Harley-Davidson 1870 Street Glide Special FLHXS 2020 — Specifications

Who would have bet, ten years ago, that a Harley-Davidson bagger would one day feature a disengageable traction control, cornering-sensitive ABS, and linked braking capable of reading mid-curve trajectory? Yet that is exactly what the 2020 Street Glide Special FLHXS offers, with its electronic rider aids package dubbed RDRS. Two-map traction control, anti-hopping clutch, hill start assist, tire pressure monitoring: you could almost mistake it for the spec sheet of a European sport-tourer. Except here, it all sits atop 375 kg wet weight and a V-twin that pumps out 162.8 Nm of torque from just 3,000 rpm. The contrast is striking, and that is precisely what makes this machine so fascinating. Milwaukee understood that tradition does not preclude active safety — as long as it does not dilute the experience.

The "Special" suffix is not just a marketing tagline slapped on the saddlebag flanks. It reflects a genuine aesthetic statement. Gone are the gleaming chromes that once defined the Touring lineup: here, black swallows everything. Fork tubes, engine guard, handlebar, mirrors, turn signals, exhaust heat shields — everything goes to the dark side. The redesigned saddlebags wrap around the exhaust outlets, stretching the silhouette downward. And the new 19-inch front, 18-inch rear Prodigy wheels finish giving this Glide a bolder character than the standard version. You either love or hate this "dark custom" approach, but there is no denying it creates a genuine visual break from classic Tourings. Up against an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, the styling duel is now fought on equal terms.

Beneath the steel double-cradle frame beats the Milwaukee Eight 114, a 45° V-twin bored out to 1,868 cc. Four valves per cylinder, a 102 mm bore with a 114 mm stroke, a 10.5:1 compression ratio: the spec sheet speaks for itself. The 90 horsepower claimed at 5,020 rpm tells only part of the story. The real selling point is that massive torque available very low in the rev range — the kind that propels the machine with quiet authority every time you crack the throttle. The counter-balancer tames parasitic vibrations at idle without sanitizing the character. The six-speed gearbox and belt final drive handle the rest of the job discreetly. You are not chasing top speed, capped at 160 km/h, but rather that sensation of riding a river of torque, tucked behind the Batwing fairing.

On the chassis side, the 49 mm telescopic fork benefits from SDBV technology that noticeably improves compression and rebound behavior. At the rear, Showa emulsion shocks replace the former air suspension, with simpler preload adjustment and more predictable behavior. Braking relies on 300 mm discs on both wheels with four-piston calipers — a respectable setup for this size of machine. The seat height of 690 mm reassures shorter riders, and the 22.7-liter tank provides decent range for touring duty. The Boom Box GTS infotainment system with its 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay compatible and connected via the H-D Connect app, turns the cockpit into a true connected command center.

At €29,190, the 2020 Street Glide Special makes no half-measures on price. This is the cost of a motorcycle aimed at committed tourers — road riders who want to devour miles with style and technology without giving up the Harley-Davidson DNA. It will never win over a track enthusiast or a hurried city commuter. But for anyone dreaming of a modern American bagger, loaded with electronics and dressed in black, it checks every box with a coherence Milwaukee had not always managed to achieve in the past.