Harley-Davidson brought its Road Glide and Road Glide Special into the 2018 model year with the base-model Glide more or less a direct carryover in everything but color selection. However, the “Special” rocks a host of improvements from last year, and for 2019, comes with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 in its standard equipment package. With improved suspension from Showa cushioning the ride, this pair is ripe for customization and gives prospective bike builders a blank canvas with which to work.

2018 - 2019 Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 - 2019 Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special
  • Engine/Motor: Milwaukee-Eight 107
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Design

Right off the bat, I have a confession to make; you can pencil me in as “not a fan” of the shark-nose fairing on the Road Glide. Seriously, where's the SCUBA tank and Garand when you need them? It's not even the fact that it's a frame-mount fairing -- I loved my old FXRP's bullet fairing -- but this thing is just too wide. In my humble opinion of course, I know some of you are wild about the thing, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all, so let's move on.

Dual “Daymaker” LED headlamps light the way from their recess in the leading edge of the fairing with a low-profile, vented-and-smoked windshield up top and standoff bullet turn signals to finish off the forward lighting. While the front fender carries a full-length shape that is reminiscent of the classic old FL fender, the sides a cut high and tight for ample view of the front cast aluminum “Enforcer” wheel (base model) or “Talon” wheel (Special) and it passes on any sort of adornment for an ultra-clean presentation.

Chrome fork shrouds finish dressing up the front end with another link to the past. Inside the fairing we find the Infotainment interface braced by the speakers with the speedo and tach down in a handlebar-mount housing. The base Road Glide rocks (if you'll forgive the pun) Harley's Boom! Box 4.3 infotainment system with the Special's Boom! Box 6.5GT available as an option, and that comes with MP3, flash drive and SD card compatibility so you can import your tunes anyway you like through the USB port. For 2019, the Road Glide Special comes with the all-new big screen BOOM!™ GTS infotainment system. Of course, that's on top of the AM/FM/WB and built-in intercom system. A Bluetooth feature enables hands-free mobile phone operation with full voice-recognition support and text-to-speech capability to round out the techno-wizardry.

A classic chrome fuel door and tank trim adorns the tank ahead of the deep-scoop seat and stadium rise to the pillion pad that drops off almost Mustang style for a pseudo-solo look. Hard panniers bring 2.3 cubic-feet of storage on the Road Glide (2.7 cubes on the Special) to the table to complete the bagger package that is currently enjoying a good deal of popularity, and the Special takes the custom look a step further with stretched saddlebags that add a sweet detail to the lower lines.

Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Chassis

As usual, H-D relies on a double-downtube/double-cradle, tubular-steel construction to form the wide FL frame on the Road Glide, and it carries the steering head at 26 degrees with a whopping 6.8 inches of trail for stability and low-fatigue interstate work. Yeah, it's a heavy way to go, but since the thing tips the scales at 855-pounds wet I really don't think that trying to save weight with an aluminum frame would accomplish much. Harley still isn't on-board the adjustable front-end train, but at least it's using Showa's Dual Bending Valve forks for a better-than-vanilla ride up front with hand-adjustable preload that allows for quick adjustments to cargo and passenger loads out back.

Harley's “Reflex” brake system electronically balances brake effort between the front and rear end for safer operation, particularly in emergency situations. ABS comes stock on the Special, but if you want it on the base Road Glide, you'd better be ready to cough up another $795 come check-out time. If you go all the way, you'll have twofold protection for your contact patch and greater peace-of-mind for those high-pucker hauldowns when you need every ounce of stopping power you can get.

Seat height rides at 27.4 inches unladen, but that squats on down to 25.9-inches high with at least 180 pounds of rider aboard for a confidence-inspiring stance when you deploy your training wheels.

Lean Angle, Right/Left:

31°/29°

32°/31°

Rake (steering head) (deg):

26

26

Trail:

6.8 in.

6.8 in.

