In a conference call while announcing its 2nd quarter results, Harley-Davidson officials confirmed that the 2 Road Glide models, the FLTRX Road Glide Custom and the FLTRU Road Glide Ultra are being discontinued. No real justification given for this decision except Harley-Davidson stating that “while those two Road Glide models are strong for us, they represent a relatively small portion of our touring sales”
Of course, the company is going to introduce 2 or more brand new year-2014 models, and one can wonder if Harley-Davidson is not adjusting its line-up to offer an answer to the soon-to-be released Indian Chief. Maybe 1 or 2 models covering the same bike segment or niche, at comparable prices for equivalent features.
One of Harley’s main objectives during these last 3 years was to be able to bring more new products to market in a shorter amount of time with a greater level of customer and dealer input. The unveiling of the new 2014 Harley models should demonstrate if the company is succeeding at bringing a stronger offer, maybe including a direct alternative to the all-new Indian Chief. During the same conference call, Harley’s CEO Keith Wandell mentioned that he takes all competition seriously, agreed that the all-new Indian launch in Sturgis will be a major event attracting lots of people and mobilizing all media attention, but that all this will be offset 2 weeks later when his company shows the new 2014 models… Can the Harley’s CEO be more business polite? Trust me, officials of both brands respect each other, but business is business. A very positive and exciting time for the v-twin industry and for all bikers…
There’s going to be a lot of media and public focus on Sturgis this year for the intro of yet another bike with the defunct Indian logo…all HD’s “fault” in the first place. I’d be shocked if they didn’t do something to steal a little limelight…
Harley. They do nothing special in Sturgis. Not worth doing anything there and the 110th is coming.
Cyril. Have you ridden the new Indian or will you ride it in Sturgis? Any scheduled report?
In Sturgis from Aug 4th to 6th. Report asap.
Perhaps the new Indian brand will shake things up at Harley. I purchased a Road Glide 2 years ago and was very disappointed with the product. This was supposed to be a touring bike….unfortunately the thing rode like a rigid. The forks and shocks are junk. I expect much better when spending over $ 21,000. I sat on a victory last weekend and the suspension actually moved! I really believe the MCO is more interested in perfecting it’s clothing line! I can walk into the dealership and purchase a shirt in any size or color…..I want to buy brake pads and have to wait a week! A bit of competition might just help to improve things!
It would be great to see HD come out with a truly new model. Not just another parts swap bike.
Seems like a contradiction that the FLTs were both strong sellers AND a small %, and it seems like an easy bike to keep in the lineup since it’s mostly the same as the touring model they ARE keeping. Only real differences are bolt up stuff and the tooling for the different bodywork is already paid for. There’s obviously more going on here than is being stated. Perhaps they’re making room in the lineup to create demand for a new Harley Goldwing? 🙂
This has been a topic for a number of months. Rumor has it the outer fairing tool was damaged beyond repair, and that it’s redesign/replacement was in the works so the cost benefit to recreate the tool was lacking. Not my rumor, but interesting if true. If true, I wonder how the MoCo will handle service replacements.
The bat wing inner-fairing tool was also damaged and replaced during the calendar year 2012, causing more than 1,000 back-orders.
Now that the Road Glide has finally moved into a position of market demand, it seems an odd time to axe it. Kill it at it’s sales peak.
I used Harley’s Bike Builder program online. I took my printout into the dealer and ordered the bike made on a Wednesday.
The bike was delivered (7) days later, when I picked up the bike on the 9th day after ordering. I got the bike that fit my personality in the exact gear ratio’s I needed, which changed the 1200 Sportster into a rubber mounted FX ride.
The “Bike Builder” program is the best customer service available, before the customer service kick’s in, because the bike can be built the way you wanted it. And who knows more about what you want than YOU?
I’m guessing a new bike that looks an awful lot like a Road Glide but with a new frame to cradle a new engine. I would love to see that “new” engine be an 1800cc Revolution but I suspect it’s probably something that looks and sounds like a TC with new liquid cooled heads. A Road Glide with a 150 hp motor stock that doesn’t roast your leg…I’d take a serious look at going back for that.
Sad, the Road Glide was always my favorite touring model from the motor company.
I don’t know if this rumor is true, but there is supposed to be a CVO model Tri-glide with a larger engine.
If its true I’d like to see a photo of the trike and a report.
Same old same old with extra stripes I’m guessing. nothing Truly new.
