Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic 2019 — Specifications

Forty kilograms heavier than the Honda Gold Wing, with a low seat height of 740 mm and a V-twin 1688 cm³ engine delivering 138 Nm from 3250 rpm. This is the raw portrait of a machine that doesn't seek to convince, it commands. The Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic is not a proposition, it’s a statement of principle on two wheels, and the 2016 version pushes this logic even further than before.

Under the Batwing fairing lies an engine that has benefited from the Rushmore project revisions initiated in 2014. The Twin-Cooled partially water-cooled V-twin engine is unlike anything the Japanese competition offers in the same segment. Only the cylinder heads see coolant circulating, via heat exchangers housed in the fairing flanks, discreet to the point of being almost invisible. The quantified result speaks for itself: 86 horsepower at 5100 rpm, a torque that sticks you to the seat from the first few meters, and contained consumption of 5.6 liters per 100 km for a machine that weighs 411 kg fully fueled. The 22.7-liter tank therefore allows for very serious stages before seeking a station. On the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic, used or new, this engine remains the signature of the model.

Weight is the subject everyone mentions with this machine, often as a criticism. That's a misinterpretation. An 1800 Gold Wing or a BMW K 1600 GTL are not light either, and they do not offer this particular balance, this low center of gravity that makes the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic more maneuverable than its 394 kg dry weight would suggest. The 49 mm telescopic fork, the front double disc brakes with four-piston calipers, and the REFLEX ABS guarantee healthy behavior. The maximum speed of 175 km/h is not the subject of this motorcycle. It rides, it devours the kilometers, it transports two people in a comfort that many high-end sedans envy.

On board, the Rushmore project has revised everything. The BOOM Box 4.3 console, with its 4.3-inch color screen, its 25 watts per channel, its Bluetooth, and its thumb control joystick, transforms long stages into a private concert. The Tour-Pak, the saddlebags, the tank cap, all these elements now open with a simple press, a detail that counts enormously when loading and unloading the motorcycle twice a day on a trip. The passenger has a generous seat, armrests, and a redesigned backrest. This motorcycle is designed for two people who travel together, not for a lone rider who wants to play the weekend hero.

At €27,650, the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic price makes you think, that’s undeniable. The Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic used market logically attracts those who want to access this experience without committing the entire budget, and forums like the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic forum are full of testimonials about the reliability of previous generations, from 1584 to 1690. Milwaukee didn't invent comfortable touring, but perfected a recipe over decades to the point of making it incomparable in its category. It's not a motorcycle for beginners, nor for those seeking sportiness, nor for urban dwellers in a hurry. It's the tool of those who consider that crossing a continent on a motorcycle is not a trial, but a pleasure that is prepared and savored.