2024 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide Revival: The Leader of the Pack is Back

Do you remember the iconic Harley of the post-World War II era, the Hydra-Glide? The bike was not only the coolest among all, but also a trendsetter as it featured the hydraulic front fork on a motorcycle, a major upgrade of the 1940s. Also, this is why it was named Hydra Glide as it was a revolutionary development in the motorcycling industry.

The good news for all the Harley fans is that the “Leader of the Pack” is back. This is what the company loves to call it. The 2024 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide Revival is a major blast from the past to be included in the Icon Motorcycle Collection by Harley. What a time to bring it back on the 75th anniversary of the original 1949 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide. Continue reading this article to get to know more about the 2024 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide Revival.

Good to see Harley still sticking to its pact regarding the Icon Collection that the throwback models will not be extravagantly high-priced like most special limited edition Harley models. However, to maintain the 2024 H-D Hydra Glide Revival prominence and to value its uniqueness, it is still reasonably priced at $24,999.

The 2024 H-D Hydra Glide Revival is the fourth in the Icon Collection and only 1,750 units will be produced. Before this masterpiece, the other bikes in the Icon Collection are the 2021 H-D Electra Glide Revival, 2022 H-D Low Rider El Diablo, and 2023 H-D Electra Glide Highway King.

At the time when the idea of the H-D Icon Collection came out, it was made clear by the company that there was no compulsion to stick to the original retro styling. All the designers and engineers, tasked to design the Icon Collection models, have the free hand to deviate from the original roots. However, regarding the 2024 H-D Hydra Glide Revival, you can see the bike is close to its ancestor roots and carries similar DNA.

For a modern base, the 2024 Harley Hydra-Glide Revival is based on the H-D Heritage Classic. You can observe several similarities between these bikes, including the signature Hiawatha headlamps, two-tone large windscreen, gas tank-mounted gauges, large and bulky fenders, and Milwaukee Eight 114 engine. However, the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival is a step ahead with its premium class and top-end fit and finish.

To keep the connection from the past, the new Hydra-Glide Revival wears a shiny chrome skin, and the dual-tone redline paint job is definitely going to take you back to the good old Harley days. The matching half-red tinted and half-clear windscreen, Hydra Glide signature on the front fender, and the vintage Harley Davidson emblem on the gas tank with a giant V, all remind us of the H-D unique styling sense and persona.

Above all, what brings the most liveliness to the 2024 Harley Hydra Glide Revival is the beautifully crafted classic-looking lockable and water-resistant saddlebags with motifs and studs. The saddlebags are further decorated with frills attached to the lid, ensuring an exclusive vintage vibe. And many aftermarket luggage options are available including saddlebags , tank bags , sissy bar bags , and tour packs .

The gas tank is clean and wide with a classic chrome gauge cluster at the center and a leather pad in the mid with studs and a piece of artwork. For a throwback styling, the 2024 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide Revival flaunts a wide solo rider seat with the same vintage styling as the saddlebags, along with the stylish seat rail. The 16-inch front and rear chrome steel laced wheels and the classic round and bell-shaped air cleaner cover are the cherry on the top, hinting towards its forerunner.

Being a limited edition, only 1,750 units of the Hydra-Glide Revival will be produced and you can easily identify every individual unit due to the number being engraved on the handlebars, along with the Hydra-Glide Revival signature.

Like most of the parts, the power mill on the 2024 Harley Hydra-Glide Revival is also taken from its donor bike, the Harley Heritage Classic. The only difference is the antique look as this bike uses a round bell-shaped air filter cover. The 1,868 cc Milwaukee-Eight® 114 air-cooled power plant is a V-Twin platform with a 45° angle between the two cylinders, capable of generating a generous torque of 161.34 Nm at 3,000 rpm and a decent horsepower of 94 hp at 4,750 rpm. If you are familiar with riding a Harley Heritage Classic, you can completely get how the Hydra-Glide Revival will feel as you ride it.

The 2024 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide Revival carries the identical-looking chunky fork, mimicking the original post-war Hydra-Glide and the base Heritage Classic. However, unlike the hydraulically damped front suspension, the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival features a 49 mm Showa dual-bending valve telescopic fork with ‘Been Can’ covers, along with a hidden preload-adjustable mono-shock for a modern softail look.

The braking equipment installed on the modern Harley Hydra-Glide Revival is exactly what you find on the Harley Heritage Classic. Regardless of its esteemed lustrous and executive look, the tech machinery has been kept on the simpler side with only ABS and cruise control as standard features.

Despite being manufactured in the modern age, you will probably be inquired by riders about what model year is this bike as it flaunts such a throwback nostalgia with a head-turning attitude. There is nothing fancy on the dashboard and no infotainment system either, to ensure riders enjoy a pure vintage riding vibe.

It feels the best and it hits differently as soon as you sit on the all-new H-D Hydra Glide Revival. You get the style and comfort of both the classic and modern world of motorcycling. Though the Milwaukee-Eight 114 is not an unfamiliar engine, the rider can still get that nostalgic vibe of riding a premium limited edition. To realize that you are one of the 1,750 fortunate owners who will get to look and ride this bike every day is something out of the world.

Coming to the comfort and ergonomics, it feels exactly like the H-D Heritage Classic. The Hydra-Glide Revival offers a spacious seating position to adjust your limbs in a reasonably relaxed manner. It is fitted with forward-mounted rider floorboards and sufficiently tall, sweptback, and wide handlebars to strike a perfect balance between remarkable handling, steering, and comfort.

The adequately padded wide solo rider seat seems sufficiently relaxing for your back and keeps it happy on long rides. You do not need to make adjustments or push yourself to ride with an upright back. Just sit naturally and you will automatically be positioned in an extremely comfortable stance.

The idea to bring back the most iconic Harley Davidson models from the past proves to be a remarkable marketing strategy by the company. However, the Icon Motorcycle Collection contains only limited editions produced in limited numbers. One thing is for sure, the 2024 Harley Davidson Hydra Glide Revival is not for everybody and it is for those riders who cherish the chrome metal, who love the original Harley vibe, and who desire fringes and studs installed on the saddlebags and seat.