What I can’t fathom is why a company would spend millions on a great engine, the Revolution, and do nothing but put in the ugliest bike on 2 wheels. Baffling
I’ve been going to Sturgis for 20 years,with major zeal to see the next year’s bikes, now some brain at HD decides that showing the current model year at the rally is the thing to do. WTF? Release the new bikes at the rally, the biggest biker rally going.Once a year the new bikes come out, make it during this week, like it used to be. Wow I can go to Sturgis and see current models, woo-hoo!!
My prediction:
Twenty five years from now you will still read about Harley’s new line-up for the coming year, you will likely still read about Polaris’ financial results, BUT there will be very little about Victory and even less about Indian (old or new).
The Indian is simply a Harley ‘me-too-product’, many have tried it, notably the Japanese, without making any meaningful strides.
In my humble opinion, the only legitimate alternatives to Harley is Moto Guzzi, specifically the California 1400 and the two Triumphs – the Rocket III and the Thunderbird.
If Harley would show the new models in Sturgis they would be almost invisible because of the interest in the Indian launch. They prefer to avoid such humiliation. So, they wait, hoping that the Indian buzz would have died.
Thanks again Cyril for keeping us informed about our ever changing Industry.
SIGFREED,A little reality check on this:”The Indian is simply a Harley ‘me-too-product’, many have tried it, notably the Japanese, without making any meaningful strides” The Japs decimated H-D’s share of the touring bike market for decades with the release the GoldWing and the Japanese cruiser bike market has sparked millions of people to make meaningful strides straight to a Jap bike dealers shop floor.Don’t forget H-D only avoided it’s demise by mere hours after years of pumping out AMF junkers for years.It’s about time H-D builds a real bike with a V-4 in it.The V-Rod is just a me-too V-max with half the cylinders remember.
Well we got told the v-rod is gone and not to order any touring bikes as a new model/engine where coming we presume with water cooled heads.
New bike with training wheels to bring in a fresh crop of riders without experience or large collection of branded Chinese made crap. That’s what is coming.
Let the Indian HD Wars resume…..
And… I see a different battlefield/outcome this time around…
Anyone that says a Road Glide rides like a rigid is a complete moron.
Could the Road Glides be discontinued because they are going water cooled like Cyril reported in 11 or 12???? Could the Road Glide fairing not work with their air coll system (se drawing Cyril posted)???? I love my Road Glide that is why I bought a new one in 12 for fear of them going water cooled in 13 (besides know HD do I really want a “Lucky 13”) As far as Panzers comments I agree completely. When I purchased my 12 it did not leave the dealership until I had the Progressive Monotubes installed in the front. The Dealer got all mad at me and wanted me to take the bike now but I told them no deal if the front end is not fixed. I had ridden the 12’s in Stugris and the Victory Vision also, I reallly liked the handling of the Vision, just was not ready to go Victory yet. At the time I bought the bike Progressive was changing from the 940 to the 944 and I had to tough it out with crappy rear suspension for a few monthes until the new version came out and man this thing rides like a bagger should, no problem leaving Orlando and stopping for the night in Southern Illinois. The 944 sure beat the cheap shocks the mfg put on from the factory. Not a real hit on HD all mfg do the same, when we were workling for the auto industry w/AMC they always put cheap shocks on to save pennies, Ford, GM, Fiat, Honda, Kawasaki, etc all do it.
How about an upcoming Model (non V-Rod) with coolant other than air. Hmmm.
To Neil… I had a 2010 Road Glide Custom… and it did indeed ride like a rigid. Truly horrible suspension for a bike costing $19k. Simply not enough travel on the rear shocks. That’s why Progressive Suspension makes shocks that travel an inch upward to help. Sold the RGC and bought a Victory. Huge improvement even with the Vic lowered.
Jim
If that is true than this is certainly the year of the Chief.
Nothing like buying a new Harley and have it discontinued. Sure gives you confidence in your choice and future parts availability.
Guys, HD waiting to release bikes has nothing to do with Indian.
Too many dealers complained about their customers coming home with the new model bikes bought at Black Hills H-D before they even had them. They wanted the chance to sell their customers the new bikes themselves.
Its a niche bike,,,,,,,,pure straight line cruiser with bad suspension…..
