Harley-Davidson Motor Company rolled out a mid-year release in 2019 with a new addition to its touring line, the Electra Glide Standard. This new model strikes a balance between comfort and fandanglery with all the essentials you need for cruising/touring and none of the fluff. It rocks the Milwaukee-Eight 107 powerplant and all the ride-quality controls associated with the revamped touring line, but leaves the Infotainment gear on the shelf to deliver a refined-yet-raw riding experience.

2019 - 2021 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard

10.00 / 10
Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2019 - 2021 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard
  • Engine/Motor: Milwaukee-Eight 107

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Design

- Minimalist design - Polished aluminum and blackout styling - No Infotainment system - Solo saddle

The FLH line has a storied history that goes all the way back to the last year of the Panhead in 1965. “Glide” was already a name in use by the MoCo, starting with the Hydra Glide that sported hydraulic front forks rather than the old springer front end, and then the Duo Glide that saw a swingarm and shocks out back rather than the rigid rear end. The “Electra” component came in when the factory added an electric starter, and with that, a legend was born.

Fast forward to 2021 and the FLH/T family is still going strong with a range of models that cover everything from boulevard cruising to long-range touring. Consider the fully-dressed Electra Glide and the pared-down Street Glide, both of which carry every gadget the engineers can throw at it, and this is where the Electra Glide Standard comes in.

The FL DNA is plainly evident in the wide, skirted front forks, tank console, and hard bags. A rather full front fender contains the fling but runs with high sides that leave the front wheel plainly visible. Chrome Beercan skirts add a bit of bling to what is an otherwise unassuming visage, and they join a handful of other bright bits about the engine, polished-aluminum components, and blackout treatment to deliver an almost entirely achromatic look. The only splash of color on the whole bike can be found in the crimson Bar-and-Shield on each side of the six gallon fuel tank. Subtle, but sharp.

A Batwing fairing leads the way with only a cyclops headlight and front blinkers to break the monotony. A Splitstream vent relieves the vacuum behind the mid-height windshield and prevents excessive head-buffet effect. Behind the glass, a quartet of analog gauges and idiot lights deliver all the pertinent metrics, and it's here that we see the main difference between this model and its siblings: a total lack of Infotainment equipment. That's right, no land-nav technology, weather radio, or virtual jukebox to monkey around with, just an open glove box where all that stuff would normally go. This is one of those instances where less is arguably more, because it removes all the extraneous stuff and returns to a simpler mode of transport where the engine note and wind noise is all the “music” you need.

A solo saddle slings the rider's butt at 26.8 inches off the ground, and since there's no p-pad or Tour-Pak to clutter up the rear end, the Electra Glide Standard finishes as cleanly as it started.

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Chassis

- Stability and solid tracking - Linked brakes - Optional ABS

A welded tubular-steel frame on the Electra Glide Standard provides the main structure with a heavy backbone and double-downtube/double-cradle layout that cups and supports the massive Mil-8 powerplant. Stability and tracking are inherent attributes due to the 26-degree rake and relatively long, 6.7-inch trail over a 64-inch wheelbase, and that makes for low-fatigue riding even in a crosswind.

A set of 43 mm Showa forks float the front end, and while they're non-adjustable, they do rock the Dual Bending Valve tech that delivers a superior ride to standard forks. Out back, a pair of emulsion-type shocks take care of business with an easy-to-reach handwheel for the obligatory adjustable preload feature, so no dirty knees if you like to dial in for changing loads and conditions.

Harley's cast-aluminum Impeller wheels round out the rolling chassis with a wide 130/80-17 up front opposite a 180/65-16. The hoops are specifically built by Dunlop for Harley-Davidson to make the final connection to the pavement.

Though the factory skipped the Infotainment goodies, it held firm on some if its safety gear with the Linked-Brake feature as part of the standard equipment package, too bad the ABS protection didn't make the cut , though it is a $795 option. Four-bore, 32 mm anchors bite dual front discs to provide the bulk of the stopping power, and that's fairly important given the energy generated by the 820-pound curb weight and powerful engine.

