I’m Not a Harley Guy Per Se, But This Stunning New Touring Bike Might Just Change My Mind

“Don’t try to make it make sense. You’ve just gotta go for it, take what comes and enjoy the ride.”

That’s the advice I got from a motorcycling vet friend while wrestling with the idea of owning a bike in New York City, which did not make a ton of logical or logistical sense.

A decade later, my 2014 Triumph Bonneville T-100 and I have ridden out a number of ups and downs, but I’ve (mostly) kept the shiny side up, made a ton of memories and have (nearly) no regrets.

Harley-Davidson

Which is probably why I am seriously intrigued by Harley-Davidson’s 2025 Street Glide, which offers a blend of compelling qualities that should make the miles fly. 

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it looks freakin’ fantastic, too.

Fusing old and new

As someone whose current bike lacks such high-fallutin’ amenities as a windshield, cruise control, a gear indicator and, yes, even a gas gauge, I’m pretty analog/wary of bikes so loaded with creature comforts and technology, you might as well be driving a car.

That being said, riding my type of bike for hundreds of miles does start to wear on you, and on longer trips I’ve found a lot of joy testing more luxuriously appointed motos, such as Indian’s Challenger and Harley’s own Low Rider ST.

Harley-Davidson

The new Street Glide aims for that sweet spot of classic and modern appeal, with its styling recalling the former and the tech you’ll find behind the trademark batwing fairing soaking in the latter.

Here are a few details that, despite me not really being a Harley guy or a touring bike guy, have me considering trading in my beloved Bonnie.

1. Fairing no evil

Harley-Davidson

The batwing fairing’s not for everyone, but this new edition’s take is pretty peerless in form and not without function. It is designed using computational fluid dynamics to boost the bike’s aerodynamics and the rider’s comfort. The LED signature lighting is smoothly integrated and well equipped to illuminate the path ahead.

2. Power to spare

Harley-Davidson

While the idle of the brand’s modern bikes has been curbed so it doesn’t feel like bolts are just going to start popping out as you sit at a traffic light, the power is better than ever. With the Street Glide, it emerges from a Milwaukee-Eight 117 liquid-cooled V-twin engine (displacement: ~1,917cc) packing 105 ponies and 130 ft-lbs of torque at 3,250 rpm.

3. Touchscreen tango

Harley-Davidson

This 12.3-inch TFT Display just might make me ditch the old-school phone mount. You can keep tabs on essential bike and trip data, toggle between ride modes — Road, Sport, Rain and custom — and tap into GPS navigation. (I have yet to experience an integrated nav system that beats Google Maps, but I’d love to give this one a shot.)

4. Breaking the sound barrier

Harley-Davidson

Helmets with integrated audio are great — I swear by my Sena Outrush R — but for overall safety, convenience and driving pedestrians nuts, you can’t beat a built-in system. The Street Glide’s two fairing-mounted speakers are powered by a 200-watt, four-channel amp that should be perfect for blasting the Wicked soundtrack. Or, you know, whatever you’re into.

Availability and pricing

The 2025 Street Glide, along with other new Grand American Touring models including the Road King Special and Road Glide, is available now at authorized Harley-Davidson dealerships around the world. The base price is $27,749, with options like the black-on-black paint scheme below lifting that figure significantly.

Harley-Davidson

2025 Harley-Davidson Street Glide

• Starts at $27,749

Related Topics