Harley Davidson Road King Vs. Harley Davidson Street Glide

• Table of Contents
• 1. Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 2. Detailed Specs Comparison: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 3. Design: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 3.1 Design: Harley Davidson Road King
• 3.2 Design: Harley Davidson Street Glide
• 4. Engine and Performance: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 4.1 Engine and Performance: Harley Davidson Road King
• 4.2 Engine and Performance: Harley Davidson Street Glide
• 5. Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 5.1 Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Davidson Road King
• 5.2 Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Davidson Street Glide
• 6. Technology and Features: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 7. Pros and Cons: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 7.1 Pros and Cons: Harley Davidson Road King
• 7.2 Pros and Cons: Harley Davidson Street Glide
• 8. Colors and Cost: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide
• 9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• 9.1 Which is More Comfortable: the Harley Road King or the Harley Street Glide?
• 9.2 What are the Key Differences between the Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide?
• 10. Which is Better: the Harley Davidson Road King or the Street Glide

1. Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

“Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul.”

Motorcycle riding can be a fun activity. If you are stressed due to work or personal problems, go on a motorcycle tour. It will not only reduce stress, but also cheer you up. Touring bikes have become quite popular worldwide. Almost any motorcycle can be transformed into a touring motorbike through customization. Meanwhile, motorcycle companies also produce factory-made touring bikes for long-distance rides.

Harley Davidson is a popular American motorcycle brand famous for its top-class, factory-made touring bikes with stock saddlebags, fairings, and windscreens.

Two of the best Harley Davidson touring bikes are the Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide. Both motorcycles are ideal for long-distance rides and cruising on open roads. The Harley Road King is a classic touring motorcycle with a large windscreen, hard saddlebags, Hiawatha headlamps, and chrome finishing. Meanwhile, the Harley Street Glide is a modern-day touring bike with a wide batwing nose fairing, hard saddlebags, and an infotainment system. Both motorcycles are aesthetically appealing and produce soul-satisfying rumble. This article provides a detailed comparison between the Harley Road King and the Harley Street Glide.

2. Detailed Specs Comparison: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

2022 Harley Davidson Road King		2022 Harley Davidson Street Glide
Identification
Harley Davidson	Maker	Harley Davidson
Road King	Model	Street Glide
2022	Year Model	2022
Touring Bike	Motorcycle Type	Touring Bike
FLHR	Model Code	FLHX
$19,110	Base Price	$21,430
Engine and Performance
1,753 cc (107 cu in)	Displacement	1,753 cc (107 cu in)
Milwaukee-Eight® 107 V-Twin	Engine Design and Type	Milwaukee-Eight® 107 V-Twin
Air-Cooled	Cooling System	Air-Cooled
Two	No. of Cylinders	Two
Four	Valves Per Cylinder	Four
93 hp at 5,020 rpm	Horsepower	93 hp at 5,020 rpm
150.5 Nm at 3,250 rpm	Torque	150.5 Nm at 3,250 rpm
4.37 in	Stroke	4.37 in
3.94 in	Bore	3.94 in
Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)	Fuel Injection System	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
10:1	Compression Ratio	10:1
Six-Speed	Transmission	Six-Speed
Belt	Final Drive	Belt
Mechanically Actuated, 10 Plate Wet with Assist & Slipper Clutch	Clutch	Wet, Multiplate with Assist & Slipper Clutch
43 mpg	Fuel Economy	43 mpg
Dual Tapered Mufflers	Muffler	Dual Tapered Mufflers
Two-Into-One-Into-Two Chrome Exhaust	Exhaust	Two-Into-One-Into-Two Chrome Exhaust
Mild Steel Tubular	Frame	Mild Steel Tubular
Electric	Starter	Electric
No	Fairing	Fork-Mounted
-	Fairing Style	Batwing Fairing
Large, Front Fork-Mounted	Windshield	Small, Fairing-Mounted
Braking
Brembo®	Brakes	Brembo®
Dual 300 mm Hydraulic Discs, Four-Piston Caliper	Front	Dual 300 mm Floating Discs, Four-Piston Caliper
300 mm Single Hydraulic Disc	Rear	300 mm Single Disc, Four-Piston Caliper
Optional ($819)	ABS	Optional ($819)
Yes	Electronic Linked Braking (ELB)	Yes
Suspension
Showa 49 mm Dual Bending Valve	Front	49 mm Dual Bending Valve
Low, Hand-Adjustable, Emulsion Shock Absorbers	Rear	Twin-Sided Swingarm, Hand-Adjustable
4.6 in	Front Wheel Travel	4.6 in
2.2 in	Rear Wheel Travel	2.1 in
Tires and Wheels
Dunlop® Harley-Davidson Series	Tires	Dunlop® Harley-Davidson Series
Slicer II Cast Aluminum	Wheels	Enforcer II Cast Aluminum
Dimensions and Weight
6.7 in	Trail	6.7 in
26°	Rake	26°
6 gal	Fuel Tank Capacity	6 gal
5.3 in	Ground Clearance	5.3 in
37.8 in	Width	37.8 in
56.3 in	Height	53.1 in
96.5 in	Length	96.5 in
26.3 in	Seat Height	26.1 in
64 in	Wheelbase	64 in
828 lbs (375.57 kg)	Wet Weight	829 lbs (376 kg)
794 lbs (360.15 kg)	Dry Weight	796 lbs (361.1 kg)
32°	Lean Angle (Right)	31°
32°	Lean Angle (Left)	29°
2.3 cu ft	Luggage Capacity	2.3 cu ft

