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2017 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Milwaukee-Eight Wrapped in Full Luxury
This is Harley's full-dress touring flagship, built around a liquid-cooled 1745 cc 45° V-twin making 90 hp and 114 lb-ft at 3,250 rpm. The Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight does its real work low in the rev range, feeding torque through a 6-speed box and a belt drive that keeps the whole delivery smooth. Around that engine sits a genuinely self-contained touring package: Boom! Box 6.5GT infotainment, navigation, keyless ignition, heated grips, cruise control, LED headlight, and hard bags plus a Tour-Pak. At 899 lb wet with a 6.0 gal tank, it is built to carry two people and their luggage across a continent.
On the road the character is stability first. High-speed composure scores 8.6 in my testing, and the bike settles into an interstate cruise it will hold for hours. The rear shock takes preload adjustment for two-up or loaded travel; the front fork is fixed, so what you get up front is what the factory decided. The seat sits at 29.1 in, which helps at stops, but 899 lb is 899 lb and low-speed maneuvering demands attention and planning. Buy it for long hauls, brand presence, and the sound. Don't buy it expecting a light touch in parking lots or tight city work.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 114 lb-ft (154 Nm) @ 3,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 1745 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Front tire | BW 130/80B17 65H |
| Rear tire | BW 180/65B16 81H |
| Seat height | 29.1 in (740 mm) |
| Wet weight | 899 lb (408 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
The first thing your body registers is the noise the engine makes at idle and how little of it arrives through the bars. My sound score of 8.2 is earned honestly; there's real bass under you, and it firms up as speed builds rather than turning into a drone. The riding position is upright and open, with the fairing and screen pushing weather up and over your shoulders so conversation and audio through the Boom! Box 6.5GT stay usable at highway speed. Grip warmth on a cold morning start is a genuinely welcome touch. Heat off the liquid-cooled twin is noticeable when traffic stops moving. Build quality reads at 8.0 from the saddle: switchgear feels substantial, the bags latch with weight behind them, and nothing rattles loose after a long day.
Clutch master cylinder fluid leak (recall 18V734)
The secondary clutch actuator cylinder may leak fluid internally, causing the clutch master cylinder to lose pressure and the clutch may not disengage, increasing crash risk.
Tour-Pak conversion kit missing rear reflectors (recall 19V574)
Motorcycles fitted with the Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (part numbers 53000291, 53000291A, 53000567) were delivered without replacement rear red reflectors, so the bike does not comply with FMVSS 108. Reduced rear visibility to other drivers raises crash risk. NHTSA campaign 19V574000 covers 2017-2019 FLHTK among other Touring models.
Coolant system leaks and air locks
A small number of owners have experienced coolant leaks from the lower fairing area or overheating due to air bubbles trapped in the coolant lines, often requiring dealer intervention to correct.
Where this Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 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 Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK is actually built for.
If Sturgis and Daytona anchor your riding year, this delivers exactly the presence and sound you showed up for, with enough luggage to make the ride out as good as the destination.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For loaded two-up mileage this works: preload on the rear, 8.5-rated luggage, a 6.0 gal tank, and 8.6 stability. Accept the 899 lb at gas stops and campground turnarounds.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
You'll get the comfort and the scenery, but 899 lb changes direction on its own schedule. If tight twisty days are the point of the ride, this isn't the right tool.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2011–2016
Fully Loaded American Long Hauler
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 Ultra Limited FLHTK. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
