Harley-Davidson 1450 SUPER GLIDE T-SPORT FXDXT 2001 — Specifications

Turning a leisure bike into a touring machine is often a matter of common sense. Harley-Davidson understood this with the FXDXT, the T-Sport variant of the Super Glide: a few targeted modifications on the Dyna platform, and here is an American capable of eating up the miles without leaving its rider arriving at the destination with a wrecked back. Reshaped seat for more natural support, windshield adjustable via a dashboard knob, removable soft saddlebags with waterproof inner liner. Nothing revolutionary, but the package holds together and genuinely transforms how the machine is used.

Those saddlebags deserve a closer look. Their carrying capacity is serious, their waterproofing delivers on its promises, and their removable nature means you won't be stuck with two useless appendages on weekends when you just want to ride light. The windshield divides opinions aesthetically — it breaks the clean lines of the Dyna — but its aerodynamic effectiveness is real, and the ability to adjust it while riding is a luxury you quickly appreciate on the highway.

Beneath the 18.6-liter tank, the Twin Cam 88B delivers its 1,449 cc with a directness few contemporary engines can match. The 105.9 Nm of torque arrives at 2,900 rpm, and the 68 horsepower are more than enough to propel the machine's 310 kg with characteristic ease. This engine doesn't play for speed records — it plays for emotion. Every acceleration is a direct conversation between the right-hand grip and the two cylinders in a 45° V. Compared to Japanese roadsters of similar displacement, the power figure draws smiles from Tokyo's engineers. But nobody gets on a Harley to win a drag race.

The chassis remains what it is: a steel double-cradle tubular frame, 100/90-19 tires at the front and 150/80-16 at the rear, rear shock absorbers with 109 mm of travel. The handling is consistent and invites a smooth riding style, flowing through curves. That said, don't try to push the machine hard. The suspension and overall weight have their limits, and exceeding them produces nothing pleasant. The braking, handled by two 292 mm discs gripped by four-piston calipers at both front and rear, does its job without question.

A few annoyances remain. The side stand requires a bit of acrobatics, the gauges lack readability in sunlight, and the turn signals conflict with the saddlebags once closed. These are minor flaws, but they serve as a reminder that Milwaukee designs its motorcycles with a particular worldview, not always an ergonomic one. At €16,785, the FXDXT is aimed at the rider who wants a versatile Harley, capable of touring without abandoning its character. Not for those seeking sharp thrills, nor for beginners intimidated by its 310 kg on the scales. For everyone else, the modest 708 mm seat height and that generous engine form a pairing whose imperfections are easily forgiven.