The Electra Glide is the touring Harley-Davidson that replaced the Duo Glide in 1965. Its name comes from the electric starter fitted as standard, and the model has carried the full-dress role of the big FL twins through six decades of engine changes.
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide at a glance
| Production | since 1965 |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | FL Duo Glide of 1958 |
| Name | from the standard electric starter |
| Engine at launch | Panhead V-twin, 1,200 cc (74 cu in) |
| Launch versions | FLB, FLFB, FLHB, FLHFB |
| Shovelhead | from 1966, about 10 per cent more powerful |
| 1,340 cc engine | from 1978, standard from 1981 |
| Evolution engine | from 1984 |
| Twin Cam 88 | from 1999 |
| 1,584 cc, six speeds, ABS | from 2007 |
| Milwaukee-Eight 107 | from 2017 |
| Derivatives | Ultra Classic, Ultra Limited from 2010, Tri Glide trike from 2009 |
The English Wikipedia has no separate Electra Glide article; this page is based on the Italian and French articles on the model, with the English article on the FL for the place of the Electra Glide in that line.
History of the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide
In 1965 the Electra Glide continued the FL line and replaced the Duo Glide of 1958 in the touring part of the range. It was the first Harley-Davidson with an electric starter as standard, which gave the model its name, and it used the 1,200 cc Panhead V-twin that had powered the big twins since 1948. Four versions were offered at the launch: the FLB with hand shift, the FLFB with foot shift, and the FLHB and FLHFB with higher compression.
The Shovelhead engine appeared the following year, about 10 per cent more powerful than the Panhead at the same capacity. A fork-mounted fairing became optional in 1969, the low-compression versions were dropped in 1970, when a police model, the FLP, was added, and a front disc brake arrived in 1971. Hand-shift versions left the range in 1977; for 1978, the company’s 75th anniversary year, an engine of 1,340 cc (80 cu in) became available and was made standard in 1981. The 1979 FLT Tour Glide, with a five-speed gearbox and a frame-mounted fairing, became the basis of the 1983 FLHT and FLHTC.
The Evolution engine of 1984 replaced the Shovelhead a year later, and in 1985–86 the final drive changed from chain to belt. Between 1987 and 1994 the FLHS Electra Glide Sport was sold without the bat-wing fairing; it was replaced in 1994 by the FLHR Road King. Electronic fuel injection became an option on the touring range in 1996, and the Evolution gave way to the Twin Cam 88 in 1999. From 2007 the model had a 1,584 cc engine, a six-speed gearbox and Brembo brakes with ABS; 2009 brought a new frame, a 17-inch front wheel and a 22.7-litre tank, and the Tri Glide Ultra Classic trike was derived from the Electra Glide Ultra Classic. The Twin Cam 103 became an option in 2011, the Project RUSHMORE update came in 2014, and in 2017 the Milwaukee-Eight 107 replaced the Twin Cam.
Design and features
- Electric starting: the feature that named the model in 1965.
- Full touring equipment: fairing, comfortable two-up seat, audio, large panniers and often a sidecar.
- Continuous development: Panhead, Shovelhead, Evolution, Twin Cam and Milwaukee-Eight engines in one line.
- Police service: the FLP of 1970 and later police versions kept the Electra Glide in fleet use.
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide versions
- Electra Glide Standard: the plain touring version.
- Electra Glide Classic: with the bat-wing fairing and luggage; withdrawn from the French catalogue in 2006.
- Ultra Classic: leg fairings and a large top case that takes two full-face helmets.
- Ultra Limited (from 2010): two-tone paint and the 103 engine, later standard across the range.
- CVO Ultra Classic: the most customised version, with the 110 engine.
- Tri Glide Ultra (from 2009): the factory trike built on the Electra Glide.
The FL family that the Electra Glide grew out of is described in the article on the Harley-Davidson FL, its touring stablemate in the article on the Road King, and the trike in the article on the Tri Glide. More models are in the Harley-Davidson collection.
Video: 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic
Video by American Motorcycle on YouTube.
Sources
- Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, Italian Wikipedia: model history year by year
- Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, French Wikipedia: equipment, versions, engines
- Harley-Davidson FL, English Wikipedia: place in the FL line