3. Design: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

3.1 Design: Harley Davidson Road King

The Harley Davidson Road King is aesthetically more appealing than the Harley Davidson Street Glide due to its vintage look and chrome finish. It has chrome Hiawatha headlamps, including three headlights with one in the center and two small headlights on both sides. The Harley Road King is also fitted with a large front fork-mounted windscreen for wind protection. It has a narrow, classic front fender with Road King written on both sides. The front fender is chopped to provide a full view of the Slicer II Cast Aluminum front wheel wrapped around the Dunlop tire. A classic tail/stop light, rear turn signals, and license plate holder are mounted on a wide, large rear mudguard, with the gauges mounted on a peanut-shaped fuel tank.

The Harley Road King is fitted with low-mounted, pulled-back handlebars with chrome side mirrors. It comes with a step-up, single-piece rider and passenger seats. For an improved touring experience, the Harley Road King comes with stock hard saddlebags, crash bars, and rider and passenger floorboards. It is also equipped with chrome two-into-one-into-two dual tapered mufflers on both sides.

3.2 Design: Harley Davidson Street Glide

The Harley Davidson Street Glide and the Harley Davidson Road King have similar base structures, frames, and engines. However, what makes them different is their unique styling. The Harley Street Glide is a popular bagger-style touring bike with a wide batwing fairing that shares a close resemblance with the Harley Electra Glide Standard. However, for the Harley Street Glide, the storage box in the fairing is replaced with a 4.3-inch color screen display. The stock batwing fairing is fitted with a small tinted windscreen, air vent, four analog gauges, two speakers, and side mirrors.

The Harley Street Glide also comes with a single-piece step-up seat capable of two-up riding and provides lumbar support for the rider. It has a simple, narrow front mudguard and a wide rear mudguard with a small LED tail/stop light, license plate holder, and rear turn signals. The Harley Street Glide also comes with stock hard saddlebags and crash bars that provide a better touring experience. It also comes with floorboards that ensure relaxed cruising on open roads.

4. Engine and Performance: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

4.1 Engine and Performance: Harley Davidson Road King

The Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide are heavyweight motorbikes powered by a 107 cu in Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. However, the Harley Road King has an ideal touring design, making it easy to handle. The Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine is capable of a horsepower of 93 hp at 5,020 rpm and a torque of 150.5 Nm at 3,250 rpm.

Though the Harley Street Glide is a popular bagger-style touring bike, the Harley Road King provides a better riding experience. Despite being a heavyweight motorcycle, it handles and performs well on smooth linear roads. The Harley Road King is challenging to maneuver on twists, turns, and riding through slow-moving traffic. However, if you are used to riding a heavyweight touring bike, you will barely notice the weight while cruising at highway speeds.

The Harley Road King’s engine produces adequate torque for long-distance rides. With standard cruise control, this vehicle allows you to cruise effortlessly on open roads. Despite being a bulky touring bike, the Harley Road King has a good throttle response, however, it is difficult to suddenly stop due to being a heavyweight cruiser. However, the Harley Road King’s braking system can be improved by installing an optional ABS that costs $819.

4.2 Engine and Performance: Harley Davidson Street Glide

The Harley Davidson Street Glide is a best-selling model in the Grand American Touring lineup with its iconic batwing fairing and Boom!™ Box 4.3 infotainment system. It received minor updates in 2017, including a partially oil-cooled engine cooling system and better suspensions. The Harley Street Glide’s Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine ensures smooth power and torque delivery. However, the throttle response is slow due to the Harley Street Glide being a heavyweight bike. If you are an experienced rider with experience handling a heavyweight motorbike with a large engine, the Harley Street Glide Special model comes with a more powerful 1,868 cc Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine.

Despite weighing 829 lbs, the Harley Street Glide handles well even when riding on busy roads. However, it performs best on open roads and highways. The Harley Street Glide is fitted with a responsive front and easily-adjustable rear suspensions that ensure a comfortable light touring experience. To ensure reliable braking, this vehicle comes with electronically linked braking (ELB) and an optional ABS.

5. Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

5.1 Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Davidson Road King

Photo Credit: @keystonehd

The Harley Davidson Road King is a comfortable touring bike with a cushioned step-up seat that can fit both the rider and the passenger. The step-up seat also provides lumbar support for the rider. This vehicle has an upright riding position due to Its low seat height of 26.3 inches and mid-mounted, pulled-back handlebars. The forward-mounted floorboards allow the rider to rest their feet. The Harley Road King’s ergonomics are comfortable for shorter and taller riders. Due to being easy to customize, the ergonomics can be adjusted to better suit an individual rider’s preferences and riding style. The Harley Road King also comes with passenger floorboards, but comfort can be improved by installing sissy bars and backrests.

