VIDEO-In this video Lurch and I ride to the Rattlesnake Mountain Harley-Davidson dealership at 3305 W 19th Ave, Kennewick, WA 99338. Lurch has a plan to trade in his 2008 Harley Street Glide for a 2015 Harley Road Glide Special. Although I have always personally liked the look of the batwing style fairing on the Street Glide models, Harley has re-designed the shark nose fairing on the 2015 Road Glide models and I like the new look much better.
Lurch and his 2015 Road Glide
Lurch is 6 foot 6 inches tall, so because of the fixed fairing (does not turn with the handlebars) we will be able to install 13″ ape handlebars and push them forward farther. This will give Lurch a more stretched out and comfortable riding position. The bars can not be pushed as far forward on the Street Glide, because of the different fairing that turns with the bars.
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VIDEO & BLOG-In this video I had some time with a 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide in what Harley is calling “mysterious red sunglo” & it is beautiful! Harley took 2014 off on producing the Road Glide, so I was excited to check this bike out! I shot some awesome video and photographed the bike.
There is also the Road Glide Special for 2015, which is essentially the same bike, but comes with some extra goodies. The special comes standard with the upgraded larger 6.5 inch touch screen version of the new “Boom!™ Box” infotainment/GPS system, a security system, and Premium low hand-adjustable rear suspension, which I like much better from experience in riding with both. Here is a free video & information I released on how to properly adjust the low hand adjustable rear suspension. The special also comes with a finished off shiny black painted inner dash instead of the matte black finish on the standard model. Note that the larger 6.5-inch touch-screen Boom!™ Box/GPS system is an option on the standard model. Harley-Davidson touring models first came out with the Boom!™ Box system in 2014 as part of Project Rushmore.
Now, although the Boom!™ Box Infotainment System is pretty awesome, it does come with a fairly steep learning curve that has frustrated many Harley owners until now. In fact, most owners of the Boom!™ Box system have no idea about the hidden menus, bugs, issues, necessary software updates, mapping integration, nor the system's full overall capabilities. With my #1 viewed Harley-Davidson Boom!™ Box Infotainment System instructional videos I straighten that learning curve out for motorcyclists/bikers and relieve the stress. These videos have received rave reviews from the motorcycle/biker community and for that I thank you!
Check out the #1 Viewed Harley-Davidson Boom!™ Box Instructional Videos Here!
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The feature that most distinguishes the Road Glide from the other touring models is its fixed frame-mount “shark-nose” fairing and dual front headlights. The handlebars move inside the fairing, which stays put. On other touring models, such as the Street Glide, the handlebars move with the fairing and it is often called the “batwing” fairing. First seen on the 2014 touring models, the Road Glide now sports the upper fairing vent with a manual switch to shut it off in inclement weather. This vent is to minimize head buffeting by putting a curtain of air (wall) in front of you, forcing the oncoming air up and over your helmet while riding. My 2014 Street Glide special has this fairing vent and I have ridden a ton. My estimation is that it reduces head buffeting by 20-30 percent, so it is well worth it.
In addition to the main upper vent are two vents to each side of the headlights, which are “Dual Reflector Daymaker LED” headlights. Harley says these headlights have significantly more spread and greater punch than standard headlights. Harley-Davidson is calling this new three-way air venting system the “triple splitstream vent”. Because the fixed fairing sits way further forward from the rider than on other models, the two additional lower vents are designed to lift the airflow per Harley-Davidson. The dramatic reduction in head buffeting has not only improved rider comfort, but also the listening quality of the Boom!™ Box sound system.
A new handlebar bend reduces rider reach by 5.5 inches, which improves long-range comfort. Revised hand controls (just like 2014 models) have improved ergonomics, and a pair of thumb joysticks helps control the Boom!™ Box Infotainment and navigation. The standard comes with air-adjustable twin rear shocks. Here is a free video & information I released on how to adjust these air type shocks.
With the Rushmore Project Harley put the new hard injection-molded saddlebags, which are the same convenient easy-open units found on Harley’s other touring models.
The 2015 Road Glide standard comes with optional Reflex Linked Brakes with ABS, which I highly recommend for all riders. Of course they are anti-lock brakes, but much more. The integrated system senses too much front or rear brake applied by a rider and evens it out for you automatically, which is critical for emergency braking situations. I have tested this new braking system out intensely in all kinds of weather and road conditions and let me tell you that this bike stops fast and it is very controlled! With all the close calls us motorcyclists/bikers have to deal with, these brakes are well worth it. The iterated brakes don't react in until a bit higher speeds. So, for those of us that perform low-speed skills course drills, we won't have to worry about using that back brake and having it activate suddenly!
Road Glide Specifications:
- PRICE $20,899/$23,199
- ENGINE TYPE Air-cooled ohv V-twin, 103 cubic inches
- BORE & STROKE 98.4mm x 111.1mm
- COMPRESSION RATIO 9.7:1
- VALVE TRAIN Pushrod; two valves per cylinder
- INDUCTION Electronic Sequential Port
- TRANSMISSION Six-speed
- FINAL DRIVE Belt
- FRONT SUSPENSION 49mm fork; 4.6 in. travel
- REAR SUSPENSION Air-adjustable shocks, 2.1 in. travel
- FRONT BRAKE Dual 300mm floating discs, four-piston fixed calipers
- REAR BRAKE 300mm disc, four-piston fixed caliper
- FRONT TIRE Dunlop D408F 130/60B-19 bias ply
- REAR TIRE Dunlop D407T 180/65B-16 bias ply
- WHEELBASE 64.0 in.
- RAKE 26º
- TRAIL 6.8 in.
- SEAT HEIGHT (UNLADEN) 27.2 in.
- FUEL CAPACITY 6.0 gal.
- EPA FUEL ECONOMY 42 mpg
- COLORS Vivid Black, Amber Whiskey, Mysterious Red Sunglo, Black Denim and Superior Blue
- DRY WEIGHT 812 lb.
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