Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide 2009 — Specifications

It's easy to overlook, but there's life beyond the Electra Glide Ultra Classic. For those who find the king of baggers too loaded, too ostentatious, too… heavy, Harley-Davidson thought of a more streamlined version. The 2009 Street Glide is a bit like an Ultra Classic on a diet. The top case is removed, the headlight line is simplified, the seat is sharpened, and the windshield size is reduced. The result is a machine that breathes the road without the burden of superfluous accessories, an American touring bike that fully embraces its cruiser side.

Don't be fooled, the comfort of the traveler remains a religion at Harley. The seat is a throne, the rigid saddlebags are spacious, and the instrument panel on the fork rivals an aircraft cockpit. The highlight remains the Harman Kardon audio installation, ready to accompany your long straightaways with a soundtrack worthy of a road movie. Under the extended 22.7-liter tank, the legendary Twin Cam 96 of 1584 cm3 rumbles. With 71 horsepower and 131 Nm of torque, it is much more lively and responsive than the old 88, and the six-speed gearbox, although still very characteristic, brings a notable improvement. This is the paradox of the beast: it weighs nearly 370 kg fully fueled, but its engine gives it an unsuspected soul.

On the road, the Street Glide cultivates its ambiguity. The chassis has been seriously revised, with a stiffened frame and a new 17-inch front wheel. Straight-line handling is of absolute serenity, perfect for long-distance cruising. On the other hand, approach a corner that is a little too ambitious, and the footpegs will quickly scrape the asphalt to remind you of your place. It is a machine made for wide curves, not for alpine hairpin turns. The brakes, now equipped with 300 mm discs and standard ABS, offer braking power commensurate with the mass in motion, without however transcending the discipline.

Ultimately, who is the driver of this Street Glide? It is the traveler who prefers substance to ostentation, the one who wants to travel hundreds of kilometers in royal comfort, lulled by the sound of his engine and his stereo, without wanting to look like a mobile showroom. It positions itself as a credible and more affordable alternative to the Electra Glide, for those seeking the Harley touring spirit without the overly emphasized folklore. A machine with character, which assumes its weight and majestic slowness, but which knows, thanks to its engine, to surprise you in small moments. It is old-fashioned grand touring, with just enough modernity to avoid becoming a relic.