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2017–2020 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Old-School Highway King
The Road King FLHR is the stripped-down Harley tourer: big, long and honest. At its heart sits the Milwaukee-Eight 107, a 1745 cc air/oil-cooled 45° V-twin rated at 88 hp and 111 lb-ft at 3,250 rpm. That torque arrives low, where a touring rig lives. It runs in a steel double-cradle frame on a 64.0 in (1626 mm) wheelbase, with a 6-speed gearbox, ABS and cruise control as standard. You won't find a fairing, a TFT screen or infotainment here, just analog gauges and the essentials. Few machines are this traditional on purpose. Pure formula!
On paper, this hardware is built for long, straight American miles. The 836 lb (379 kg) wet weight and long wheelbase point to a planted machine at highway speed, and the 6.0 gal (22.7 L) tank sets up a decent range between stops. A 28.2 in (716 mm) seat height keeps it approachable at a standstill despite the mass. The rear shock takes preload adjustment, while the fork is non-adjustable: you set it for load and ride. Aftermarket potential is enormous, so this bike is a blank canvas for an owner who wants to make it their own. It's for traditionalists. No apologies needed.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 88 hp (65 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 111 lb-ft (150 Nm) @ 3,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 1745 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twinMotorcycles With V-Twin Engines → |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 130/80-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/65-16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.0 in (1626 mm) |
| Seat height | 28.2 in (716 mm)Motorcycles With a Seat Height Under 30 Inches → |
| Wet weight | 836 lb (379 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
This isn't my own test ride. It's what I've gathered over years of listening to Road King owners: talk in the paddock, conversations at club nights, and the steady stream of messages riders send me directly. For this FLHR, one pattern keeps surfacing.
Two things dominate the good reports: comfort and the engine. Owners keep coming back to how far this bike carries them without leaving them stiff or drained, holding a steady line down the interstate. The low-end pull earns its own appreciation, making town speeds and passing feel unhurried. There's real affection too for the stripped, honest styling with nothing bolted on for show, plus the quick trick of pulling the shield and bags to ride it bare.
The complaints repeat with the same regularity. Skip the fairing and you catch everything the weather throws at you, and a full day in that blast wears on some riders. Slow-speed handling is the other constant, the bulk asking for a firm hand when you maneuver or turn around in tight space. A handful also wish for more electronic backup, since there's no traction control or selectable riding modes here.
Secondary clutch actuator may leak internally (NHTSA Recall 18V-734)
Recall for 2017-2018 models: the secondary clutch actuator cylinder may leak fluid, leading to clutch disengagement failure and loss of control.
Early M8 oil pump and sumping issues
Early models can experience oil pump scavenging failure leading to sumping, where engine oil accumulates in the crankcase and creates severe drag on the flywheels, resulting in significant power loss and elevated operating temperatures.
Where this Harley-Davidson Touring Road King FLHR 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 Road King FLHR is actually built for.
This is your best fit: the classic Harley shape, the big V-twin and the presence to match, with no screens in the way. For the ride to Sturgis or Daytona, it's exactly the statement you want.
Made for Florida State Road A1A · Black Hills · Main Street, Daytona Beach
A strong match for long days. Torque comes in low, cruise control is standard and the long chassis suits big highway miles. If you want infotainment or full weather protection, look further up the range.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
It'll handle scenic day runs, but 836 lb and a non-adjustable fork mean it's built for steady cruising, not tight twisties. Pick it for the feeling, not for agility.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2014–2016
Old Soul, Modern Road Manners
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 Road King FLHR. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2021–2022
Old Soul, Connected Core
Competitor · 2016
Thunder That Actually Handles
Roughly $1,500 pricier used than this bike at 6 yr
Competitor · 2014
Thunder Stroke Touring Bagger
~$1,600 pricier used than this bike at 7 yr
Same Platform · 2017–2018
Milwaukee-Eight In Its Element
~$5,700 pricier used than this bike at 7 yr
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.