5.2 Comfort and Ergonomics: Harley Davidson Street Glide

Photo Credit: @visordown

The Harley Davidson Street Glide is also a comfortable touring bike with a batwing nose fairing. The fairing-mounted small windscreen cannot reliably block incoming wind while cruising on open roads. The Harley Street Glide’s low-mounted handlebars are less swept-back than the Harley Road King, but still ensure a comfortable, upright riding position. It has a low seat height of 26.1 inches and forward-mounted floorboards. The Harley Street Glide’s low seat height, forward-mounted foot controls, and handlebars position make it better suited for taller and shorter riders. Installing a few aftermarket parts, including a comfortable seat, a large windscreen, sissy bars, and backrests can transform this vehicle into an ideal touring motorcycle.

6. Technology and Features: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

2022 Harley Davidson Road King		2022 Harley Davidson Street Glide
Technology and Features
Optional	ABS	Optional
Standard	Electronic Linked Braking (ELB)	Standard
Standard	Cruise Control	Standard
Fuel Tank-Mounted	Gauges	Fairing-Mounted
✓	Speedometer	✓
✓	Clock	✓
✓	Tachometer	✓
✓	Fuel Gauge	✓
✓	Low Fuel Warning	✓
✓	Trip A & Trip B	✓
✓	Odometer	✓
✓	Gear Indicator	✓
✓	Passenger Seat	✓
Infotainment
✕	System	Boom!™ Box 4.3
✕	System Type	Color
✕	Speakers	Two
✕	Bluetooth	✓
✕	AM / FM	✓
✕	USB Connection	✓

7. Pros and Cons: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

7.1 Pros and Cons: Harley Davidson Road King

Harley Davidson Road King Pros	Harley Davidson Road King Cons
Classic look	ABS is optional
Aesthetically appealing	Difficult to suddenly stop
Better ride quality	Heavyweight
Agile	Not beginner-friendly
Good handling	Difficult to maneuver in slow traffic
Comfortable for taller and shorter riders	Difficult to handle at slow speeds
Large windscreen
Stock saddlebags and crash bars
Stock rider and passenger’s floorboards
Smooth power delivery
Standard cruiser control and electronically linked braking (ELB)
Better linear performance

7.2 Pros and Cons: Harley Davidson Street Glide

Harley Davidson Street Glide Pros	Harley Davidson Street Glide Cons
Stock infotainment system	Small windscreen
Comes with a display screen and speakers	ABS is optional
Navigation and mobile connectivity	Expensive
Stock saddlebags and crash bars	Heavier front end
Low seat height	Difficult to ride through traffic
Comfortable ergonomics	Not beginner-friendly
Comfortable for both shorter and taller riders
Smooth power delivery
Standard cruise control and electronically linked braking (ELB)

8. Colors and Cost: Harley Road King Vs. Harley Street Glide

9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

9.1 Which is More Comfortable: the Harley Road King or the Harley Street Glide?

The Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide are comfortable touring bikes with upright riding positions and forward-mounted floorboards. Both touring bikes are suitable for taller and smaller riders. However, the Harley Road King is best suited for two-up riding due to its comfortable passenger seat and footrests. It also has a large windscreen for better wind protection. Meanwhile, the Harley Street Glide is a fun touring bike with a Boom!™ Box 4.3 infotainment system.

9.2 What are the Key Differences between the Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide?

Key Differences between the Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide
Harley Davidson Road King	Harley Davidson Street Glide
Large windscreen	Batwing fairing with a small windscreen
Hiawatha headlamps	One round headlight
Fuel tank-mounted gauges	Fairing-mounted gauges
Handlebars-mounted side mirrors	Fairing-mounted side mirrors
Vintage look	Both modern and classic look
Comfortable passenger seat	Uncomfortable passenger seat
Greater lean angle	Smaller lean angle
Stock passenger floorboards	Passenger footrests
No infotainment system	Stock infotainment system
Slicer II cast aluminum wheels	Enforcer II cast aluminum wheels

10. Which is Better: the Harley Davidson Road King or the Street Glide

The Harley Davidson Road King and the Harley Davidson Street Glide are popular touring motorbikes in the Harley Grand American Touring lineup. Despite both being fitted with the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine, the Harley Road King and the Harley Street Glide differ when it comes to performance and touring capability. The Harley Road King is more agile, easy to handle, and has better linear performance. The Harley Road King also is better at maneuvering at low speeds and turning corners than the Harley Street Glide. The Harley Street Glide can be transformed into an ideal touring bike by replacing the small windscreen with a larger windscreen for better wind protection and adding rider and passenger backrests.

Photo Credit: @rallypointharley ,  @valleyharley