2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King Review

May 18, 2023

After hitting the ball out of the park with two previous installments—the 2021 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Revival and the Low Rider El Diablo last year—The Motor Company brings us a third member of the Icons Collection. The 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King channels the 1968 FLH Electra Glide with fantastic aesthetic results. Of course, we knew we had to ride it, and here’s what we found out 1000 miles later.

While some observers have casually claimed the 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King is just a tarted-up Road King, it’s not. H-D certainly pays homage to the Road King with the name. However, there are enough functional differences to draw a clear border between them:

- - The Highway King runs a Milwaukee-Eight 114, while last year’s standard Road King—absent from the lineup in 2023—was powered by a 107.

- - Those are wire-spoked 16-inch wheels on the Highway King, compared to 18-inch cast aluminum wheels on the Road King. Also, the front tire model on the Highway King is a Dunlop Harley-Davidson D402F, compared to a D408F on the Road King.

- - The Highway King is a solo tourer—the Road King was ready for two-up travels.

- - The seat height of the solo seat on the Highway King is 31.1 inches, compared to 27.8 inches for the stepped built-for-two Road King saddle—a considerable difference.

- - Rear wheel travel is reduced from three inches on the Road King to 2.15 inches on the Highway King.

- - The rider triangle on the Highway King is considerably different from the Road King due to the tall seat and the positioning of the handlebar.

- - A broad range of electronic rider aids are standard on the Highway King; all were options for the Road King.

- - The lower half of the Highway King’s windshield is tinted to match the spectacular two-tone paint. The windshield on last year’s Road King was pure clear.

- - There is extra chrome railing around the seat, side cases, and front fender of the Highway King, adding to the premium look.

- - The standard price of the 2022 Road King was $19,110, compared to a list of $26,999 for the Highway King. There will be 1750 examples of the Highway King built.

