Introduced for the 2010 model year, this low-slung Softail variant was created as a more approachable, lower-seat companion to the standard Fat Boy. Harley-Davidson identified the model in its 2010 Softail owner documentation as FLSTFB, with the market name Fat Boy Lo in the United States and several other regions, while some international markets used the Fat Boy Special designation for the same basic model code. The bike kept the heavy, solid-styled cruiser look associated with the Fat Boy family, but was positioned as an easier-reach version with a notably lower stance and a more relaxed rider triangle than the original.
The nameplate stayed in Harley-Davidson’s Softail lineup through the 2017 model year. For 2018, Harley-Davidson reorganized the Softail range around an all-new chassis and introduced a new Fat Boy under the FLFB code, while the FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo nameplate disappeared from the lineup. That makes the 2010–2017 run the continuous production history for this exact model nameplate.
Within Harley-Davidson history, the Fat Boy Lo is best understood as an extension of one of the brand’s most recognizable cruiser families rather than a separate offshoot with its own long lineage. Its significance comes from giving the classic Fat Boy silhouette a lower, more accessible setup without abandoning the model’s signature visual presence.