One of many rides I get pleasure from most as Editor of Final Motorcycling is heading house after choosing up a check bike for the primary time. Harley-Davidson’s fleet middle is about 35 miles of city sprawl from my house, not less than because the crow flies. Nevertheless, when my palms are on the grips, that experience can simply be twice that, and I’ll by no means put a wheel on a freeway. Whereas the 2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular could not look like a great motorbike for that utility, loads of city Highway Gliders are tearing up internal metropolis streets. With the one hundred and twentieth Anniversary Heirloom Crimson Fade paint job, I positively stood out amongst them—and in a great way.
The Highway Glide Particular takes the usual Highway Glide and offers it extra of an city perspective. A snarling Milwaukee-Eight 114 motor within the Particular replaces the usual’s 107—there’s a giant distinction, and you are feeling it each time you twist the throttle. H-D slams the Particular’s baggage for a profiling perspective. The wire-spoke-like Gloss Black Prodigy wheels on the Particular are additionally extra trendy than the forged aluminum Enforcer II wheels on the usual bike—once more, you’re anticipated to experience the particular the place it will likely be seen and appreciated. Additionally, the RGS’s Increase! Field GTS infotainment system is a step up from the usual’s sprint. Lastly, the usual RG has primary black, crimson, and paint choices, in comparison with a blinding palate of colours out there on the Particular, together with the attention-grabbing one hundred and twentieth Anniversary Heirloom Crimson Fade paint and Black End.
As I discussed, the 2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular’s Milwaukee-Eight 114 introduced itself as quickly as I exited the driveway and onto town road. It’s a muscular powerplant, with 112 ft-lbs of torque on faucet for the 853-pound motorbike when the V-twin is spinning at simply 2750 rpm. The motor is undeniably authoritative, but has a easy energy supply as you hit the 95-horsepower peak at 5020 rpm—not that I haven’t shifted by then to benefit from the stump-pulling grunt. The Grand American Touring chassis permits simply the correct quantity of vibration to caress the rider. Inarguably, the 114 is a candy technique to get round city.
Harley-Davidson has the ergonomics for the Highway Glide Particular perfected. The handlebar is broad sufficient to offer wanted leverage, whereas retaining a pure width. Floorboards depart loads of room for foot positioning, and the 114-emblazoned air filter cowl is non-confrontational. The seat provides good help for hours-long excursions and not using a cease, and a stepped seating space for the passenger. The smoked windshield hits the best stability between safety and unobtrusiveness, not less than for my five-foot-ten body. Accent windshields can be found for taller or shorter pilots.
My experience house, as is usually the case, saved me off the freeway. I already know that the Highway Glide can gobble up freeway miles with out the slightest trace of indigestion. Regardless of its touring credentials, loads of riders persist with town on their Highway Glides. It’s an imposing motorbike with the mounted fist-like shark-nose fairing, which doubles as a service for the infotainment system. Plus, the slammed baggage are useful for a visit to the Vary Rover paradise of Dealer Joe’s or the infamously dirty Circus Liquor.
Whereas most individuals could be revulsed on the considered spending hours using amongst the caged in city and suburban locales, I find it irresistible. I get to benefit from the vibe of town, eat someplace attention-grabbing, and discipline numerous constructive feedback in regards to the motorbike I’m using. On the very first crimson mild I finished at, a man and his spouse in a pickup checked out the Heirloom Crimson Fade paint and introduced unprovoked, “That may be a good motorbike.” A nod is all that’s required in response, within the unlikely case you’re an introvert using a Highway Glide Particular. “Thanks,” and a figuring out smile works for me.
Entrance there, I headed north towards DTLA. I noticed many bikes alongside the best way, together with a number of Highway Glides. After giving me the compulsory two-fingers-to-the-road sign, greater than one of many RG riders did a little bit of surreptitious rubber-necking. Even those that experience Highway Glides are impressed by the one hundred and twentieth Anniversary paint. In fact, that focus is drawn simply passing by. Once you see the paint up-close in-person, it’s simply that rather more appealingly spectacular. It isn’t fairly CVO high quality, nevertheless it’s shut sufficient for rock ’n’ roll and effectively definitely worth the $2900 premium it instructions.
Within the uncrowded sections of city—there are some—it’s enjoyable to wind up the 114 and benefit from the music it sings. Los Angeles streets are so flippantly policed as of late that I don’t must look within the rear-view mirrors or test the speedometer—I simply experience. Many would contemplate the 2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular to be too massive of a bike for city use. The presence of so many sharks within the metropolis waters disputes that, as does using the bike.
Despite the fact that it’s greater than a half-ton with me within the comfortably agency saddle, the burden is low, the ability helps masks the mass, and the slip-and-assist clutch means my left hand doesn’t get overly labored when visitors is very LA-like. Gearshifts are deliberate and dependable.
