2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Review [17 Fast Facts]

February 27, 2024

It has been a busy few years for The Motor Company’s Road Glide franchise. It started in 2022 with the ST model inspired by MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers racing series. Last year, the CVO Road Glide got an attention-grabbing revolutionary new fairing, the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 motor, and plenty of other significant upgrades. This year, the ST was promoted to CVO status. Powered by the new M8 121 High Output motor, it is so performance-oriented that Senior Editor Nic de Sena tested the CVO Road Glide ST at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Now, we get the standard 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, which benefits from many of the upgrades enjoyed by its recent predecessors. Our First Look at the new basic version of the iconic bagger whetted our appetites, and now it’s time to go riding.

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide stays true to its bagger roots and Grand America Touring designation. With the CVO Road Glide ST taking care of the throttle jockeys, the standard-issue Road Glide retains its street- and highway-oriented demeanor. With mini-apes and a relaxed seating position behind the new touring-friendly shark-nose fairing, the Road Glide is easy to ride when you want it to be, and faster than any previous non-CVO iteration when you have an itch that needs to be scratched.

The new Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin gives the Road Glide plenty of flexibility. The beast’s power is undeniable—130 ft-lbs of torque at 3250 rpm. Roll-on power is delivered effortlessly and at whatever pace you like, thanks to electronics, which we will discuss soon enough. For those who count the ponies, there are 105 in the corral, and triple-digit speeds are easily attained on the open road. Heck, I inadvertently broke the ton by simply accelerating briskly onto an empty local freeway. The 117 definitely requires recalibrating your expectations when twisting the Road Glide’s long-throw throttle, and the new fairing makes its own contribution.

This is not last year’s 117. Although the 2024 Road Glide’s motor shares the same displacement as an earlier engine, the top end has gotten plenty of engineering attention. It starts with a new airbox that holds a gallon of air, a 50 percent increase over the Heavy Breather intake it replaces. From there, the new aluminum intake manifold is contoured to send the air more smoothly to the EFI’s new 58mm throttle body (up 3mm from last year’s 117). The throttle body is better centered in the V—not that you can see it—and it sends the air/fuel mixture to new oval intake ports above the new liquid-cooled cylinder heads. The cylinder heads have incrementally higher compression, deeper-set spark plugs, and a new squish band to enhance torque production and fuel efficiency. Now we know why wicking the throttle open is so satisfying.

To harness the output, the 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide has Ride modes. The software engineers thoughtfully programmed Sport, Road, and Rain modes to get you started. Changing modes means altering the throttle response, power production, cornering traction control, engine braking, and cornering ABS sensitivity. The differences between the modes are as subtle as a flying mallet.

Rain mode is steady as she goes. If you only rode the Road Glide in the Rain mode, you would rightfully wonder what all the talk of power is about. Throttle response is leisurely, and there’s not much engine braking. We avoided getting the Road Glide wet but hit some damp patches after heavy rains. The ABS and traction control are, indeed, ramped up. Save this mode for a rainy day, when you’ll be glad to have it.

For ambling down the highway, the Road mode keeps things civilized. I thought of this as a cruise control mode. The throttle response in Road mode is restrained to keep the chassis as steady as possible. It is extraordinarily forgiving of throttle input errors, as nothing happens quickly. Mid-range power is cut, so you don’t get that satisfying push when rolling on the throttle to pass a vehicle blocking your way. ABS and TC are pretty much transparent in this mode, and engine braking feels natural. I thought I would like Road mode for urban riding, but the unhurried throttle response didn’t allow me to work through traffic the way I like—aggressively. It’s probably fine if you live in a regressive state that doesn’t allow lane splitting.

If the new 117 motor drew you to the 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, then Sport mode is what you’ve been looking for. As you’d expect, Sport mode dramatically increases throttle response, and all of the 117’s pavement-rippling torque is on tap. Traction control and ABS sensitivities are backed down, though the Road mode seemed to take care of the bulk of that change. In contrast with sport bikes, which reduce engine braking in high-performance modes, the Road Glide ups the compression braking, which I like. Because of the long throw of the throttle, the 117 isn’t jerky, even in Sport mode, though it’s also not as responsive as you might desire. It’s fast, but there’s still something missing for the hotrod crowd. Fortunately, Harley-Davidson gives you an ace in the hole.

A Custom mode is available, and that might be precisely what you’re looking for. All five adjustments found in the preset modes can be personalized in Custom mode. You have to dig a bit into the new Skyline OS and TFT display to arrive at the Custom’s settings. However, when you do, you’ll be satisfied. You can start with any mode as a base—I went with the Sport mode. I then dialed maximum throttle response, upped the engine braking, and stuck with Road ABS and TC for safety. With those settings saved, I headed for the canyons. The difference is easily felt and hugely entertaining. The 117 is faster than ever, and the throttle response remains just short of jerky. I easily rode in suburban street traffic with the throttle response cranked all the way up—the 117 remained a manageable sweetheart.

The new foot-diagonal TFT display is a dazzling replacement of the aging traditional analog-style gauges. Inside the new fairing is a complete redesign of the dash, and for the better. The TFT display can be configured in three ways—Sport (digital-speedo/analogy-style tachometer centered), Cruise (traditional speedo and tach separately displayed), and the innovative Tour (speed on the left with a vast GPS display dominating the dash). Even within those display options, there are sub-options for info presentation. The dash looks terrific in bright sun, and spectacular after dark. Although I liked the old Road Glide’s traditional clocks, the new TFT blows them away and I was won over immediately. The generally intuitive Skyline OS does a fantastic job of sorting out all the functions and options, and the UI delivers the UX you want. Die-hard Luddites, prepare to change teams.

