I'm up at the front of a gaggle of big American V-twin baggers riding in formation, en route to Daytona Beach. A gorgeous Bald Eagle soars over our group, as if George Washington himself were blessing our ride. A man in an old Corvette throws us a thumbs-up. Here we are on the eve of America's 250th birthday, and I've never felt more American.
Let's get the big uncomfortable bit out of the way: I'm sitting on an as-equipped $37,000 motorcycle. From my perspective here in the saddle, it's not too expensive, it's just unaffordable for all but the wealthiest. It isn't Harley-Davidson's fault that we're in the throes of a recession. The bar and shield brand has continually upped the tech, the quality of materials, and the fit and finish of its bikes to keep pace with increasing costs. This bike is worth every dollar they're asking for it, you just can't afford it.
People will argue that Millennials don't want to ride the kinds of bikes that Harley builds, but that's a stupid argument. This bike kicks so much butt, you'd be silly to not want to ride it. You're just making excuses because you can't afford it. As recently as twenty years ago it was significantly easier to finance your way into cranking your own Hog, and your cost of living was so much lower, you could actually afford those monthly payments on something purely for fun.
The Road Glide Limited is the ultimate in Baggerism. If you want a long-legged long-haul kind of bike, and you don't want one of them foreign deals, you're probably getting one of these. It's the kind of bike that hundreds of thousands of middle-aged middle-class American dads rode when interest rates were low and housing wasn't a third of your take-home pay. As our economic tides have gone out, Harley's sales have slowed right alongside.
There isn't a better feeling in the world than a big American V-twin between your legs and miles of open road ahead. All of my cares in the world melt away within the first five miles. I turn up some old punk rock, put my phone in do not disturb, and crank the miles. These are the moments when the modern world can't get its claws dug in to my flesh. There's no algorithm, no AI slop, no e-mails, no vertical video, no politics, no influencers; just me, a motorcycle and my five senses against the world.
I have found the Street Glide and Road Glide to ride very similarly, so it's really your preference as to which suits your aesthetic better. Personally, I prefer the fixed fairing of the Road Glide Limited to the "batwing" fork-mounted fairing of the Street Glide Limited.
Our route is a simple and easy one, heading down the inland two-lane blacktop roads. On the first day we made
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The $37,000 Harley Road Glide Limited represents how economic inequality has priced out middle-class riders.
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Rising costs have made recreational purchases like motorcycles unaffordable for most Americans today.
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Twenty years ago, lower interest rates and housing costs made financing luxury bikes much more feasible.