5 Most Wanted Harley-Davidson Bikes In The U.S. Right Now

Last updated: October 22, 2026

You can either love or hate Harley-Davidson, but it holds something very special and unique that makes it different from the rest. Since 1903, this motorcycle brand has made a huge mark, not only in America but in the whole world.

No matter where you live, if you are interested in motorcycling, you know what Harley-Davidson is. It is among the most prestigious motorcycle brands with countless notable models, with each having a separate fan base.

For every decade or two, a bunch of Harley-Davidson models went viral. Everyone wanted to have these Harley motorbikes. However, some of the viral Harley-Davidson models were built for an era, not just for a decade.

The U.S. has been a home to Harley-Davidson. Being one of the oldest American motorcycle companies, it eventually became a household brand. Harley-Davidson is not only a popular brand, but it has also become the best-selling brand.

In the US, motorcyclists are crazy for these bikes. It is a dream for every motorcycle rider to own and ride a Harley. Regardless of producing back-to-back successful models, there are still a few most-wanted models that had the quality of becoming the American sweetheart motorcycles.

You can call these specific Harley motorcycles the most desirable, best seller, and top-of-the-list bikes in the Harley lineup. Continue reading this article to learn about the five most-wanted Harley-Davidson bikes in the US right now.

The most popular Harley-Davidson models in the US right now are the Street Glide, Road Glide, Fat Boy, Sportster S, and Pan America 1250 Special. Touring bikes lead demand: the Street Glide is widely cited as Harley's best-selling touring model, and Harley-Davidson reported the Pan America Special as the best-selling adventure motorcycle in North America after its launch. For 2026, the Sportster S starts at $15,999, the Pan America 1250 Special at $19,999, the Fat Boy at $22,599, the Street Glide at $24,999, and the Road Glide at $27,999.

Prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices for 2026 base models and exclude taxes, fees, and dealer charges.

Harley-Davidson does not publish sales figures for each individual model, so any ranking has to combine several signals. This list draws on Harley-Davidson's own statements about its best sellers and on published model rankings from motorcycle publications and retailers.

Demand is also shifting. Harley-Davidson reported global retail sales of 132,535 new motorcycles in 2025, down 12% from the year before. North America fell about 13% for the full year but rose 5% in the fourth quarter, led by the Touring category. That is why the Street Glide and Road Glide sit near the top of any current ranking, while the Pan America and Sportster S show where the brand is attracting newer riders.

It took Harley more than 115 years after its establishment to produce an Adventure Bike that could compete with top-end BMW and KTM ADV bikes. It was something unexpected for Harley to step into the ADV bikes category.

Nobody knew that the Harley-Davidson Pan America would immediately become a successful ADV bike. The Harley Pan America doesn’t have anything in common with what Harley-Davidson is used to produce. It is the ultimate adventure motorcycle with a rugged design.

Being one of the top-end ADV bike options in the market, it is more suited for ADV paved road touring. However, it doesn’t shy away from maneuvering off-road terrains if you have the right off-road skills.

Most people didn’t expect the Pan America to be an immediate hit after its launch. It was a complete diversion from the company’s regular manufacturing and branding strategies.

The top sales figures show that the Harley Pan America Special is among the most-wanted Harley motorcycles in the US right now. Harley-Davidson reported the Pan America Special as the best-selling adventure motorcycle in North America after its 2021 launch.

Due to being one of the most desired and most wanted Harley motorcycles, the Pan America is not that easily approachable bike. It is among the most premium ADV bikes in the market, with a starting price of $19,999.

What makes it a highly competitive ADV bike in the market, alongside the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure and KTM 1290 Super Adventure R, is its advanced tech package. It features one of the most superior and fully-fledged Harley Tech packages, making it a safer and fun-to-ride ADV bike.

Starting from the ABS, the bike has everything, including cornering-enhanced ABS, traction control, drag-torque slip control, electronically linked braking (ELB), and much more.

The Harley Pan America has also been the top demo bike used for test riding purposes at the Sturgis Rally.

The sportiness offered by the 1,250 cc Revolution® Max 1250 V-Twin engine is unmatched. It delivers 150 hp of impressive horsepower and 129 Nm of torque to make both on- and off-roading easier for this bike. You can cover miles on this bike without getting fatigued.

The Harley-Davidson Pan America Special also has a premium electronically-controlled suspension, offering 7.5 inches of wheel travel. This bike also features an incredible adaptive ride height system that reduces seat height when the motorcycle is stopped.

2026 update: the 2026 Pan America 1250 Special still starts at $19,999. Harley-Davidson also offers the Pan America 1250 ST, tuned for pavement riding with 17-inch wheels and a quickshifter.

