2016–2020 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
The Shark Nose Mile Eater
The Road Glide Ultra builds its entire identity around the frame-mounted shark-nose fairing. Because that fairing bolts to the chassis instead of the fork, the front end stays calm and the bar effort stays honest at highway speed. Behind it sits a 1745 cc, 45° V-twin, air and liquid cooled, good for 90 hp and 111 lb-ft at 3,250 rpm through a 6-speed box and a belt. This is the full-dress end of the lineup: hard luggage, a fairing you sit inside of rather than behind, 6.0 gal of fuel, and 948 lb of motorcycle. In this class the metal is the message.
It rides the way those numbers suggest. Torque arrives early and stays, so you ride it on the throttle in top gear and mostly leave the gearbox alone. On the interstate it settles into a long rhythm and the miles stop announcing themselves. The finish holds up, and the aftermarket keeps these bikes personal for decades. The honest caveat is mass. At 948 lb wet it demands respect at parking speed, the fork gives you nothing to adjust, and the rider-aid list begins and ends with ABS. Buy it for what it actually is, not for what a spec sheet thinks a tourer should be.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 111 lb-ft (150 Nm) @ 3,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 1745 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air/liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 130/80B17 |
| Rear tire | 180/65B16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.0 in (1625 mm) |
| Seat height | 28.9 in (735 mm) |
| Wet weight | 948 lb (430 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
| Fuel economy | 43 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Lighting
Safety
Thumb the starter and the whole bike shrugs on its mounts before it settles. At idle you feel the V-twin through the floorboards and the tank more than through the bars, which is exactly the metering this kind of motorcycle needs. The seat sits at 28.9 in, so both boots reach the ground without ceremony, and the bars are wide and low enough that your shoulders stay open all day. Pull onto the highway and the fairing does its work: the air goes around you instead of at you, and talking to a passenger stays possible. At a steady 70 mph the engine is turning slowly, the belt keeps the driveline quiet between shifts, and the exhaust settles into a low, even beat you feel in your chest as much as hear. Nothing rattles. Nothing hunts.
This part comes from listening rather than riding: club nights, conversations at fuel stops, and the notes riders send me once they're home from a long trip. With the Road Glide Ultra, most of that talk turns to the passenger. Owners describe it as a two-up motorcycle first, and the complaints they raise are the ones that surface on a long day in the saddle.
Comfort for two comes up in nearly every conversation about this bike. Owners describe a plush passenger seat, a backrest that gets used rather than tolerated, and room enough at both ends that a full day out stays comfortable for the person on the back as much as the one steering. Riders who tour with company bring it up without being asked.
The gripes cluster in two places. One is buffeting at helmet level with the stock windshield, and plenty of owners go looking for an aftermarket replacement before the next long trip. The other is the rear end over rough pavement: riders describe sharp impacts coming straight through, and they mention that the jolt lands on both seats at once.
Hydraulic clutch master cylinder failure (recall 16V-471)
On certain 2016 models, the hydraulic clutch master cylinder could lose the ability to generate pressure, preventing clutch disengagement and increasing the risk of a crash. A recall was issued to inspect and replace the master cylinder as necessary.
Milwaukee-Eight 107 oil sumping
On 2017-2019 models with the M8 107 engine, a faulty oil pump design allowed oil to accumulate in the sump, leading to increased crankcase pressure, oil leaks, and potential engine damage. Harley-Davidson introduced an updated oil pump assembly starting with the 2020 model year.
Front spark plug wire chafing
The front cylinder spark plug wire can rub against the lower edge of the fuel tank, wearing through the insulation and causing intermittent misfires or poor running. A preemptive fix involves adding a protective loom or relocating the wire.
Steering head bearing play
Some owners report that the steering head bearings can develop excessive play after moderate mileage, resulting in a vague front-end feel and occasional headshake. Readjustment or replacement resolves the issue.
Where this Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Road Glide Ultra is actually built for.
If Sturgis and Daytona are fixed points in your year, this is the bike that belongs there. The stance, the sound and the presence do the talking, and it will still run the long slab home afterward.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For long days, full luggage and a passenger, the fairing and the 6.0 gal tank earn their keep. Accept the weight at low speed and it will cover states without complaint.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
The heritage and the sound are here, but this is a full-dress machine, not a light classic. Ride it if you want the presence and the weather protection more than a slim silhouette.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
