I don't want radio/sound system but I would want the Nav, or some aftermarket Nav that you could integrate into the fairing. Having to Ram mount a Garmin or my phone and still have a big empty hole in the fairing is no bueno. And no standard ABS at $19k is a kick in the balls for sure. Come on, H-D. This thing is looking less attractive to me the more I look at it. I think the cop bike (if you can find one) would be the better buy.
I think the police Electras are a litttle more than the Road Kings, not sure what that is exactly, but there's a 2018 Electra Glide Police on Autotrader with 500 miles for under $15k. That seems like a helluva deal.
Motorcyclists: "Doggone it, Harley needs to come out with a lower cost, no-frills bagger." [Harley introduces a lower cost, no-frills bagger]. Motorcyclists: "What? This thing won't sell, it needs more frills and gizmos and whiz-bangs!" [Harley management says "Ah, screw this" and introduces electric bicycles for children] Second Grade Child: "What's this thing? It has no room for my backpack, no lights, and no cell phone charger! Who'd want this thing??" [Harley management does a collective facepalm, leaves work early and goes to a bar.]
Why the slammed suspension??? Some of us ride them on twisty bumpy roads, we don't all just admire them in the parking lot from our bar stool. Am I wrong or is this just a stripped Street Glide with a taller windshield? Guess I keep the Classic a while longer.
Eglide Goodies used to sell a lockable “glove box door” to go on the olde FLHT. Not sure if they are even around anymore.
I'm glad to see them bring the model back, it had always been my favorite of the Electra's. I also understand the de-contenting thing, it was about bringing the price down. The one mistake I think they made tho was on the suspension. As someone who uses touring bikes to tour, reducing rear suspension travel is never a good idea, then again the whole special/slammed thing is lost on me so what do I know.....
The road king doesn't have the fairing, but the big advantages it does have are the suspension, seat and passenger accommodations, with the ABS probably being standard. I really don't get why the suspension on this EGS couldn't be from the touring line right out of the box. How much more money was it really?! That is my biggest gripe about this bike, but maybe/hopefully it is an easy fix once you buy the bike. Anyone have any guesses on this?
Rather than de-contenting an FL motorcycle, why not up-content the Sport Glide a bit and achieve the same purpose? It just needs a batwing fairing and a solo seat.
Solo seat, black exhaust, no passenger pegs = Sport Glide Special. That will be an extra $2499 please. Sorry, couldn’t resist. And I’m not a Harley basher. Got 2 in the garage right now so, nobody get yer feathers ruffled.
Generally positive comments on the HD forum. I like it, always have. Don't want a radio or ABS....OMG!!!! I have a hammock seat in the attic, which is very comfortable. The only thing I wish they would have kept are the driving lights. Probably my next "new" bike.
Blockhead on YouTube posted a ride / review today. Not at all informative, but cool to see it at dealers nonetheless.
I suspect they created it to compete against the base model Indian Chieftain that comes only in Steel Grey ($21,999 was MSRP in 2018). It has the big screen and radio but not Navi equipped - that's a $500 software load. The prices that HD puts on Street Glides and Indian on Chieftains is ridiculous. These base models get you 90% there with a significant price discount. What HD is doing with color selection though has to be loosing them sales. They are only putting desirable colors on their most expensive and highest profit margin bikes - and leaving sh!t colors for the rest. And what is this current obsession with all things battleship grey and/or matte finishes?! Geez, I'd just like an M8 RK in Superior Blue or even Billiard Blue - but f#ck no we can't have that. We gotta stick the RK with the poorest color pallet in the entire line up. That Kinetic Green would be fine if they hadn't stuck those 90's graphics on top. And let's go with monotone Wicked Red or Twisted Cherry. The two-tone isn't as attractive as either color on its own. Rant off.
New Softail and a Touring frame are pretty different animals. I was surprised to find myself liking the sport glide the least between Road Kings, Road Glides, and the new Heritage. The forwards ruin it. The bars are weird. The fairing is pointless and looks dumb with a taller screen. I love the feature set in concept, but if you stick it all on a Lowrider with a baby fairing like the Dyna Bros all have I think the package is more appealing. It is interesting how different the softails feel from model to model, all sharing the same chassis. Sounds like Electra keeps the wiring harness for the stereo and speakers, so as long as some crazy proprietary connector isn't used, there's no real reason you couldn't swap in a head unit and speakers of your own choice?
Just watched a test ride video and I gotta say, I am really loving this bare bones hot rod, and I can already see how I would outfit it to make it perfect for my style of riding/touring. I totally see how it's so much better to add just the few things you need, instead of removing, or having to live with, a bunch of expensive crap you never really wanted in the first pace. Great job HD! You definitively got my attention.
I swung by Brandon HD yesterday here in Tampa and the only "Salesperson" who knew anything about this new bike was the General Manager... Seriously, I told the one salesguy about it and got the deer in the headlights stare. I even had to walk him thru using the internet on the HD website to show him. At one point I straight up said to the Sales Manager; "Did Harley tell the general public about a new model before their own dealerships?" Well, the General Manager was pretty cool. He knew about it and said they should have some by the end of the week. I'd personally get a call from him when it's on the showroom floor.