Harley-Davidson 1920 Road Glide FLTRX 2024 — Specifications

Remember the face of the first Road Glide in 1998, that square snout christened Shark Nose which had the effect of a wrestler's mask on an already colossal Harley. Twenty-five years later, Milwaukee has cut to the quick. The new FLTRX 2024 inherits the makeover introduced by the CVO in 2023, with a more angular front end, almost scalpel-cut, which reduces aerodynamic turbulence by around 60%. Purists will grumble, others will finally salute some genuine stylistic boldness from a manufacturer accused of purring on its laurels.

Beneath the 22.7-liter tank lies the mechanical event of the year for the Touring range. The Milwaukee-Eight 117, a 1923 cc 45-degree V-twin, trickles down from the sporty ST version to equip the standard model. The spec sheet claims 107 horsepower at 5020 rpm and above all 174.6 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm, with a generous 103.5 mm bore for a 114.3 mm stroke. You will never hunt for the red zone; this twin dispenses its cavalry from 2000 rpm and imposes an almost insolent cruising rhythm in fifth gear. Against the Road Glide Special and its 114 cubic inches, the gap climbs to 14 horsepower and 17 Nm, a leap clear enough to justify the price tag. The cylinder heads switch to liquid cooling, a sine qua non condition for digesting this debauchery of torque without turning the rider's thighs into a barbecue.

The 368 kilos wet are part of the deal; nobody asks a bagger to play ballerina. The saddle perched at 715 mm helps handle the monster at a standstill, and the 49 mm diameter fork absorbs asphalt flaws with its 117 mm of travel, versus 76 mm for the two side shocks, a range obviously limited by the geometry. Up front, two 300 mm discs pinched by four-piston calipers take care of calming the ardor up to 170 km/h, a speed more theoretical than useful. Harley has finally muscled up its electronic arsenal with four riding modes (Road, Sport, Rain, Custom), ABS and traction control sensitive to lean angle, a hill-start assistant and an anti-dribble managed by torque control. In short, the brand is catching up on the BMW K 1600 B and the Indian Challenger, which had been prowling this segment for a while.

On board, the dashboard gives way to a 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen christened Skyline. The break is radical, gone are the needle dials worthy of a jukebox. Navigation, telephony, intercom, playlist playback via a 200-watt amplifier and two 50-watt speakers, everything is centralized on this slab worthy of a German sedan. Lovers of chrome and the analog tachometer will pout; that's the price of modernity. The hard saddlebags swallow 69 liters of luggage, enough to leave for a week without giving up the second pair of boots.

At 31,790 euros, the FLTRX targets a clientele of settled road-trippers, those who favor long highway stages over Alpine twisties and who want a strong stylistic anchor. Its only internal rival remains the Street Glide, identical under the skin, a simple matter of taste between a fairing fixed to the frame or one attached to the handlebars. Facing a more technological but more sanitized Honda Gold Wing, or a more performance-oriented Indian Challenger in the corners, the Road Glide bets on its sonic and visual charisma. A choice of the heart as much as of reason, owned right down to the last bolt.