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Cruisers

1994Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

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The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy is the Softail cruiser known for its solid disc wheels and wide, chunky styling. Its air-cooled 1,337cc Evolution V-twin produces 86.3 Nm through a five-speed gearbox and belt drive. A low 673 mm seat, 298 kg wet weight and 16-litre tank give it a planted, relaxed feel.

Capacity: 1337.0 ccm
Engine: V-Twin, four-stroke
Gearbox: 5-speed
Dry weight: 295.0 kg
Seat height: 673 mm
Power: 49.0 HP (36.0 kW)

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years

Other years 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2025 2026

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail5%

Cornering30%

City riding45%

Daily riding55%

Touring40%

Two-up55%

Track10%

Best for: Built for boulevard cruising and making a bold visual statement rather than outright performance or long-distance touring.
Built for: A muscular, iconic cruiser with a fat rear tire stance, strong low-end torque, and unmistakable classic Harley presence.
Not ideal for: Not the right choice for riders seeking nimble cornering, off-road capability, or a lightweight, agile everyday commuter.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

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Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 673mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, with a relaxed knee angle of around 120 degrees and an upright riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 750 mm or under — Short Kings →

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Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Excellent

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 91.2% of the time, 9.1 points above expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 91% of models.

All years of this model: 83 / 100 (excellent) from 6,083 tests.

91.2%Passed first time

3.2%Failed outright

5.6%Fixed during test

20,000Typical miles

216Tests

Pass rate against other bikes

This bike

91.2%

Same age

82.1%

All bikes

82.0%

Share of first tests passed with nothing failed or fixed during the test. Same age is what bikes of the same age and mileage pass on average; all bikes is the average over every bike tested, 2005–2025. The score compares this bike with the same-age figure.

Pass rate by miles ridden

0-10k

90.4%

10-20k

89.7%

20-30k

89.5%

30-40k

89.2%

40-50k

88.3%

50k+

87.1%

All years of this model.

Score by year first registered

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'12'13'14'17'18'19

What it fails on

Share of its failed tests that had a fault in each area (one test can fail on several), against all bikes.

Lights & indicators59% (56%)

Number plate & ID27% (7%)

Tyres & wheels13% (16%)

Brakes11% (24%)

Frame & bodywork10% (16%)

Steering & suspension6% (21%)

From 365 failed tests, 2018–2025. In brackets and marked on each bar: all bikes.

Against its rivals · ranks 1 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Harley-Davidson Fat Boy	83 Excellent	6,083
2	Harley-Davidson Springer Softail	74 Good	398
3	Yamaha XV 1100 Virago	62 Good	11,113
4	Harley-Davidson 1200 Sportster	58 Average	4,396
5	Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder	45 Average	1,109
6	Harley-Davidson XLH Sportster 1200	36 Below average	718

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.

Full specifications

Engine

Capacity: 1337.0 ccm
Power: 49.0 HP (36.0 kW)
Torque: 86.3 Nm (8.8 kgf-m) @ 2400 RPM
Engine type: V-Twin, four-stroke
Power/weight ratio: 0.1661 HP/kg (dry)
Bore x stroke: 88.8 x 108.0 mm
Compression: 8.5:1
Cooling system: Air
Fuel system: Carburettor
Starting: Electric
Valves per cylinder: 2

Transmission

Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type: Manual
Final drive: Belt

Performance

Top speed: 148.0 km/h (92.0 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1651 mm
Overall length: 2365 mm
Overall width: 1016 mm
Seat height: 673 mm
Dry weight: 295.0 kg
Wet weight: 298.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 16.00 litres
Ground clearance: 125 mm

Chassis & suspension

Front suspension: Dual-bending valve 49 mm telescopic with aluminum fork triple clamps; dual rate spring; "beer can" covers
Rear suspension: Hidden, free piston, coil-over monoshock; 43mm stroke; hydraulic preload adjustment
Rake (fork angle): 30.0°
Trail: 104 mm

Brakes & wheels

Front brakes: Single disc
Rear brakes: Single disc
Front tyre: MT 90-16
Rear tyre: MT 90-16

Specs last verified against published sources: November 2026.

Compiled from manufacturer documentation and user contributions, corrected on an ongoing basis. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

What changed, year to year

Differences highlighted

Specification	1990	1994	2014	2018	2026
Capacity	1337 cc	1337 cc	1690 cc	1746 cc	1923 cc
Dry weight	295 kg	295 kg	284 kg	284 kg	284 kg
Seat height	673 mm	673 mm	654 mm	654 mm	658 mm
Fuel capacity	16 L	16 L	—	—	18.9 L
Bike Reliability ⓘ	66 Good	91 Excellent	85 Excellent	88 Excellent	Too new

Illustrative - generated automatically by diffing the year records already on file, not a manufacturer-published changelog.

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Common questions

Is the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy reliable?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Bike Reliability score of 91 out of 100 (excellent), better than 91% of models. It passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 91.2% of the time against 82.0% for all bikes, 9.1 points above what is expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. Across all years, its most common reason to fail is lights & indicators (59% of failed tests). Based on 216 tests in Great Britain.

What is the engine size of the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Capacity of 1337.0 ccm (81.59 cubic inches).

What engine power does the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy have?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Power of 49.0 HP (36.0 kW).

How many gears does the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy have?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Gearbox of 5-speed.

What is the torque of the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Torque of 86.3 Nm (8.8 kgf-m or 63.7 ft.lbs) @ 2400 RPM.

How much does the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy weigh?

The 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy has a Dry weight of 295.0 kg (650.4 pounds).