It’s hard to decide where to start with the 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King, as there are so many stand-out features, so we’ll start with an easy one—the appearance. Available in Birch White with either Hi-Fi Orange or Hi-Fi Magenta, the Highway King is a stunner. We had the Hi-Fi Orange, and it was a remarkable attention-getter wherever the bike went. On multiple occasions, people literally ran across streets and parking lots to check it out. Some recognized it as a new model, while others were convinced it was a vintage motorcycle. While we have read complaints about the Birch White side cases from keyboard critics, the praise for them is unanimous in person. And, oh, that seat—oohs and aahs. Like the two Icons Collection models before it, this motorcycle looks incredible.
When going for a long ride, you can’t beat the Milwaukee-Eight 114. The beast cranks out 122 ft-lbs of torque at just 2750 rpm, so you are always in the right gear. A solo rider and presumedly filled side cases are no match for that kind of power. Downshifts are not required for passing or scaling the steepest highway grades. The 95 horses available at just over 5000 rpm mean you can cruise in the 80s or higher without a car—other than that guy who writes tickets. We set the intuitive cruise control for 85 mph when crossing the Mojave Desert, and in an hour of riding in light traffic, it never faltered or strained. This Highway King welcomes high-speed routes.
While the seat might look minimalist, it is comfortable for 400+ mile jaunts. The perch has the catcher’s mitt shape though thinner than you might expect. The tuck-and-roll center has a smooth frame around it. Ribbed for your pleasure, you are encouraged to move around quite a bit on the seat, helping you consume mass quantities of miles without your derriere suffering.
The solo saddle has a spring-only shock absorber. The action is clearly apparent when hitting bumps—remember, there’s just 2.15 inches of rear wheel travel, though it’s a well-managed two-plus inches—and sometimes you can feel the float. However, when rebounding for hits, the seat tops out due to the absence of damping. Oddly, it’s a cool feeling, rather than being annoying. In short, the perch isn’t just a fashion statement—it works.
Even when sitting tall, the Highway King is a stable ride. The Grand American Touring platform has evolved into excellence. Still, the experience is different with a handlebar-mount fairing, frame-mount fairing, and this generous bar-mounted windshield. The Highway King is impressively impervious to side winds, and we experienced some strong desert gusts at high speeds. On back roads with semis closing at speeds around 150+ mph, the King was unperturbed, going about his business with unruffled dignity.
With the tall seat height, the 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King has plenty of legroom. While your legs don’t dangle quite as much as they did on the 2021 Electra Glide Revival, you have noticeably less leg bend than you are used to when planting your feet on the floorboards. Those floorboards are roomy, giving you plenty of space to reposition your feel to eliminate fatigue on long rides. Harley-Davidson fixed the “burning right calf” problem on the Electra Glide Revival in two ways—the lower seat height moves your foot position away from the blistering hot rear-cylinder valve cover, and H-D added a discreet plastic shield. Also, the 114’s stylish air filter assembly is not in the way.
The tall seat lifts you higher relative to the attention-grabbing windshield. Your body is fully protected from the blast, even at the triple-digit speeds the Milwaukee-Eight 114 can attain. Although it depends on your torso length, your head will likely be in the wind if you’re tall enough for the seat. Harley-Davidson engineers did their homework on the windshield; the wind that does come over and around it is turbulence-free.
Although the handlebar has plenty of rise, the grip position is low relative to the seat. With your legs stretched out like you’re on a barstool, and the comfortably low handlebar-grip position, you feel in control of the Highway King and in complete comfort. We took the six-gallon fuel tank from full to low-fuel light more than once without stopping—no problem. Between the ability to move around on the seat and the floorboards, and the relaxed position of your arms, the Highway King encourages you to keep going when other bikes insistently suggest a break. The Highway King is pure open-road royalty.
The Highway King does not like to hold court in tight confines. Off the Interstates and unbending rural byways, the Highway King struggles in the twisties. The 130 front and 180 rear 16-inch Dunlops that work so well on the open road are not big fans of direction changes, though edge grip and cornering clearance are plentiful. Exacerbating the tight-turn cornering issues is the willingly flexible long, narrow-diameter handlebar. You can easily observe the bar bend simply by pushing it down. Further, you can’t miss the movement every time you run through constricted corners. While the flex is welcome in a straight line because it helps suck up straight-line road irregularities, the movement is unnerving when wrestling the bike on unforgiving low-speed mountain roads.
The tall seat height doesn’t like low speeds. Maneuvering around a parking lot is tricky. Lay off the front brake, as the supple handlebar and fat tire footprint immediately initiate alarming chattering—stick with the brake pedal, and you’ll be fine. We came close to dropping the beauty on one gravel parking area with rain ruts, as it’s a long way down for your feet to get planted—if you can at all. Keep in mind that the seat height of the 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King is the same as the Honda CB500F sportbike, and the Honda weighs less than half as much as the 849-pound King. Unless you’re in the six-foot range, you’ll want to plan your stops carefully.
The suite of electronic rider aids is as extensive as it is transparent. The brakes are cornering-aware for their linked function and ABS, yet you will rarely notice either—H-D’s ABS has come a long way from its clunky roots. Other cornering-aware features are traction control and engine compression braking—again, neither are intrusive. Should you find yourself on a dirt road, you can turn traction control off and drift the Highway King sideways, just like they do in the H-D ad—not that we would do such a thing. The clutch is of the slip-and-assist persuasion, though it still requires substantial pull at the lever. The braking is very progressive—soft with a light touch of your foot or hand, and strong when you pile on the pressure.
Despite the lavish electronics, the riding experience is generally analog. There’s no TFT dash—just a tank-mounted speedometer with a semi-old school single-line LCD display. That’s good for letting you know the range or the time—you’ll have to manually reset it when changing time zones. If you want to see the temperature or your direction, add a thermometer or a compass. The tank also has an analog fuel gauge on a faux filler cap. All of this makes the experience just that much more 1968 than 55 years later.
With no top case, you’ll have to pack light. The beautiful side cases are standard Grand American Touring fare. We threw in a laptop, tablet, and compact camera equipment, plus a weekend’s worth of clothes and toiletries—not bad.
We didn’t ride at night, but the triple-headlight setup inspires confidence. Between the striking paint job, tinted windshield, and three LED headlamps, you definitely feel like you aren’t going to hear, “But I didn’t see you!” Yes, that can still happen, so don’t get too complacent.
The mix of stylish nostalgia and contemporary competence makes the 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King an inarguably outstanding motorcycle. While the seat height is not for everyone, if you can manage 31.1 inches between your legs, you will appreciate the comfort it affords. Add impeccable styling and sweet paint, and you’re rewarded with a motorcycle touring experience like no other.

Action photography by Kelly Callan
Static photography by Don Williams

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Arai Defiant-X w/ Pro Shade System
Jacket: Joe Rocket Dakota
Back protection: Joe Rocket SW Spine Protector Level 2
Gloves: Joe Rocket Cafe Racer
Jeans: Roadskin Taranis Elite
Boots: Joe Rocket Outbreak

2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King Specs

ENGINE

Type: Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin
Bore x stroke: 4.016” x 4.5”
Displacement: 114 cubic inches (1868cc)
Maximum power: 95 horsepower @ 5020 rpm
Maximum torque: 122 ft-lbs @ 2750 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Cooling: Air
Lubrication: Dry sump
Transmission: 6-speed Cruise Drive
Clutch: Hydraulically actuated w/ assist-and-slip 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 fork; 4.6 inches
Rear suspension: Spring-preload adjustable shocks; 2.2 inches
Wheels: Wire-spoke
Front wheel: 16 x 3.00
Rear wheel: 16 x 5.00
Front tire: 130/90 x 16; Dunlop Harley-Davidson Series D402F
Rear tire: 180/65 x 16; Dunlop Harley-Davidson Series D407T
Front brakes: 300mm floating discs w/ 4-piston calipers
Rear brake: 300mm fixed disc w/ 4-piston caliper
ABS: Cornering-aware