The ideal cruiser customer is a bit of an odd one. With sport bike or tourer buyers, it is quite straightforward: they want the latest tech and, in the case of the latter, the most comfort as well. That’s not necessarily the case with the cruiser segment. People looking to buy a cruiser don’t necessarily want space-age tech. They are comfortable getting something a little old, as long as it has the character they are looking for. But with increased focus on tech, we now have some brilliant cruisers blending the basic ingredients with likable tech. In this space, one cruiser particularly combines old-school character with modern confidence quite well. The Cruiser Market Has Something For Everyone Harley-DavidsonA lot of motorcycle types have divided into subsets, and it is no different with cruisers. You can have tiny single-cylinder or twin-cylinder ones to start your two-wheeled journey with. You can then trade up to mid-size ones with parallel twin engines and modern chassis. Or skip a half step ahead to old-school midsize V-twins that have stood the test of time.And when you’re ready, you can look at the full-size, premium cruiser segment, where there is so much choice, you hardly can decide what you want. Two cylinders, three, or even four… they’re all there for the taking. But the best kind of cruiser is the kind that has the best of the old school and the new. The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Combines Old-School Character With Modern Confidence Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy has been around for many decades, and its styling has resonated with the public. The Fat Boy has even played a starring role in movies, so the nostalgia is high here. Thus, Harley-Davidson now has to stick to the looks or risk alienating a very passionate fan base that goes beyond the mere Harley loyalists or motorcycling aficionados. However, things must keep evolving. So, The Motor Company needed to update the Fat Boy to meet its current standards of premium cruisers. It thus has modern tech under its nostalgic skin – and that makes the Fat Boy the cruiser that combines old-school character with modern confidence. Premium Price For A Premium Product Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy has a base price of $22,599, which puts it a little at the premium end of its segment. As with most premium Harleys, this is a base price and will go up with any additions at all. For instance, if you choose anything but the base flat gray paint from the factory, you’ll have to add $300-$1,100 to that base price. Milwaukee Eight Custom Tune Offers Good Performance Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy has been powered by different engines throughout its history, all of which have been Harley's top dog choices. So when the Milwaukee Eight debuted in 2018, it was no wonder the Fat Boy got it. 2025 saw another update, this time to the Milwaukee Eight 117 with oil cooling for the cylinder heads. That means there is a separate radiator for this oil that cools the oil that circulates along the cylinder heads.This engine displaces 1,917 cc, has an interestingly high 10.3:1 compression ratio, and generates 104 horsepower at 4,800 RPM and 126 pound-feet at 3,000 RPM. The fuel injection helps with the supporting electronics and emissions, and the six-speed gearbox gives it decent pace and fuel efficiency (47 MPG claimed). A belt drive is the final step in the driveline. Conventional Chassis Under The Instantly-Recognizable Looks Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy has a standard steel cradle frame, shared across the Softail range. There are differences between the different models, but they aren’t truly significant. The signature look has been maintained with a few nice touches to the design, like a hidden rear monoshock that is present on the Softail range. This makes the range look like hardtails. The chrome and attitude are standard here, though. Beefy Forks And Disc Wheels Are Signature Elements Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy has 49 mm forks with dual-rate springs. At the rear, the monoshock offers hydraulic preload adjustment. A 300 mm front disc has a 4-piston fixed front caliper, and there is a 292 mm disc with a two-piston floating caliper at the rear. The signature disc wheels are an odd size for a cruiser – they are 18 inches at both ends. The Fat Boy Is A Big Boy Harley-DavidsonThis is a full-size, premium cruiser, and the Fat Boy’s dimensions reflect that. It is over 93 inches long with a 65-inch wheelbase. The laden seat height is 25.9 inches, which comes at the cost of the ground clearance (4.9 inches). Its fuel tank can hold 5 gallons, and it weighs 694 pounds wet. This is normal for a full-size American cruiser, but its size and weight can be intimidating to someone stepping up to this kind of motorcycle. Analog Instrumentation With Tank-Mounted Cluster Harley-DavidsonThe Fat Boy retains one traditional design feature: it has a circular instrument cluster mounted on the tank. This is dominated by an analog speedometer, while an LCD sits at the bottom. It shows relevant information, like fuel level, gear selected, odometer, and trip meters. It is similar to the instrumentation on other Harleys like the Nightster and Low Rider S.Harley-DavidsonAlthough a basic setup, the display gives you access to quite a few electronic aids. A by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU offer access to four ride modes, cornering ABS, cornering traction control, and cornering drag torque slip control. Cruise control is also available, which is nice. Finally, a USB-C charging port is standard fitment, as is an adjustable front brake lever and a tire pressure monitoring system.Coming to accessories, the list is decently long. We’d definitely recommend one of the paint options. The $650 white onyx pearl is reminiscent of the Fat Boy Gray Ghost, while the $1,100 two-tone colorway is the most expensive option. We’d also splurge on the $1,150 Öhlins shock with a remote reservoir – the added comfort will make a world of difference to the ride experience! A Few Other Cruisers Have This Mix Of Old And New SuzukiThere are a surprising number of cruisers that vie for customers’ attention at this end of the market. One of the old-school ones is the Suzuki Boulevard M109R ($15,799) that has amazing performance from its engine. However, it hasn’t been updated in 20 years, so you do not get any modern trappings – there is no ABS, the gearbox is a five-speed one, and the throttle is a cable-actuated one. This is great for reliability, but is also intimidating for most.BMWA left-field choice is the BMW R 18. This massive cruiser (825 pounds!) has a longitudinal boxer twin engine. The 1,802 cc displacement makes it the largest boxer BMW has ever built. It gets modern niceties like ABS and a by-wire throttle, and it has shaft drive like the Boulevard and a six-speed gearbox like the Harley.Indan MotorcycleBut Chief among the Fat Boy’s rivals is the Indian Super Chief Limited. It is very much an old-school large-displacement cruiser with an air-cooled Thunderstroke engine that has two valves per cylinder and huge low-rev torque: 120 pound-feet arrives at 2,900 RPM, although it is down on power (89 horsepower) and up on weight (739 pounds) on the Fat Boy. It balances its old-school engine with modern features like a by-wire throttle, ride modes, rear cylinder deactivation, a 4-inch TFT screen with connected features, keyless ignition, a USB port, and a 12V charging socket.