Calling all Harley-Davidson enthusiasts and motorcycle lovers! Get ready to rev your engines because the highly anticipated Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) is here to make waves in the world of two-wheeled glory. As one of the iconic models in the Harley-Davidson lineup, the Road Glide Special holds a special place in the hearts of riders everywhere. In this article, we will delve into the design, performance, comfort, features, ride experience, maintenance, and more of this magnificent machine. Buckle up, dear readers, as we take you on a thrilling ride through the captivating world of the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or a curious newcomer, this article will leave you yearning to hit the open road with this incredible motorcycle.
Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) – A special Road Glide for a special time
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) is a special bike that delivers a special ride at your command. Whether you are throttling the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine to full scream on the interstate, enjoying the colors on a bright autumn day with added protection from the sharknose fairing, or embarking on road trips with your biker gang, the bike will give you the power and confidence. Aside from having powerful throttle and advanced braking systems, the bike is designed to keep good times rolling. Its new two-tone paint options including Vivid Black/Industrial Yellow with blacked-out finish and Billiard Gray/Billiard Blue with a blacked-out or chrome finish lends fresh appeal to this premium bike.
2023 marks a special milestone for Harley-Davidson as this year is the 120th anniversary of the brand. To mark the occasion, the company decided to release special editions of certain models, which included the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) too. In fact, only 1600 models of the Road Glide Special Anniversary models have been released. The excitement upon the launch was summed up by the words of Jochen Zeitz who was thrilled upon the launch of the Road Glide Special (2023).
“Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has pioneered American motorcycle design, technology, and performance, and today marks the beginning of a year-long celebration of Harley-Davidson’s 120th Anniversary”.
Jochen Zeitz
2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special Review
Harley-Davidson has updated its portfolio with the launch of the new Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023). This is a bagger-style cruiser bike that comes with a Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine, a six-gallon fuel tank, and a six-speed gearbox that delivers an output of 92.5 BHP at 5250 RPM and a peak torque of 160 Nm at 3,250 RPM. The bike’s electronic aids comprise cornering ABS, lean-sensitive electronic linked braking, a lean-sensitive traction control system, a tire pressure monitoring system, and hill-hold control.
If you are in the market for a new cruiser and you’re looking to buy a Road Glide Special, then you will want to learn more about this bike. In this in-depth review, you will get to learn the details about the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) and what it is all about.
Engine and performance
Powered by a rumbling Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) is built to help you enjoy everything that the open road has to offer. Its capable engine is mated to a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission and supplied by a six-gallon fuel tank.
The Road Glide Special takes the standard Road Glide and gives it an urban attitude. A snarling Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin motor replaces the standard’s 107, which is a big difference and you will feel it each time you twist the throttle. It is a muscular powerhouse with 160 Nm of torque on tap for this bike when the V-twin is spinning at 3250 RPM. The motor is definitely authoritative yet it has a smooth power delivery as you are hitting the 95 HP peak at 5020 RPM. The Grand American Touring chassis will allow the right amount of vibration to caress the rider.
The riding experience will be special as well, as the Road Glide Special (2023) is built with a frame-mounted sharknose fairing that has triple split stream vents that reduce the amount of wind hitting your helmet as you ride on the highway. Further adding to the premium ride quality, the high-performing suspension is customizable to your needs with hand-adjustable rear shocks.
| Model Name | Road Glide® Special |
| Year | 2023 |
| Engine Size | 1868 cc (114 ci) |
| Engine Type | Milwaukee-Eight™ 114 V Twin |
| Horsepower | Not provided |
| Torque | 160 Nm @ 3250 RPM |
| Dry Weight | 818 lbs (371 kg) |
| Wet Weight | 853 lbs (387 kg) |
| Length | 95.7 in (2430 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 64 in (1625 mm) |
| Ground Clearance | 5.1 in (129.5 mm) |
| Fuel Capacity | 6 gallons (22.7 liters) |
| Fuel Efficiency | 43 US MPG (5.5 L/100km) |
| Seat Height | 27.4 in (695 mm) |
| Price | MSRP: $27,999 |
| Cooling | Oil |
| Valve Configuration | OHV – Pushrod |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 |
| Starter | Electric |
| Fuel Type | Gas |
| Fuel Requirements | Premium |
| Fuel Injector | Yes |
| Transmission Type | Manual |
| Number Of Speeds | 6 |
| Primary Drive (Rear Wheel) | Belt |
| Front Suspension Type | Telescopic Fork |
| Rear Suspension Type | Twin Sided Swing Arm |
| Front Brake Type | Dual Hydraulic Disc |
| Rear Brake Type | Hydraulic Disc |
| Anti-Lock Brakes | Standard |
| Seat Type | One-Piece |
| Number Of Seats | 2 |
Performance
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) is a tremendous bike. This monster can gobble up highway miles without the slightest hints of indigestion. Despite the touring credentials, plenty of riders choose to stick to the city on their Road Glides. This is an imposing bike with the fixed fist-like shark-nose fairing, which doubles down as a carrier for the infotainment system. Moreover, the slammed bags come in handy for a trip with your biker gang.
While many people may be revulsed at the mere thought of spending hours riding, this bike will make it a treat as you will love driving it. On a Road Glide Special, you will be able to enjoy the vibe of the city or enjoy the highway. Moreover, the bike is so amazing that people will not be able to resist but look at you as you speed past them. This is definitely an attention-getter as all eyes will be on you.