Frame:

Mild steel; tubular frame; two-piece stamped and welded backbone; cast and forged junctions; twin downtubes; bolt-on rear frame with forged fender supports; MIG welded

Swingarm:

Mild steel; two-piece drawn and welded section; forged junctions; MIG welded

Front Forks:

49 mm Dual Bending Valve

Rear Shocks:

Premium low height hand-adjustable rear suspension

Suspension Travel/ Front/ Rear:

4.6 in. (117 mm)/ 2.15 in. (55 mm)

Rake (steering head):

26°

Fork Angle:

29.25°

Trail:

6.7 in. (170 mm)

Lean Angle (per J1168) Right/ Left:

31°/ 29°

Wheels:

Impeller Cast Aluminum

Wheel, Front:

17 in. x 3 in. (432 mm x 76 mm)

Wheel, Rear:

16 in. x 5 in. (406 mm x 127 mm)

Tires:

Dunlop® Harley-Davidson® Series, bias blackwall

Tire, Front:

D408F BW 130/80B17 65H

Tire, Rear:

D407T BW 180/65B16 81H

Brakes, Front:

Dual 300 mm floating rotors, 32 mm, 4-piston fixed caliper

Brakes, Rear:

300 mm fixed rotor, 32 mm, 4-piston fixed caliper

Anti-Lock Braking System:

Optional

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Drivetrain

- Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine - 111 lb-ft of torque - Strong roll-on anywhere in the rev range - Relaxed cruising

Speaking of powerful engines, the Milwaukee-Eight 107 on the Electra Glide Standard brings the hurt with a total of 111 pound-feet of torque that peaks at a remarkably low 3,250 rpm. That's right sports fans, I'm talking power-tourer numbers, and you don't have to wind it up to a frenetic pace to find it. It delivers almost the strongest roll-on you can get from a Milwaukee mill. Don't believe it? The last time I rode one I was doing about 50 mph in fourth gear and I blipped the throttle -- probably only for a second or two -- and the next thing I knew I was doing 80 mph!

Bottom line, you better respect the Mil-8. Harley wisely abandoned the much-maligned Twin Cam engine in favor of this engine, and since the MoCo has reverted to a single-cam valvetrain the nosecone area looks more like a traditional H-D.

The 45-degree V-Twin rocks a 100 mm bore and a 111 mm stroke to give it a 1,746 cc (107 cubic-inch) displacement with a 10-to-1 compression ratio. It's primarily air-cooled, but low on the downtubes you'll find an inconspicuous oil cooler that adds another layer of thermal protection for the engine's lifeblood. An electronic throttle body manages the induction with sequential-port fuel injection to deliver the juice, but that's about the end of the engine's fandanglery since rider modes and traction control hasn't filtered down into the FL family just yet.

A chain-type primary drive sends power through a standard wet clutch to the six-speed transmission before it heads to the rear wheel via a tough, carbon-reinforced belt drive. As for the top speed, Harley electronically governs the engine to top out right at 100 mph

Engine:

Milwaukee-Eight® 107

Valves:

Pushrod-operated, overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters; four valves per cylinder

Bore x Stroke:

3.937 in. x 4.375 in. (100 mm x 111 mm)

Displacement:

107 cu. in. (1,746 cc)

Engine Torque (per J1349) (North America):

111 ft. lb. @ 3250 rpm (151 Nm @ 3250 rpm)

Compression Ratio:

10.0:1

Fuel System:

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Exhaust:

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

Lubrication System:

Pressurized, dry-sump with oil cooler

Primary Drive:

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Final Drive:

Belt, 32/68 ratio

Clutch:

Hydraulically actuated 10 plate wet, Assist & Slip

Transmission:

6-Speed Cruise Drive®

Gear Ratios (overall):

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

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Pricing

Since the factory dropped the Infotainment gear, it's able to let loose of the Electra Glide Standard for a relatively low price. The stock model rolls for $18,999, and if you want that ABS protection you'll have to cough up another $795. As if to drive the point about its essential nature home, H-D only ships this ride in Vivid Black. As usual, California residents can expect to pay another couple of Benjamins for that emissions package.

Warranty:

24 months (unlimited mileage)

Color:

Vivid Black

Price:

$18,999

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Competitors

Since the Electra Glide Standard leaves off the higher electronics, I needed something with a similar level of tech and I felt like it should be another American-style bike. With that in mind, I grabbed the Springfield Dark Horse from Indian for its classic American DNA.

Indian Motorcycle Springfield Dark Horse

The similarities span the decades since the wide front end and headlight nacelle is very reminiscent of Harley's FLH line. Rather than springing for the chromium treatment, Indian opted for a blackout finish just about everywhere possible except the cooling fins on that big beautiful engine. Sure, it lacks a front fairing, but I'd point out that this is what passed for a tourbike back in the day, and Indian's faring models all rock an infotainment system that rivals H-D's, so here we are.

Like the H-D, a solo saddle and lack of top case makes for a very clean rear end, and the hard-side panniers provide dry secure storage for your weekend road adventures. The Springfield's front stems aren't quite as special as the DBV stems on the H-D, but the air shock out back does provide a fairly plush ride.

A 19-inch front wheel and 16-inch rear joins the blackout treatment for a definite custom flavor. While ABS is part of the stock package, the overall sticker comes in at $22,499 in Thunder Black and $22,999 in available colors so you can consider the anti-locks as factored into the price to leave the H-D a winner at the checkout counter, albeit by the slimmest of margins.

Indian gets some back with its massive 1,811 cc (111 cubic-inch) plant that generates a soul-crushing 119 pound-feet of torque at an insanely low 3,000 rpm. Yeah, this thing is like a frikkin' locomotive engine with stump-pulling torque for days, plus it weighs in 18 pounds lighter than the H-D so the old heinie-dyno will probably register in favor of the Dark Horse, even if just a little bit.

Read our full review of the Indian Motorcycle Springfield Dark Horse.

He Said

“Yep,I like it. It's clean, and it leaves all the fandangled BS on the shelf. I don't know about you, but part of the reason I ride is to disconnect from the world and just be one with the road and wind. I don't want phone calls and I don't need music, so the infotainment stuff is largely wasted on me anyway. What this does, though, is shave a few grand off the sticker to make this Boulevard Bruiser a bit more accessible.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “This isn't really a new new model. It was part of Harley's lineup in the early 2000s and was discontinued after the 2009 model year. As a reintroduced model, it looks like Harley is offering a stripped-down model with a fairing so folks can get into a touring bike at a lower price point than the higher-end, decked-out models. With no Infotainment system, you basically have the fairing off an Electra Glide police model, but it does come wired to accept a system if you want to add it later. I don't need tunes while I ride. Like my husband, I like to hear the tune of the engine, but I do like having GPS for traveling. That open hole where the infotainment system would be is kinda useless for a glovebox. be is kinda useless for a glovebox.}} There's no cover so there is no way to make sure what you put in there stays in there. A gizmo to hold my smartphone in front of the hole so I can use the maps app would be a nice accessory. All things said, it's a really nice touring bike for $19k. Sure you can beat it, but that Mil-8 engine is a dream. I was behind my husband when he did that 'blip' and in a heartbeat, he was so far ahead of me, I thought he saw a bee and took off. No wait, that would have been me to panic at the sight of a bee.”

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:

Engine:

Milwaukee-Eight® 107

Valves:

Pushrod-operated, overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters; four valves per cylinder

Bore x Stroke:

3.937 in. x 4.375 in. (100 mm x 111 mm)

Displacement:

107 cu. in. (1,746 cc)

Engine Torque (per J1349) (North America):

111 ft. lb. @ 3250 rpm (151 Nm @ 3250 rpm)

Compression Ratio:

10.0:1

Fuel System:

Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Exhaust:

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

Lubrication System:

Pressurized, dry-sump with oil cooler

Primary Drive:

Chain, 34/46 ratio

Final Drive:

Belt, 32/68 ratio

Clutch:

Hydraulically actuated 10 plate wet, Assist & Slip

Transmission:

6-Speed Cruise Drive®

Gear Ratios (overall):

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

Chassis:

Frame:

Mild steel; tubular frame; two-piece stamped and welded backbone; cast and forged junctions; twin downtubes; bolt-on rear frame with forged fender supports; MIG welded

Swingarm:

Mild steel; two-piece drawn and welded section; forged junctions; MIG welded

Front Forks:

49 mm Dual Bending Valve

Rear Shocks:

Premium low height hand-adjustable rear suspension

Suspension Travel/ Front/ Rear:

4.6 in. (117 mm)/ 2.15 in. (55 mm)

Rake (steering head):

26°

Fork Angle:

29.25°

Trail:

6.7 in. (170 mm)

Lean Angle (per J1168) Right/ Left:

31°/ 29°

Wheels:

Impeller Cast Aluminum

Wheel, Front:

17 in. x 3 in. (432 mm x 76 mm)

Wheel, Rear:

16 in. x 5 in. (406 mm x 127 mm)

Tires:

Dunlop® Harley-Davidson® Series, bias blackwall

Tire, Front:

D408F BW 130/80B17 65H

Tire, Rear:

D407T BW 180/65B16 81H

Brakes, Front:

Dual 300 mm floating rotors, 32 mm, 4-piston fixed caliper

Brakes, Rear:

300 mm fixed rotor, 32 mm, 4-piston fixed caliper

Anti-Lock Braking System:

Optional

Dimensions & Capacities:

Length:

94.5 in. (2,400 mm)

Overall Width:

37.8 in. (960 mm)

Overall Height:

55.1 in. (1,400 mm)

Seat Height:

Laden: 26.1 in. (663 mm), Unladen: 26.8 in. (680 mm)

Ground Clearance:

4.9 in. (125 mm)

Wheelbase:

64 in. (1625 mm)

Fuel Capacity:

6 gal. (22.7 l) (warning light at approximately 1 gal.)

Fuel Economy (Estimated City/Hwy):

43 mpg (5.5 l/100 km)

Oil Capacity (w/filter):

5.2 qt. (4.9 l)

Transmission Capacity:

1 qt. (.95 l)

Primary Chain Case Capacity:

1.1 qt. (1 l)

Weight As Shipped:

781 lb. (354 kg)

Weight In Running Order:

820 lb. (372 kg)

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating:

1,360 lb. (617 kg)

Gross Axle Weight Rating:

Front: 500 lb. (227 kg), Rear: 927 lb. (420 kg)

Luggage Capacity:

2.3 cu. ft. (0.064 m3)

Top Speed:

100 mph (limited)

Electrics:

Battery (per Battery Council International Rating):

Sealed, maintenance-free, 12V, 28-amp/hour, 405 cca

Charging:

Three-phase, 48-amp system (600W @ 13V, 2000 rpm, 625W max power @ 13V)

Starting:

1.6 kW electric with solenoid shift starter motor engagement

Lights (as per country regulation):

└ Headlamp (LED):

Dual halogen headlight 55-watt 625 lumen low beam, 65-watt 1,570 high beam

└ Tail/Stop Lights:

8W/28W

└ Front Signal Lights:

8W/28W

└ Indicator Lamps:

High beam, running lights, directional lights, low oil pressure, engine diagnostics, neutral, cruise control, accessory, battery, gear indication, security system, 6-speed, low fuel warning, ABS (optional), miles to empty display, fog/aux lamp indicator

└ Rear Turn Signals:

27W

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

Electric Power Outlet:

Electric power accessory port in fairing

Details:

Warranty:

24 months (unlimited mileage)

Color:

Vivid Black

Price:

$18,999

Further Reading

Harley-Davidson

Read more Harley-Davidson news.