More is better. These are the words that first come into view when you go online and visit Harley-Davidson's dedicated Fat Boy page. And they are also words German custom garage Thunderbike seems to have taken literally when they doubled the value of a Fat Boy with a few swift moves and a long list of aftermarket parts.
Enter the Harley-Davidson GT, a Fat Boy-based conversion that aims to really push the fat custom icon's limits to the breaking point. Presented about a month ago, it is not only one of the newest builds of this kind on the market, but also one of the most impressive.
That's because Thunderbike and the guy who had the GT made cut no corners when putting this thing together. A total of 40 custom parts were used to make the bike look like this, with a combined value of at least 19,300 euros ($21,000). That's a huge amount, considering it's also how much the American bike maker is asking for the Fat Boy in stock condition.
The most impressive of all the parts on that list are the bike's wheels. All you have to do is zoom in on any of the photos showing them in the gallery, and it'll become immediately clear why.
The two pieces of hardware are made in-house, and are part of a line of products called GT (hence the name chosen for the entire build when it was all done). CNC-machined, they are essentially five-spoke pieces that split into a "Y” shape where they meet the rim.
The one fitted at the front of this build is 23 inches in diameter, while the one at the rear comes in at 21 inches – a combo Thunderbike says it never tried before with this kind of wheel on this kind of base motorcycle. Both of them are shod in Metzeler rubber.
Just to give you an idea of what that means financially, just consider the fact a single such piece is worth around $2,300. Might be worth it, though, as the things are so impressive it seems like all the rest of the motorcycle was built to make them stand out. And in a sense, it was.
The front wheel is shielded from the elements by a fiberglass front fender, while a steel one has been supplied for the rear – that's a piece adding an extra ($1,100) to the cost of the build.
A single-sided swingarm was fitted at the rear to help hold the wheel in place, while the fork at the opposite end was gifted with a lowering kit. The entire motorcycle rests on an air suspension system that can be used to make the wheels even more visible by changing the bike's stance.
Mechanically the Fat Bot has probably remained unchanged, and we are only told about a custom Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system being fitted onto it.
The Harley-Davidson GT was built by Thunderbike on demand, meaning it is one of a kind.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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