Are you a biker in the market for a new Harley-Davidson bike, but don’t know the difference between the Road Glide and Street Glide? If yes, then this is the best place for you to be at.
The difference between a Road Glide and a Street Glide is not that significant, as both the bikes feature many fantastic pieces of technology. If you’re fine with a lower price for a motorcycle closer to the ground or a bike that’s easier to mount/dismount, the Road Glide would be a superior choice. If these aren’t the most important features, you’ll be better off choosing a Street Glide.
In this article, you’ll get to know all about the Road Glide, the Street Glide, what is the difference between a Road Glide and a Street Glide, which bike would be ideal for beginners, and more. Stick around to get all the answers that you’re looking for.
Road Glide and Street Glide – Popular touring motorcycle options
Driving a bike is an activity that most people all over the world enjoy engaging in. With slightly more than 8 million bikers throughout the United States, biking has become an especially popular activity in the country. Out of all the bikers, a large majority of them own a Harley-Davidson bike. If you’re thinking of purchasing a new Harley of your own, you may want to get a few tried and tested recommendations.Â
Those looking for a high-quality touring bike will want to consider the Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide. They both offer an amazing riding experience, but have a few key differences. Both of the bikes offer certain common features.
Cruise control
If you have to spend hours on the road, you should give yourself a break by switching on cruise control. This will help you maintain speed so that you can focus on steering and navigation.
Reflex Linked Brembo Brakes with ABS
A sound braking system will be helpful as it’ll help you manage your bike. With the brakes outfitted with an Automatic Braking System, you’ll get to enjoy extra safety features making it easy for you to manage your motorcycle.
Boom Box 4.3 Infotainment System
Both the Harley-Davidson Road Glide and the Harley-Davidson Street Glide feature multiple 5.25-inch speakers. It’ll allow you to listen to whatever genre of music you prefer when you’re on the road. Moreover, you can even install SiriusXM Presets if you’re looking to enjoy radio services on your motorcycle.
Security System
With a reliable security system built into both bikes, you won’t need to worry about anyone damaging them. You can easily keep your precious bike safe with a built-in security system.
Mobile Phone Connections
You can take advantage of the two bikes’ hands-free mobile phone Bluetooth pairing capability. It’ll help you drive the bike safely while still using your mobile phone. You can even use text-to-speech and voice recognition such that you can safely talk to friends and family when you’re on the road.
With these features, you’ll probably be wondering which bike is better. The truth is that you cannot go wrong with either option. If you don’t mind a lower MSRP for a bike that’s closer to the ground, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide would be a great choice. If you’re looking for a bike easier for you to mount and dismount, it’s a great choice, too.
If you’re not after these features, you would be better off choosing a Harley-Davidson Street Glide. Although the two bikes are unique, they offer fantastic safety, infotainment, and performance features.Â
What to know about a Harley-Davidson Road Glide?
First, you’ll need to check out some of the benefits of the Harley-Davidson Road Glide. The motorcycle has a starting price of around $21,699, which is a bit lower than the Street Glide. The motorcycle features a Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. It uses an Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection, commonly known as an ESPFI fuel system. The engine has a capacity of, 1745cc, which makes it a particular favorite among Harley-Davidson enthusiasts.
On the Road Glide, you’ll enjoy a torque of 111 pound-feet, while the motorcycle itself weighs around 820 pounds. The seat height is rather low to the ground, sitting at around 29.5 inches. Another benefit of the bike is that it has got a self-start mechanism as well as an air-cooling system. You’ll notice a double bending valve suspension and a wet mutilate clutch on both the front and rear suspension.
Another impressive perk of the bike is that it has a frame-mounted fairing. It’ll help you get an impressive wind protection angle that is noticeably different from other motorcycles on the market.
What to know about a Harley-Davidson Street Glide?
Now, you should look at some of the benefits of the Harley-Davidson Street Glide. Similar to the Road Glide, this motorcycle has an engine capacity of, 1745cc and a Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine.
