Grey Ghost Registry
The “Myth”
I think you all may have heard about the “Myth” about the origin of the Fat Boy. Did Harley flip Japan the Bird? Is it true? Is it an urban legend? Is it just good for business? No it’s the Fat Boy!
In 1990 when the very first Harley Davidson Fat Boy rolled out of the factory, people started wandering where these design features came from.
Just when the Milwaukee Iron was suffering under the success of the Japanese import bikes it came back with a giant ‘hit’. The widest motorcycle ever produced was the designated bike to balance the market. Harley pulled out everything and presented the world a silver bobber named the ‘Harley Davidson Fat Boy’. Is it a coincidence that this bike clearly has some similarities with an event that happened decades ago?
7 December Sunday morning 1941….Pearl Harbor. One of the most influenced military actions off all time. The Japanese did surprise the whole world by attacking the biggest part of the American fleet.
Almost 4 years later during the final stages of the Second World War America gave the toughest order in history. Two special modified B-29 flying fortresses both dropped an atomic bomb above Japanese land. The target of the first plane; the Enola Gay was the great industrial city Hiroshima. Bock’s Car was the second bomber and flew over Nagasaki when it drops its bomb.
A couple days after the impact it became clear to the Japanese emperor what kind of damage these two prototype bombs did cause. The Japanese Emperor did surrender directly and so the WW2 ends…..
But what does this has to do with your Motorcycle? The first atomic bomb was called “ Little Boy” and the second “Fat man” if you combine these two you get Fat boy! Some people also do compare the result of the two atomic bombs with the motorcycle that did destroy any other Japanese component on the market. But okay, this could be a coincidence right? Let’s take a closer look to the other unique design features.
One of the most iconic eye catching Fat Boy parts are those cast wheels! Harley did use a closed rear wheel in an earlier Softail and also in the Softail custom models. But both wheels closed that’s a typical Fat Boy trademark. Those disc wheels have a huge similarity with the wheels used in the landing gear on the B-29 bombers. Also the unique color of the first edition Fat Boy which is called Fine Silver Metallic or gun metal grey looks just like the color the Enola Gay and Bock’s car had. On both sides off the huge gas tank you’ll find a complete new Harley Davidson emblem. This decal has never been used before and is specially designed for the Fat Boy. Do you think this emblem has some slight similarities with the logo that represented the US Air Force at that time?
And what are these iconic yellow rings are all about on the bike? Why are only have been used on the first edition FLSTF and then disappeared?
The 1990 Fat Boy has one ring on each side of the gas tank integrated in the emblem, one ring around the ignition switch; one around the derby and timer cover. And two rings can be found on the engine, the yellow painted rocker box rings on each cylinder. Rumor goes the yellow rings are a reference to the ring that is painted around the nose of a bomb. Nowadays you can still see these yellow painted rings on almost every bomb used today! But why does the Harley has seven rings? Story goes there where painted seven yellow rings on each atomic bomb, one on the nose, one around the tail and five around the ignition/timing pin holes. The operator needed to insert a couple of pins before the bomb can be activated. So there’s another link.
Keep in mind that Harley Davidson also has to thank some of it’s wealth to the army. During both of the World Wars the military mainly used Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
Nicknames
Alos the 1990 edition Fat Boy has got two common used nicknames. The first one is the “the Gray Ghost”
Now this could be a reference to the 1910 one cylinder Harley which is called “The Silent Gray Fellow”. At the beginning of the previous century Harley Davidson was a fast growing company. So maybe the success of the Fat Boy in the early 90’s is a link to the period Harley Davidson was the fastest growing motorcycle company in the world. Okay could be, or is it something else?
Before the B-29 was safe to release its bomb it had to reach an altitude of 31,060 feet (9,470 m). At this height people on the ground weren’t able to spot a plane by eye or radar even a huge bomber like the B-29. They just flew over, released the two future changing prototype’s and flew safe back home without any problem. Japan didn’t see is coming. After this action both planes where called “The Silver Ghosts”.
The second nickname does not need an explanation and I think everybody is familiar with it. Of course I’m talking about the name “Fat Boy Hiroshima”.
Harley Davidson
All these points that can be considered offending are based on rumors. Harley Davidson denies making any reference to those Second World War facts. They didn’t make the Fat Boy as a tribute bike to the atomic bombs. Also they didn’t us offending commercial slogans such as “Okay, Japan, your next custom prototype is ready”
However Harley did make a couple of comments:
The emblem on the tank evokes “patriotism and nostalgia”
The seven yellow rings do represent the seven continents
Silver always has been a common factory color on a Harley and it’s not reference to the B-29’s
Verdict
After the first 4400 FLSTF models where produced and sold, Harley did receive a complaint from the government. The silver color and the seven rings should be completely removed from the bike immediately and the emblem must be slightly modified as well.
Otherwise Harley should pay a huge fine and they must defend themselves in court. All the other things that make the bike can stay.
That’s when the ’90 Fat Boy became an instant legend. Harley did go further with the production of the Fat Boy with only one color available; black. From that day the ’90 fine silver metallic Harley Davidson Fat Boy became a collector’s item among the Harley enthusiasts. I guess we will never know whether the stories are true. But we all know one thing “don’t mess with Harley Davidson”.
