfortability, the Harley Softail Slim has rider floorboards that allow you to comfortably rest your feet. The Harley Softail Slim has a lower seat height than the Harley Softail Fat Bob 114.

The Harley Softail Slim also has a slightly lower overall weight than the Harley Softail Fat Bob 114. However, its low seat height, low overall height, swept-back handlebars, forward foot controls, and low center of gravity ensure comfortable cruiser ergonomics. The Harley Softail Slim’s relaxed riding position and forward floorboards ensure enough legroom for taller riders, making it ideal for touring and long rides.

The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim are both cruisers but have different designs, looks, and ergonomics. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 is a modern cruiser with fat tires and less swept-back handlebars. This vehicle is designed for fast rides within the city and has little touring capability because of its less aggressive ergonomics and small fuel tank capacity.

Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Softail Slim is ideal for city travel, riding in traffic, cruising on highways, and touring. It comes with a low seat height, standard cruiser ergonomics, and a low center of gravity for better handling and cornering. However, the Harley Softail Slim produces less horsepower and torque than the Harley Softail Fat Bob 114, though it is still powerful enough to handle solo riding. With the addition of a windshield and saddlebags, the Harley Softail Slim can be transformed into an ideal touring motorcycle.

If you want an all-purpose or versatile cruiser, the Harley Davidson Softail Slim is the better option between the two motorcycles.

If a beginner has little experience riding a motorbike but knows how to handle a fairly heavy motorbike, then the Harley Davison Softail Fat Bob 114 can be a good beginner motorbike. It is equipped with a powerful engine, able to accelerate well, but it is not a fast motorcycle. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 is a comfortable, aesthetically unique, and balanced motorbike with good handling.

If you are a beginner with no riding experience, it is recommended you start with a 125-500 cc motorcycle. The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114’s 1,868 cc engine may be too much for a beginner with no prior riding experience.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim is popular among both men and women because of its comfortable cruiser ergonomics, low seat height, low center of gravity, better handling and cornering, and aesthetically pleasing look. Its engine provides smooth power delivery and women can easily handle this motorcycle due to being so lightweight.

The Harley Davidson Softail Slim is also a versatile vehicle that can be used for touring, long rides, daily commutes, and cruising on highways. The addition of stock floorboards makes this vehicle comfortable to ride while cruising at highway speeds.

The Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim differ in their designs, performances, and classes. The Harley Softail Fat Bob 114 has modern cruiser looks and ergonomics. It is an aesthetically appealing and comfortable motorbike for riding through town or cruising on highways. Meanwhile, the Harley Softail Slim has a classic cruiser design, its relaxed back position and forward foot control floorboards ensuring a comfortable cruiser ideal for touring, daily commutes, riding through traffic, and cruising at highway speeds.

So you can mount sissy bar bags and improve the safety of your Harley Davidson Softail Fat Bob 114 and the Harley Davidson Softail Slim, Viking Bags has specially designed sissy bars for both motorcycles.