You’ll find countless articles debating the merits of Street Glides and Road Glides, covering everything from aesthetics to handling and their unique appeal. As a Street Glide owner for over a year, I recently had the opportunity to rent a Road Glide for a week. While a short rental of 170 miles can’t fully compare to the 6,000 miles I’ve logged on my Street Glide, here’s my take, keeping perspective in mind.
It’s important to acknowledge a couple of key differences between the bikes I tested:
a) The rental Road Glide had a stage 1 air kit, HD slip-ons, and a stage 1 ECM upgrade. However, its performance noticeably lagged behind my Street Glide, which boasts V&H true duals, V&H slash slip-ons, a stage 1 air kit, and a Power Commander. The acceleration difference was significant, with my Street Glide delivering much more power.
b) The stock Road Glide windshield was too tall for my preference, forcing me to look through it. Coupled with a 3/4 helmet and face shield provided with the rental, my visibility felt compromised and uncomfortable.
With those variations noted, here’s my direct comparison of the Street Glide versus the Road Glide:
1. Stock Seat Comfort and Ride Quality
In its stock configuration, the Road Glide offers superior comfort for your rear. The seat was excellent, and the shocks noticeably smoothed out the ride. For longer journeys, this could be a significant advantage.
2. Low Speed Handling: Fixed Fairing vs. Batwing
The Road Glide’s fixed fairing requires some adjustment, but it shines in slow-speed maneuvers and parking lots. While I find the Street Glide’s batwing fairing manageable at low speeds, the Road Glide felt slightly easier and more balanced in these situations. The fixed fairing’s weight distribution makes a subtle but positive difference when navigating tight spaces.
3. Dashboard Layout and Radio Accessibility
I much prefer the Street Glide’s dashboard layout. On the Road Glide, the radio felt distant and inconvenient to operate, requiring more reach and distraction to make adjustments while riding. The Street Glide’s controls are more intuitively placed and easily accessible.
4. The Unexpected Benefit of Cruise Control
The Road Glide I rented included cruise control (I’m unsure if it’s standard on all models). Initially, I didn’t think cruise control was a feature I needed or wanted. I was wrong! It’s incredibly convenient on longer rides and has now become a must-have on my modification list for my Street Glide. It significantly reduces fatigue on the highway.
5. Highway Speed Instability: A Major Drawback for the Road Glide
HERE’S THE BIGGEST ISSUE – At highway speeds, the Road Glide felt alarmingly unstable. At 75 MPH, encountering trucks created a frightening wind buffeting experience. Within approximately 100 yards of a truck, the wind blast made the Road Glide feel incredibly unsteady. Having ridden for six years, I’ve never experienced this level of instability on any motorcycle. This was particularly surprising as many reviews suggest the Road Glide is more stable on the highway than batwing fairing models. My firsthand experience was completely opposite.
This highway instability issue is a deal-breaker for me and eliminates the Road Glide from consideration. I anticipated better wind protection and a more stable highway ride. Instead, I found wind protection comparable to my Street Glide with a 6″ windshield, but the highway handling was significantly worse.
I expect this assessment might ruffle some Road Glide enthusiasts, but it’s based on my recent and direct experience comparing these two iconic Harley-Davidson models.
Thanks, John