Wheel, Front:

Enforcer Cast Aluminum

Black, Talon Cast Aluminum

Wheel, Rear:

Enforcer Cast Aluminum

Black, Talon Cast Aluminum

Brakes, Caliper Type:

32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear

32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear

Tire, Front:

130/60B19 61H

130/60B19 61H

Tire, Rear:

BW 180/65B16 81H

180/65B16 81H


Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Drivetrain

H-D tested the Mil-8 107 in its touring lineup in 2017, and apparently things worked out since here we are in 2019 and it looks like the Twin Cam is gone for good. (Ding dong the witch is dead!) The new mill in the Road Glide carries all the usual hallmarks of the brand starting with a 45-degree V-twin configuration that is as much part of the overall aesthetic as the sheet metal and tank badging. Since the factory has (thankfully) gone back to a single-cam design, the nosecone has shrunk back to normal proportions and the pushrod-tube geometry returned to its classic layout for a more Harley-looking Harley this time around. The engineers stuck to their guns with good old-fashioned air cooling rather than going the radiator route for an overall cleaner design.

The factory passed on the rider modes and traction control, again, for a relatively simple engine-electronics suite. Sure, it has electronic fuel injection, but relies on throttle cables rather than a sexier RbW setup, so there's definitely room for improvement.

As for what it does have, well, I'd say it has what matters most: inches and feet. On the Road Glide, the 3.937-inch bore and 4.375-inch stroke gives us the 107 cubic-inch displacement and 111 pound-feet of torque at a relaxed 3,250 rpm that lets you chug effortlessly down the boulevard or put state lines behind you. Plus, the 45 mpg mileage rating means that the six-gallon fuel tank will long outlast your butt. That's OK, you can still use the “fuel stop” as an excuse to give your derriere a break.

For 2019, the factory equipped the Road Glide Special with the a blacked-out Milwaukee-Eight 114 with 122 pound-feet of torque for even more of what we love about the Mil-8.

Model:

Road Glide

Road Glide Special

Engine:

Milwaukee-Eight® 107

Milwaukee-Eight® 114

Bore x Stroke:

3.937 in. x 4.375 in.

4.016 in. x 4.5 in.

Displacement:

107 cu in

114 cu in

Compression Ratio:

10.0:1

10.5:1

Engine Torque (J1349):

111 lb-ft @ 3,250 rpm

122 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

Fuel System:

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Exhaust:

Chrome, 2-1-2 dual exhaust with tapered mufflers

Black, 2-1-2 dual exhaust with tapered mufflers

Primary Drive:

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Gear Ratios (overall):

1st: 9.593, 2nd: 6.65, 3rd: 4.938, 4th: 4, 5th: 3.407, 6th: 2.875

1st: 9.593, 2nd: 6.65, 3rd: 4.938, 4th: 4, 5th: 3.407, 6th: 2.875


Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Price

As ever, the King of Paint prices the bikes according to paint package. The Vivid Black base model of the Road Glide rolls for $21,589 while the Special bumps that on up to $27,489 for the same color. At the second tier we find the base model “Color” option for $22,089 and the "Custom Color" option at $22,789. The Special runs a bit more at $27,989 for "Color" and $29,589 for a "Two-Tone Custom Color.".

Model:

Road Glide

Road Glide Special

Road Glide

└ 2018:

Vivid Black, Black Denim, Sumatra Brown, Twisted Cherry, HC Shattered Flake, HC Chameleon Flake

Vivid Black, Wicked Red, Bonneville Salt Pearl, HC Hot Rod Red Flake

└ 2019:

Vivid Black, Industrial Gray, Wicked Red, Twisted Cherry, Kinetic Green, Blue Max

Vivid Balck, Industrial Gray Denim, Wicked Red Denim, Billiard Blue, Scorched Orange/Black Denim, Silver Flux/Black Fuse

Road Glide Special

└ 2018:

Vivid Black: $21,299, Color: $21,799, Hard Candy Custom: $24,299

Vivid Black: $26,299, Color: $26,799, Hard Candy Custom: $29,299

└ 2019:

Vivid Black: $21,589, Color: $22,089, Custom Color: $22,789

Vivid Black: $27,489, Color: $27,989, Two-Tone Custom Color: $29,589

Color:

Option: $795

Standard

Pricing:

Option: $395

Standard

ABS:

Standard

Standard

Security System:

Option: $795

Standard


Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Competitor

To be honest, Kawasaki usually isn't the first name that comes to mind when I consider a competitor for an American-made bagger, but the Vaquero seems a good competitor for the Road Glide Special and it fits quite nicely. Looks-wise, these two are cut from the same cloth with fixed fairings and all-up-front builds all around though Kawi takes it a step further with fairing lowers that shroud the sides of the downtube-mount radiator and beef up the visual weight up front even more.

The upper lines are like a brother from another mother all the way down to the reluctant wane in the pillion section of the saddle. Pannier shape is a bit rounder, even a bit teardrop shaped on the Kawi, but they serve the same purpose both functionally and aesthetically to complete the bagger package.

Frame-design is similar, as is the suspension though Kawi loses a bit with plain vanilla all around versus the auto-variable damping on front of the Harley. Kawi's K-ACT II ABS delivers the same sort of functionality that we see from the Road Glide Special, and so it doesn't gain anything here either. At the powerplant, Kawi gets it right with a 52-degree V-twin that boasts a 103.7 cubic-inch displacement with 107.6 pound-feet of torque that falls just short of Harley's numbers from last year and even moreso with the Milwaukee-Eight 114, but are impressive nonetheless, and definitely enough to put it into the power-tourer category.

So, with Kawi “close enough” in nearly every major category including infotainment gadgetry, what would draw buyers to it rather than the American King? Why, pricing of course. Kawi lets loose of the Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ABS for $16,799, a paltry sum compared to the $27,489 Vivid Black Road Glide Special. Sure, name power counts for something, but it's hard to credit that for the 10-grand difference.

He Said

“Still hate the fairing, but it's a typical FL at the end of the day. The new engine is a definite win in my book, as is the new suspension, but I gotta' say that H-D needs to get on the ball with some adjustable suspension, traction control and rider modes, and sooner would be better than later.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, "In prior years, the "Special" simply meant you got a gloss black inner fairing and the upgraded Infotainment center. Now there's so much more than that. The "Special" now has the whole black-out theme -- which is really popular in recent years -- upgraded black Talon wheels, and premium options as standard equipment. Harley redid the clutch in 2017 and added the Mil-8 engine, so performance is stellar. Suspension is nice; it's just stiff enough to be a little sporty. If you like to get a little jiggy in the corners, the Road Glide is a better option than the Street Glide because the Road Glide has a fixed fairing and you're not wrestling that windage on the forks like you are with the Street Glide."

Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Road Glide Special Specifications

Model:

Road Glide

Road Glide Special

Road Glide

Engine:

Milwaukee-Eight® 107

Milwaukee-Eight® 114

Bore x Stroke:

3.937 in. x 4.375 in.

4.016 in. x 4.5 in.

Displacement:

107 cu in

114 cu in

Compression Ratio:

10.0:1

10.5:1

Engine Torque (J1349):

111 lb-ft @ 3,250 rpm

122 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

Fuel System:

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Exhaust:

Chrome, 2-1-2 dual exhaust with tapered mufflers

Black, 2-1-2 dual exhaust with tapered mufflers

Primary Drive:

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Gear Ratios (overall):

1st: 9.593, 2nd: 6.65, 3rd: 4.938, 4th: 4, 5th: 3.407, 6th: 2.875

1st: 9.593, 2nd: 6.65, 3rd: 4.938, 4th: 4, 5th: 3.407, 6th: 2.875

Road Glide Special

Lean Angle, Right/Left:

31°/29°

32°/31°

Rake (steering head) (deg):

26

26

Trail:

6.8 in.

6.8 in.

Wheel, Front:

Enforcer Cast Aluminum

Black, Talon Cast Aluminum

Wheel, Rear:

Enforcer Cast Aluminum

Black, Talon Cast Aluminum

Brakes, Caliper Type:

32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear

32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear

Tire, Front:

130/60B19 61H

130/60B19 61H

Tire, Rear:

BW 180/65B16 81H

180/65B16 81H

Engine & Drivetrain:

Length:

95.7 in.

95.7 in.

