The 2005 Big Dog Mastiff was one of the cruisers that United States motorcycle manufacturer Big Dog – which closed its doors in 2011 – released for the 2005 model year. It came with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $27,500. Like virtually all Big Dog bikes from that model year, the 2005 Mastiff is powered by an S&S V-twin engine that displaces at 1,918 cubic centimeters. Also, it is very similar to another Big Dog cruiser, named the Pitbull. However, the 2005 Mastiff is $2,000 more expensive, with a smaller wheelbase, shorter length and more weight.
The engine on the 2005 Big Dog Mastiff is a four-stroke air-cooled unit, with a total of eight intake valves. (Four valves go on each of its two cylinders). It has a bore and stroke of 4.13 x 4.38 inches (104.8 x 111.1 millimeters), as well as a compression ratio of 9.6 to 1. An S&S Super G carburetor fuels the engine, which is paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Each 2005 Mastiff gets a 4.5-gallon (17-liter) gas tank with a 0.5-gallon (1.9-liter) reserve.
Each aluminum wheel on the 2005 Big Dog Mastiff – 21 inches at the front, 18 inches at the back – gets a disc brake. The all-wheel disc brake set-up on the cruiser surpasses front-disc-brake rear-disc-brake or all-wheel drum layouts in stopping power. The suspension consists of a front 1.6-inch (41-mm) telescopic fork and rear rigid suspension, thus ensuring a degree of smoothness when on the road.
Relying on a solid steel frame for sturdiness and enhanced handling, the 2005 Big Dog Mastiff sports the customary front and rear fenders, as well as belt guard and side covers. Big Dog provided up to 19 color schemes for the cruiser; they include Candy Blue, Black Cherry Candy, Silver Bullet, Mirror Silver and Frost Yellow. A one-piece leather seat is fitted on each bike for the driver to sit on.
The dashboard of the 2005 Big Dog Mastiff consists of a tachometer, speedometer, trip odometer, and trip computer. Also included are a halogen headlight and a pair of rearview mirrors for enhancing visual perception when driving.
Each 2005 Big Dog Mastiff measures 98.1 inches (2,490.2 mm) in length, and it has a wheelbase of 72.5 inches (1,841.5 mm). Its ground clearance and seat height are measured at 4.5 inches (114.3 mm) and 25.5 inches (647.7 mm), respectively. The 2005 Mastiff weighs 641 lbs. (290.8 kilograms) when dry, and it has a gross vehicle weight rating of 1,085 lbs. (492.2 kg).