First ride: Harley-Davidson 2017 Touring Range

There are three versions of the MilwaukeeEight named after the Vtwinrsquos doubled number of valves The basic MilwaukeeEight 107 gets its larger 107cubic inch 1745cc capacity from a larger bore and an unchanged 1111mm stroke gaining a new oilcooling system around its cylinderheads at the same time The Ultra Classic uses a liquidcooled version featuring small radiators in the fairing lowers as it did with the Twin Cam 103 unit The exotic CVO models are powered by a larger MilwaukeeEight 114 engine whose dimensions of 102 x 1143 mm stretch the capacity to 1868 ccThe 114 cubicinch MilwaukeeEight churns out 168 Nm of twistAs in Project Rushmore the engine changes were made in response to the feedback received from existing HD riders who demanded not only more power and cooler running but also reduced vibration and widthThe 107 cubicinch engine produces 151 Nm of torque PicsHarley DavidsonThe MilwaukeeEight design delivered all that with the fourvalve layoutrsquos improved flow being most responsible for the extra performance There is roughly 10 per cent more torque for a good chunk of the revrange according to HD with a peak torque figure of 150 Nm at 3250 revolutions per minute against the Twin Cam unitrsquos 138 Nm The reduced vibration comes from a new balancer shaft located low down at the front and carefully designed to achieve the right compromise between increased comfort and retained characterAccording to Harley that meant 75 per cent less vibration at idle and the change was obvious as soon as we turned on the keyless ignition with the big chromed knob and fired up the engine That famous potatopotato exhaust sound was still audible on blipping the throttle However the MilwaukeeEight idles at a lower 8500 RPM from 1000 RPM thus contributing to its cooler runningA further claimed benefit is that fuel consumption is typically improved by seven per cent With no change to the 227litre tank capacity that should give a comparable boost to range with owners typically averaging 60 litres100 km or better was already over 300 kmAt 376 kg ready to roll the Glide is a heavy bike but its seat is low at just 685 mm and we found it well balanced and respectably manageableIt also handled very well helped by the new Showa suspension that is the other part of the 2017 Touring family update Up front all the models get new 49mm ldquoDual Bending Valverdquo forks with improved cartridgestyle damping The rear shocks have larger pistons and replace the old unitsrsquo air assistance with a hydraulic remote preload adjusterOverall this revamped Street Glide Special didnrsquot feel dramatically different from its predecessor but its improvements were certainly worthwhileThis more powerful smoother cooler running more refined bettersuspended machine is a carefully considered thoughtfully implemented response that should keep the Glide popular for a few more years yetRoad KingThe most resolutely traditional of Harleyrsquos Touring family is arguably the most versatile because along with its whitewall tyres and soft panniers the Road King has a screen that unclips in seconds to turn this 1950sstyle tourer into a naked cruiserFor riders willing to trade a little retro style for practicality the standard Road King is otherwise identical and slightly less expensiveRoad Glide SpecialTherersquos something unmistakably oldschool about the Road Glide Special recently restored to Harleyrsquos range complete with Mount Rushmore modifications and now updated with the oilcooled MilwaukeeEight 107 engine We found that despite Harleyrsquos triplevent system the Road Glidersquos low screen generated even more of the noisy audiodrowning turbulence that is a frequent bagger drawbackCVO Street GlideThe Custom Vehicle Operations machines now get that larger 114cubic inch Vtwin with even greater torque than before Of course the 114 is much more refined than the 107It also cruises more effortlessly the slightest twist of the throttle has it surging forward with alacrity and it definitely has an edge over the 107 The liquid cooling keeps the temperature down to better effect