The Harley Street Glide is considered one of the best-seller ultimate touring machines for superior comfort. It is the most iconic Harley model in the Grand American Touring lineup.

The most iconic feature of the Street Glide is its trademark batwing fairing. This touring bike has been updated several times throughout its production since 1984. However, the current 2024 Street Glide model looks the most premium and technically sound.

The 2024 Street Glide has several CVO styling elements. Despite the technical upgrades and modern style elements, the Street Glide is Harley’s special classic-looking touring bike. Unlike the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure and Honda Gold Wing, it still has chrome and classic appeal rather than sportiness.

The Harley Street Glide has been a very popular Harley motorcycle, as proved by the sales figures. It prioritizes long-distance comfort, superior ride quality, power refinement, and stability.

The standard wind protection, infotainment system, saddlebags, crash bars, and rider floorboards make the Street Glide an in-demand Harley touring bike.

Like the Harley Pan America, the Street Glide also features the most advanced Harley tech package. The standard touring features and the superior tech package make the Street Glide one of the most premium offerings in the Grand American Touring lineup. The 2024 model starts at a base price of $25,999.

There is nothing wrong with the Harley Street Glide. It is one of the most perfect classic touring bikes. It is widely appreciated for its superior long-distance comfort. You can ride this bike continuously for hours without feeling even slightly uncomfortable.

Those who have tested or used this bike know its worth. The Street Glide received so many positive reviewers for its unmatched touring performance and comfort.

The 2024 Street Glide features one of the most powerful Milwaukee-Eight engines. The 117 cu in (1917.29 cc) M-8 V-Twin engine generates 105 hp of peak power and a massive 176.3 Nm of torque, making it perfectly suitable for cross-country rides.

Being a top-end touring machine with loads of long-distance features and accessories, the Street Glide has a wet weight of 811 lbs. Considering its top-level power figures and heavy weight, it is best suited to experienced travelers who know how to ride and handle such a giant touring bike.

2026 update: the 2026 Street Glide starts at $24,999, down from the $25,999 listed above for the 2024 model.

The Harley Road King is another very special and popular touring bike. It can be described as one of the most classic Harleys in the current Harley lineup.

Despite being included in the Grand American Touring lineup, the Harley-Davidson Road King is a stripped-down tourer. It comes without wind protection. Maybe it is designed for an open road experience where you can feel the wind blowing past your hair and body.

You have a clear view ahead while riding the Harley Road King. Nonetheless, it comes with standard hard saddlebags, a crash bar, and floorboards. The simplicity is what makes the Road King very special and iconic.

It is primarily a cruiser motorcycle with certain touring parts. The front end of this bike gives you a vintage vibe with a wide and extended headlight nacelle merged into the front forks. On top of it, the pulled-back mini ape hanger gives the Road King its iconic stance.

The Harley Road King is one of the most comfortable cruiser motorcycle designs in the H-D lineup. It features a completely blacked-out finish. At the heart of this bike lies a very powerful 1,868 cc Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, offering 165.41 Nm of impressive peak torque and 95 hp of horsepower.

The M-8 114 engine in this cruiser-style touring bike provides extra agility to this bike. It may not be like a proper touring bike, but the Road King Special weighs 807 lbs.

If you want to use the Harley Road King for long-distance touring purposes or cruising comfortably on freeways, you can add a windscreen. It will allow you to cruise comfortably and not feel fatigued after a while.

The Road King is considered the most-wanted Harley-Davidson motorbike in the US due to its timeless design, superior ride quality, powerful performance, and reliable build.

Update for 2026: the Road King is not part of the 2026 lineup. The Road King Special was sold through the 2025 model year, and motorcycle trade reports say a Road King ST may return for 2027, though Harley-Davidson has not confirmed it.

You will be surprised to know that even the latest Road King model doesn’t feature the advanced Harley tech package except the ABS and Electronic Linked Braking (ELB) as standard. The rest of the safety rider aids are optional. However, the 2024 Road King still comes at a base price of $24,999.

It is high-priced due to its timeless classic design, superior build quality, reliable parts used in its manufacturing, and the Harley’s heritage.

2026 update: the Road King Special is no longer in production, so the $24,999 price above applies only to the 2024 model.

Most reviewers claim that the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114 brought the cruiser motorcycle revolution in the US. After being introduced in 1990, it changed the game for Harley-Davidson. The company became the King of the American cruiser scene after the Fat Boy became prominent.

After the Fat Boy, Harley-Davidson became renowned as the American’s national motorcycle brand. Initially, the name “Fat Boy” sparked a controversy, which also became a reason for its popularity among US riders. According to the critics, the name “Fat Boy” is extracted from the notorious atomic bombs “Fat Man” and “Little Boy” dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S.

