From our Old Bike Archives – Issue 109 – first published in 2023.
Ride Impressions: Jim Scaysbrook
Let’s establish one thing straight away. The Road Glide ST is a single purpose motorcycle, designed to transport the rider effortlessly along highways (not byways) in total comfort and luxury. It accomplishes this task with consummate ease, and with a high degree of panache.
This is the sort of motorcycle that attracts admirers and aspirants like few others. In more restrictive environments, say inner-city Sydney, the Road Glide ST needs to be treated with respect and a touch of caution, because at 382kg with fuel and oil but empty panniers, it’s no lightweight. Tight turns are not its strong suit. You need to work out what you wish to do well in advance of actually doing it.
In its element however, the Road Glide does what the name suggests; it glides on roads, and the 2023 version further enhances the legend. Heart of the matter is the mighty new Milwaukee-Eight VVT 117 engine – 1,923cc of stonking grunt that really gets moving when required. The suspension package is also all-new, and does a pretty good job, especially the rear which seems to have largely shed the old bugbear of transferring shocks from even minor road imperfections to the rider’s posterior. Brakes are pretty well beyond reproach, as you would expect from the combination of dual floating rotors (front) and fixed rear, with 4-piston calipers.
And then there’s the styling, which is after all a most vital aspect of the whole package. Dominating the visage is an evolution of what H-D calls the “Fixed Sharknose Fairing”, which is a frame-mounted design that houses a massive rectangular headlamp with twin elements that would surely burn the paint off the car in front (I didn’t ride it at night) and looks menacingly attractive, and provides the housing for the big full-colour TFT screen with its various components, one of which is a 165mm sat-nav screen which strangely does not show road speed or speed limits. There is also a Boom! Box GTS Infotainment system with twin speakers, USB connection, and Bluetooth.
Below this sit two conventional looking instruments – a speedo which is difficult to read and contains a small panel with things like gear position which is even more difficult to read, and alongside it is a traditional tacho that is pretty much redundant on an engine of this brawn. Looking at these instruments also requires taking your eyes off the road for a time. There are little glove boxes on either side, one with a cigar lighter port and the other with a built-in charger cable.
There are some very worthwhile little things too, like the self-cancelling turn indicators that switch themselves off when the handlebars are moved, and Harley’s trademark side-stand that locks in position once loaded with the bike’s weight so that it cannot roll off the stand. As you would expect, the finish is exemplary, and the test bike’s off-white décor with copper coloured cast alloy wheels really suits it (I thought, anyway). Standard equipment includes Cornering ABS, Cornering Electronic Linked Braking, Cornering Traction Control, Tyre pressure monitoring system, Hill Hold Control and much more.
As imposing and commanding as the Road Glide is, this won’t be everyone’s cup of Budweiser, but if burning up the k’s with more creature comforts than most apartments is your style, look no further.
At a glance: 2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide ST
Engine: 45º V-twin OHV, 4 valves per cylinder, air-oil cooled.
Bore x stroke: 103.5mm x 114.3mm
Capacity: 1,923cc
Compression ratio: 10.2:1
Fuel system: Electronic sequential Port Fuel Injection
Horsepower: 103hp/77kW@5,450rpm
Max torque: 168Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Transmission: 6 speed with chain drive
Suspension: Front: 49mm telescopic fork.
Rear: Twin shocks with hand adjustment.
Weight (wet): 382kg
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres
Tyres: Front: 130/60B19 61H Rear: BW 180/55B18 80H
Seat height: 710mm
Wheelbase: 1,625mm
Pricing: $47,495 (Vivid Black), $48,740 (Colour), $51,895 (Custom Two-tone colour).
