Like I said earlier, I'm just getting bad vibes that we're going to see a lot of mimicked bikes with different gimmicks to Change the names. This could get boring after 20 or 30 more bikes .

 

If it rides and handles good, not sportbike, but maybe Sportster or flickable cruiser, I like the look. Just need to add a sissy bar/backrest for the wife. I've grown quite fond of riding my 93 FLHS, but when I hop on the 94 Shadow 1100, it's still a blast to toss around.

I'd rather have a slightly taller screen on the fairing and yes, I'd want the bags. I commute.

Then again I'm not one of those lifer HD guys that bleed orange and black and insist my bike resemble something from the 40s either with only slightly more advanced tech. My EVO is classic in it's own right and depending on who you talk to is one of the last real Harleys or the beginning of the end. You will never please em all. Especially with HD people. Each is pretty loyal to the model/type they ride and think is best. "Sportsters are girls bikes." " Tourers are old man road couches and not true Harley." Et all.

Part of the issue though is that a large number of the "It has to be this way." insisting market is getting old and getting off, or going trike. What has been Harley's core market has also been what has held it back in some ways while keeping it uniquely identifiable in others. Unfortunately the up and coming riders have different views and desires. Even if they want a Harley, they want it more suited to them. That future road is going to be a tricky one for MOCO. How do you keep that unique identity while bringing new and appealing bikes to your up and coming market?

Touring riders who insist on HD are still going to be pretty much the same market they have been. They just want all the goodies and gadgets you find on other top end tourers. It's the guys in lower to mid level type bikes, bikes that will see a lot more urban transportation and day trip recreational rides with various levels of luggage and shield requirements. Some want to run naked all the time. Some want to do naked around town then bag and shield up for day or weekend rides out of town. Looks like HD is just trying to fit that segment.

Just for the record, I'm 60 and not a millennial. I still like the look of the bike and on most bikes I use the front brake most of the time. On the HD barge, the back gets a strong dose more usage in conjunction with the front brake because it flat needs it.

IF the bike handles and rides well I could see the Sport Glide for just what they are calling it. An all arounder you can commute on, take of for weekend rides, and just in general get out and about with. My full tour pak FLHS spends more time commuting back and forth to work than it does cruising the backroads. I wish it were the other way around for the same amount of miles travelled in a week. The Sport Glide could fill the roles well IF up to par. If it handles sub par to a Shadow or V-Star, then it really sucks and WTF were they thinking.

 

I had a 1990 sport glide. Fabulous Motorcycle. Put 30,000 miles on it in two years. They are using the name but not the same concept. The faring on the old sport glide was designed by Bmw in the wind tunnel. This one is more for looks. What a cool idea nonetheless. Maybe when my 2016 fat boy is paid off I’ll look at it

 

isn't that what they've been doing for the last 30 years?

 

it isn't that bad.

 

Stalin reacts to Harley after release of Sport Glide.

 

Looks pretty good naked, tho I'd have to have spoked wheels. Looks like what I would want to do with a Breakout. That said "Sport Glide" is a complete misnomer.

 

Actually the fairing on the new Sport Glide was designed in a wind tunnel at a university.

 

I’ll share my view quickly, as I’m coming from a different place than most folks here. I’m 41, been riding for 12 years, and am just now planning on moving from my beloved Moto Guzzi to Harley next year (I want a torquier bike and Guzzi simply isn’t making a bike I want to ride any more). I do a little bit of everything, and so I’ve been wavering between the new Fat Bob (a modern bike that handles well), the Slim (love the traditional look), the Breakout (looks most badass) and the Heritage (most practical for weekend trips).

For me the Sport Glide ticks so many boxes it’s immediately jumped to the top of my list. It costs about the same as the Fat Bob, but to my eyes looks way better. It’s got the bags and the pillion seat that I need, and is far cheaper than the Breakout and the Heritage. It’s not perfect - I’m sceptical about the fairing, and I’d much rather have spoke wheels. But apart from that it’s right at the sweet spot for my needs and budget. I’d probably go for the Heritage if money was no object, but for 5K Euros less the Sport Glide is an obvious choice.

If Harley’s aim is to tempt younger riders (kind of hilarious to me that in this context I can be categorised as ‘younger’) to switch from other brands, I’m basically their target audience and right now it’s working, at least on me.

 

^^^ In a thread like this, where some of us are critical of a new model Harley, it's usually because we already own the Harley that we like. If YOU like the new one, no one here will fault you for buying it.