The new Harley-Davidson® Sport Glide™ motorcycle is an aggressive factory-custom cruiser outfitted with a detachable fairing and saddlebags ideally suited for touring , cruising or commuting. The versatile Sport Glide is ready for short- or long-distance weekend runs. “The Sport Glide offers the thrilling dynamic capability of the new Softail platform with features that make it suited for both commuting and light touring,” said Dave Latz, senior product planning manager at Harley-Davidson. “Its factory-custom design speaks to modern performance and contemporary style.”
The ninth model based on the all-new Harley-Davidson Softail® platform and the latest in a line of 100 high-impact motorcycles the company plans to introduce by 2027, the Sport Glide presents an engaging combination of technology and style. Designed to be lightweight and stiff, the new Softail chassis delivers agility and performance that will exceed the expectations of the most demanding cruiser riders, while the rigid-mounted Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-Twin powertrain pumps out a mountain of torque for outstanding acceleration and passing power.
The new fairing is shaped to deflect wind away from the rider’s chest while leaving the rider’s head in a clean stream of air. The fairing is secured to the fork tubes with quick-release clamps, making removal or installation fast and easy. Riders seeking even more wind protection can exchange the standard 1.5-inch-high windshield for a 5.5-inch Light Smoke Windshield available from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories.
“The Sport Glide presents the broad influence of Harley-Davidson design in a very contemporary way,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling & Design. “In the new fairing, for example, you can see the influence of the iconic batwing fairing from Harley Touring models, but it’s been trimmed back to create a more compact, sporty shape.”
The new lockable, rigid saddle bags feature a sleek clam-shell design. The bags are easy to load and unload, and can be opened with one hand by a seated rider. A damping device allows the saddlebag lids to open smoothly. The bags can be removed in seconds with an internal quick-release mechanism, leaving behind mounting points that are barely visible. Combined saddlebag capacity is 1.9 cubic feet.
Additional luggage capacity can be added to the Sport Glide with an accessory sissy bar upright, a luggage rack or a Tour-Pak mounting rack, each with the all-new HoldFast™ Detachable latch system designed specifically for the new Softail platform. Like the Sport Glide saddlebags and fairing, HoldFast accessories can be installed or removed in seconds to strip the bike back down to its essential cruiser form.
A broad and supportive saddle sets the Sport Glide’s seat height at just 25.7 inches, with forward-mounted foot controls contributing to a rider triangle designed to fit a broad range of riders. The brilliant Daymaker LED headlamp is surrounded by a ring of LED signature lighting and complements bright LED tail/brake lamp and LED rear turn signals that provide enhanced visibility. A USB charging port, keyless ignition and the Harley-Davidson Smart Security System are standard features of the Sport Glide.
The Sport Glide features the all-new Softail mono-shock rear suspension with remote hydraulic pre-load adjustment, controlled with an exposed knob below the right side cover, to make it easy to accommodate the weight of luggage or a passenger while maintaining optimal suspension performance. New 43mm inverted forks stiffen the front end and feature a single-cartridge damping system to keep the front wheel stable over changing road conditions for precise handling, a controlled ride and confident braking performance, which is further enhanced by the standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). The Sport Glide rolls on new Mantis cast-aluminum wheels, 18-inch front and 16-inch rear, shod with Michelin Scorcher 31 performance tires.
The blacked-out Milwaukee-Eight 107 powertrain is rigid-mounted in the frame, which stiffens the chassis and connects the rider more directly to the powertrain. Precision oil cooling around the hottest areas of the cylinder heads further enhances rider and passenger comfort. The 2-into-1 exhaust with a sweeping rear header and a black muffler contribute to the bike’s sporty style and enhance cornering clearance. Electronic throttle control enables standard electronic cruise control on the Sport Glide model. Riders craving even stronger street-compliant Milwaukee-Eight performance for a Sport Glide can turn to Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts + Accessories for Screamin’ Eagle Performance Stage Upgrades, from a Stage I Street Cannon muffler and enhanced intake options all the way to a Stage IV upgrade that takes displacement to 114 cubic inches and power through the roof.
