Harley Bad Boy: The Least Known Harley Ever Produced

Harley-Davidson, known to produce the most viral, iconic, and popular motorcycle models, once made the Harley Bad Boy. It wasn’t anything closer to the Harley Fat Boy. Even if you ask a die-hard Harley fan, he will likely be unfamiliar with the Harley-Davidson Bad Boy. Only a few people know about the Bad Boy. What was this bike? When was it produced, and why was it discontinued?

Before you start getting to know about the Harley Bad Boy, everyone should know that it wasn’t anything exceptional or special like most Harleys. It may now have a value due to being a vintage Harley motorcycle of the past. But at that time, the Harley Bad Boy wasn’t perceived well by the masses. As a result, Harley had to shut the production down due to poor sales.

Despite the failure, it was still a Harley motorcycle, and it deserves to be discussed. The Harley Bad Boy had its very own unique style, persona, attitude, and class, which is worth mentioning. Let’s get to know more about the Harley Davidson Bad Boy in this article, the least known Harley ever produced.

1995-1996 Harley Davidson Bad Boy

Just by looking at this motorcycle, the Harley Bad Boy looks awesome, mean, and different. Considering this motorbike was introduced in 1995, at that time, the Bad Boy must have been the most stylish motorcycle Harley could come up with.

The Harley Bad Boy may not be the most iconic design, but it was something else in its lineup at that time. It was built around the most popular Harley platform, the Harley Softail. Let’s get into the details of the Harley Bad Boy design features and major highlights:

• The mix of blacked-out and chrome finish

• Blacked-out springer front end

• High-mounted chrome-nacelled, classic headlight

• Softail rear-end design with hidden under-the-seat mono-shock

• Tall and narrow wire-spoke front wheel

• A fat and wide rear tire with a solid rear wheel

• 45-degree powerful V-Twin Evo engine

• Overall chopper look

• Stylish rear mudguard

• Separate dual shorty exhaust pipes

• Step-up two-piece saddle

• High, pullback, dirt tracker handlebars

• Forward foot controls

• Gas tank-mounted gauges

Many of the Harley Davidson fans don’t even know today that a motorcycle with the name ‘Harley Bad Boy’ ever existed. However, it is something closer to the very popular Harley Fat Boy. However, the Fat Boy still made some sense after the clarification by the company itself.

On the other hand, the ‘Bad Boy’ wasn’t perceived well, not only because of its name, but also for what it offered. Harley always tried to be different and sound more like a gangster in that era. The company wanted to impress American Chopper motorcycle lovers with the coolest badass swagger motorbike, and by naming it Bad Boy.

The name ‘Harley Bad Boy’ may not be professional, and it wasn’t something to be proud of either, but it was what it was. It was quite flashy and corny at its best.

Harley-Davidson FXSTSB Bad Boy may receive full marks for its badass styling, blacked-out and chrome accents, and unique attitude, but it didn’t sell. Even though there may be only a few motorcyclists who know that the Harley Bad Boy existed, you could still be praised for riding this cool motorcycle. If you ignore all the shortcomings and only focus on the special things it had, the Harley Bad Boy still didn’t sell. We still wonder why not even a very few Harley fans bought it.

Being introduced in 1995, Harley-Davidson had to discontinue this motorbike the very next year, in 1996, due to incredibly poor sales.

The Harley Bad Boy was too much for the regular Harley users. It was quite a diversion from the traditional Harley models. The designer of this motorcycle went too far from the original lines, which is one reason why it was not perceived well.

Considering the poor sales, it can be said that Harley Bad Boy was a bad experiment. It didn’t fit well in either the Softail or Sportster platforms, as it was more like an aggressively styled Harley Softail.

To be honest, the Harley Bad Boy had major shortcomings. This motorcycle lacked features, and the engine performance wasn’t even up to par. Also, there was no room for aftermarket parts to make any changes to this motorbike. These are some of the major reasons why Harley could only sell a few units of this motorcycle.

