With the new year usually comes new model announcements, though in Harley-Davidson’s case, the company is revealing only its carryover bikes in the latest release. In fact, The Motor Company is practically playing down the news of its 2024 lineup this time around, which pulls from its cruiser, sport, touring, trike, and adventure categories. Perhaps it’s because the 2024 list is more spare this year, or maybe it’s the fact that there are no changes to the bikes in question. But it’s probably due to the fact that H-D is already set to have a big(ger) reveal of its new models—including the latest CVO machines—on January 24, when a special launch film called American Dreamin’ will air on H-D.com at 10 a.m. CST. We figure the headline stuff will drop then.
Meanwhile, let’s get into the just-announced 2024 bikes.
As we said, they have no mechanical changes to speak of, carrying over the same powertrains and engine displacements intact from last year. The only tweaks are to the color options and the fact that some models have been dropped; we’ll cover those that remain, which are already available at most local dealers.
Related: Harley-Davidson Teases All-New 2023 CVO Street Glide
Remember when we said some models got cut? The glaring omission in Harley’s 2024 Adventure Touring series is the base-model Pan America, which is notable mainly because there were just two bikes in this new-to-H-D category last year. Some have speculated that cutting the base PA makes way for a 975cc version powered by the Revolution Max 975T mill, which currently appears only on the Nightster Special. We won’t know for sure until January, but Harley-Davidson has always implied that the engine was expected to appear in more than one model. Bronx 975, anyone?
The return of the Pan America 1250 Special, on the other hand, makes sense, as it’s been a popular and versatile model for Harley in the adventure space, with its semi-active suspension, Off-Road modes, and Adaptive Ride Height option. It carries on with the same liquid-cooled 150-hp Revolution Max 1250 engine, frame-mounted fairing, and H-D’s electronic rider safety suite too so nothing new there, though this year you can get it in four color options for an MSRP of $19,999 (which, for the record, is less than last year’s price).
What, no Street Glide? OK, so we’re obsessing on what’s missing, but both the base Street Glide and Road Glide models have been core to Harley’s Touring line DNA for so many years, we have to believe they’ll be part of the new model announcement on January 2024 (hopefully packing similar updates seen on the CVO iterations last year). Whether they’ll sport the same new Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine and upgraded suspension as the CVO bikes remains to be seen, but we suspect the new bodywork and front fairing treatments will make the cut.
Other than the aforementioned Glide models (which last year accounted for six bikes if you include the Special and ST variants) the 2024 Grand American Touring line consists of just three models, each with the same chassis, engine sizes, suspension, and other elements identical to their 2023 predecessors. For 2024 we get the Road King Special, the Road Glide Special, and the Ultra Limited, all packing the same Milwaukee-Eight 114 powertrain; it appears there are no more Milwaukee-Eight 107-powered bikes in the series.
In H-D’s always-robust cruiser line, we’ll see seven models returning this year in three engine displacements. At the lower end of the price spectrum is still the stripped-down 2024 Softail Standard, which lists for $14,999, comes in gray or black, and packs a Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. By the way the Softail Standard is (for now) the only model still packing that mill.
Not making the cut this year is the Fat Bob 114, but you’ll still see the Street Bob 114 bobber, Fat Boy 114 cruiser, and Heritage Classic 114 light tourer all returning, and all powered by the M-8 114 engine. The Street Bob goes for $16,999, while the Fat Boy will ask for $21,999 from your wallet. You’ll hand over $22,499 for the Heritage Classic.
The most powerful bikes in the range are still sticking with the air/oil-cooled M-8 117 engine, with the chopped Breakout ($22,499), Low Rider S ($19,999), and Low Rider ST ($23,399) all sporting the 101-hp mill. You’ll have new color options for all three, but no other changes this year.
H-D’s Sport lineup features the same three models we saw last year, all powered by some version of the Revolution Max engine. At the top of the chain is the burly Sportster S, which rolls with the liquid-cooled RevMax 1250T mill and retails for $16,999, followed by the less intimidating 975cc Nightster Special at $13,499, and finally, the entry-level Nightster (also with the Revolution Max 975T engine), which has an MSRP of $11,999. New colors make the cut here, but otherwise its status quo for the lot.
Harley-Davidson’s three trikes also return in 2024 mechanically unchanged, with all still powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine. From top to bottom, there’s the loaded Tri Glide Ultra, the Road Glide 3, and the minimal Freewheeler all back for the new model year, with the decked-out Tri Glide priced at $37,999, the Road Glide 3 at $34,999, and the Freewheeler at $31,999.
As for the limited-production models from Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) series, we’ll see those (and other new H-D models) getting highlighted on January 24. See you then.