Harley-Davidson Road Glide: specs and alternatives

Harley-Davidson Road Glide

Size and price

The Road Glide is a big machine: 838 lb in running order, a 64 in wheelbase, a 6 gal tank and a 26.6 in laden seat, with a 49 mm dual bending valve fork. The 2026 price of $25,999 is $2,000 below the 2025 price of $27,999. So a new bike costs less than last year's.

Honda's Gold Wing costs $25,500 and weighs 806 lb curb. So it is $499 cheaper and 32 lb lighter, and Indian's Roadmaster costs $34,999 at 919 lb.

Road Glide against the tourers

Indian's Pursuit Limited is $32,499 at 937 lb and BMW's R 18 Transcontinental weighs 954.6 lb. Its frame-mounted fairing stays still when the bars turn, which is the reason to pick it over the Street Glide.

Road Glide against the Gold Wing and Roadmaster

Honda's Gold Wing is the touring benchmark, and Indian's Roadmaster is the direct American rival.

2026 Harley-Davidson Road Glide compared to the Street Glide

Harley-Davidson sells the Road Glide as the frame-mounted-fairing counterpart to the fork-mounted Street Glide, both on the identical Milwaukee-Eight 117 platform Harley-Davidson's own page rates at 105 hp and 130 lb-ft for either bike.

The frame mount is the reason this model carries the 27 extra pounds Harley-Davidson's own page lists over the Street Glide, and the reason its shark-nose fairing does not turn when the rider turns the bars: a fixed reference point some riders find more stable-feeling at sustained highway speed than a fairing that pivots with the front wheel.

At $1,000 more than the Street Glide as published, the Road Glide's higher price reflects its distinct frame-mounted fairing and hardware, not a higher-output model: the engine numbers on both pages match exactly.

Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST

Motorcycle.com quotes Harley's chief engineer saying that to get more power "we have to shove more air into it". So the variable valve timing is gone, replaced by a high-performance camshaft and a new air intake that flows 26 percent more air. It says this pushes the power curve to the right and that the new engine loses a little low-end torque compared with the VVT 121.

But makes 127 horsepower at 4,900 rpm and 145 lb-ft. It also repeats a complaint: an 800-pound bagger with low ground clearance and three inches of rear suspension travel, in fact 838 pounds ready to ride, and that with the price difference a buyer can choose Screamin' Eagle upgrades on a cheaper bike instead.

RideApart lists six speeds, belt drive, triple-disc Brembo ABS brakes linked rear to front, cornering ABS and traction control, and describes the engine as spinning up 127 horsepower and 147 lb-ft, from what Harley says is the most powerful stock engine it has fitted to any street-legal motorcycle.

The write-up says the bike gained more power, better brakes and suspension and a big TFT touch panel with the Skyline interface in place of round analog instruments.

The Road Glide ST is a track-derived bagger for riders who want the fastest stock Harley and accept its weight and limited clearance. The 838 lb weight is 22 lb more than the CVO Street Glide ST's 816 lb. The $44,999 price matches the Street Glide ST, and it costs $5,000 less than the CVO Street Glide at $49,999.

Motorcycle.com's point about Screamin' Eagle upgrades is the real alternative: a standard Road Glide with parts can approach the ST's performance for less money.

Against the Street Glide ST and the Indian Challenger

The Road Glide has a frame-mounted shark-nose fairing where the Street Glide has a batwing fairing on the fork. Indian's Challenger and BMW's K 1600 B are the competitors outside Harley.

Start with the weight. Push the bike off the side stand and turn it in a car park. Ask how the 121 High Output engine behaves at low rpm, since Harley admits some low-end torque was traded away.

Ask which Screamin' Eagle parts are fitted. Confirm that the touch display and the linked Brembo brakes work as they should. Compare the price with a standard Road Glide plus parts.

Look at the paint for damage, since CVO finishes cost a lot to repair. Read the warranty terms for the CVO line. Ask if the bike has been used for track days.

Look for an updated software version on the touch display.