The official statement provided by the company states that the name “Fat Boy” purely came from its wide and bulky appearance and build. The name “Fat Boy” has nothing to do with the atomic bombs. Also, the bike is not intended to hint at the tragic event or to tease Japanese manufacturers.

Apart from the controversy, the Harley Fat Boy is widely popular for its distinctive muscular and fat look. The rear wide tire and solid disc wheels make the Fat Boy a one-of-a-kind motorcycle. This bike can surely make you stand out on the road.

Among all the Harley-Davidson motorcycles that are the most traditional-looking, the Fat Boy has the most distinctive presence on the road. Also, the 1868.13 cc Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine makes it one of the most powerful Harley cruisers.

The 161.34 Nm of torque and 94 hp of horsepower make the Harley Fat Boy an impressive ride. It is undoubtedly one of the most wanted Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the U.S. right now, and it has a separate fan base.

2026 update: the 2026 Fat Boy starts at $22,599 and, like the rest of the Cruiser lineup, runs a Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine.

Harley-Davidson Sportsters have always been Harley’s best-selling bikes due to their unique cruiser looks and performance. Sportsters became the number one choice of many American riders due to their low weight and easy handling.

Harley Sportsters are the most favorite Harley motorcycles for beginner riders. They are very different from traditional Harley cruisers. With a slim profile, low weight, low seat height, and mid-mounted foot controls, Sportsters are much easier to ride, particularly in urban settings.

After ruling the American cruiser market for many years, the Sportster Iron 883 and the Sportster Iron 1200 were finally discontinued a few years back. As of today, we have the very unique Harley Sportster S, Harley Nightster, and Harley Nightster Special.

In this Sportster lineup, the Sportster S has the most potential to become the American’s favorite. Despite being introduced recently in 2021, the Sportster S has gained a lot of attention and appreciation.

It doesn’t look like a conventional Harley at all. It is small, lighter, and compact. The Sportster S is referred to as the Harley performance cruiser. The focus is to prioritize performance over comfort.

However, unlike the previous generation of Harley Sportsters, the Sportster S is not a beginner-friendly bike. This small-sized Harley motorcycle packs a lot of punch.

New riders who want a lower price and gentler power should look at the Nightster instead, which is the most affordable bike in the Harley-Davidson lineup.

The 1250 cc Revolution® Max 1250T V-Twin engine produces a peak horsepower of 121 hp and a decent torque of 126.1 Nm. Overall, the Sportster S is a very fun Harley Sportster model to ride.

The H-D Sportster S has fat road-oriented tires and scrambler-style exhaust pipes. The foot controls are mounted forward, and the solo rider seat is quite flat, making it one of the most unconventional Harleys.

Being one of the most modern-looking Harleys, the Sportster S also features the best possible advanced tech package to make riding more fun and safe.

The Harley Sportster S is a considerably new Harley motorcycle in the lineup. However, it is still capable of becoming the most wanted Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the U.S.

2026 update: the 2026 Sportster S starts at $15,999, down from the $16,999 listed above for the 2024 model.

The five bikes above are not the only Harleys in high demand. These models also draw a lot of attention from riders in the US, and several are the answer to common questions such as "what is the cheapest new Harley?"

The Road Glide is the Street Glide's closest rival in the Grand American Touring lineup. Its sharknose fairing is mounted to the frame instead of turning with the handlebars, which gives it a very different look from the Street Glide's batwing fairing. The 2026 Road Glide starts at $27,999.

The Street Bob is the minimalist choice in the Cruiser lineup, which is the current name for the Softail family. The 2026 Street Bob with the Solo Trim Package is priced from $14,999. That package adds a solo seat, Dark Billiard Gray paint, and cast aluminum wheels.

The Low Rider S and Low Rider ST are both part of the 2026 Cruiser lineup and use a Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine. The Low Rider S is regularly listed among Harley-Davidson's most popular models, and the Low Rider ST is the more performance-focused of the two.

The Heritage Classic is the nostalgic option in the Cruiser lineup. For 2026, the Heritage Classic with the Solo Trim Package starts at $19,999.

The Nightster is the most affordable bike in the Harley-Davidson lineup and one of the lightest, which makes it the cheapest new Harley you can buy and a common first Harley. The 2026 Sportster family as a whole starts at $9,999. The Nightster also gets a new Blood Orange option package for 2026, and the Nightster Special sits above it in the range.

