2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Has Double the Price of a Stock One and All the Right Gear

Yet a lot of customers seem quite unhappy with the way the Fat Boy rolls out the factory doors. There’s no official statistic on this, but it seems a very large percentage of the customized Harleys we come across daily are part of this family.

So is the stunning build here, the work of a French garage called Melk. Originally a 2020 Fat Boy, the motorcycle was transformed in the usual Melk style, with the carefully choreographed paint job taking center stage, backed by a wealth of modifications that more than doubled the price of the two-wheeler.

Melk generally goes for a combination of three color choices for the bikes it makes, and the same thing happens here. We get Vivid Black carefully placed on the fork, handlebar, headlight fairing, and engine bits, but it’s Gunship Gray that covers most of the motorcycle’s body parts.

A color called Pale Gold highlights the entire build and serves as inspiration for the detailing on the custom Fat Boy, including the way the Harley name is spelled on the fuel tank, the logo itself, and even the wheels.

Speaking of which, they are wrapped in Avon rubber and sourced from Harley itself, but given how the brake disc and pulley were moved to the same side, they can now both be admired in their full glory, at least when looking at the ride from the right side.

The wheels sit under custom fenders and are supported by an air suspension system. They spin under the power of the stock engine, enhanced by means of re-mapping (Melk does not list the exact changes achieved this way) and the fitting of an aftermarket air filter and a Freedom Performance exhaust system. Stopping power is ensured by Arlen Ness pieces of hardware.

A multitude of covers sourced from Thunderbike and Rick’s Motorcycles dress the bike all around. The handlebar is now in ape style, and brings a touch of class to the overall machine, while the fuel tank has been stretched to better fit the overall build. The seat is made in-house by Melk.

I said earlier this custom bike (bike number 32 in the shop's portfolio) is worth twice the price of a stock Fat Boy. That’s because when made like this (and the French shop can replicate the changes for any customer), the Fat Boy ends up at 42,000 euros, which is about $46,000 at today’s exchange rates. Quite pricey, but more than worth it if you take into account all the modifications made.