The starting MSRP for the motorcycle is slightly higher as it sits at $21,999. However, the bike’s high quality puts the price up slightly and makes it well worth the extra cash. Most Harley-Davidson dealerships offer financing options, so you shouldn’t let the extra cost deter you.
Similar to the Road Glide, this bike also features a self-starting device and an ESPFI fuel system. However, the fuel system actually boasts a 22.7-liter capacity. The Street Glide comes with a fork-mounted fairing, which means its wind protection is a bit different from that of the Road Glide. The bike weighs around 796 pounds, which makes it lighter than the Road Glide while still offering 111 pounds of torque.
Finally, the Street Glide has an enforcer cast aluminum as well as a double cradle chassis on the front and rear suspension. The motorcycle’s seat is a little lower than the Road Glide, which sits at 26.1 inches.
What is the difference between a Road Glide and a Street Glide
With a better understanding of the differences between the two bikes, it’ll make it easier to make the choice. Harley-Davidson has gone well out of its way to create a safe riding experience, which the brand accomplishes by implementing advanced technology.
 The Road Glide and Street both feature tremendous pieces of technology, which make for an amazing ride. To know more, it would only make sense to first look at the differences between the two bikes.
Fairing
While the Harley-Davidson Road Glide has a frame-mounted fairing, the Harley-Davidson Street Glide has a fork-mounted fairing.
Headlight and tail light
While both the tail light and headlight on the bike are LED lit in the Road Glide, the headlight is halogen-lit and the tail light is LED lit in the Street Glide.
The size
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide is slightly smaller and measures 95.7 inches long, whereas the Harley-Davidson Street Glide is 96.5 inches long. The bigger difference is actually in its weight. The Harley-Davidson Street Glide is 796 pounds, whereas the Road Glide is 820 pounds.
The fairing setup
The fairing will help boost the riding experience. It’ll help block out the kicked-up debris, any bugs, or other nuisances on the road. It will also help block the wind, which will further improve rider endurance. Both the Harley-Davidson bikes come with a fairing, even though they have different styles.
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide uses a frame-mounted fairing, which doesn’t move around with the handlebars. It’ll result in better wind protection and improved rider endurance. The Harley-Davidson Street Glide, in contrast, makes use of a fork-mounted batwing fairing. This type of fairing is much more common among Harley-Davidson bikes.
The height of the seat
The Seat Height of the Harley-Davidson Road Glide is 25.9 inches. Meanwhile, the seat height of the Harley-Davidson Street Glide is 26.1 inches. The Road Glide has a lot more space between the seat and the handlebars, which will make it a lot more comfortable for taller riders.
Different color options
Both touring bikes come in Billard Red and Vivid Black color options. The Harley-Davidson Street Glide will also come in the River Rock Gray option.
Price
There’s a small price difference between the two Harley-Davidson bikes. The Harley-Davidson Road Glide has a starting price of $21,699 while the Harley-Davidson Street Glide starts at $21,999.
Which option is better for a beginner?
Both Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide are fairly reliable motorcycles. As a beginner, you’ll have to ride the bike to choose which option suits your preference and riding style. From the steering, you should head back on both bikes, everything will be the same. The fairing in the two bikes is different. The Road Glide features a frame-mounted fairing, while the Street Glide has a fork-mounted fairing. From a styling perspective, both the bikes look different but also handle very differently.
Due to the differences in the fairing, the wind protection will vary, and the rider triangle will be different. Harley-Davidson recommends that you should get some miles under your belt on both bikes to understand which one suits you better.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading. Hopefully, now you know a lot more about the Road Glide, the Street Glide, what is the difference between a Road Glide and a Street Glide, which bike would be ideal for beginners, and more. The Road Glide and Street Glide bikes are tremendous bikes, as both bikes feature many fantastic pieces of technology. If you’re fine with a lower MSRP for a motorcycle closer to the ground or a bike that’s easier to mount/dismount, the Road Glide would be a superior choice. If these aren’t the most important features, you’ll be better off choosing a Street Glide.
