Harley-Davidson 1870 Ultra Limited FLHTK 2024 — Specifications

Imagine an ocean liner that had traded its hull for two wheels and a 45-degree V-twin. That's roughly the picture painted by this 2024 Ultra Limited, flagship of the Touring range before you cross over into CVO territory. At Harley, the road is always conjugated in the present indicative, and this FLHTK offers a rendition that flirts freely with the notion of excess. 416 kilos fully fueled, 22.7 liters in its flanks, a price climbing to 33,950 euros. We're a long way from a runabout for fetching the bread.

The heart of the matter is this Milwaukee Eight 114, a well-packed 1868 cc dispensing 87 horsepower at 5020 rpm and, above all, 159.8 Nm of torque from 3000 revs. Raw power doesn't impress on paper, and that's just as well. This big V-twin never tried to play in the roadster arena; it tells another story, one of continuous breath, of thrust that pulls the needle effortlessly up to the claimed 170 km/h top speed. The short 102 mm bore against a 114 mm stroke says everything about this engine's temperament, built for the long haul, not for dyno runs. Facing a BMW K 1600 GTL and its six cylinders spitting out 160 horsepower, or a Honda Gold Wing and its 126-horsepower flat-six, the American twin plays the character card rather than the performance-sheet card. An almost misplaced comparison, moreover, given how divergent the specifications are.

On the chassis side, Harley remains faithful to its dogmas. A tubular steel double cradle, a 49 mm telescopic fork offering 117 mm of travel, two side shocks that absorb 76 mm. Enough to digest tarmac patches without transmitting too much to the crew. Braking relies on two 300 mm front discs pinched by 4-piston calipers, and an identical disc at the rear. Nothing exuberant, but the Motor Company understood that such a behemoth demanded an arsenal of electronic aids. Two-mapping traction control, anti-dribble, hill-start assist, cornering ABS, tire pressure monitoring, electronic distribution of linked braking according to lean angle. The whole package, dubbed RDRS, isn't a gadget on a machine of this tonnage; it's a legitimate safety net when the needle tickles the hundred mark with 400 kilos beneath you.

The seat perched at 740 mm aims to be welcoming, the riding position regal, the Batwing fairing reworked with its central air intake to calm the turbulence around the helmet. The BOOM Box GTS and its 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay compatible, transform the cockpit into a rolling lounge. Heated seats, cruise control, Bluetooth, intercom, 25 watts per channel across four speakers. The passenger, meanwhile, inherits a widened bench and a reworked backrest. Hard to be more hospitable for swallowing up the Nationale 7 two-up, One-Touch saddlebags latched and Tour Pak perched above.

There remains the question every potential buyer ends up asking. Against an Indian Roadmaster better equipped as standard on certain counts, and a Gold Wing technically more sophisticated with its DCT, the Limited sells something else. A style, a sound, a way of approaching the road with the sovereign slowness of a night train. The long-distance tourer who wants a Harley and nothing else will find his marshal's baton here. Anyone seeking surgical precision in Alpine passes will need to look elsewhere. This motorcycle has never claimed to be everything to everyone, and that's precisely what makes its strength.