2017 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Low-Seat Long-Hauler
The Ultra Limited Low wraps the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107 in full touring dress: a batwing fairing, hard saddlebags, a Tour-Pak trunk, and the Boom! Box infotainment stack. The 1745cc 45° V-twin makes 90 hp and a fat 114 lb-ft down at 3,250 rpm, fed through a 6-speed box and a clean belt drive, with air and liquid cooling keeping the rear cylinder honest in traffic. What sets the Low apart is the 26.6 in seat, dropped so a shorter or lighter rider can flat-foot 917 lb of loaded bagger at the light. ABS is standard.
On the road this is a straight-line luxury machine. The torque arrives early and stays flat, so highway miles and two-up loads disappear under you without fuss. Belt final drive keeps upkeep light as the odometer climbs, though the Twin-Cooled water pump has a history of giving up and asking to be replaced. The honest caveat is geometry: lowering the suspension trims ground clearance and lean angle, so this bike lives on boulevards and interstates, not tight switchbacks. Buy it to cover distance in comfort, not to hustle a mountain road.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) @ 5,020 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 114 lb-ft (154 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 65H |
| Rear tire | 180/65B16 81H |
| Wheelbase | 64.0 in (1625 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.6 in (675 mm) |
| Wet weight | 917 lb (416 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Settle in and the first thing you notice is how planted it feels at pace. At 80 on the interstate the chassis sits rock-steady while the fairing pushes a big, clean pocket of calm air over your chest and helmet. The V-twin's voice is deep and present without hammering your fillings loose, and the balancing keeps the bars and floorboards smooth enough that your hands aren't buzzing after a full tank. The low saddle puts both boots flat at every stop, which takes the anxiety out of parking-lot crawls with the bags packed. Switchgear falls easily to thumb, the seat cradles you through a long day, and the lighting throws a wide, honest beam once the sun drops. It's a bike that shrinks the highway instead of fighting it.
Over the years riders have filled me in on this bike in plenty of quiet ways: talking shop at club nights, comparing notes in owner chats, and firing off the messages and emails that pile up in my inbox. Line it all up and one pattern holds steady. The engine and the comfort draw the praise, while the sheer heft is what keeps coming back around.
The Milwaukee-Eight 107 leads the good news. Owners call it smooth and torquey, more refined than what came before, with a pull that arrives low and stays willing in any gear. Close behind is the rear suspension, where a simple preload knob takes the place of the old pump. Riders say the ride feels smoother and steadier for it, and they notice the difference most when they run two-up.
The mass is the loudest gripe. At walking pace, wheeling over 900 lb (410 kg) around a lot is genuine work, and several note the missing reverse gear makes slopes harder still. Some feel residual heat reach the right thigh at stops on hot days. Riders who push the pace bring up the low cornering clearance, where the footboards scrape early and take the fun out of twisty roads.
Clutch master cylinder may lose ability to disengage clutch (Recall 18V-734)
The secondary clutch actuator piston assembly can leak fluid internally, causing the clutch master cylinder to lose lift and the clutch to not disengage, increasing the risk of a crash. Affected models include 2017 Ultra Limited Low. Recall 0173 (NHTSA 18V-734).
Coolant leak from radiator (anecdotal)
One owner reported a cracked left radiator causing a coolant leak shortly after purchase on a new 2017 Ultra Limited. The radiator was replaced under warranty. The scale of this issue is unknown.
Water pump failure (common in Twin-Cooled engines)
While not specific to the 2017 model, the Twin-Cooled water pump has a history of failing, requiring replacement. The improved Milwaukee-Eight design may mitigate this, but it remains a potential long-term concern.
Where this Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low FLHTKL 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 Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low FLHTKL is actually built for.
If Sturgis and Daytona are on your calendar, this Harley delivers the sound, presence, and brand weight you show up for, and it hauls your gear all week in genuine comfort.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For long two-up national-park runs, the flat torque, wind protection, and cavernous luggage make it a true long-hauler. Just know it's happiest on the big straight roads, not the tight passes.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
You get the all-day comfort and the highway calm, but the lowered suspension scrubs lean angle, so tight twisties aren't its home. Great for scenic cruising, less so for hustling a canyon road.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2015–2016
Big Dresser, Low Threshold
Compare to the previous model →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 Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low FLHTKL. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2018–2019
The Low Seat Grand Tourer
Competitor · 2011–2026
Six Cylinders, Zero Compromises
Competitor · 2018–2020
Six Cylinders, First-Class Silence
Same Platform · 2017
Milwaukee-Eight Wrapped in Full Luxury
~$600 cheaper used than this bike at 9 yr