Low, wide and intimidating. Ever have these been the hallmarks of the Fat Boy line since its launch in 1990, and it’s still true of today’s subjects. Post 30 years of a bodacious run, the Bar & Shield brand is celebrating it with a limited run affair of a bold all-black livery, complete with gentle touches of bronze. And running this evil hooligan is the thumping Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin engine.

Originally, the Fat Boy charmed through everyone's radar when it cruised around Los Angeles in the blockbuster feature film, Terminator 2, ridden by another blockbuster star – Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s been three decades since that happened, and even today, it has been one of the most physically imposing motorcycles in the Harley-Davidson portfolio.

Becoming a part of the Softail range in 2018, the Fat Boy received a massive upgrade on the reinvented Softail chassis, powered by the Milwaukee-Eight engines. Celebrating 30 years of this monster, the 2018 model has been given a blacked-out theme, converting the satin-chrome outlook to a sinful looking “Vivid-Black” theme. Even the 18-inch, solid-disc Lakester rims get the satin-black finish with machined edges.

This 30th Anniversary edition will come fitted with Harley’s 119 ft. lb Mil-8 114 motor finished with a blacked-out look and glossed black engine covers. The lower rocker covers and timer cover script gets the subtle bronze-tone, while the dual exhaust pipes are finished up in Onyx Black – “a durable physical vapor deposition paint finish that reveals the underlying chrome in bright light.” Fancy!

Up-front, the comfortable swept bars, mirrors, and the controls are perched in Vivid-Black, and so is the headlamp nacelle and the beefy 49mm Showa Dual Bending Valve front forks. The sloping fuel tank with the instrument console mounted on it gets the premium 3-D waterslide Fat Boy logo in the new bronze-tone complimenting the black finishes.

The Fat Boy 107 in Vivid-Black will run you $18,999 while the 114 will set you back $20,299 for the same. This Vivid-Black 30th Anniversary Edition, however, will come with a price tag of $21,949, carrying the 114 Mil-8 motor. It will be limited to 2,500 examples, each serialized with a number plate affixed to the fuel tank console.

The rest of the chassis and mechanical equipment remains unchanged with the beefy 49mm Showa Dual Bending Valve front forks front and rear suspension with easily-adjustable emulsion shocks. They can be adjusted with just a turn of a knob, and bigger pins will give improved damping performance. Braking is handled by 32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear Reflex Linked Brembos' with ABS that catch on to twin 320mm discs.

The 114 Milwaukee-Eight gets re-tuned ride-by-wire system and more sensitive knock sensors for gaining all the torque on offer. A 6-Speed Cruise Drive Transmission and a slip and assist clutch provides the rider smooth shifting of gears that help in maintaining fatigue-free long rides.