Difference between electra glide and road glide

Harley-Davidson motorcycles are available in a variety of styles to suit each rider’s needs and preferences. The Road King, Street Glide, and Electra Glide are all part of Harley’s “touring” line of bikes. These motorcycles are designed for superior comfort and handling during longer rides. If you’re ready to buy or lease a Harley in Delmarva, you may be wondering about the major differences between each motorcycle line. Keep reading to learn a little more about the Road King, the Street Glide, and the Electra Glide to get a better feel for each of these bikes and which might be right for you.

Electra Glide

The Electra Glide is one of Harley-Davidson’s best-selling touring bike models. At 102.4” long and an unladen seat height of 29.1”, the Electra Glide is larger and higher than both the Road King and the Street Glide. It is also the heaviest of the three bikes, weighing in at approximately 879lbs in running order. The Electra Glide features greater luggage capacity than the other two bikes as well, with nearly five cubic feet of storage space and four audio speakers. This motorcycle’s forked “batwing” fairing is one of its most recognizable features. The Electra Glide often gets superior marks in terms of comfort—in fact, many enthusiasts call it Harley-Davidson’s most comfortable motorcycle.

Road King

Harley-Davidson’s Road King comes in at 96.5” long and features an unladen seat height of 28.2”. This traditionally-styled bike comes standard with a windshield but little in the way of fairing, making it a sleeker motorcycle with a lower, more classic profile preferred by many. In terms of weight, the Road King falls between the Electra Glide and the Street Glide at 814lbs when in running order; it features the same cubic luggage capacity as the Street Glide of 2.3 cubic feet. The Road King is not available with an audio system; however, this streamlined, classic bike holds great appeal for many experienced and long-distance riders. The standard Road King model is loved by drivers and passengers alike for comfort even on poor-quality roads.

Street Glide

The Street Glide model is a step up from the basic Road King, similar in size and style but with a few added features. Both the Road King and Street Glide are 96.5” long, but the Street Glide features a slightly lower chassis and an unladen seat height of 27.4”; it is also slightly lighter than the Road King at 810lbs when in running order. Many newer riders enjoy the Street Glide’s smooth maneuverability, as well as its standard fairing to block the wind for greater comfort at high speeds. Like the Electra Glide, the Street Glide comes standard with an audio system, but features two speakers, rather than the Electra Glide’s four. The Street Glide and the Road King both offer similar luggage storage capacities of 2.3 cubic feet.

Are you ready to live your dream of riding a Harley in New England? We can help you choose and customize the right Harley-Davidson motorcycle for every rider; our dealerships in Annapolis, Delmarva, Durham, New Castle, Smyrna, Plains Township, and Scranton offer onsite and online shopping so you have all the information you need to make the right choice. You can check out our Harley showroom online, where we feature a variety of bikes and accessories so you can browse our customized new and used Harleys, or read through our blog for more tips on purchase, customization, and maintenance for your bike.

If you want help picking or want to shop Road Glide and Street Glide motorcycles for sale, visit Hideout Harley-Davidson. Our dealership is located in Joplin, Missouri, and we also serve those in Springfield as well as Rogers, Arkansas.

What Both Motorcycles Offer

There are some features offered on both touring motorcycles:

• A 45 mpg fuel economy and 6 gallon fuel capacity
• The Milwaukee-Eight® 107 V-Twin engine
• 2.3 cubic feet luggage capacity
• A passenger seat
• An upright riding position with floorboard foot controls
• An infotainment system

How the Motorcycles Differ

The Price

There is a small price difference between the H-D motorcycles. The Road Glide starts at $21,699 and the Street Glide starts at $21,999.

The Size

The Road Glide is a bit smaller and measures 95.7 inches long. The Street Glide is 96.5 inches long.

The bigger difference is in their weight. The Street Glide is 796 pounds while the Road Glide is 820 pounds.

The Fairing Setup

The fairing helps boost the riding experience. It helps block out kicked-up debris, bugs, and other nuisances on the road. It also helps block wind, which helps improve rider endurance. Both Harley motorcycles come with a fairing, but they have different styles.

The Road Glide uses a frame mounted fairing, which does not move with the handlebars. This results in better wind protection and improved rider endurance. The Street Glide, in contrast, uses a fork mounted batwing fairing. This fairing type is more common among Harley motorcycles.

The Seat Height

The seat height of the Road Glide is 25.9 inches. The seat height of the Street Glide is 26.1 inches. The Road Glide has more space between the handlebars and the seat, which makes it more comfortable for taller riders.

The Color Options

Both touring motorcycles can come in Vivid Black or Billiard Red. The Road Glide also comes in Gauntlet Gray Metallic. The Street Glide also comes in River Rock Gray.

Choosing a Motorcycle

Both H-D motorcycles offer an exceptional riding experience. 

A quick summary of the two motorcycle's strengths:

• The Street Glide offers better agility due to the lighter weight. 
• The Road Glide offers better rider comfort due to the fairing design and seat height.

Ready to shop Road Glide and Street Glide motorcycles for sale? The experts at Hideout Harley-Davidson can help you pick the perfect match for your budget and lifestyle. Reach out today or stop by our dealership in Joplin, Missouri. We also proudly serve those in Springfield, Missouri, and Rogers, Arkansas.

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