Harley Davidson Street Glide for Speed Riders

1. At first Glance

From afar, the Street Glide stands out as part-bike part-beast, with its epic windshield, respectable width of the front forks and wheels along with the unmissable saddlebags that come with the Glide.

Everywhere around the world, Harley-Davidson has set a reputation for itself with the finest additions to adventure touring motorcycles and the Street Glide is the epitome of the craft.

Equipped with all the finest features one can ever wish for, the motorcycle comes fully ready to be embarked on the longest adventure of your life.

Although a hefty initial pricing cost, there’s hardly anything else you’ll require from the aftermarket regardless of where you’re thinking of going.

An iconic addition to the Touring category, Harley’s Street Glide has single-handedly redefined the culture of bagger bikes.

Accommodating the interests of millions of enthusiasts trying to turn their cruisers into baggers, Harley introduced the Glides, tailor-made to deliver perfect ergonomic performance and luxurious comfort to riders of all sizes.

Contrary to first impressions that some people might get from the Street Glide, the motorcycle is fairly easy to ride and offers smooth control to all riders.

2. History of the Street Glide:

Harley-Davidson probably needs no introduction. The company has established an unforgettable reputation that is synonymous to the word motorcycle throughout the Western world.

As the manufacturing giant has endeavored and prospered in almost every motorcycle category known to the modern world, one of these attempts was made when the world demanded a revolutionary innovation in the Touring category of motorcycles.

First launched in 2006, the Street Glide FLHX was Harley’s attempt to introduce a streamlined version of a touring motorcycle that would introduce an alternative to traditional high-windshield motorcycles with huge fairings and higher suspensions.

This bike was designed by none other than Willie G. Davidson himself to be a part of his personal touring lineup.

The Street Glide came with a lower suspension than other Touring bikes but with some of the smartest features riders were anticipating for ages.

These included the bike’s infotainment system that supported Bluetooth connectivity and allowed riders to set up GPS settings from and synchronize their phones with their motorcycles.

With a Boom Box! Audio system, the motorcycle became the first in history to offer a reliable and sufficient sound system on two wheels, or at least, that’s how the reviewers put it.

Just when everyone thought that this was the best a touring motorcycle could do, the company took things further in the next year, offering a 17% increase in torque with the innovation of a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission along with hydraulic cam-chain tensioners that came in place of the spring-types.

Another worthy addition in the 2007 Street Glide was the EFI injector nozzles and oxygen sensors that made the engine become more responsive than before, giving riders a firm grip and better control of the massive power that the motor was packing.

The most amazing thing about the Harley-Davidson Street Glide has been the comfort that the motorcycle has offered to its riders.

Compared to almost any alternative in the market, the Street Glide outdid the competition in terms of consistency in offering the luxuriously smooth and easy riding experience that was desperately needed in the market.

As these concerns got addressed, more needs were identified in terms of increasing the travel time people spent on the road. Although the bike was amazingly comfortable and enjoyable to ride, limited gas became an issue that was addressed by the company in 2008.

This was the year that Harley introduced a 6-gallon tank and to make their bike even more extravagant, the option to buy the new set of Brembo brakes that came with an anti-lock braking system.

The brakes were another major improvement that received critical appreciation in the market as riders were experiencing problems with the stopping distance from before.

In 2009, along with the entire touring range, Harley changed the frames for the Street Glide that included a new swingarm and a revolutionized engine mourning system. Except for the Road King Classic, all Touring bikes got new 17” front wheels and a 2-1-2 exhaust system.

This allowed all touring motorcycles to become even lighter in weight and nimble in terms of easy maneuverability. In a nutshell, this made the Street Glide able to carry much more stuff and be able to cruise more smoothly.

3. Harley Davidson Street Glide Buyer’s Guide

3.1 How comfortable is a Harley Street Glide compared?

Harley Davidson has a variety of cruisers that piqued the interest of enthusiasts because of the different specifications of road tripping. Cruisers like Street glides are always the preference of long-distance travelers.

Street glide is much lighter in weight than other Harleys, and its height is also quite shorter than its siblings. A lighter bike can increase your power to weight ratio resulting in a boost in acceleration.

This is also why it’s not recommended for beginners as it’s difficult to control a massive power monster if you accidentally rev it up too much.

In addition, it has become the most selling brand of Harley as it comes with Bluetooth compatible devices, 5.25 inches standard speakers, USB capability, mobile hands-free and AM/FM radio.

In comparison with Road King, Street Glide has Enforcer Cast Aluminum wheels whereas Road King comes with Impeller cast-aluminum wheels. Moreover, both have a fuel mileage of 45 miles per gallon and have a fuel capacity of six gallons. Street glide ships 7 pounds lighter add oils and fluids in terms of lighter running order as compared to Road King.

At highway speeds, a weight of almost 60 pounds is exerted on the fairing on other Harleys but on Street Glide, the weight is transferred on the handlebar because it’s bolted on the fork. It has company-installed ABS and cruise control features. If you have some additional dollars to spend you can ask to add a security system.

3.2 Is the Harley Davidson Street Glide a good bike for beginners?

The Street Glide isn’t meant for complete beginner riders. Without a doubt, though it’s fairly easy to ride, it’s out of a newbie’s league.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can tame this beast and bank it without having any prior experience of riding heavy motorcycles.

Although you can train on it, it’s not recommended that you take it out on the highway as a beginner rider and put yourself and others around you at risk.

A little wobble on this huge monster can spell instant disaster, especially for people who have no prior experience riding.

3.3 Why is the Harley Davidson considered a girl's bike?

One of the many reasons why criticism is directed towards Harley is that they were primarily considered to be a boy-brand, meaning all their motorcycles were supposed to be for jacked-up dudes with muscular builds.

This criticism often stopped Harley from competing in the market with competitors such as Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki who were readily expanding their target audiences by introducing models that were made for almost everyone.

Finally, with the advent and revolutionization of the Glides and the other touring category bikes that joined the lineup later on, Harley took the initiative and made the effort to meet the requirements of the world.

Though there are still some traditionalists and culturally orthodox mentalities that criticize Harley for changing its direction, the profits and the reputation this garnered for the brand outweighs the hate.

Another reason that Harley bikes are considered girl bikes is because when it came to breaking traditions, Harley Davidson Street Glide, like many other introductions made by the company, was the genre-redefining motorcycle that came with a lower suspension and frames unlike any other in the market.

As explained above, contrary to major expectations, when Harley made the switch to offer riders of all sizes the chance to ride their products, they made sure they were offering the best deals in the market.

3.4 Is the Street Glide good for touring?

Compared to almost 90% of the motorcycles you can choose from, the Street Glide is probably better than all of them, behind only the successors and superior models in the Touring category that outdo the Street Glide with their features as well as initial prices.

Whether you’re thinking of visiting major national parks of the region or cross state lines without feeling the need to take a moment to relax, the Street Glide is one of the best motorcycles you can have in this regard.

This is because the motorcycle excels in providing consistent comfort that comes with the most elegant riding experience known to riders.

You can take it to join up with riders in rallies happening across the country or go for insane off-road adventures with all your luggage locked in your saddlebags without experiencing any significant problems.

The fact that this bike has been designed to ensure the rider can stay in for as long as possible means that you can expect your journeys to be far from exhausting.

Be it the lower suspension that allows for a comfortable seating posture or the soft seat that has been made seamless but extremely luxurious and consistent, the Street Glide offers comfort in more than a few dimensions.

With smart features that have appealed to almost everyone in the world, you can rely on these technological innovations to give you an amazing riding time.

Not only can you plug your phone in and listen to the music you want, but you can also navigate through with maps provided online or saved offline on your phone.

Though many might think that an infotainment system on a motorcycle would be useless, the Street Glide’s audio system has proved everyone wrong and has left heads shaking.

Suffice it to say, the Street Glide is more than a good companion for touring. Regardless of how far you’re thinking of going, the Street Glide will take you there.

3.5 Can I use Street Glide for daily use?

The Street Glide looks like a heavy motorcycle to be reckoned with. However, if you watch some of the videos of the bike online, you’ll find that riders find it very easy to maneuver the bike around.

Though in places like California where lane splitting is legal, people prefer thinner motorcycles in order to be able to pass through traffic with ease, the Street Glide has proved very efficient in terms of maintaining control in slow speeds.

This means that you can rely on the Street Glide to be an amazing companion for long-road as well as short-distance traveling.

For those who want something comfortable to commute to work to, the Street Glide can be a great investment because it offers seamless riding comfort and comes with standard storage options to carry the stuff you want to take without needing to wear a heavy bag on your shoulders.

Although some might think that the heavy build of the bike might prove to be overkill for the city, you can always take off the motorcycle saddlebags and go for a sleeker and more lean design of the Street Glide.

4. Pricing

VIVID BLACK	$22,249
COLOR	$22,824
ABS OPTION	Standard
REFLEX™ DEFENSIVE RIDER SYSTEM (RDRS)	$1,025
SECURITY OPTION	Standard
CRUISE CONTROL OPTION	Standard
PREMIUM RADIO OPTION	$930
CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS	$200
FREIGHT	$650
SURCHARGE	$800

5. Detailed Specifications

5.1 Engine:

ENGINE 1	Milwaukee-Eight® 107
BORE	3.937 in.
STROKE	4.375 in.
DISPLACEMENT	107 cu in
COMPRESSION RATIO	10.0:1
FUEL SYSTEM 3	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
EXHAUST	Chrome, 2-1-2 dual exhaust with tapered mufflers

5.2 How reliable is a Harley Davidson Street Glide engine?

Street Glide has Milwaukee-Eight 107, it's the 9th generation “big twin” engine developed by Harley Davidson. This engine has a life normally 75,000 miles however, in best case scenario it can last over 100,000 miles. Based on its annual average of 40,000 miles it has a life expectancy exceeding 18 years.

If you service your Harley’s Engine as per maintenance schedule, it’ll surely gonna last 100,000 miles or even more. It’s common that bikers who keep their bikes well maintained, did the tuning, oil and air filter change timely, enjoy more miles than the others who are irresponsible in terms of maintaining the bike.

The most important factor in increasing your engine’s life is to follow the service schedule mentioned in the owner's manual, and routine maintenance is also crucial for your Street glides health.

5.3 Performance:

ENGINE TORQUE TESTING METHOD	J1349
ENGINE TORQUE 2	111 ft-lb
ENGINE TORQUE (RPM)	3250
LEAN ANGLE, RIGHT (DEG.)	31
LEAN ANGLE, LEFT (DEG.)	29
FUEL ECONOMY TESTING METHOD	Estimated City/Hwy
FUEL ECONOMY 5	43 mpg

5.3.1 What CC is the Harley-Davidson Street Glide?

With all the other specifications Street Glide has a displacement of 1868 cc and has a maximum torque of 163 NM at the RPM of 3000.

5.3.2 How fast does a Harley Street Glide Go?

Street Glide with a displacement of more than 1600 cc can be able to go up to 105 miles per hour which is almost equal to 169 km/h.

Though this might not seem like a lot, the touring motorcycles weren’t designed to deliver high speeds in the first place.

Even though they come with hefty engines that are more powerful than some cars as well, their architecture and mechanics have been designed to provide a seamless riding experience with comfort and the ability to tow a substantial amount of weight behind them.

That’s why, even if you’re not able to speed through impossibly fast, you can rely on the Street Glide to be a worthy companion that’ll get you from A to B as quickly as the law will allow.

The best part? You’ll be traveling at the same speeds regardless of how much stuff you’re hauling behind you. This translates to amazing off-road compatibility that promises consistency and luxury throughout your adventure.

