Street Glide special

Story by Dustin A. Woods// Photos by Dustin A. Woods
May 1 2014
2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide

A host of small changes culminate in a big improvement

“You can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all of the time.” Abraham Lincoln clearly wasn’t speaking about motorcycles, but his famous quote does reflect the position Harley-Davidson was in during the development of their next generation of touring bikes. Few companies in the world have customers as loyal as the Milwaukee bike builder, but great power brings great responsibility, and deviating from their distinct heritage with radical changes could have the potential to alienate that faithful following.

Named Project Rushmore, the full line-up of 2014 touring bikes has received significant refinements, contributing to the largest-scale new model launch in the company’s 110-year history. At first glance, the casual riding enthusiast may not even detect that anything has changed from last year, but the 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide is a drastically different motorcycle than its predecessor – in a good way. Collectively, each bike received more than 100 updates, some more significant than others, such as the new high-output version of the Twin Cam 103 powerplant, which the Street Glide Special received. All models benefit from a new airbox that increases intake airflow, and a new cam that optimizes phase and duration, resulting in better low-end torque and improved passing in the top gears.

Encapsulating over 2400 new part numbers over eight models, customers, employees and dealers were sourced for input on updates to infotainment, aerodynamics and ergonomics. “Project Rushmore has been touched by thousands of people, most of them our customers and our employees,” said Scott Habegger, Harley-Davidson Director of Motorcycle Planning.

2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide It is no surprise to anyone that previous models, growing long in the tooth had some shortcomings. Owners have lamented for years how engines would overheat in stop-and-go traffic, while saddlebags were cumbersome and frustrating to use. Competitors were also quickly eclipsing the bar and shield with touring bikes that boasted improved fit and finish, increased efficiency, better ergonomics and updated technology. These issues and others have all been addressed, while thankfully they’ve managed to stay true to the purity of the brand – no simple feat.

So why Rushmore? Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company Mark-Hans Richer explained how the name was derived. “Rush is a dynamic word used to describe an emotional state; more, well, we’ve added a lot more, and Mount Rushmore is a dream ride for a lot of riders.”

I first witnessed the changes to the 2014 Rushmore line-up at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee during the 110th birthday celebrations. Marine First Sergeant Timothy La Sage was given the enviable task of unveiling a 2014 Street Glide to thousands of onlookers as the countdown clock approached the zero hour. Delivering what has become known as the “Freedom Jacket,” he donned the iconic black leather riding attire, worn by numerous riders around the globe for the last year, to celebrate the 110-year milestone.

Harley-Davidson Street Glide dashboardI then had the opportunity to experience the Street Glide Special firsthand for a few days in late October, when the leaves had started to turn colour and the mercury dipped into the single digits. Outfitted in Vivid Black, the Special rings in at the register for $27,529, but if you opt for a splash of colour, like the Amber Whiskey livery of my tester, the balance owing to your friendly neighbourhood Harley dealer will be $28,149 plus applicable taxes and freight.

Styling updates are more evolutionary than revolutionary, but are complimented by dual halogen headlamps, Enforcer cast-aluminum wheels, a low-profile front fender, and restyled Tour-Pak saddlebags with a one-touch latch – long overdue and shockingly easy to use. Most of the changes won’t immediately jump out at you, but instead will slowly make themselves known the more time you spend getting familiar. It was easy to adapt to the new hand controls, because while they may be different, they are also intuitive.

Firing up the new Twin Cam 103 awoke a familiar-sounding beast as it settled into its trademark idle, albeit with less rattling and commotion. Engagement of the hydraulic clutch is smooth, concise and consistent, but does give your left hand a workout in slow, city traffic conditions. Thankfully, I wasn’t confronted with a situation where the capabilities of the Reflex linked brakes with ABS were truly tested, but the system did feel less obtrusive than other linked systems I have experienced. Splitting my time between highway and city riding, the chassis felt more stable and braking more predictable due to stiffer springs and dual Brembo four-piston calipers up front.

The infotainment system features the first OEM voice recognition and touchscreen capabilities in motorcycling, integrating music, GPS navigation and various forms of communication. I normally only listen to music at low speeds or on excessively long trips, but on my inaugural excursion aboard the Street Glide Special, I had to experience the new Boom! Box infotainment system, which can easily be paired to your MP3 player or phone.

Not only was the quality of the sound far better than its predecessor, but thanks to the improved aerodynamics of the legendary Batwing fairing with splitstream vent, I could actually hear the music at highway speeds set on normal volume. Wind buffeting is said to be reduced by 20 percent, but results will vary from rider to rider based on where your helmet is situated. My biggest gripe regarding the previous model was that the modulation would consistently give me a headache on long rides, but I definitely noticed an improvement with 2014. It is a relatively small change that makes a world of difference.

The new infotainment system also incorporates Bluetooth connectivity, text-to-speech technology and intercom communication in one module. Combined with 10 percent larger gauges featuring new graphics, the cockpit is cleaner and will be less cluttered with aftermarket GPS units, phones and communication devices. Menus may take a while to get used to, but once you learn your own preferences, you’re off to the races. While the screen does feature touchscreen technology that was helpful when stopped, I preferred to use the handlebar-mounted joysticks while in motion, so I could keep my hands on the grips and attention on the road.

Part of the crowd-sourcing and research process involved actual Harley-Davidson employees riding two-up with each other to get an appreciation for how the other half lives. Word has it that there was a camera ban on said events, but I’m sure many would pay good money to see such hilarity in action. The result however, is more comfortable accommodations for both rider and passenger, which became evident on my longer rides.

The Street Glide is consistently Harley’s best-selling model, and the “Special” designation throws in several additional features, like a gloss-black inner fairing, colour-matched fairing skirt, adjustable low rear shocks and standard ABS. The result is a tight, comfortable and intuitive touring bike that has evolved into a more thought-out and sophisticated entity without losing the essence of what riders love. It pulls harder, stops faster and is an all-round easier bike to live with. The Street Glide Special isn’t for everyone, but I can’t imagine any Harley fans not being on board with the long list of improvements for 2014.

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