Following a year hiatus from the Harley-Davidson lineup, the Road Glide returns with a host of Project Rushmore updates that have improved this popular long-haul bagger in a big way. Anxious to rack up some miles on this latest Harley, we spent a few days and nights aboard a base Road Glide and came away impressed.
First and foremost, the feature that most distinguishes the Road Glide from its Touring siblings is its ubiquitous frame-mount “shark-nose” fairing. Extensive wind-tunnel testing has resulted in an all-new fairing that’s 1.4 inches narrower than the previous design, and its new “triple splitstream vent” is said to improve airflow while reducing buffeting. I must say that I had no complaints while gazing over the tinted low-cut screen at speed in the fast lane. Side vents flank the new “Dual Reflector Daymaker LED” headlights, and a centrally located top vent in the top of the dash can be closed in inclement weather. “The biggest design challenge presented by the Road Glide fairing is its distance from the rider,” said Brian Nelson, Harley’s principal stylist. “Because it’s frame-mounted, we need that distance to provide room to turn the handlebar, but that’s also a big low-pressure zone that creates a lot of turbulence. To move air above the rider’s helmet required three vents, with the two lower vents designed to lift the airflow.”
The dramatic reduction in head buffeting has not only improved rider comfort, but also the listening quality of the sound system. Here too, the Road Glide receives the Rushmore Boombox Infotainment upgrade, getting a 4.3-inch dash mounted display with AM/FM, Weather Band and a USB port that’s handy for iPod navigation. The system feeds 25 watts per channel into a pair of dash-mounted coaxial speakers. A 6.5-inch touch-screen with GPS is an option on the base model that comes standard on the Road Glide Special. A new handlebar bend reduces rider reach by 5.5 inches, greatly improving long-range comfort. Revised hand controls have improved ergonomics, and a pair of thumb joysticks helps control the infotainment and navigation.
Of course this wouldn’t be a complete Rushmore makeover without new hard injection-molded saddlebags, the same convenient easy-open units found on Harley’s other touring models. I like that my backpack with laptop slips right in.
Our test unit was equipped with optional Reflex Linked Brakes with ABS, a wise choice, but I did find the linked action a bit abrupt. I also found the bike to be a little harsh at the rear. Turns out that our test bike came with its air-adjustable twin shocks set at 45 psi, very near the high end of its range. While I enjoyed the added cornering clearance while riding solo at a brisk pace, any sharp bumps I encountered rattle my jaw. Reducing the pressure to 25 psi dramatically improved the compliance while maintaining adequate chassis composure.
A highlight of my miles on the Road Glide came while traveling the twisty Ortega Highway at night. The smooth and swift pace I was able to maintain is a direct testament to the effectiveness of the new Daymaker headlights. Harley says these LEDs have significantly more spread and greater punch than standard headlights. Thanks to all these well-integrated Project Rushmore updates, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide clearly has a bright future.