The 2020 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard is the latest edition to the Harley-Davidson touring family. What is Electra Glide Standard? Electra Glide Standard is the basic model where many extras are not available thus making it much cheaper than the other touring bikes from the Harley Davidson stable.
Electra Glide Standard also offers its customers to upgrade the machine with a long list of accessories designed especially for Electra Glide Standard. Thus, making the bike not “Standard” anymore.
For a start this is a single seater priced at RM132,400It has been designed with a solo touring seat. The saddle is firm and wide. I can assure you no rear end sore on this machine regardless how far you ride.
When I did few hundred kilometres on this two wheel, my rear end was happy with zero complaints. This American machine does not come with any stereo or fancy TFT screen.
However, the folks at Harley-Davidson (HD) has prepared a space for the stereo if the owner decides to fix one later.
The dedicated open space for the stereo can be used as glove compartment or even a place to place your small box drink. I wished the HD folks could have fixed a flap to close the open space making it look neater.
The Electra Glide comes with the iconic Batwing which is synonymous with Harley-Davidson. The Batwing besides making the bike look irresistible, it delivers smooth air flow and eliminates the wind buffeting. This wide wind shield with decent height did a perfect job in reflecting the wind away from my body and head when I was clocking 140kph.
Electra Glide Standard comes only in black colour called as Vivid Black. In my opinion, this machine looks great in black. Don’t worry, there is enough chrome on the machine that will get any bystander excited. I can’t imagine any other colour that will give you that rugged look which defines Harley Davidson. But again, that is my opinion.
This 1,746cc machine comes with two side panniers that is big enough to pack for two pax for few days ride. The panniers (hard box) is a one touch design that allows quick open and close which is very useful when you are caught in a heavy rain trying to get your rain gears out.
This pannier is waterproof. On the highways this bike is at its best. The minute I passed the 100kph, the bike was so happy. The machine was beckoning me to squeeze the throttle. So, I did without any hesitation. Whoa! It was an awesome experience.
On the straight road and less technical corners this bike was effortless. The bike is so planted on the road, it feels like it is glued to the tarmac. This six-speed machine has all the power you need. Sweet!
The ergonomics are spot on. My reach to the handlebars and the upright sitting position is comfortable. Meanwhile there is abundance of legroom. All these details make long distance riding on this machine a pleasant experience.
Every time I upshift the gear and squeeze the handle, the power is delivered immediately without any lag. The foot gear is smooth but, not light on the foot. The first gear comes with a loud clunk sound (character of a Harley). Meanwhile the hydraulic hand clutch, needs a bit of getting used to.
Unlike other brand touring machines, HDs hand clutch is always hard. You need all the five fingers grabbing hard on to the clutch. I am still puzzled why the HD engineers prefer hard hand clutch compared to other motorcycle brands where the clutch is easy on the fingers.
The weight of this machine is 372kg and a wheelbase of 1,625mm. This is, not a light machine and not advisable for any novice to ride this especially if this is going to be the first bike. Even for the experienced, riding this machine for the first time in tight corners can pose a challenge.
I rode this bike few times in the morning and evening rush hour and I found this bike was manageable. The clutch was something I got used to it plus the low centre of gravity and the wide handlebar allowed me to manoeuvre through the traffic at ease.
The only thing that was a challenge in the traffic was the side panniers which I had to be mindful at all time, not to graze any cars. Meanwhile in the technical twisties and corners, this machine was planted and gave me all the confidence I needed to enter and exit any type of corners.
There was enough power and torque from the engine to move this machine effortlessly. However, in these corners I had to work harder to manage the bike as it was heavy. Flipping the bike was no easy task as I was taking wide and tight corners. It took me a good one hour to understand the dynamic of this machine.
From then onwards, it was natural. During a heavy down pour, I decided to do a sudden brake and the 320mm disc did a brilliant job in slowing down this machine while keeping me safe. No unwanted skids or uneventful event. The ABS did the job. Simply brilliant.
I encountered few potholes while doing above 100kph and the suspension absorbed the impact well. I felt very little of the impact. The suspensions were, not the best neither the worst, it was decent. The front suspension did a better job than the rear. I must state here there that the suspension setting was straight out from the factory.
The rear suspension comes with a pre-load adjuster and meanwhile the 49mm front forks comes with dual bending valve suspension.
In layman’s term, when both the front and rear suspension have been adjusted accordingly to my weight and the roads I intend to ride on; I am promised of a smooth and plush ride. I am hoping to experience this soon.
The big power plant on the Electra Glide is much more advanced and refined than before. The end results of this new engineering are improved performance with smoother, powerful and engaging machine.
SPECIFICATIONS
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard
Engine: 1,746cc, Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin
Maximum power: N/A
Maximum torque: 315Nm at 3,250rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Front suspension: Showa 49mm Dual Bending Valve fork, 11.7cm travel
Rear suspension: Spring-preload adjustable shock, 5.6cm travel
Front braking system: 320mm floating discs with 4-piston callipers, ABS
Rear braking system: 320mm fixed disc with 4-piston calliper, ABS
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres
Weight: 372kg
Price: RM132,400 (without insurance, road tax and number plate)
Keyword: What it's like to ride the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide