2010–2011 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Stripped-Down Interstate Thumper
This is the plain-spoken entry into Harley's full-dress touring line. The air-cooled 45° Twin Cam V-twin runs 1584 cc, making 66 hp and a wide 92 lb-ft that arrives low and stays put. You get the batwing fairing, hard saddlebags, and floorboards that mark a real long-haul machine, but the radio, top box, and fairing lowers are left off to keep the weight and the sticker sensible. ABS and cruise control were available as options rather than fitted as standard. What you buy here is presence and reach, not a features arms race.
On the interstate it settles into a planted, unhurried gait, the long 63.5 in wheelbase holding a line while the torque loafs along at highway speed. Well cared for, the engine has the kind of longevity that rewards miles, and the build feels honestly screwed together. Two honest cautions carry over from the road: some bikes show a rear-end wobble at highway speeds tied to the swingarm and rear suspension geometry, and the charging system, voltage regulator and stator, can fail and leave you with a dead battery. The front fork is non-adjustable, so heavy two-up loads lean on the rear preload alone.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 66 hp (49 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 92 lb-ft (125 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1584 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Wheelbase | 63.5 in (1613 mm) |
| Seat height | 29.1 in (740 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
| Top speed | 112 mph (180 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 39 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Thumb the starter and the V-twin settles into that deep, syncopated idle that tells you where you are before you've moved an inch. At a steady cruise it stays impressively smooth for an air-cooled twin, the worst of the shake sanded off so your hands and boots aren't buzzing after an hour in the saddle. The 29.1 in seat drops you low and neutral, boots on the floorboards, and the batwing pushes a clean pocket of calm air over your chest and helmet that keeps weather off on a gray day. The bags swallow a weekend's kit. Roll the throttle at a highway lope and it just leans into the wind, unbothered, the lighting throwing a genuinely usable beam once the sun goes down. It asks little of you and gives back a long, quiet stretch of road.
Rear suspension-induced high-speed wobble
Some owners report a chassis wobble at highway speeds, attributed to the swingarm mounting and rear suspension geometry on pre-2009 frames (though the 2009+ frame was revised, complaints persist for certain Touring models).
Rear brake light switch exposed to exhaust heat
The rear brake light switch may be exposed to excessive heat from the exhaust system. It may fail to activate the brake lamp, activate it with no brake applied, or leak brake fluid at the switch, affecting rear brake performance. NHTSA recall 11V506000 (2009-2012 Touring/CVO Touring/Trike).
Front fuel tank mounts may distort in frontal collision
In a frontal collision severe enough to damage the frame, the front fuel-tank mounts may distort, allowing a fuel leak that in the presence of an ignition source could cause a fire. NHTSA recall 09V457000 (2009-2010 Touring family incl. CVO Touring/Trike).
Electrical charging system failures
Voltage regulator and stator failures are known to occur, sometimes leading to a dead battery while riding. The issue appears across multiple model years and is often resolved with aftermarket upgrades.
Where this Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Standard FLHT pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Touring Electra Glide Standard FLHT is actually built for.
If your riding runs on sound, ritual, and rolling into Sturgis or Daytona among your own, this delivers the presence and the voice you came for, with the reach to make the trip in real comfort.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Built for long days and big routes, it loafs across states in comfort. Just go in eyes open on the charging system and the rear-end wobble if you load it heavy and run hard two-up.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
You'll love the comfort and the calm on a long scenic day, but this is a heavy full-dresser, not a canyon tool. If chasing corners matters more than soaking up miles, it'll feel like a lot of bike.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2009
Old-School Bagger, Reborn Chassis
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 Touring Electra Glide Standard FLHT. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