5.4 Dimensions:

LENGTH	96.5 in.
SEAT HEIGHT, LADEN 7	26.1 in.
GROUND CLEARANCE	5.3 in.
RAKE	26 in.
TRAIL	6.7 in.
WHEELBASE	64 in.
TIRES, FRONT SPECIFICATION	130/60B19 61H
TIRES, REAR SPECIFICATION	BW 180/55B18 80H
TIRE, TYPE	Dunlop® Harley-Davidson Series, bias blackwall front and rear
FUEL CAPACITY	6 gal.
OIL CAPACITY (W/FILTER)	5.2 qt.
WEIGHT, AS SHIPPED	796 lb.
WEIGHT, IN RUNNING ORDER	829 lb.
LUGGAGE CAPACITY -VOLUME	2.3 cu ft

5.5 Drive Train:

PRIMARY DRIVE	Chain, 34/46 ratio
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 1ST	9.593
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 2ND	6.65
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 3RD	4.938
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 4TH	4
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 5TH	3.407
GEAR RATIOS (OVERALL) 6TH	2.875

5.6 Chassis:

Chassis - Harley Davidson Street Glide

FRONT FORK	49mm Dual Bending Valve
REAR SHOCKS	Premium Low Hand-Adjustable Rear Suspension
WHEELS, FRONT TYPE 9	Enforcer II Cast Aluminum
WHEELS, REAR TYPE 9	Enforcer II Cast Aluminum
BRAKES, TYPE	Dual floating rotors (front), fixed rotor (rear)
BRAKES, CALIPER TYPE	32 mm, 4-piston fixed front and rear

5.7 Infotainment

Infotainment - Harley Davidson Street Glide

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM	Boom!™ Box 4.3
TYPE	Color
SCREEN SIZE	4.3 in. standard / 6.5 in. optional
WATTS PER CHANNEL	25
SPEAKERS	2
SPEAKER SIZE	5.25 inch standard
HEADSET SPECIFICATIONS (IF EQUIPPED)	16-64 ohms
AM	Standard
FM	Standard
WEATHER BAND (WB)	Standard
SD CARD, FLASH DRIVE AND MP3 - VIA USB CONNECTION	Supported
SIRIUSXM PRESETS	20 - P&A Upgrade for Boom! Box GTS (USA & Canada only)
LANGUAGES	English (US/UK), German, Spanish (Mexico/Spain), French (Canada/France), Italian, Portuguese (Portugal/Brazil), Russian, Czech, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Japanese
HANDS-FREE MOBILE PHONE - VIA BLUETOOTH	Standard
VOICE RECOGNITION LANGUAGES: PHONE FUNCTIONS ONLY	Phone dependent
VOICE RECOGNITION LANGUAGES: TUNER/MEDIA/NAVIGATION	Phone dependent
TEXT-TO-SPEECH (TTS) LANGUAGES	Phone dependent
VEHICLE INFORMATION SCREEN (AIR TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE AND EITMS)	Standard
USB	USB/MTP/iPod/iPhone
BLUETOOTH	Phone/Media Supported

8. Aftermarket Luggage and Modification Options for Street Glide:

When it comes to equipping your motorbike for outdoor adventures there are several options you can opt for.

Check out the wide range of Harley specific motorcycle luggage and equipment such as seats, sissy bars, handler bars and much more to customize your bike the way you want to.

These modifications will make your bike much more attractive and you can carry some more things with you while traveling a long way.

Just make sure that the aftermarket options that you’re looking to equip will keep your bike street legal.

As laws pertaining to emission standards, handlebars and other requirements vary with each state, it’s the rider’s responsibility to make sure that they are following the protocols mandated by their laws.

Though there are several options to choose from when it comes to online stores, we recommend going for the finest ones that are embellished with positive reviews, regular stock updates and impeccable customer service.

One such example of an online one-stop shop is Viking Bags.

Ordering bags for Harley Street Glide from a store like Viking Bags will make it much easier for you to choose the right option, as they offer tailor-made luggage bags specifically for your motorcycle. You just have to select the size and design, since everything is bike specific, it’s obvious that the mounting hardware will come along with your product.

Additionally, accessories like guards, graphics, decals and chrome trims can give your motorcycle a remarkable look. You can also go for custom mirrors & indicators, back and front lights and modify your bike all the way to the last bolt. Since, there’s a huge marketplace of Street Glide’s equipment you can be able to find almost everything in different designs and shapes that will fit your motorcycle quite nicely.