The sound output of the infotainment system isn’t sufficient to beat my full-face HJC i10, although I’m sans earplugs. The UI for the Increase! Field GTS infotainment system is sort of good, when you get used to it. GPS is useful, although I’ve a robust grasp of the structure of Los Angeles streets. Towards all odds, this Highway Glide Particular is a pleasure to experience by means of all city neighborhoods.
A part of my rides house embrace the twisties. This may be famed Mulholland Drive and its tributaries that join the Los Angeles basin to the San Fernando Valley, or one thing a bit extra off-beat like Chevy Chase Drive that hyperlinks Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge, the gateway to Angeles Crest Freeway. The sturdy touring chassis provides reassuring stability on mixed-quality canyon roads, although you need to be ready so as to add some muscle to the proceedings.
Accelerating out of the turns is way more enjoyable than utilizing the linked Brembo calipers to decelerate. Whereas the brakes have loads of energy and the Dunlops loads of grip, it’s build up g-forces when aggressively decelerating, which requires greater than informal using.
The climate dashed my unique plans to experience north to go to my uncle in Bakersfield or my sister in San Luis Obispo. Though the federal government consultants predicted a winter with “warmer-than-average temperatures for the Southwest,” exactly the other occurred. It has been chilly and moist, with extreme (and lethal) snowstorms within the mountains.
As I’m not a glutton for punishment, I put these journey plans on maintain till the spring. That’s not a giant deal, as it’ll give me an excuse to obtain one other Grand American Touring motorbike from Harley-Davidson when the temperatures rise. As a substitute, I spent extra time using by means of the grand metropolis of Los Angeles.
There’s at all times a battle raging between the Highway Glide and Road Glide for the hearts and minds of Harley-Davidson riders. I’m impartial in that battle, although I’d in all probability go together with a Road Glide if my stability is metropolis using and the Highway Glide if I bought out on the freeway extra. Particularly within the wind and when bearing down on semis at a 140 mph closing pace on a two-lane freeway on a breezy day, the frame-mounted fairing makes loads of sense. Thankfully, both alternative is an effective one as the 2 Glides are versatile sufficient.
In case you haven’t spent a lot time within the metropolis on a Highway Glide Particular, it may not make a lot sense to you. Nevertheless, for individuals who perceive its character, the RGS is a good way to get round city, regardless of not being anyplace close to agile or economical. In case you’re keen to work with it, the 2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular is a unbelievable city motorbike, and the one hundred and twentieth Anniversary Heirloom Crimson Fade paint makes it simply that a lot better.
Images by Kelly Callan
RIDING STYLE
2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular Specs
ENGINE
- Sort: Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin
- Displacement: 114 cubic inches (1868cc)
- Bore x stroke: 4.016” x 4.5”
- Most torque: 122 ft-lbs @ 2750 rpm
- Most energy: 95 horsepower @ 5020 rpm
- Compression ratio: 10.5:1
- Valvetrain: Single cam w/ pushrods; 4 vpc
- Exhaust: 2-1-2 twin
- Cooling: Air and oil
- Lubrication: Pressurized dry sump
- Transmission: 6-speed Cruise Drive
- Clutch: Net multiplate w/ help and slipper features
- Major drive: Chain
- Closing drive: Belt
CHASSIS
- Body: Gentle tubular metal w/ two-piece stamped and welded spine
- Entrance suspension; journey: Showa 49mm Twin Bending Valve; 4.6 inches
- Rear suspension; journey: Emulsion shocks w/ hand-adjustable spring-preload; 2.1 inches
- Wheels: Gloss Black Prodigy
- Entrance wheel: 19 x 3.5
- Rear wheel: 18 x 5
- Entrance tire: 130/60 x 19; Dunlop Harley-Davidson Collection D408F
- Rear tire: 180/55 x 18; Dunlop Harley-Davidson Collection D407T
Entrance brakes: 300mm floating discs w/ 4-piston calipers - Rear brake: 300mm mounted discs w/ 4-piston caliper
- ABS: Commonplace
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 64 inches
- Seat peak: 27.4 inches
- Rake: 26 levels
- Fork angle: 29.25 levels
- Path: 6.8 inches
- Gas capability: 6 gallons
- Estimated gasoline consumption: 43 mpg
- Curb weight: 853 kilos
COLORS and FINISHES
- Vivid Black w/ Chrome End
- Prospect Gold/Vivid Black w/ Black End (+$750)
- Baja Orange w/ Chrome End (+$750)
- Grey Haze w/ Chrome End (+$750)
- Vivid Black w/ Black End (+$1000)
- Brilliant Billiard Blue/Billiard Grey w/ Chrome End (+$1500)
- Atlas Silver Metallic w/ Black End (+$1750)
- Brilliant Billiard Blue/Billiard Grey w/ Black End (+$2500)
- Industrial Yellow/Vivid Black w/ Black End (+$2500)
- Heirloom Crimson Fade (+$2900)
2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular Worth: $27,999 MSRP (as examined with Heirloom Crimson Fade, RDRS, and $1000 Surcharge: $32,999)
2023 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Particular Evaluate Photograph Gallery