I hate to say it but the new gold wing F6B looks way better and will pull or drag a RG coast to coast and not over heat 🙂
the big is bug but feels lite and is easy to maneuver
http://www.google.ca/search?q=2013+f6b+honda+goldwing+motorcycle&client=firefox-a&hs=uPy&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Vfv2UfniKYzNqQHTmoHoCw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=920#facrc=_&imgdii=-fn1NaunBrKg2M%3A%3B27U0hm1nmYYa0M%3B-fn1NaunBrKg2M%3A&imgrc=-fn1NaunBrKg2M%3A%3B7VeP6Rd7r7fbcM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthekneeslider.com%252Fimages%252F2012%252F11%252F2013-goldwing-f6b-deluxe.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthekneeslider.com%252Fhonda-gets-in-touch-with-its-bad-self-and-builds-a-gold-wing-bagger%252F%3B1200%3B626
Thx Derik. Interesting theory and plausable if they we’re looking into a new outer mold. Seems hard to believe they don’t have the old one wireframed and able to reproduce via CNC but if they’re already involved in a new pattern it makes sense. Build up demand for the replacement and not really take a hit in the meantime since it’s a small % of the whole. Somebody knows for sure….
The local H-D dealer told me that H-D is looking at the Water cooled “heads”
with the radiator in the lowers.
We’ve heard talk of the Hidden project even seen the schimatic on this very blog.
Hmmm, the Motor Company has got something up it’s sleeve but they better hurry up & do it as come Aug 9th i don;t know if it will matter anymore ?????
I have only one word to say on the subject-FXDX!
Never owned a new dealer bike (usually chops and vintage) so I went the RG route and got one in Feb 2013. Swapped out the front end with progressive monotubes, put on a real touring seat(mustang) and signed off on some waivers to allow for the header pipe install while retaining the warranty(CA bikes are CARB restricted, hoops to get mods done legit and retain warranty)
Thought of a warranty on a bike alone baffles me, not to mention fly by wire throttle. What I can say is out of the box it was uncomfortable and unresponsive. Keeping it all business, I focused on performance rather than vanity; truth be told, it is really an amazing ride. I think with the RG its about the right seat, shocks and letting it breath, from there its stable and has plenty of 2 up power for touring.
Good for Indian, Good for Polaris. Whatever on the next gen RG, this one works right one when set up right.
Did we not go through this a couple years back when they were discontinuing the Road Glide only to have them come out with a Road Glide Custom and a Road Glide Ultra just not a Basic Road Glide. Wouldn’t surprise me to see the reverse. Maybe it’ll just be re-labeled back to the Tour Glide, I’m on my second RG and wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the Harley Touring Line Up.
Water cooled? ….oh, you mean a honking big car radiator hung on the front of your bike, right.
I guess it depends what you ride but coming from the view point of a ’09 Electraglide Standard I think Harley should worry more about the Honda F6B than the new Indian. If honda puts cruise control on that bike next year they might just get my business.
the 2014 glides will be the most revolutionary glides ever, with just about everything being different from years past. there will be a cooling system, but it’s not going to be liquid cooled. the fairing will have a computer screen in it, and these will be the first Harleys to understand voice commands. I’m not down with it. also each Bikel coming to versions( glides) with version to having wheels speakers in the bags etc. my buddy works at the factory that’s how I got this info.
I’m looking for a brown leather jacket and more brown seats for 2014 .
Roger. Your right that Honda F6B is a bad ass looking bike ! Now that up to date go Honda !
Heck. I’m on a 02 RG with 94 thou on the clock. 95 inch build since 30 thou. Rebuilt front end at 90 thou with race tech & 940 progressive on rear. Been a great bike and I bought it when no one wanted them, I ride with a AMA club with gold wings, bmw’s you name it. All good bikes, only bikes that outrun me are gold wings & K 1600 bmw’s. from what I was informed of the RG will return in 2015 with a redesign. This from a dealer owner who tested for the factory for many years.
The reason the rg is gone in 14 is because they need to reconfigure the fairing to fit the above mentioned new electronics.
Why does Indians ad say the choice is coming when they only have ONE bike the Chief , the chief and the chief ! Not a very big choice. They need a entry level bike in the 12 to $ 14,000 range for me to choose from if they want my business.
Does anyone know if they are re-designing the Sportster 48? I think I’m gonna get the new Yamaha Bolt but if they re-designed the 48 with a larger tank im sold. The 2.1 gal tank on the 2013 48 means I’m at the gas station more than the road. Any thoughts?
Doc Holliday,get the Bolt.A way better bike for highway miles than any Sportster has ever been.If you want a bike for profiling around town or short rides on sunny days,get the 48.A bagger or the bus is also an option for big mileages.
@John. Then said “Choice” is coming, not “Choices”! 🙂
Does anyone know when the new models will be released? The dealer in Montreal has three 2013 Ultra Limited and offers some good incentive but Im affraid on missing out on possibly big changes for 2014. Should I get the 2013 and the deals or wait…Hum!!! Decissions…Decissions…lol.
