2025 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Review

At its best, motorcycling is about feeling a connection between rider and machine.

I love a bike that responds almost telepathically to my inputs, but that usually happens with small and nimble bikes, not ones that are large, low, and covered in chrome. Harley-Davidson makes no apologies about building big, brash machines, and seeing how coveted they are by millions around the world, I got thinking I really might be missing something good and promptly logged some saddle time on a 2025 Harley-Davidson Road Glide.

It's no coincidence that my booking coincided with Friday the 13th. It’s a date that has become synonymous with the small community of Port Dover, Ont., for its epic motorcycle bashes. Bikers of all walks of life have descended on Dover for decades whenever there’s a Friday the 13th, but it’s an especially enormous event when it falls during the summer like it did this year.

I hadn’t been to a Friday the 13th event in years, and although all types of bikes are represented, big V-twins are king, making it the perfect destination for me and the Road Glide.

Cubic Inches

The big American bike makers don’t advertise their V-twins based on cubic centimetres (cc) — they refer to them by cubic inches, as has long been the case with good ol’ American muscle. For the Road Glide, that means Harley’s Milwaukee-Eight 117 that’s found in a bunch of its other machines. And if you’re counting, those 117 cubic inches equate to 1,923 cc. 

Thumbing the starter button, it takes a second or two of coaxing to awaken the big beast from its rest before it settles into its trademark loping idle. Since it seems that not a single other Harley rider has stock pipes on their bike, my Road Glide tester’s exhaust note is deep, but weirdly subdued for such a big hog.

The boastful size of the Road Glide’s V-twin is meant to flex its power to those riding lesser machines. And while its 105 hp is respectable, it’s nowhere near the thrilling numbers posted by myriad other machines ranging from big adventure bikes to super sports, or even the Honda Goldwing. Of course, those in the know understand it’s the wave of torque — a total of 130 lb-ft here — that really defines the big 117.

With nearly a decade of finessing, H-D has worked out some of the initial bugs that plagued earlier 117s, and these engines are known to be pretty reliable now. Better still, water-cooling through the heads helps lower operating temperatures, which is good for longevity, and good for the rider who’s exposed to less heat at low speeds. 

Friday Cruising

While hauling the Glide’s 380 kg (838 lb) of bulk up off its side stand requires deliberate effort, the 117 makes effortless work out of both acceleration and cruising. First gear gets it rolling nicely, but between the torque and how tall second gear is, you could easily cruise around town all day in only second gear. 

On the trek to Port Dover, I followed my riding partner on her 600-cc Kawasaki Ninja — a properly quick bike in its own right — and caught her completely by surprise as my flashy silver-and-chrome cruiser never shrank in her mirrors when we pulled away from a stop. Motoring along at elevated highway speeds, the 117 never seemed to exert itself, while switching ride modes from road to sport really woke up the big V-twin’s urgency.

The six-speed transmission swaps cogs with a satisfyingly burly clunk, suggesting there are big, heavy components inside to manage all the torque before sending it to the back wheel via the drive belt. Finding neutral wasn’t a problem, and being able to stomp down on the heel shifter made upshifts even easier. The clutch action, however, was by far the stiffest experienced in recent memories. I understand this is a big, macho machine, but bikes with more torque than this have easier clutches without diminishing a rider’s bravado. An overly stiff clutch just makes shifting a chore in traffic.  

Otherwise, the Road Glide’s smoothness is surprising. The thumping idle irons out as soon as the bike is under way, and the fuelling is measured out so brilliantly that my trust in the bike grew quickly, and I found myself pushing it harder than expected. 

Corner Carving

No bike the size and weight of this one will slice through corners like a lighter, taller, sportier machine does. And yet, pressing into curves, the Road Glide’s sheer mass gives it a confidence-inspiring stability that can make smaller bikes skittish by comparison. The foot boards will be the first to touch down if you really press, but they were never a concern during moderately spirited riding.

The Road Glide is very aptly named. It’s got a magic-carpet feel that, thanks to the combination of its long wheelbase and Showa suspension, simply renders speed bumps and potholes non-existent. Making that feat more remarkable is that, although slightly greater than the last generation Road Glide, the rear suspension offers only a scant 76 mm (3.0 in) of travel. It’s also adjustable for preload, which is helpful for those touring with a lot of luggage and a passenger. 

The biggest dynamic reminder of the Road Glide’s scale and size happens whenever the rider grabs a mitt-full of front brake. The dual floating 320-mm discs are clamped by four-piston calipers up front, and a two-piston caliper on the fixed 300-mm rear disc, and while it’s good hardware, hauling this much weight down from highway speeds is no easy task.

Cockpit and Cargo

The Road Glide received a massive makeover for 2024, which means there’s little change this year. Its shark nose fairing that mounts directly to the frame — rather than the fork — makes the Road Glide more stable at speed while also giving it a distinctive look that’s made more so by the controversial sci-fi treatment to the headlight. Those after something more traditional would do well to check out the Street Glide with its bat-wing fairing. 

Fans of the old style or new will surely appreciate the gleam of the chrome, the depth and richness of this tester’s Atlas Silver paint, and the suppleness of the saddle that all speak to the very premium product this nearly $40,000 motorcycle is. 

The 719-mm (28.3-in) seat height is manageable even for riders with modest inseams, and the reach to the bars is a relaxed one. The seat itself was reshaped for 2024, pivoting the hips slightly more forward than before, resulting in less back strain.

The dashboard is dominated by a 12.3-inch display that offers touchscreen functionality when the bike is stationary — otherwise it’s controlled by a series of thumb buttons on the left handle bar. The audio system serves up music through four speakers with enough strength to be heard through a full-face helmet at highway speeds (and presumably inside neighbouring cars and houses). The onboard navigation worked well during this test, while Apple CarPlay is available only for riders with the appropriate headset connected to the system. 

My test bike was outfitted with the optional top box that provides a pillion seat back rest and a small trunk that’ll contain a pair of half-helmets. My full-face lid wouldn’t fit in the top case, nor either of the standard side panniers, which meant carrying my bucket while wandering around Port Dover for the day. Other bikes have luggage that locks with the key fob, but these appear accessible whether the bike is on, off, or locked, making for one of the rare occasions where H-D’s product developers seemed to skimp.

Final Thoughts

Harley-Davidson’s Road Glide has grown in popularity over the years, and with the implementation of more technology, comfort, and power, it’s understandable. It’s an impressive machine to behold, as most modern Harleys are, staying true to the style that’s made the brand an icon.

Harnessing the strength of the giant V-twin between a rider’s legs, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the bike’s king-of-the-road persona, but years of refinement have made it a pleasingly comfortable throne from which to rule. Cruising into Friday the 13th, there couldn’t have been a more appropriate steed. Sometimes it’s possible to make a great connection with a bike, even when you don’t expect to.