Harley-Davidson Touring Road Glide Special FLTRXS…

The Machine's Character

The Road Glide Special hangs its fairing on the frame rather than the fork, and that one decision shapes everything else about it. The 1690 cc air-cooled 45° V-twin makes 86 hp and 105 lb-ft, though the headline number is the torque and where it arrives, which is early and low, sent back through six gears and a belt. Behind the sharknose sits the Boom! Box 6.5GT with touchscreen and voice control, and the linked braking system runs with ABS as standard. In its class, this is the bagger that sells identity and genuine long-haul hardware in the same package.

It ages the way a well-built Harley ages. The finish holds up, the platform is deeply supported, and almost every part on it has three aftermarket alternatives waiting. Rear preload is there to set for a passenger or a loaded pair of bags; the fork is fixed, with no preload, compression or rebound, so you ride what the factory decided. This is a bike for riders who want presence and a destination, not a lap counter. The honest caveat is the valve train: the C-design lifters in the Twin Cam 103 can wear out early, and that is a repair bill worth budgeting for.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	86 hp (64 kW)
Torque	105 lb-ft (142 Nm) @ 3,600 rpm
Displacement	1690 cc
Engine	45° V-twinMotorcycles With V-Twin Engines →
Cooling	Air-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	BeltMotorcycles With Belt Drive →
Fork	Telescopic
Front brake	300 mm
Front tire	130/60-19
Rear tire	180/65-16
Wheelbase	64.0 in (1625 mm)
Wet weight	853 lb (387 kg)
Fuel capacity	6.0 gal (22.7 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard
Cruise Control Motorcycles With Cruise Control → Standard

Comfort

Luggage System Standard

Connectivity

TFT Display Standard
Navigation Harley-Davidson Boom! Box 6.5GT Integrated navigationHandsfree phone integration Motorcycles With GPS Navigation → Standard
USB Charging Port Standard

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

Known issues

Clutch master cylinder defect – loss of disengagement

drivetrain occasional Recall

The hydraulic clutch master cylinder can fail to generate enough lift, so the clutch does not fully disengage — the bike may creep or move unexpectedly while in gear, especially after extended parking. Harley-Davidson issued recall 15V216000 (April 2015) covering 2014-2015 Touring and CVO Touring models to replace the affected clutch master cylinder.
Saddlebag mounting receptacle defect - bag can separate in transit

bodywork occasional Recall

NHTSA recall 15V427000: the saddlebag mounting receptacles may not adequately secure the saddlebags to the motorcycle. If a saddlebag is not adequately secured it may separate from the motorcycle while riding, creating a road hazard. Dealers replace the affected receptacles with updated parts free of charge; the recall began 30 July 2015.
Clutch master cylinder defect (2016 campaign) - loss of disengagement

drivetrain occasional Recall

NHTSA recall 16V471000: on 2016 units the clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch, especially after the bike has been parked for a long period. With the engine running and a gear engaged the bike can move unexpectedly. Dealers inspect for gas in the fluid, then flush the system and rebuild the master cylinder free of charge; the recall began 19 July 2016.
Premature valve train wear (C-lifter failure)

engine occasional

The 'C' design lifters used in the Twin Cam 103 can fail, causing clicking/ticking noises and potential engine damage. Many owners replace them with aftermarket lifters as a preventative measure.

The Numbers Compared

Compare the technical specifications of the Harley-Davidson Touring Road Glide Special FLTRXS with other bikes in its class.

Head-to-head: Harley-Davidson Touring Road Glide Special FLTRXS vs. its rivals

Power

86 hp This bike 73 hp Indian Chieftain 86 hp Yamaha TDM 900 84 hp Honda CTX 1300 76 hp Aprilia Mana 850 GT

Torque

105 lb-ft This bike 119 lb-ft Indian Chieftain 66 lb-ft Yamaha TDM 900 78 lb-ft Honda CTX 1300 58 lb-ft Aprilia Mana 850 GT

Displacement

1690 cc This bike 1811 cc Indian Chieftain 897 cc Yamaha TDM 900 1261 cc Honda CTX 1300 839 cc Aprilia Mana 850 GT

Wet weight

853 lb This bike 847 lb Indian Chieftain 487 lb Yamaha TDM 900 723 lb Honda CTX 1300 505 lb Aprilia Mana 850 GT

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2011

Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Ultra FLTRUSE (FLTRUSE-MY2011)

Factory Custom, Mile-Devouring Torque

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Harley-Davidson Touring Road Glide Special FLTRXS

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 Road Glide Special FLTRXS. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.