Despite being a Harley Softail, it looked more like a Sportster model. It may seem like a classic Harley motorcycle to a certain extent. However, as you sit on it, it feels completely different to ride. Though the foot controls are forward-mounted, offering quite a spacious legroom, riders had to sit slightly forward towards the handlebars.

The Harley Bad Boy, overall, offered a unique riding style. Unlike a Harley Softail, the rider had to engage more with this motorbike to ride it. It wasn’t a comfortable Harley cruiser bike like a Softail should be.

The Harley Bad Boy ensured more of an aggressive riding stance as the high-mounted, pullback dirt tracker handlebar offered a slightly forward-leaning position. So, you can’t just relax as you ride this motorcycle; you have to keep yourself engaged in a forward riding position as you ride the Bad Boy.

The Harley Bad Boy was, therefore, good for short sprints, rather than long rides. It was a decent Harley cruiser for daily commutes and city rides. It could make your weekends lovely. Though it was a big enough Harley motorcycle, it didn’t feel as heavy and difficult to steer around corners as a Softail model. It had a dry weight of only 320 lbs.

Being more like a Sportster, the Harley Bad Boy felt very encouraging to ride around corners. The front wheel of this motorcycle didn’t seem too far from the rider, making the motorbike feel lighter and agile when it comes to handling.

Being a Harley Softail that is powered by a big and vibey V-Twin engine while maintaining a Sportster touch could make a perfect combo for those looking for a lively Harley motorcycle. The 1,340 cc 45-degree Evo V-Twin engine was a great deal at that time. The engine could produce a maximum torque of 78 lb-ft (105.75 Nm) at 3,600 rpm and a peak horsepower of 60 hp at 5,000 rpm.

Though the 1,340 cc V-Twin engine is big and looks like a proper mechanical machine, it doesn’t scare you. As you ride this motorbike, the engine seems like it's working a lot to push you ahead on this motorcycle.

Though the engine produced noticeable vibrations, the Harley Bad Boy was still quite fun to ride. It was unlike most Harleys that laid the foundation of today’s Sportster models. The engine performance may not be up to the mark with the lack of reliable braking performance, but the motorbike was still quite lively and quick around the corners.

The stock exhaust wasn’t able to produce an engaging exhaust note as Harley is used to. However, with the right exhaust upgrade, the sound could be made engaging.

Talking about some of the performance figures, the Harley Bad Boy could attain a top speed of around 112 mph. On average, the Bad Boy could maintain a fuel average of around 43 mpg.

If you are impressed enough after getting to know about the now-classic Harley Bad Boy, you can get a used model for around $13,000. The original price of the model at the time of its introduction was listed to be $13,850.

The Springer front-end of the Harley Bad Boy, along with the solid-mounted engine, ensures you feel every bump on the road while riding this motorcycle. The vibrations are equally felt at the handlebars and the foot controls. It ensures quite a raw riding experience as you are riding a vintage motorcycle. However, as judged in modern times, the Harley Fat Boy is a very uncomfortable motorbike that can get painful over time.

The truth is, there is no comparison of the Harley Bad Boy with modern motorcycles. It is now officially considered a vintage motorbike and a collector's item. It is uncomfortable, but it feels different than most of the bikes you have ridden today.

If you are a Harley enthusiast with a keen eye on all Harley models, you must try riding the Harley Bad Boy. This motorbike offers a unique riding experience that you will only love if you are a vintage motorcycle lover, especially those made by Harley.

You will get the same response from almost everyone with whom you discuss this motorcycle. As soon as they hear about the Harley Bad Boy, they will inquire whether you are talking about the Harley Fat Boy. This is how little-known Harley is.

Talking about the style, the Harley Bad Boy was quite a noticeable, unique motorbike of its time in the Harley lineup. It was a perfect mix of both Softail and Sportster models. The motorcycle was light, agile, and very swift around the corners. However, being simple and outdated, it was quite vibey and raw to ride.

As of now, the Harley Bad Boy has become a garage queen and a collector's item if you are interested in vintage Harley motorcycles with a legacy. It is not only the least-known Harley, but it is also among the rarest Harleys that may be present in a very small number.