Will be traveling the long road from Montréal to Santa Cruz. Ca. next May with few other H.D. fanatics. 6,700 miles… This should be fun!!!
Wait, new ones come out on august 18th
Hitch said it right FXDX. Every so often HD gets it right as in the case of FXDX,FXDXT, XL1200s, XR1200,XR1200X, and back in the day FXRS-SP and XR1000. the problem is zero support in marketing these gems which would pull in riders of other makes. Three years of sales with zero marketing is all these seem to get before pulling the plug . I own a FXDX, everybody who tries it comes back with big grin and says ” I had no idea they built rides like this” I made an XL883s out of a Hugger with XL1200s suspension parts another real fun ride.
I really want an XR1200X- test rode one and then in great Harley wisdom they cancel, except for parts of Europe. Does any remember when scotch and Cadillacs were regarded as what you grandad drank and drove Look at Cadillacs now: Harley should get beyond the metal flake 70’s paint and the! parts bin resuffle . I am sure I will find the right previous owned XR1200 to make my own but I do prefer virgin bikes. Too bad HD can’t seem to see
the future riders as well as current ones who are going elsewheres. I like my sporting Harleys too bad Harley does not.
Harleys website will go live at 8 p.m. Mountain time on August 18th for a live reveal of the new bikes.
Hi mr hunt,
Do you know, how is the 2014 Street Glide, what change on this bike? I cannot wait until the 18th of august. In france the HD dealer said they will show the new model on the 13 and 14 th of september.
If you order a new model, at this time, the delivery time is around 4 months !!!!! Too long!
Hi mr hunt
Also on the same not am being told in Australia that the super glide custom is upgraded to the 103 engine in 2014,unsure of the fact and any other changes am wanting to order now for mid sep delivery
Can’t wait for the 2014 H.D. line up. Lost my 05 Ultra Classic to Hurricane Sandy. Didn’t like any 2013 color schemes so I’m waiting for the 14’s. If the colors are still ugly I guess I will go with the traditional “Basic Black Ultra Limited. However, That Indian Classic is very interesting to me. The only question I have is. Does that God Alful tan leather come in BLACK ?
I heard from a very reliable source that Harley is making a smaller version (scaled down) of a touring bike! That’d be cool beans for me who is 5’5″ with 30″ inseam stubby legs. I am excited for the new model unveiling! I currently own the 2012 Switchback, which resembles a scaled down Road King. Love the bike, but I had it lowered, of course, and it rides like a lumber wagon now. I test drove a Cheiftain and it rode like I was on a cloud, even over potholes. VERY IMPRESSIVE!
The only thing I know is they will be different, and come in 2 versions, with number 2 being the one you want.
Please say more if you know mr hunt
I am a salesman at a Harley dealership. We haven’t heard anything at all about a “Cooling System”. We are hearing the ultra line will have a bigger trunk and saddle bags, and will have a digital central control unit in the dash, it will be Bluetooth. Have heard of a possible small bike, 500-650 cc range. That would be the possibly liquid cooled bike. Have also learned that the remaining dyna bikes, super glides and street bob will be 103 cubic inch standard.
Thats all i got.
I just bought a 2013 FLHX 103″. My 6th touring bike. That thing is a tugboat. Rides like crap, no real power. I traded in my 06 Ultra with 95″ cammed motor that would drag any new bike. Rode it for a day and tried to take it back to the dealer. They wouldn’t do anything about it. Basically what the dealer meant was, we have your money now, tough crap. The 09-13 tourning bikes haven’t changed one bit. I don’t see them changing any for the good over the next 4-5 yrs. Like someone said up above, the MoCo is only worried about how many t-shirts they can sell or how many bolt on accessories they can move out the door. I shouldnt have to spend thousands of dollars after buying a $23K bike to make it ride great and have the power it should have.
I’d like to know why harley has to keep this a secret right to the last hour before they release their bikes? Years ago you would see model previews 4 or 6 months before they hit the show floors. This was why I bought a 1983 sportster XLX 1000 because I saw it in mag. Isn’t it a good thing to be informed of what’s coming then to pre order a bike like the new Breakout without ever seeing it or any reviews on it? Do they think that they’re that special any more ?
I looked into Polaris’s finacials. Although the company stock is a strong buy their motorcycle sales minuscule to their overall business. The Victory and Indian motorcycle segment is growing but when the bean counters start…the small beans get thrown out first.
