| April 8, 2022
Thinking about bagging your first performance Bagger? Harley’s Road Glide ST might by the place to start.
By Abhi Eswarappa | Photography by Kevin Wing
It’s been over two decades since Harley-Davidson had a factory road-racing effort (remember the VR1000?), and even longer since they’ve won a championship, but that Rip van Winkle-sized nap is now over thanks to Kyle Wyman’s performance in MotoAmerica’s 2021 King of the Baggers series. That bike started as a Road Glide and was heavily customized (a very modest understatement), but Harley-Davidson is taking inspiration from that to create a new-trim level called the “ST” for the 2022 Road Glide.
Harley has historically classified the Glide as a “Grand American Tourer,” but Paul James (Harley-Davidson’s PR Manager) told us that ST stands for “Sport Touring” as the Motor Company is looking to provide a platform for “riders that are leaning into the performance side of the equation on touring motorcycles.” And in one specific way, it’s a bargain: the ST gets the 117ci motor which was previously only available on the $50k CVO. MSRP for the ST models is nearly half that at $29,999, and the $7750 premium over the base bikes gives you several upgrades from the Screamin’ Eagle catalog.
Harley wants Road Glide to be the starting point for customers who want to build a performance bagger.
The big one (figuratively and literally) is the Milwaukee-Eight 117 ci V-Twin, which is capable of 106 horsepower at 4750 rpm and 127 lb-ft of torque at 3750 rpm thanks to an upgraded camshaft, intake and exhaust—that’s 6.7% more torque than the 114 ci powerplant in the Road Glide Special. You can feel the extra oomph (and nothing feels quite like a V-Twin), but with a claimed curb weight of 842 pounds you won’t exactly feel like Kyle roaring down the straight at Daytona.
More noticeable is the suspension, which has been upgraded with taller shocks that are preload adjustable. The base bikes have 2.1 inches of travel, while the ST increases that number to 3.0 inches. It may not be a huge change on paper, however there is a noticeable increase in lean angle before the floorboards start scraping. If you’re looking for even more, there’s an optional set of Screamin’ Eagle shocks designed by Öhlins which are surprisingly close to the same pieces found on Wyman’s racer. They are 13-inches tall and provide the longest travel Harley has ever offered, plus they look quite trick with remote reservoirs peeking out between the rear fender and the saddlebags.
The Road Glide ST, as in “Sport Touring,” rides just like the base Road Glide with a little more oomph and cornering clearance.
That highlights my main issue with the ST: Harley wants it to be the starting point for customers who want to build a performance bagger, but there’s not enough differentiation to justify the creation of a new model. There are several minor cosmetic tweaks, such as a shorter front fender, shallower saddlebags, blacked out drivetrain, and passenger seat/peg delete, but the Road Glide ST rides just like the base Road Glide with a little more oomph and cornering clearance, and I’m not convinced that’s worth another $7750.
Brad Richards is Harley’s VP of Design, and he told Cycle News something I loved hearing: “We create a motorcycle and give it to our customers. They take it apart, cut things off, weld things on, and come up with a new aesthetic. We see what they create, and it inspires us in the design studio. I call it a conversation, and the language is the motorcycle.”
There is plenty to soak in when it comes to the Road Glide’s cockpit.
But the ST makes me feel like Harley needs to listen more—the idea of a “performance bagger” may not make sense to all motorcyclists, but my experience as a motorcyclist in Southern California suggests that H-D is coming up short. The Harley enthusiasts pushing this genre forward locally are jacking up bikes by three-plus inches for cornering clearance and slapping on stereotypical sportbike components like Öhlins suspension, Brembo master cylinders/calipers, and 17-inch wheels for stickier rubber.
Pricing for the Road Glide ST starts at $29,999 for the Vivid Black models. Gunship Gray is available for another $575, and there’s an optional $999 Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements package powered by a six-axis IMU—it features cornering ABS, cornering traction control, linked brakes, drag torque slip control, hill hold and tire pressure monitors.
Pricing for the Road Glide ST starts at $29,999.
If a $30K Harley performance bagger with a warranty is what you want, then I’d consider getting a base Road Glide, ordering the 131 ci crate engine (roughly $6250) and Öhlins suspension (roughly $1400) and going from there. I love that Harley’s thinking about offering a performance option, I just wish they went further with the changes.
Road Glide ST (foreground) and Street Glide ST (background).
2022 Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST
The Road Glide isn’t the only bike that Harley’s bestowing the “ST” trim upon—the Street Glide and Low Rider also get to enjoy the lineup expansion. Our test on the Low Rider will come soon, but Harley gave us some time on the Street Glide ST as well.
Harley gives you another option with the Street Glide ST.
The main difference between the Road Glide and the Street Glide is in the fairing—the former has a fork-mounted fairing while the latter has a frame-mounted fairing. This leads to slight differences in the placement of the gauges, mirrors, and Boom! Box infotainment system, but the choice between the two models is primarily an aesthetic one, as some riders prefer the “Batwing” fairing of the Street Glide while others prefer the “Shark Nose” of the Road Glide.
The choice between the Street Glide ST (left) and the Road Glide ST (right) is primarily an aesthetic one, as some riders prefer the “Batwing” fairing of the Street Glide while others prefer the “Shark Nose” of the Road Glide.
The core riding experience is just about identical between the two bikes, though the Road Glide offers better wind protection at highway speeds. Despite that, I prefer the Street Glide as it feels more compact from the cockpit, and it weighs 28 pounds less. Either way, you’ll have yourself a classic slice of Americana—and in ST guise, you’ll get some extra power and suspension clearance in the process. CN
