Electra Glide Classic FLHTC (MY2012)

The Electra Glide Classic is Harley's full-dress tourer in its most familiar form. The air-cooled 45° V-twin runs 1689 cc and lays down 102 lb-ft of torque at just 3,500 rpm, so it shoves its 882 lb of loaded steel down the interstate on a low, unhurried wave of pull. A 6-speed gearbox feeds a clean belt drive, and the 63.5 in wheelbase plants the whole machine on the highway. The batwing fairing, hard saddlebags, and Tour-Pak give it the silhouette every rider recognizes, and they earn their keep once the miles stack up.

On the road this is a bike built to cover ground rather than chase corners. The build feels solid and the mechanicals will go the distance if you keep up with them, which suits a rider planning on years of ownership. It stays honest about what it is. There's real mechanical clatter at idle, the shifts can feel clunky when the engine is cold, and the sheer mass asks for respect at parking-lot speed. ABS and cruise control were available rather than standard, so check any bike you look at for the boxes you actually want.