Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard Vs. Harley Davidson Heritage Classic

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard and the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic are heavy-duty and bulky motorbikes that perform best on longer rides. Both motorcycles come with stock saddlebags, floorboards, and wind protection, making them suitable for touring. However, the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic belongs to the cruiser category, capable of better performance, and can be used for daily commutes. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is an ideal touring bike that can be too heavy for daily commutes and riding through traffic.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic is a more versatile option fitted with a more powerful engine than the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard. The Harley Heritage Classic is a heavyweight motorbike weighing about 330.21 kg, which makes it slightly difficult for beginners to handle. However, compared to the Harley Electra Glide Standard which is specifically built for touring and has a wet weight of 371.95 kg, the Harley Heritage Classic is a lightweight motorbike. This article provides a detailed comparison between the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard and the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is a touring bike with a stock batwing fairing, a mid-sized windscreen, hard saddlebags, and crash bars to protect the engine and body. To provide a comfortable touring experience, the Harley Electra Glide Standard comes with forward-mounted floorboards. A big round LED headlight and front turn signals are mounted on the front forks.

The Harley Electra Glide Standard has chopped front and rear fenders. A classic LED tail light, rear turn signals, and license plate holder are mounted on the rear fender. There are four analog display meters fitted on the Harley Electra Glide Standard’s batwing fairing, including a speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, and battery level.

The Harley Electra Glide Standard is available in a vivid black color scheme with a chrome finish. It is fitted with a chrome two-into-one-into-two dual exhaust with tapered mufflers on both sides. The Harley Electra Glide Standard’s batwing fairing also has speakers and a small storage box for gloves and glasses. It has high-mounted, swept-back handlebars with chrome side mirrors mounted. The Harley Electra Glide Standard is fitted with Dunlop tires wrapped around 10-spoke impeller cast aluminum wheels.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic has an ideal cruiser design, coming with stock leather saddlebags and a large windscreen to improve touring performance. The Harley Heritage Classic comes in 14 color schemes with a blacked-out or chrome finish. The Harley Heritage Classic is fitted with chopped front and rear fenders, with Hiawatha headlamps containing a main headlight in the center and two small headlights on both sides. The high-mounted, swept-back handlebars are within comfortable reach of the rider. The Harley Heritage Classic comes with a two-piece saddle that allows for two-up riding.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic is a modified version of the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe. Both motorcycles share several similar features, including Hiawatha headlamps, front and rear fenders, and fuel tanks. However, the addition of stock saddlebags, a large windscreen, and a passenger seat make the Harley Heritage Classic better suited for touring and longer rides.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is powered by a 1,753 cc Milwaukee-Eight® 107 V-Twin engine capable of torque of 150.52 Nm at 3,250 rpm and a horsepower of 90 hp at 5,450 rpm. The Harley Electra Glide Standard is fitted with a hydraulically actuated clutch with assist and slipper functions for smooth clutch operation, and its six-speed gearbox connects to the rear wheel via a belt drive. The 1,753 cc Milwaukee-Eight® 107 V-Twin engine has oil lines integrated with an air-cooled system that effectively maintains the engine’s temperature.

The Harley Electra Glide Standard comes with an Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) system, ensuring a fuel economy of 43 mpg. The Harley Electra Glide Standard has a large fuel tank capacity of 6 gals.

