I took this bike out for a spin last night:
2005 Harley-Davidson Softail "Fat Boy" CVO, Screamin' Eagle edition (FLSTFSE).
I'd been just DROOLING to get one of these more classic-looking softails out on the street.
I've been wanting to know how the "beach bar" handlebars feel, and how it feels to ride with
footboards. The local shop has had more than a few of them available.
What set this bike apart for me was the custom paint — the frame is fire engine red, not
black like so many are — and the sound.
ZOMG THE SOUND.
This bike is loud as HELL. It turns heads when you ride. I love the sound of our bike, but THIS...
I do believe that loud pipes help keep riders safe. I'm pretty sure I'd be pretty safe!
But the biggest thing about it that I completely love is the hydraulic clutch.
Say it with me now: hy-drau-lic-clu-tch. When you let out a standard clutch,
the bike's engine starts to engage. It pulls the bike forward. It's something we practiced in
class — letting out the clutch to make the bike roll forward. With a hydraulic clutch, the
operation is, well, Boolean (forgive me): it's either engaged or it's not. The clutch becomes
more like a light switch than something you do "by feel." In my brief experience, the biggest
problem I still have with riding is letting out the clutch too fast when stopped at an
intersection. The hydraulic clutch makes that a thing of the past.
Heck, that ALONE seems worth an upgrade!
The bike seemed low. Perhaps it was the footboards, perhaps it was the beach bar... probably
both. I almost felt like I was riding a lawn tractor. An incredibly sexy lawn tractor,
mind you.
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