Harley-Davidson 1870 Street Glide Special FLHXS 2022 — Specifications

Who still buys a bagger for over €31,000 in 2022? Enthusiasts, long-distance tourers, riders who want to roll with style and character beneath the saddle. The Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special FLHXS targets exactly that audience, and it does so with a confidence that commands respect. Beneath its Batwing fairing, behind its 19- and 18-inch Prodigy wheels, lies a machine that has evolved without betraying what defines its identity. Black dominates, chrome retreats. The fork tubes, handlebars, mirrors, engine covers, heat shields — everything goes to the dark side. Up against an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse or a BMW R 18 B, the Street Glide Special plays the card of dark elegance and assertive temperament.

The heart of this FLHXS beats to the rhythm of the Milwaukee Eight 114, a 45-degree V-twin displacing 1868 cc that produces 93 horsepower at 5250 rpm. It's not the raw figure that impresses — it's the torque. 157.9 Nm available from just 3250 rpm, more than enough to get this 375 kg wet-weight mass rolling again without ever straining. The throttle response is decisive, the engine pulls hard through the midrange, and the six-speed gearbox absorbs shifts with a smoothness the old Twin Cams never knew. The balancer shaft has erased much of the parasitic vibration at idle, yet the V-twin retains its sonic signature and characteristic pulse. You won't mistake that rumble for a Bavarian flat-twin, that's for certain.

On the chassis side, the steel double-cradle frame houses a 49 mm telescopic fork and two emulsion rear shocks. Suspension travel remains modest — 117 mm up front and a mere 55 mm at the rear — but the fork's SDBV technology provides decent damping on rough roads. The low seat, set at 690 mm, reassures shorter riders and contributes to the arms-wide, feet-forward riding position typical of the genre. Braking relies on 300 mm discs at both wheels with four-piston calipers, linked and lean-angle sensitive. This is where modernity speaks up: the RDRS rider safety package includes cornering ABS, a two-mode traction control system, a drag-torque slip control, and hill-hold assist. On a machine of this size, these aids are anything but a luxury.

The onboard equipment deserves a closer look. The 6.5-inch touchscreen integrates GPS navigation, Apple CarPlay compatibility, Bluetooth, and voice recognition. The Boom Box GTS system responds quickly, calculates routes without excessive lag, and delivers sound at 25 watts per channel. The H-D Connect app links the motorcycle to a smartphone to track its location, monitor fuel level, or receive an alert in case of suspicious movement. The Daymaker LED headlight, cruise control, and quick-release saddlebags round out a list of features that partly justifies the price premium over the standard Street Glide.

Then there's the question of price. At €31,290, the Street Glide Special FLHXS sits at the top of the bagger segment, facing competitors that are sometimes better suspended or lighter. Its top speed caps out at 160 km/h, its 22.7-liter tank somewhat limits highway range, and its rear suspension lacks the travel to soak up rough roads over long distances. But this is not a GT in the European sense. It's a cruiser dressed for the road, an object of desire as much as a riding tool. For the rider seeking a commanding visual presence, generous torque, and modern connectivity wrapped in American style, few machines rival what this one offers. It won't appeal to everyone, and that is precisely what makes it strong.