Road Glide and Street Glide Makeovers
The new 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide are in dealerships and turning heads everywhere. Testing these changes firsthand in Las Vegas at a recent press launch, the battle over which Glide is better will always be a personal preference conversation. I listen as riders express their fierce passions for each model.
Feeling like a kid in the candy store, I make my way through a sea of Street Glides and Road Glides. With eight colors and two trim packages to choose from, picking my favorite is hard. Walking around these beauties, I just want to stand back and stare.
New Fairings
Harley-Davidson remastered the front fairings of both the Road Glide and Street Glide with a well-deserved design upgrade which we first saw in WRN’s review of the CVO models of these bikes. The new computational fluid dynamic (CFD) fairings improve aerodynamics, making wind buffering and rider fatigue issues of the past.
Each fairing has a more distinctive look with accent lighting that highlights their silhouettes and integrated LED lighting that blends the blinkers into the fairing nicely. While riders may be drawn by the allure of this new lighting scheme, it doubles as a safety improvement and makes riders easier to see day or night.
Road Glide and Street Glide Diet Plan
Both Glides have undergone weight reduction due to the lighter materials used in the manufacturing process. Lifting the Road Glide from the sidestand, I immediately feel how much lighter 835 pounds is—16 pounds to be exact. The 10-inch handlebar is higher than the previous version, but the reduced weight and low center of gravity in combination with the stable handlebar reach makes uprighting the big bagger pretty easy.
In comparison, the Street Glide dropped 18 pounds and now weighs 811 pounds. Raising the Street Glide off the stand, the bike initially feels lighter, but trying to straighten the front wheel gives me the same old feeling of having to pull hard on the handlebar to gain control over the weight of the fork-mounted fairing.
Better Aerodynamics
The new fairings and windshield design moves the air around and above me with no air hitting the center of my helmet, avoiding head buffering at highway speed. Adjustable open-air vanes on both bikes allow for wind flow alteration. Additionally, they come equipped with adjustable deflectors on the base of the fairing that can be moved independently to deflect wind and rain.
Show Me the Power
For 2024, Harley-Davidson upgraded the Street Glide and Road Glide baggers with the new Milwaukee Eight Engine 117 V-twin. It is a force to be reckoned with—new liquid-cooled heads and air intake push out a strong 105 horsepower. The rider benefits from the new air flow, as the rear head gets cool first, taking some heat off the rider in traffic.
The power delivery is instant as soon as I leave the parking lot, translating into a surprisingly fast and smooth take-off. I smile before I even shift into second gear. The handling through the canyons is excellent. As I go through all six gears, I notice the power does not plateau. Cornering is a pleasure sweeping through in Sport mode and highlighting the Cornering Traction Control. There is more stability and connection with the steady throttle delivery.
Safety-driven tech enhancements are a confidence booster in many riding conditions. Standard equipment now includes Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes (C-ELB), Cornering ABS (C-ABS), Cornering Traction Control (C-TCS), Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (C-DSCS), Vehicle Hold Control (VHC), and Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS).
Ride modes allow riders to choose between Sport, Road, Rain, and one custom map. These modes act as electronically modified maps, adjusting power delivery and braking depending on your choice.
Bigger Infotainment at Your Fingertips
Like on Harley-Davidson’s 2023 CVO baggers, the in-dash experience for the 2024 Road Glide and Street Glide is all new. The big 12.3-inch TFT display is powered by Harley-Davidson Skyline OS. The fully customizable in-dash infotainment center offers navigation and three different display modes—Sport, Touring, and Road.
The brake lever now comes with an adjustment dial so that the reach distance can be modified. This adjustment can bring the lever closer to allow a full four-finger braking application for riders with small hands.
Travel in Comfort
Besides the new Road Glide and Street Glide fairings which are more aerodynamic (a claimed 60% improvement), Harley gives us several other features for long haul comfort. Most significantly, doubling the amount of rear shock travel is a huge improvement. A retuned front suspension is designed to match the rear for a smooth ride.
The seat on the 2024 Road Glide and Street Glide rotates the riders hips for reduced fatigue on rider’s hips and neck. It feels more comfortable than ever, and keeps riders in a more upright riding position.
I am happy to find heated gear connections now come standard on the Road Glide and Street Glide. There are two pre-wired female heated plugs stored under the seat. A USB plug and SAE pre-wired pigtail, also known as a trickle charger plug, are still standard.
Specs at a Glance
2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide / Street Glide
Engine Size: 1923cc
Seat Height: 26.6 inches / 26.1 inches
Fuel Capacity: 6 gallons
Wet Weight: 835 pounds / 811 pounds
Colors: Billiard Grey, Vivid Black, White Onyx Pearl, Whiskey Fire, Blue Burst, Alpine Green, Atlas Silver Metallic, Sharkskin Blue
MSRP: $25,999
WRN Recommendation
Harley-Davidson’s Road Glide and Street Glide have long been top-sellers and women’s favorite touring motorcycles because of their versatility and style. The new models carry on this legacy as great in-town motorcycles for confident riders and perfect for serious long-distance riding. The reduction in weight, better aerodynamics, updated tech, and adjustability options offers even more comfort and confidence to riders. If you’ve been waiting, now is the time to trade up to one of Harley’s most popular and powerful baggers.