If you are riding with a biker gang, even if your fellow bikers have Harley-Davidson bikes, they will definitely be impressed by the 120th Anniversary paint of the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023). Of course, the attention will be drawn just passing by. Once you see the paint up close and in person, it will be just that much more appealing and impressive. It might not quite be CVO quality but it is close enough for rock & roll and well worth the $2900 premium it costs.
If you are riding in an uncrowded section of the city, it will be fun to wind up the Milwaukee-Eight 114 and enjoy the sound and throttle it offers. The streets in the United States are often empty, especially at night, which is why you won’t have to look in the rear-view mirror that much or check the speedometer, you can simply ride until there are no roads left untravelled. Many folks might consider the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) to be too big of a bike for urban use. The presence of many sharks in the city water tend to dispute that, and so does riding the bike.
Although it is more than a half-tone in the comfortably firm saddle, the weight will be low, the power will help mask the mass, and the slip-and-assist clutch will mean that your left hand doesn’t get overly worked with traffic is LA-like. Meanwhile, gearshifts will be deliberate and reliable.
The robust touring chassis will offer reassuring stability on mixed-quality roads although you might have to be prepared to add muscle to the proceedings. Accelerating out of turns will be a lot more fun than using the linked Brembo calipers to slow down. While the brakes do have a lot of power and Dunlops offer plenty of grip, it is building up g-forces when aggressively decelerating, which will call for more than casual riding.
Technology
Premium technology will help keep you connected on the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023). Cruise control will make even the longest road trips much more manageable. You will be able to manage your navigation, communication, and entertainment with the Boom! Box GTS audio system with GPS as well as a 6.5-inch touchscreen above the dual performance gauges. You can rock on to the bands of your youth thanks to the two 5.25-inch speakers with FM/AM/weather band radio alongside USB port support for an SD card, flash drive, or MP3 player. Moreover, there is Bluetooth support for hands-free mobile phone usage and media playback.
Harley-Davidson slams the Special’s bags to give a profiling attitude. The wire-spoke-like Gloss Black Prodigy wheels on the Road Glide Special are much more stylish than the cast aluminum Enforcer II wheels that are present on the standard bike. You will be expected to ride the Road Glide Special where it gets seen and appreciated by everyone around. Moreover, the bike’s Boom! Box GTS Infotainment system is a major step up from the Standard’s dash. Moreover, the standard Road Glide has a basic black, red, and paint options in comparison to the dazzling palate of colors available on the Road Glide Special, including the attention-grabbing 120th Anniversary colors of Heirloom Red Fade paint and Black Finish.
The UI of the Boom! Box Infotainment system is pretty good once you get the hang of it. The GPS feature will come in handy, even though you may have a strong grasp of the layout of the city you’re driving in. Against all odds, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special will turn out to be a real pleasure to ride through all urban neighborhoods.
Brakes
On the new Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023), you will be able to stop will utmost confidence. The motorcycle comes with standard Reflex linked Brembo brakes that provide excellent performance with standard independent anti-locking braking (ABS) on the front and rear wheels and they will help keep the wheels from locking up during braking situations.
The dual-rotor front and single-rotor disc brake system will offer great stopping power for the motorcycle and standard electronic lined braking will apply even brake force to both the front and rear wheels for helping keep your bike under control. You will be able to enhance the braking performance of your bike much further, especially around corners on steep inclines, thanks to the Reflex Defensive Rider System (RDRS).
Dimensions
You can take to the road in comfort with the new Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023). This Grand American Touring motorcycle weighs over 850 pounds in running order and it is built to deliver a comfortable, upright ride with floorboards. You should keep the gear secure with the 2.7 cubic feet of storage space inside the bike’s lockable, one-touch open stretched saddlebags.
Harley-Davidson has perfected the ergonomics for the Road Glide Special 2023. Its handlebar is wide enough to offer the needed leverage while retaining the natural width. Floorboards have a lot of room for foot positioning while the 114-emblazoned air filter cover is non-confrontational. Its seat offers great support for hours-long excursions without a stop while there is also a stepped seating area for the passenger. Meanwhile, the smoked windshield hits the perfect balance between protection and unobtrusiveness. There are also accessory windshields available for shorter or taller pilots.
Pricing
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) comes with a starting price of $27,999 and is available in different colors, two-tone combinations, and options that add to the overall price.
There is always a battle that rages between the Road Glide series and Street Glide series for the hearts and minds of Harley-Davidson riders. While many might want to go with the Street Glide but the Road Glide is not that far behind. While the Street Glide series is perfect for city riding, the Road Glide series will be unmatched on the highway. The Road Glide Special is truly special when driving in the wind and when you are bearing down on semis at a 140 MPH closing speed on a two-lane highway on a breezy day whereas the frame-mounted fairing also makes a lot of sense. Fortunately, it is a very easy decision whether or not to go for the Road Glide Special (2023).If you haven’t spent a lot of time in the city on a Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023), it may not make a lot of sense to you. However, for folks who understand its character, this bike is a great way of getting around town. The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special (2023) is a fantastic urban bike and the 120th Anniversary Heirloom Red Fade paint simply makes it that much better.