Boosted Fat Boy

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Boosted Beast

That ’90s brand of awesome.

We posted an invitation on the HEAVY DUTY Facebook page for Brisbane readers to ‘show us their bike’, and Andrew’s 1997 FLSTF Fat Boy immediately warranted a closer look.

Or, more specifically, the supercharger that adorned it.

A few days later we were sitting at Wellington Point and I started asking him about the magnificent, supercharged Fat Boy parked beside us.

“The bike was an import. I bought it from a guy down on the northern side of the Gold Coast who brings in custom bikes. He had quite a number of them. This one caught my eye.

“It’s a ’97 and was a one-owner bike in the US, and I’m the first registered owner in Australia. From what I understand, the original owner had everything done to the bike before it left the dealership.

“It’s got a Harley Stage Three Street Stalker body kit, a 96-cube stroker motor with S&S internals, Keith Black pistons, an oil-pump upgrade and, obviously, the Magna Charger supercharger, with a 44 mm polished-chrome CV carb, a six-speed RevTech gearbox and an Arlen Ness billet swingarm with belt drive.”

In response to my quizzical look, Andrew continued.

“Yes, Dave, the belt deals with it easily, but as far as peak power goes, I don’t really know. I’d say probably around 100 horsepower, but I don’t know for sure.

“Typically, people say 150 is about right for blown setups, but I haven’t dynoed it — and I’m not going to. It doesn’t interest me.

“I’m all about riding it. Power’s just numbers to me.”

Those Wheels

“Okay. Tell me about those wheels?” was my next question.

“They are Carriage Works billet-alloy wheels, pulley and discs. It’s fitted with Performance Machine brakes and Pro-One forward controls.

“It also has polished lower fork legs, with Progressive suspension in the lowered front and rear.

“It’s been fitted with LED lights and braided lines throughout — everything, even fuel and brake lines — and it has chrome hand controls as well.”

What’s It Like to Ride?

“I took it out a couple of weekends ago. I probably did nearly 400 kilometres for the day.

“Surprisingly, it rides and handles really nicely. It’s hard as a rock on the road because of the suspension and seat, but it rides well. It’s definitely not a pig to ride.

“The blower doesn’t make it awkward either. Power delivery is smooth and constant. Once you roll it on, it just keeps on coming.”

“Does it come on with a surge?” I asked.

“No, not really. It pulls right from the bottom. Once you hit the accelerator, it just keeps pulling.

“I’ve had it past 100 miles per hour and it was still going. I’ve ridden plenty of turbo bikes — they lag, then come on hard. This doesn’t do that. It’s very linear.

“Once it starts picking up revs, it just keeps going and doesn’t want to stop.

“It’s also very tractable, with what I describe as broad, friendly power. And it’s really easy to ride around town. I’ll ride it anywhere.”

“That’s the other thing with some boosted bikes — they’ve got a hair trigger,” I noted.

“Yeah. Not this thing,” Andrew replied. “And it’s very reliable. No problems at all.

“I actually took another bike out one weekend recently — a CVO — and had a battery light come on. So I swapped back to this and did another 400 kilometres that day without any issues.”

What Comes Next?

“Are you planning on doing anything else to it?” I asked.

Andrew smiled.

“Little things. I have already changed the lights to LED and upgraded the grips and levers, and swapped some of the nuts and bolts for chrome.

“I might change the exhaust at some stage. I’m not particularly happy with the look of the current one, even though it works well.

“And possibly the bars. I actually like what’s on it now, but I’ve picked up a set of earlier-style bars with about a one-inch rise — more of that old-school look — but we’ll see.

“That’s about it, really.”

Pointing to the bike, he added, “That’s the original paintwork from 1997 and it’s still in good nick. There are a couple of small scuff marks, but that’s the quality of the original paint.

“Interestingly, the Stage Three Street Stalker kits only came out in the burgundy colour.”

With that, we headed out for a photo shoot, and I got to listen to how good it sounds — and see how good it looks on the road.

Andrew also has an impressive collection of Springers.

“They are my real passion,” he said, so keep an eye out for that sort of attention to detail in an upcoming edition.

Andrew Rauchle’s 1997 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy

General

OwnerAndrew Rauchle

Model1997 FLSTF Fat Boy

BodyworkHarley Stage Three Street Stalker kit

Estimated power100+ hp

Maximum revs6800 rpm

PaintOriginal 1997 Harley Stage Three Street Stalker finish

Engine

TypeEvolution 96-cube stroker

InternalsS&S components and Keith Black pistons

HeadsWorked

Oil pumpS&S

InductionMagna Charger supercharger

Carburettor44 mm polished-chrome CV

Air cleanerK&N element

IgnitionDyna 2000

ExhaustTwo-inch drag pipes

TransmissionRevTech six-speed

Frame, Suspension & Wheels

FrameHarley Fat Boy / Softail

Front suspensionLowered Progressive

Rear suspensionLowered Progressive

SwingarmArlen Ness Tech Series billet chrome

Front rim16 x 3-inch Carriage Works Cyclone billet

Rear rim16 x 3-inch Carriage Works Cyclone billet

TyresMichelin Commander MT90B16

BrakesCarriage Works Cyclone chrome discs

CalipersPerformance Machine billet four-piston

Controls & Finish

Bars1.25-inch Western bars on one-inch risers

GripsHarley chrome Narrow Band billet

SeatStreet Stalker

LeversHarley chrome

Master cylinderHarley chrome

Forward controlsPro-One billet chrome

PegsKuryakyn Iso

IndicatorsMini LED

HeadlightLED Daymaker

Tail lightMini billet-alloy tombstone LED

LinesBraided throughout