SCOOP: 2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Spied

Harley-Davidson’s 2014 model-range was comprehensively overhauled, as part of the company’s “Project Rushmore,” which endowed many of their bikes with upgraded engines, suspension, brakes and infotainment. When the 2014 bikes were revealed, the shark-nosed Road Glide – previously a popular model – was a glaring omission from the line-up.

According to a memo sent out to Harley-Davidson dealers, the Road Glide was taking a hiatus for 2014 as The Motor Company replaces the fairing tooling. But fear not as an overhauled Road Glide is heading back into the lineup – as we can see in these photos – and it will share many of the Project Rushmore technical updates given to its siblings 12 months ago.

Powered by the firm’s air-cooled, 103cu-in High Output Twin Cam 103 engine rather than the partially-water-cooled “Twin-Cooled” motor used in some of the other Rushmore models, the Road Glide should deliver numbers almost identical to the Street Glide Special we tested late last year: 77 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 92 ft-lb of torque at 3800 rpm.

Compared to the old, 2013-model Road Glide, the new version has upgraded brakes with ABS and the firm’s ‘Reflex’ linked braking system to connect the front and rear, an improved fork, and a 19-inch front wheel instead of an 18-incher.

But it’s the new nose that’s the main talking point. While carrying over the classic shark-nose shape, its twin headlights are now LED units behind a single Plexiglas front cover, with air intakes on either side. It’s likely that these intakes, as well as the new slot beneath the low-cut screen, are part of a pressure-equalizing system similar to the one that debuted on the 2014 Street Glide. This opens or closes the screen duct at the touch of a button to alter the airflow behind the fairing, reducing buffeting at speed.