Before we get to the rumors surrounding Harley-Davidson's "best kept secret" the FLTR or more commonly called the Road Glide let's look at its' long history.The FLT Tour Glide was introduced in 1979. Sold alongside the existing FLH Electra Glide, the FLT had a larger frame with rubber engine mounts, and a five-speed transmission. The FLHT was introduced in 1983. This was an Electra Glide based on the FLT Tour Glide frame, but using the Electra Glide "batwing" fairing instead of the Tour Glide frame-mounted fairing. The FLT Tour Glide, which introduced the current Touring frame, was dropped from the lineup in 1996. The frame-mounted Tour fairing would return with the FLTR Road Glide in 1998. The FLT Tour Glide was later offered as an Ultra Classic version, similar to the Electra Glide Ultra Classic except for one noticeably unique difference, instead of the "batwing" fairing, the Tour Glide since 1979 had a frame mounted fairing known as the "sharknose". The FLT Tour Glide Ultra weighed in at a bit over 806 pounds, sported a 1337 cc (81.58 cubic inch) v-twin and 64 horse power (based on the 1992 specs.).
The 2008 FLTR (Road Glide) weighs in at 752 pounds, a new 6-gallon gas tank, 6-speed transmission, available Brembo ABS brakes, 96 cubic inch (1573.2 cc) v-twin and 92.6 foot pounds of torque. The Electra Glide Ultra Classic weighs in at 814 pounds, Classic at 791 and Street Glide at 749 of the same year.Many have said they don't care for the look of the sharknose fairing and many more HD enthusiasts own the batwing version because, well as I see it, they are afraid of being "different". Owners of Road Glides or Tour Glides for that matter have known for a very long time how much more stability a fixed mounted fairing offers them at highway speeds and cross winds, not to mention less rider fatigue and ease of turning. Road or Tour Glide owners beg to be different, they refuse to conform to the greater population of Touring Riders. Having said all this, one of the rumors coming out of many HD Forums includes the discontinuation of the Road Glide model! How dare HD dropping their best riding touring motorcycle. Just look at the 2009 Screamin' Eagle Road Glide, at $30,999 which will see a production of 3000 bikes. Arguably the boldest-looking of the 2009 CVOs, the Road Glide contradicts typical bagger stereotypes with its short windshield, saddlebag extenders and rakish profile. The CVO Road Glide's massive frame-mounted fairing is color-matched front and back, and houses spun aluminum faces and a two-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo system. The Glide features Harley's new touring chassis, which is now robotically welded, and has a new motor mount system for smoother idling. A revised touring exhaust is also designed to offer more passenger space, and less heat.
Don't fret, I hear rumblings of HD reintroducing the Tour Glide line and an Ultra Classic version! Well hell, it's about time! Why this hasn't been done ever since reinventing the Tour Glide as a Road Glide I will never know. The other bit of news I've heard is that the 2010 Tour Glide might be HD first ever liquid-cooled touring bike! You would think sooner or later with all the success of the V-Rod it was just a matter of time! You can try until you are blue in the face, no one at HD or its' many dealerships will let any clues out except maybe that the Road Glide will no longer be offered in it's "present form", whatever the hell that means! There is talk of closing the York, PA plant that assembles the Road Glide. Then I read in another article they were simply down sizing the work force.What we know for sure is................................................nothing! As always we will need to wait until the 2010 line is introduced before rumors can be substantiated or put to rest. Until this time comes, keep the rumors coming, it's like reading "Letters to the Editor" in the Watertown Daily Times or stopping by the local supermarket and reading the many headlines on the tabloid magazines as you wait for the jerk with a shopping cart full of stuff in the "10 items or less line"! In the meantime enjoy this burnout on a Road Glide from You Tube