Harley-Davidson announced its 2026 models in two waves. These are the changes most relevant to the bikes in this guide:

• Street Glide Limited and Road Glide Limited: new touring models with redesigned fairings and the Milwaukee-Eight 117 VVT engine.
• Pan America 1250 Limited: a fully equipped version of the Pan America at the top of the adventure range.
• Pan America 1250 ST: a pavement-focused Pan America with 17-inch wheels and a quickshifter.
• Solo Trim Package: a solo seat, Dark Billiard Gray paint, and cast aluminum wheels on the Heritage Classic, Street Bob, and Street Glide.
• Liberty Edition: special models marking America's 250th anniversary, offered on the Street Glide, Street Glide 3 Limited, and Heritage Classic.
• Road King: missing from the 2026 lineup.

The best Harley depends on how you ride and what you want to spend.

• For adventure touring on paved and unpaved roads: the Pan America 1250 Special, or the Pan America 1250 ST if you mostly ride on pavement.
• For long-distance comfort: the Street Glide or the Road Glide.
• For a classic cruiser look: the Fat Boy.
• For a lighter, quicker bike in the city: the Sportster S.
• For a lower entry price or a first Harley: the Nightster or the Street Bob.

Considering the most reviews and feedback, the Harley-Davidson Knucklehead is the most sought-after H-D motorcycle. It is not a particular model. In other words, the Harley Knuckleheads are those Harley Davidson bikes equipped with Knucklehead engines. This engine type became popular as Knucklehead because of the shape of the engine rocker cover.

The Harley Knuckleheads are old, antique, and possess great value. Being quite older, they are rear Harley models. The remaining Harley Knucklehead models can be sold for quite a surprising amount.

At the 2022 Mecum Auction, a surviving Harley Knucklehead was sold at a price of $190,000.

Based on sales reports, the most favorite and most sought-after Harleys are the Sportsters. Sportsters are the most unusual Harleys you can think of; however they have created a lot of impact in the market. Since their debut in 1957, the H-D Sportsters have consistently been America’s favorite motorcycle.

With models like the Sportster Iron 883 and the Iron 1200, the Sportsters have always been sitting at the top of Harley’s sales charts. The Sportster models themselves became revolutionary because of their design features and ergonomics. They are also known as the best beginners’ Harleys of all time.

Today, the Street Glide is the model most often cited as Harley-Davidson's best-selling touring bike, while the Sportster line is led by the Sportster S and the Nightster.

Harley-Davidson enjoys the most popularity in the United States and is the leading American motorcycle brand. The majority of Harley-Davidson’s sales come from the United States. As per the stats, Harley-Davidson sold approximately 98,468 units in the U.S. in 2023.

In Canada, the company was successful in selling almost 7,422 units in the year 2023. Considering these figures, Harley-Davidson sells pretty well in the North American region.

In the EMEA region, including the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, Harley-Davidson managed to sell almost 27,005 units in 2023.

More recently, Harley-Davidson reported global retail sales of 132,535 new motorcycles in 2025, down 12% from 2024.

So far, black is considered to be the most popular Harley-Davidson color. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle looks the most attractive and classic in the black paint job. It is also one of the most favorite factory color options used on many Harley models.

Being simple, the black color option for Harley-Davidson bikes is also the safest option. The good thing is that there are many different types of factory black paint options available for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These include:

• Black Denim.

• Vivid Black.

• Black Tempest.

The Street Glide is the model most often named as Harley-Davidson's most popular, followed by the Road Glide, Fat Boy, Sportster S, and Pan America 1250 Special. Touring bikes lead demand, and Harley-Davidson does not publish sales figures for each model.

The Nightster is the most affordable bike in the Harley-Davidson lineup. The 2026 Sportster family starts at $9,999. Among the Cruiser models, the Street Bob with the Solo Trim Package starts at $14,999.

No. The Road King is not part of the 2026 lineup. The Road King Special was sold through the 2025 model year. Trade reports say a Road King ST may return for 2027, but Harley-Davidson has not confirmed it.

The Street Glide and Road Glide are the best Harley-Davidson models for long-distance touring, thanks to their fairings, comfort, and standard luggage. For trips that include unpaved roads, the Pan America 1250 Special is the better choice.

Down. Harley-Davidson reported global retail sales of 132,535 new motorcycles in 2025, a 12% decrease from 2024. North America fell about 13% for the full year but rose 5% in the fourth quarter, led by the Touring category.

Harley-Davidson has always been the most desired, sought-after, and most wanted motorcycle brand in the US. These bikes are the most preferred motorcycle option for most American riders.

Being one of the oldest American motorcycle brands, Harley-Davidson has produced many popular models so far. However, there are a few Harley motorbikes that became the most wanted in the US. These most-wanted models are in great demand and sell well in the region.

If you are looking for a Harley and want to invest in the best, these five most wanted Harley-Davidson bikes in the U.S. should be your preferred option. These Harley models have the potential to make you look the coolest on the road.