The “Myth”
I think you all may have heard about the “Myth” about the origin of the Fat Boy. Did Harley flip Japan the Bird? Is it true? Is it an urban legend? Is it just good for business? No it’s the Fat Boy!
In 1990 when the very first Harley Davidson Fat Boy rolled out of the factory, people started wandering where these design features came from.
Just when the Milwaukee Iron was suffering under the success of the Japanese import bikes it came back with a giant ‘hit’. The widest motorcycle ever produced was the designated bike to balance the market. Harley pulled out everything and presented the world a silver bobber named the ‘Harley Davidson Fat Boy’. Is it a coincidence that this bike clearly has some similarities with an event that happened decades ago?
7 December Sunday morning 1941….Pearl Harbor. One of the most influenced military actions off all time. The Japanese did surprise the whole world by attacking the biggest part of the American fleet.
Almost 4 years later during the final stages of the Second World War America gave the toughest order in history. Two special modified B-29 flying fortresses both dropped an atomic bomb above Japanese land. The target of the first plane; the Enola Gay was the great industrial city Hiroshima. Bock’s Car was the second bomber and flew over Nagasaki when it drops its bomb.
A couple days after the impact it became clear to the Japanese emperor what kind of damage these two prototype bombs did cause. The Japanese Emperor did surrender directly and so the WW2 ends…..
But what does this has to do with your Motorcycle? The first atomic bomb was called “ Little Boy” and the second “Fat man” if you combine these two you get Fat boy! Some people also do compare the result of the two atomic bombs with the motorcycle that did destroy any other Japanese component on the market. But okay, this could be a coincidence right? Let’s take a closer look to the other unique design features.
One of the most iconic eye catching Fat Boy parts are those cast wheels! Harley did use a closed rear wheel in an earlier Softail and also in the Softail custom models. But both wheels closed that’s a typical Fat Boy trademark. Those disc wheels have a huge similarity with the wheels used in the landing gear on the B-29 bombers.
Also the unique color of the first edition Fat Boy which is called Fine Silver Metallic or gun metal grey looks just like the color the Enola Gay and Bock’s car had. On both sides off the huge gas tank you’ll find a complete new Harley Davidson emblem. This decal has never been used before and is specially designed for the Fat Boy. Do you think this emblem has some slight similarities with the logo that represented the US Air Force at that time?
And what are these iconic yellow rings are all about on the bike? Why are only have been used on the first edition FLSTF and then disappeared?
The 1990 Fat Boy has one ring on each side of the gas tank integrated in the emblem, one ring around the ignition switch; one around the derby and timer cover. And two rings can be found on the engine, the yellow painted rocker box rings on each cylinder. Rumor goes the yellow rings are a reference to the ring that is painted around the nose of a bomb. Nowadays you can still see these yellow painted rings on almost every bomb used today! But why does the Harley has seven rings? Story goes there where painted seven yellow rings on each atomic bomb, one on the nose, one around the tail and five around the ignition/timing pin holes. The operator needed to insert a couple of pins before the bomb can be activated. So there’s another link.
Keep in mind that Harley Davidson also has to thank some of it’s wealth to the army. During both of the World Wars the military mainly used Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
Nicknames
Alos the 1990 edition Fat Boy has got two common used nicknames. The first one is the “the Gray Ghost”
Now this could be a reference to the 1910 one cylinder Harley which is called “The Silent Gray Fellow”. At the beginning of the previous century Harley Davidson was a fast growing company. So maybe the success of the Fat Boy in the early 90’s is a link to the period Harley Davidson was the fastest growing motorcycle company in the world. Okay could be, or is it something else?
Before the B-29 was safe to release its bomb it had to reach an altitude of 31,060 feet (9,470 m). At this height people on the ground weren’t able to spot a plane by eye or radar even a huge bomber like the B-29. They just flew over, released the two future changing prototype’s and flew safe back home without any problem. Japan didn’t see is coming. After this action both planes where called “The Silver Ghosts”.
The second nickname does not need an explanation and I think everybody is familiar with it. Of course I’m talking about the name “Fat Boy Hiroshima”.
Harley Davidson
All these points that can be considered offending are based on rumors. Harley Davidson denies making any reference to those Second World War facts. They didn’t make the Fat Boy as a tribute bike to the atomic bombs. Also they didn’t us offending commercial slogans such as “Okay, Japan, your next custom prototype is ready”
However Harley did make a couple of comments:
The emblem on the tank evokes “patriotism and nostalgia”
The seven yellow rings do represent the seven continents
Silver always has been a common factory color on a Harley and it’s not reference to the B-29’s
Verdict
After the first 4400 FLSTF models where produced and sold, Harley did receive a complaint from the government. The silver color and the seven rings should be completely removed from the bike immediately and the emblem must be slightly modified as well.
Otherwise Harley should pay a huge fine and they must defend themselves in court. All the other things that make the bike can stay.
That’s when the ’90 Fat Boy became an instant legend. Harley did go further with the production of the Fat Boy with only one color available; black. From that day the ’90 fine silver metallic Harley Davidson Fat Boy became a collector’s item among the Harley enthusiasts. I guess we will never know whether the stories are true. But we all know one thing “don’t mess with Harley Davidson”.
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