Harley Davidson Street Glide Vs. Road Glide: What's The Difference?

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Talk astir modern Harley-Davidsons and chances are your mind wanders to either nan Street Glide aliases Road Glide. These 2 motoring behemoths are rather similar, that is, if you discount their beforehand ends. Both nan Street Glide and Road Glide stock nan aforesaid Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin motor pinch identical states of tune. Their frames and wheelbase are identical. Heck, moreover nan value quality betwixt nan 2 is simply a specified $150. They moreover handled well, dissimilar this Harley-Davidson, which is nan astir difficult to handle. The superior quality betwixt nan two, arsenic you tin see, is their fairing structures.

The Street Glide has a batwing fairing, while nan larger Road Glide features what's called a sharknose fairing, acknowledgment to nan measurement it looks. While these are ocular differentiators, nan differences betwixt nan 2 spell deeper than that. From their intent and focus, to nan measurement nan fairing is mounted, to nan measurement they ride. 

In Harley speak, nan Glide stands for nan motorcycle's attraction connected offering a soft and comfortable ride, arsenic successful to glide connected nan road, aliases beryllium a comfortable tourer. The Glide sanction was first coined for nan Harley-Davidson Hydra Glide, which was introduced successful 1949. The Hydra Glide debuted a caller hydraulic beforehand fork that offered amended comfortableness than nan erstwhile springer beforehand suspension connected Harley-Davidson motorcycles of that era. Today, you person nan Street Glide and Road Glide that return Harley-Davidson's touring mantle forward.

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The Harley-Davidson Street Glide was introduced successful 2006 arsenic a much accessible replacement to nan afloat kitted Electra Glide. In comparison, nan Street Glide was a stripped-down, sportier bagger, which made it suitable to thrust not conscionable connected nan unfastened highways, but successful municipality environments. In fact, you could opportunity that nan Street Glide was calved retired of a inclination of customers modifying their Electra Glide to a stripped-down, little riding civilization bagger-style motorcycle, making it the first mill civilization bagger.

The Street Glide features a unique batwing fairing (it's called that because nan fairing sides lucifer nan outstretched wings of a bat). Unlike nan Road Glide, nan Street Glide's fairing is mounted connected nan forks. That besides intends that nan motorcycle's headlight, infotainment screen, and speakers are mounted connected nan forks. A smaller fairing helps nan Street Glide summation a 27-pound weight advantage complete nan Road Glide. On a motorcycle, lighter weight makes a world of quality to its capacity and dynamics. Especially a Street Glide Special pinch a Screamin' Eagle 131 crate motor upgrade.

Compared to nan Road Glide, nan Street Glide offers a different riding acquisition arsenic well. The fairing is group higher and person to nan rider's body, while nan handlebars, too, are placed further back, person to nan rider. It leads to a much laid-back riding position, while nan little 26.1-inch spot tallness makes it much accessible.

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Unlike nan Street Glide, nan Road Glide has been astir since 1998, heavy inspired by nan Harley-Davidson Tour Glide. The Road Glide looks larger than nan Street Glide acknowledgment to that immense fairing. Dubbed nan sharknose owed to its unique design, nan fairing helped nan Road Glide guidelines isolated from different Harley-Davidson models while being much aerodynamically superior astatine nan aforesaid time. 

While nan Street Glide gets a fork-mounted fairing, nan Road Glide gets a frame-mounted fairing that remains successful spot moreover erstwhile you move nan handlebars. This besides intends little weight connected nan forks arsenic nan immense headlight, infotainment system, and speakers are mounted connected nan fairing, which is mounted straight connected nan frame. This fixed fairing besides helps nan Road Glide consciousness much unchangeable while riding.

Compared to nan Street Glide, nan Road Glide has a much fierce riding position, acknowledgment to a somewhat higher handlebar. It's not arsenic aggressive, though, as a $110,000 King of nan Baggers Race Replica Road Glide. Its seat, too, is group 0.5 inches higher than nan Street Glide, astatine 26.6 inches. These motorcycles mightiness stock nan aforesaid framework and powertrain, but they are different successful position of styling, riding position, and intent and focus.