Harley-Davidson 1690 TRI GLIDE ULTRA FLHTCUTG 2015 — Specifications

Three wheels on the asphalt, 560 kilograms of chrome and steel, and a silhouette that reliably stops passersby in their tracks. The Tri Glide Ultra is not a motorcycle converted into a trike by a specialty shop: it is the only machine of this type produced in series directly on a manufacturer's assembly line. Milwaukee has the distinction of having built trikes for more than forty years, from 1932 to 1973, before reviving the venture in the United States and officially bringing it to France in 2014. The Tri Glide is thus part of a genuine lineage, not a passing trend.

The foundation is an Electra Glide Ultra Classic onto which engineers grafted an entirely purpose-built rear axle, with two wheels mounted on 205/65-15 tires — dimensions that have absolutely nothing in common with a motorcycle. The result is a machine whose width exceeds that of a Honda Gold Wing 1800 by 50%, the undisputed benchmark of heavy two-wheeled touring. Suffice it to say that navigating urban spaces requires serious adjustment. The central King Tour Pak trunk offers 124 liters of usable volume, a figure that puts any conventional tourer's top case to shame, and the whole assembly tips the scales at 560 kilograms fully loaded. This is no longer motorcycling — it is geology.

Beneath the Batwing fairing with its central air intake, the 45-degree V-twin displacing 1,690 cc produces 86 horsepower at 5,010 rpm and, more importantly, 137.3 Nm of torque available from 3,750 rpm. This Twin-Cooled engine benefits from dual air and liquid cooling, allowing it to handle long urban runs without problematic overheating. The six-speed gearbox and belt drive deliver a smooth character far removed from the eagerness of a modern roadster. Top speed is capped at 170 km/h, which is more than sufficient given the machine's committed touring vocation. A compression ratio of 10.1:1, a bore of 98.4 mm, and a stroke of 111.1 mm confirm the long-stroke architecture typical of large American twins, prioritizing low-end torque over any inclination to rev.

The onboard equipment belongs to the Project Rushmore generation: BOOM! 6.5 GT multimedia system, Daymaker LED headlights, interconnected ABS braking with two 300 mm discs and four-piston calipers up front, 49 mm telescopic fork, and the One Touch philosophy that grants access to the various storage compartments without fumbling with keys. The electric reverse gear is no gimmick on this machine: maneuvering 560 kilograms without assistance out of a parking space warrants careful thought. The parking brake rounds out the picture of a machine that borrows as much from the automobile as from the motorcycle.

This is precisely where the Tri Glide's absolute originality lies — and also its limitation. Lean angle is virtually nonexistent, and riding demands a profound adjustment for any motorcyclist accustomed to leaning into corners. On the other hand, stability is total, long-distance fatigue is markedly lower than on a two-wheeler, and passenger comfort reaches levels comparable to a small car. Notably, a car license is sufficient to ride it legally, opening the customer base to those who have never obtained a motorcycle license. At €35,990, the Tri Glide Ultra targets a mature, affluent audience — often steeped in Harley culture — seeking the grand touring experience without the physical demands of a two-wheeler. Despite its administrative accessibility, this is not a machine for beginners; it demands experience, budget, and a certain affection for objects that belong to no established category.