If you love touring, the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is an ideal option. Despite being a heavyweight bike, it provides a stable riding experience. Though the Harley Electra Glide Standard’s Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine is smaller than the Harley Heritage Classic’s Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, it has the adequate power necessary to cruise comfortably at highway speeds. The Harley Electra Glide Standard’s midsize windshield can be replaced with a large windshield to provide better wind protection. The storage capacity can be increased by installing crash bars and luggage racks.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard comes with ABS, cruise control, and electronically linked braking which prevents the rear wheel from locking up immediately to ensure the rider’s safety. The Harley Electra Glide Standard is not good for riding through traffic and going on daily commutes due to its heavy weight. The Harley Electra Glide Standard’s front end is also quite heavy, which makes it difficult to maneuver at low speeds.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic’s design is based on the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe. However, the Harley Heritage Classic has a larger engine and greater versatility. The Harley Heritage Classic is fitted with a 1,868 cc air and oil-cooled Milwaukee-Eight® 114 V-Twin engine capable of a horsepower of 94 hp at 4,750 rpm and a torque of 161.34 Nm at 3,000 rpm. It also comes with a six-speed transmission and a wet, multiplate clutch with assist and slipper functions that ensure smooth gear shifting and clutch operation.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic has a fuel tank capacity of 5 gal and is fitted with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI). Being a lightweight motorbike, it has a fuel economy of 47 mpg.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic is 47.41 kg lighter than the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard, but it is still difficult for beginners and shorter riders to handle at low speeds. A novice rider might find it difficult to operate this motorbike while riding through traffic or making U-turns.

The Harley Davidson Heritage Classic has a classic cruiser design but it is equipped with modern technology, including an ABS, cruise control, an adjustable rear mono-shock hidden under the seat, and all LED lighting. The Harley Heritage Classic has a lightweight frame with a dry weight of 316.15 kg.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is a comfortable touring motorbike with its low-mounted, swept-back handlebars, providing a relaxed and upright riding position. The foot controls are mid/forward mounted with floorboards to ensure a comfortable riding experience. Overall, the Harley Electra Glide Standard is a stable and comfortable motorbike better suited for cruising on highways and going on tours. Due to it being a heavyweight vehicle, it is not ideal for riding through traffic. However, the overall weight can be reduced by removing the batwing fairing, saddlebags, and crash bars. The Harley Electra Glide standard has a comfortable solo rider seat but does not come with a passenger seat and footrest.

Being an ideal cruiser, the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic has comfortable cruiser ergonomics. The high-mounted, swept-back handlebars are within comfortable reach of the rider, allowing the rider to sit in a relaxed or stretched riding position. To enhance the comfort level, the Harley Heritage Classic comes with forward-mounted foot controls and floorboards. Being built with a powerful Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, it is ideal for two-up riding. It also comes with a comfortable passenger seat and footrests.

If you have basic knowledge of how to ride a motorcycle and a love of touring, then the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard can be a good first motorbike. However, if you are a short or novice rider with no prior riding experience, then the Harley Electra Glide Standard can be too powerful and big to handle.

The Harley Davidson Milwaukee-Eight 107 and Milwaukee-Eight 114 engines can suffer from wet sumping, which puts excessive pressure on engine parts and causes loss of power and oil aeration. Oil starts to accumulate in the Milwaukee-Eight 107 and Milwaukee-Eight 114 engines’ crankcases when the motorbikes travel for long distances at high speeds.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is one of the cheaper options in the Harley Davidson touring motorbikes category. Also, the Harley Electra Glide Standard can be stripped-down to reduce the overall weight and transform it into a cruiser. The Harley Electra Glide Standard comes with a stock fairing, windshield, saddlebags, and floorboards for a comfortable touring experience. It has a basic motorcycle design and can be easily customized.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard and the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic are both quality motorbikes, designed for longer rides and touring with their comfortable riding ergonomics. Both motorcycles have classic Harley Davidson attitudes but are fitted with modern ride-assist features.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is a very heavy motorbike due to its stock batwing fairing, hard saddlebags, wider frame, and a fuel tank capacity of 6 gal. However, it is easily customizable and can be stripped down if you wish to transform it into a cruiser.

The Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard is not suited for daily commutes and riding through traffic. Though, with the addition of a large windscreen, it can be transformed into an ideal touring bike. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Heritage Classic is a versatile motorbike and has ideal cruiser ergonomics. It is good for city travel, touring, and cruising on highways. The Harley Heritage Classic is more stylish, more powerful, and has a compact design. If you want a stripped-down cruiser style, the Harley Heritage Classic’s stock windscreen and saddlebags can be easily removed.