The Sport Glide is offered in three solid colors: Vivid Black, Twisted Cherry and Silver Fortune.
FINALLY….H-D put out a new model that looks OK.
At least the bags cover the ugly swingarm I guess, but no bike with Sport in the name should have forward controls and a single disc front brake. It’s the Octane all over again.
No bike with Sport in the name should have forward controls and a single disc front brake.
Interesting, I still wonder why HD thinks a single disc on the front of 1000 pounds of vehicle and passenger is sufficient stopping force. In my experience it is not.
I like this one. I think they will sell a lot of these.
It looks nice, and I like the versatility, the way you can remove bags and fairing easily and without leaving ugly mounting points visible. I agree, though, that a single-disc front brake is a little bit dangerous. Maybe more than a little bit. And the name is kind of misleading. At first I thought it was a new Sportster.
Epic fail……looks like a Yamaha Raider but only about $10,000 too much
I need those bags on my Dyna
Maybe the New Single Brakes work better then the older Dual disc ones? I’ll give that a “Sport” should have mid’s
Did Harley buy Victory’s proprietary engineering? EVERYTHING about these NEW? Softails seems eerily similar to the brand Polaris dropped?
I agree with the notions about the single disc front brake, but but it is interesting that one of the first things customizers do is go to a single disc front brake. I see these on everything from a stock bike lathered with bling to fire breathing turbo charged monsters with ridiculous sized front wheels and slammed suspension.
I like the look and options!!
I like it. Better than anything Indian has that’s for sure. I agree that the new Softail line is picking up where Victory left off and that’s a good thing. Regarding the front brake, I agree if you’re going to designate it “sport” it should have duals. But that’s not a deal breaker. I’ve got a 650 lb cruiser that stops on a dime with Brembo calipers on a single ceramic composite rotor up front. The quality of the component is more important than the quantity.
Cyril, perhaps the Motor Co should hire some of your readers for a focus group before they set things in stone. Still the bike is a step in the right…it’s just not quite all the way there.
So, basically the Sport Glide is the same price as a Road King? How many $20k baggers does HD think they can sell to millennials? HD has nothing in the $11k to $14k price range where they really need to compete with a compelling product to win over the next generation.
When factoring in a 4-5 year bike loan the difference in payments between some of these overpriced softail models and an SG/RG is minuscule.
What the Switchback should have been.
Wait until Indian comes out with a 1200 cc street tracker then we will have a beauty to ride.
FTR 1200 smokes this thing. Putting bags and a fairing on a bike makes it a new model?
The puny Street Rod 750 has a similar inverted front end and DUAL disc brakes, why wouldn’t they do the same on this bike. And there were rumors of a new FXR when they trade marked “Sport Glide” again, which is what the FXRT was….well here it is
Have to agree with StonyCrane . I know the MC polls people from Focus Groups, but they might want to widen their focus a bit.This bike is a step in the right direction….
garagedog.
I hope you can take that tank badge off. Leftovers from the road queen?
FXRT ?
Finally a “yamahsuzhondadavidson”. Fellas, stick to the roots that got you where you are today. If we wanted a bike like that we’d of bought a rice rocket!
I like it and I bet it sells well. Good to see HD headed in the right direction.
Buy a new Indian
9 “models” from same bike? Actually that’s 9 billion bolt-ons , one bike. Oh and 9 different t-shirts.
Tony,Indian will always be a low production,niche market machine.
Funny, guys been putting those Memphis shades batwings on softy’s and dyna’s for years. Save yourself a lot of money and get you an early twin cam, bump it up to 95”, Cams and have a great bike for 1/4 to 1/2 price of these new models
Put the damned frame mounted fairing on it already!
It’s certainly NOT my old T Sport, but it is a nice bike…
I’m just not ready to give away my Fat Bob for a Softail.
Test rode a 2018 lowrider with the single disc. And I can tell you that single brake is more than adequate to stop. Adding a second disc adds weight but lessens the effort to stop