The TFT display is a touchscreen design, but there’s a catch. Unless you have the reach of an NBA player, that feature will never come into play. Fortunately, the two switchgear pods have outstanding ergonomics and make it easy to navigate the Skyline OS. The left switchgear takes care of the “info” part of infotainment, with the right switchgear handling “tainment”. There’s a 500-watt sound system developed with Rockford Fosgate. However, you have to ride with a half-helmet or no helmet to appreciate it. I’m a full-face guy, with occasional forays into three-quarter helmets, so you’ll have to test the sound system without me.

All the motor and electronics enhancements serve the improved chassis. The fixed-damping Showa suspension gets a major upgrade for 2024. Rear wheel travel is increased by almost half; it’s now three inches, and the inverted Dual Bending Valve fork gets new settings to complement the travel increase for the emulsion shock and the 117’s additional power. The Road Glide also went on a light diet, shedding 16 pounds. Much of that lost weight is up high thanks to a thinner-skinned fuel tank and new forged aluminum triple clamps. Losing weight so far from the center of gravity enhances the effectiveness of mass reduction.

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide handles better than ever, though it’s still a touring bagger at heart. The ape-style handlebar is the star player. It’s tall, wide, and rubber-mounted. That moves the Road Glide out of the King of the Baggers territory and into the traditional travel-oriented bagger space. Your fists are high in the wind, which looks good whether you’re cruising down the highway or through an urban jungle. The new seat is comfortable and puts you in the proper posture for all-day rides. Vibration is kept at a minimum, except at a stop where there’s still some dancing at idle—always a good look. The new fairing reduces turbulence, though you must properly adjust the Splitstream vent. That’s a hit-or-miss proposition, as you must reposition yourself to change the vent’s angle. Once set, though, you’re good.

If you’re touching down in corners, you’re riding hard. With the additional rear wheel travel and the 19-/18-inch wheelset, cornering clearance is generous. Most people can ride as hard as they please, and nothing will touch down. The upgraded suspension works well, even on rougher roads and corners with less-than-perfect paving. The Dunlop tires have Harley-Davidson branding, and they do both companies proud as they provide a confident feel to the end of the cornering clearance.

No matter your speed, the Road Glide’s triple-disc braking system has your back. It’s an electronically linked system, so whether you use the brake lever or pedal, all three discs (320s up front, 300 in the rear) participate in deceleration. The 130mm 19-inch front Dunlop is okay with using the front brake, as long as you aren’t overly aggressive. As a result, I trained myself to rely on the brake pedal unless I absolutely needed maximum braking. While it feels weird to use the brake pedal rather than the hand lever when hustling through the twisties, that’s the hot set-up—plenty of braking, less chassis disruption as you enter the corner, and a superior handlebar grip. Remember, you’re working with an 838-pound motorcycle with the six-gallon tank topped off—don’t expect too much from a narrowish front tire.

In addition to the adjustable electronic settings in the modes, other aids are working behind the scenes on the 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. You also get deceleration traction control (reduces engine braking to prevent skidding), hill hold control (works great and has a warning light), and tire pressure monitoring. Oh, and don’t forget the excellent, easily operated cruise control. That’s a nice electronics suite for a standard model. The only thing missing are heated grips, which I noticed on winter rides.

While some people might not like the new shark nose—some people always resist change—they’ll soon be a small minority. Just a couple of lights away from the Harley-Davidson Fleet Center, I got the first “Nice bike” comment. A couple of miles later, a guy across a broad intersection honked to get my attention so he could give me a thumbs-up. Various compliments followed, and no one sneered at the new fairing. In person, it looks cool and more like a shark nose than the old fairing, which now seems to look more like a school bus front end—I never noticed that before. The radiator is nicely camouflaged behind a chin fairing. I like how the new airbox looks, but not that it hides most of the ride side of the 117’s beautiful cylinders—unavoidable, no doubt.

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide is an improvement in every way over the RG Special it replaces. I reviewed the RG Special last year, and liked it quite a bit. Having said that, the new Road Glide is an advance in every way. Harley-Davidson continues to improve the touring breed. Sometimes, the developments are incremental. This time, we’re enjoying a giant leap forward. The power, suspension, handling, ergonomics, and, yes, styling are all undeniable enhancements to the Road Glide experience.

Action photography by Brian J. Nelson and Kevin Wing
Location still photography by Don Williams
Studio photography by Buddy Willinski

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Arai Contour-X
Jacket: Alpinestars Solano
Gloves: Alpinestars Crazy Eight
Jeans: Alpinestars Copper V3
Boots: Alpinestars Oscar Monty V2

2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Specs

ENGINE

Type: Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin
Displacement: 117 cubic inches (1923cc)
Bore x stroke: 4.075” x 4.5”
Maximum power: 105 horsepower @ 4600 rpm
Maximum torque: 130 ft-lbs @ 3250 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.3:1
Fueling: 58mm throttle body
Valvetrain: Single cam w/ pushrods; 4 vpc
Cooling: Air and liquid
Lubrication: Dry sump
Transmission: 6-speed Cruise Drive
Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist and slipper functions
Primary drive: Chain
Final drive: Belt

CHASSIS

Frame: Mild tubular steel w/ two-piece stamped and welded backbone
Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable Showa 49mm Dual Bending Valve; 4.6 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Spring-preload adjustable Showa emulsion shocks; 3 inches
Wheels: Cast Aluminum
Front wheel: 19 x 3.5
Rear wheel: 18 x 5
Front tire: 130/60 x 19; Dunlop Harley-Davidson D408F
Rear tire: 180/55 x 18; Dunlop Harley-Davidson D407T
Front brakes: 320mm discs w/ 4-piston calipers
Rear brake: 300mm disc w/ 4-piston caliper
ABS: Standard

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES