[motorcycle.com] - SCOOP: 2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Spied

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Harley-Davidson’s 2014 model-range was comprehensively overhauled, as part of the company’s “Project Rushmore,” which endowed many of their bikes with upgraded engines, suspension, brakes and infotainment. *When the 2014 bikes were revealed, the shark-nosed Road Glide – previously a popular model – was a glaring omission from the line-up.

According to a memo sent out to Harley-Davidson dealers, the Road Glide was taking a hiatus for 2014 as The Motor Company replaces the fairing tooling. But fear not as an overhauled Road Glide is heading back into the lineup – as we can see in these photos – and it will share many of the Project Rushmore technical updates given to its siblings 12 months ago.



Powered by the firm’s air-cooled, 103cu-in High Output Twin Cam 103 engine rather than the partially-water-cooled “Twin-Cooled” motor used in some of the other Rushmore models, the Road Glide should deliver numbers almost identical to the Street Glide Special we tested late last year: 77 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 92 ft-lb of torque at 3800 rpm.

Compared to the old, 2013-model Road Glide, the new version has upgraded brakes with ABS and the firm’s ‘Reflex’ linked braking system to connect the front and rear, an improved fork, and a 19-inch front wheel instead of an 18-incher.

But*it’s the new nose that’s the main talking point. While carrying over the classic shark-nose shape, its twin headlights are now LED units behind a single Plexiglas front cover, with air intakes on either side. It’s likely that these intakes, as well as the new slot beneath the low-cut screen, are part of a pressure-equalizing system similar to the one that debuted on the 2014 Street Glide. This opens or closes the screen duct at the touch of a button to alter the airflow behind the fairing, reducing buffeting at speed.



SCOOP: 2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Spied appeared first on Motorcycle.com.



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