I have been looking at Harley’s financials. Some descrepancies in there with the number of bikes sold compared to the number of bikes shipped. Yes, Harley did overproduce in 2004-2006 to the tune of a little over 40k bikes, but from the years of 2007-2012 they oversold a little over 52k bikes. They may have had some in inventory that were sold from the over production, but there are still over 12k bikes supposedly sold, that were never shipped by the end of 2012. By never shipped, these bikes were never built. How can you record a sale on something that was never made?
Also now is the time to get a good price on a 2013 model, there is about 15k leftover according to Harley’s June 30, 2013 financial release. Those numbers have to be accurate because the company started production on the 2014’s the first week of July.
All of these figures are available right on Harley’s website under Investor Relations.
Angie, is there the possibility that HDMoCo has extended any of the production model years as happened for the 2003/100th Anniversary model year run?
Just wondering why someone would buy a bike that he or she don’t like and rides like a log wagon to them. Must have bought one of them yogo cars back in the day then. I have a CVO ultra. Love it. I think the Indian is just plain ugly. Bags are ugly. Will keep my present bikes until l die. I also have a Yamaha that is collecting dust. Upgrading the suspension is also a good idea if that’s what you want. People put loud pipes on there bikes as well. This is part of what Harley is. You don’t like the bike don’t buy it. But your still going to buy something else and wish you had a Harley. Sold my last Goldwing cause it just didn’t have the sound I like. It was a nice bike. All manufactures make nice bikes you get what you like. I have rode a RG. I didn’t think it was ridged. I still own a ridged That’s the bar bike and you feel every pebble in the road. Loud and obnoxious. Would be just weird to see a Goldwing like that. People complain so much about Harley this and that. You must be a band wagon jumper and want a excuse to ride something else. Test ride a Cvo and put another 4 grand into it to get it set up the way you like it and tune some of the heat out of the exhaust. But it’s yours and adjusted for your weight. I don’t lower bikes cause I already drag the boards when turning dont need to make it worse by changing all the geometry around for the suspension. I wouldn’t also buy a Indian right away until I would know for sure they got all the little bugs out of them. But I hope they do well another American built bike and jobs created here. Heck the goldwings ain’t even made here anymore.
I for one will wait patiently to see first hand what changes…improvements have been made to Specifically the Street glide. If there are new and improved modifications made I will most likely buy the 2014 Street Glide, as My Ultra Classic already has a buyer lined up. BUT if I don’t see a huge improvement over an already “good” product…I WILL buy the new Chieftain..it appears to be an awesome bike, and well made. The ONLY issue I find with the Indian is local dealer access, and how soon they will be made available. I don’t think they are geared up yet for the possible volume of sales they may well get. From those I have spoken to who have seen it up close…its definitely a nice bike. Built one online with the limited accessories they are currently offering and it builds out at around $26,000. But as I said I will wait to see what Harley offers in a week or two…but right now my money is leaning toward the Chieftain.
I ride a 2003 super glide 349,000 k on it, orginal belt its a great bike and have never touched the motor 88ci and waiting for the 2014 street bob and hope that bike is as great as this one hope it a 103
any feed back on bikes the same
I so agree with you todd…… you don’t like it don’t buy it.
The new Road Glides are being retooled.
Gonna have bigger saddlebags & tour packs on 14 models.
Radios are gonna have Bluetooth.
Gonna have digital gauges I believe I was told.
And a central control pad on the dash.
Can’t believe anybody drove a new motorcycle and didn’t realize thy didn’t have the power they expected .
The new bikes are not broke in.
Hello …
Really when you walk in too the Harley section at Sturgis and its about 4:45 and told they are closing I think that says a lot when everyone else is still showing there bikes. Here is my take on the bikes when somebody designs a liquid cool bike, that is cool looking and sounds great they will sell a lot of bikes. That going to be the next big deal.MKG
MKG,H-D can’t just build a V-max, they’re nearly thirty years too late for that caper.The V-rod had V-max facsimile wannabe all over it.Like the Detroit Delusion,they believe they can build the same design until,……well you get the drift.
Twin cam twin cooled. Remember who told you first !
Just called my hd dealer And he has no clue what twin cooling is and if the GPS is integrated in the ultra limited. He told me he should get more info later on today. Its funny to see thT even the dealers are confused.
By the way, thank you mr hunt. It appears that you were right on.
It’s funny how Harley people think that any V twin is a harley clone. Harley wasn’t first with the V twin, Indian was at least for major production in the US. Didn’t Harley use the Griffin Mototrcycle V twin as their Blueprint for making there first V twin? Harley copies from everbody. What were they ever first with?