Seat Height, Laden:

25.9 in.

25.9 in.

Seat Height, Unladen:

27.4 in.

27.4 in.

Ground Clearance:

5.5 in.

5.5 in.

Wheelbase:

64 in.

64 in.

Oil Capacity (w/filter):

5.2 qt.

5.2 qt.

Weight, As Shipped:

820 lb.

820 lb.

Weight, In Running Order:

855 lb.

855 lb.

Fuel Capacity:

6 gal.

6 gal.

Fuel Economy: Estimated City/Hwy:

45 mpg

43 mpg

Luggage Capacity -Volume:

2.3 cu ft

2.7 cu ft

Chassis:

Lights (as per country regulation), Indicator Lamps:

High beam, neutral, running lights, turn signals, low oil pressure, engine diagnostics, cruise control, speakers, accessory, security system, 6-speed, low fuel warning, ABS.

High beam, running lights, directional lights, low oil pressure, neutral, engine diagnostics, battery, cruise control, speakers, accessory, security system, gear indication, low fuel warning, ABS, miles to empty display, fog/aux lamp indicator

Gauges:

Gauges styled to complement each vehicle. Display features odometer, trip A, trip B, range to empty and gear indicator; and larger tell-tale indicators.

Gauges styled to complement each vehicle. Display features odometer, trip A, trip B, range to empty and gear indicator; and larger tell-tale indicators.

Dimensions & Capacities:

Infotainment system:

Boom!™ Box 4.3 - standard / Boom!™ Box 6.5GT - optional

Boom!™ Box 6.5GT audio system with GPS and touchscreen

Type:

Color

Color

Watts Per Channel:

25

25

Speakers:

2

2

Speaker Size:

5.25 inch standard

6.5 inch standard

Headset Specifications (if equipped):

16-64 ohms

16-64 ohms

AM/FM/Weather Band (WB):

Standard

Standard

SD Card, Flash Drive and MP3 - via USB Connection:

Supported

Supported

SiriusXM Presets:

20 - P&A Upgrade (USA & Canada only)

20 - P&A Upgrade (USA & Canada only)

Languages:

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

Hands-free Mobile Phone - via Bluetooth:

standard

standard

Voice Recognition Languages: Phone functions only:

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

Voice Recognition Languages: Tuner/Media/Navigation:

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

Rider/Passenger Intercom:

Standard

Standard

Vehicle Information Screen (Air temperature, oil pressure and EITMS):

Standard

Standard

Text-to-Speech (TTS) Languages:

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, European Portugese

USB:

USB/MTP/iPod/iPhone

USB/MTP/iPod/iPhone

Bluetooth:

Phone/Media Supported

Phone/Media Supported

Electric:

Color:

└ 2018:

Vivid Black, Black Denim, Sumatra Brown, Twisted Cherry, HC Shattered Flake, HC Chameleon Flake

Vivid Black, Wicked Red, Bonneville Salt Pearl, HC Hot Rod Red Flake

└ 2019:

Vivid Black, Industrial Gray, Wicked Red, Twisted Cherry, Kinetic Green, Blue Max

Vivid Balck, Industrial Gray Denim, Wicked Red Denim, Billiard Blue, Scorched Orange/Black Denim, Silver Flux/Black Fuse

Pricing:

└ 2018:

Vivid Black: $21,299, Color: $21,799, Hard Candy Custom: $24,299

Vivid Black: $26,299, Color: $26,799, Hard Candy Custom: $29,299

└ 2019:

Vivid Black: $21,589, Color: $22,089, Custom Color: $22,789

Vivid Black: $27,489, Color: $27,989, Two-Tone Custom Color: $29,589

ABS:

Option: $795

Standard

Security System:

Option: $395

Standard

Cruise Control:

Standard

Standard

Premium Radio:

Option: $795

Standard


Further Reading

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero / Vulcan 1700 Voyager

See our review of the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero / Vulcan 1700 Voyager.

Harley-Davidson Street Glide

See our review of the Harley-Davidson Street Glide.

Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special

See our review of the Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special.

Harley-Davidson

Read more Harley-Davidson news.