10 Harleys That Can Actually Handle Twisties

What is the first thought that pops up in your mind when someone mentions Harley-Davidson? Most likely it is an image of a person wearing goggles, a beanie helmet and leather jacket comfortably cruising down a freeway. Or that of Arnold Schwarzenegger riding a Fat Boy, if you are a Terminator fan. The point being, Harley-Davidson is something you buy when you want to enjoy a relaxed and laid-back ride while feeling the cold breeze against your face.

Over a century of its existence, Harley-Davidson has served the world with some of the most iconic cruisers and touring motorcycles. Naturally, you don’t expect a laid-back motorcycle to handle well in the twisties, but that hasn’t stopped the American manufacturer from developing some great handling machines. This list brings together ten such Harleys, some used but mostly new ones, spread across various price ranges.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Harley-Davidson USA and other authoritative sources.

Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide RR

Starting Price: $110,000

This is the most powerful touring motorcycle to come out of the Harley-Davidson factory. The CVO Road Glide RR takes inspiration from the MotoAmerica race bikes. Yes, the CVO Road Glide RR carries a hefty price tag, but it justifies it by making use of top-quality hardware. Be it the engine, the suspension or the brakes, all of them have been tuned to offer an engaging ride experience.

Powering the motorcycle is the Screamin’ Eagle 131 V-Twin, which churns out 153 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. Suspension duties are handled by a 43 mm Ohlins FGR 253 Hypersport fork up front and Screamin’ Eagle Ohlins Remote Reservoir shock absorbers at the rear. Meanwhile, the responsibility of bringing this behemoth to a halt is handled by Brembo GP4-RX CNC calipers and T-Drive disc brakes. There’s also sophisticated tech onboard to help riders make the most of the performance and handling on offer.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST

Starting Price: $44,999

As good as the CVO Road Glide RR is, it is a limited-run model with just 131 units planned for production. The CVO Road Glide ST then comes out as a good alternative to the former. In fact, you can purchase two CVO Road Glide ST models for the price of one CVO Road Glide RR. The motorcycle uses a Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output V-twin which produces 127 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. As standard, the CVO Road Glide ST is equipped with Showa-sourced inverted forks and rear shocks.

However, you can upgrade to the RR’s suspension hardware by paying extra. It is important to remember that this motorcycle weighs almost 50 pounds more than the RR, thanks to the missing carbon bits on the ST model. Like all CVO models, the Road Glide ST comes equipped with a comprehensive set of electronics and rider aids.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Road King Special

Starting Price: $24,999

The Road King is Harley-Davidson’s most affordable touring motorcycle. It has been in existence for more than 30 years and the current generation model has remained mechanically unchanged. Hence, the price tag of $24,999. It features a simple, classy and old-school design with some attractive color options to make it appealing. The Road King is powered by the Milwakee 114 V-twin that pushes out 95 horsepower and a meaty 122 pound-feet of torque. It uses simple underpinnings with a mild steel tubular main frame and a mild steel two-piece swingarm underpinning this bagger. The rider’s ergonomics, while upright, are not as laid-back as other Harley cruisers. As a result, you will enjoy riding the motorcycle in corners with some amount of engagement.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST

Starting Price: $19,999

Over the five years of its existence, Pan America has focused on being a good adventure touring motorcycle. However, the ST variant changes that and makes it a proper sports tourer with 17-inch wheels, sticky rubber, and lower suspension travel, translating to a lower seat height. Additionally, it has the Revolution Max 1252 cc V-twin that focuses more on delivering power than torque. With a peak output of 150 horsepower, it is the second-most powerful motorcycle in the Harley-Davidson lineup. To further add to the capabilities of the Pan America ST, the folks at Milwaukee have equipped it with a six-axis IMU, strong brakes, modern chassis, and electronics.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Low Rider S

Starting Price: $19,999

The Low Rider S is the best Harley-Davidson cruiser to buy for under $20,000. The styling on the Low Rider S appeals to traditional Harley-Davidson buyers with its low-slung stance and softail design. Don’t be fooled by its classic styling though, as it offers a thoroughly modern riding experience. At the heart of Low Rider S is the Milwaukee 117 V-twin High Output, which produces 114 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. The cruiser is also equipped with modern electronics like a six-axis IMU, ride modes, cornering traction control, cornering drag-torque slip control and cruise control as standard. The Low Rider S uses traditional underpinnings with a downtube frame, inverted forks, a hidden rear single shock and a 19/16 front/rear wheel setup.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Sportster S

Starting Price: $15,999

If the Low Rider S is too traditional for your taste, you should take a look at the Sportster S. It is a thoroughly modern cruiser which feels more European or Japanese than American. The reason we say this is its underpinnings. The Sportster S uses a modern trellis frame with the engine acting as a stressed member. This saves weight, and therefore makes it easier to handle.

The Revolution Max engine powering this motorcycle is tuned to offer more torque, yet there is enough power available to put a smile on your face. The suspension consists of inverted front forks and a monoshock that are adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound. As for features, the Sportster S comes with a 4-inch TFT, wheelie control, cruise control, traction control and drag-torque slip control.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Nightster Special

Starting Price: $12,499

The Nightster Special is the second-most affordable new Harley-Davidson motorcycle money can buy today. There are a lot of things that work in this motorcycle’s favor. First up is the styling, which looks like a traditional cruiser yet modern enough to appeal to younger riders. Fun fact, the Nightster lineup uses a faux fuel tank just to replicate the traditional cruiser look.

The rear 3.0-gallon fuel tank is located under the seat. This also helps with lowering the center of gravity for better handling. At its heart is a 975 cc liquid-cooled V-twin, which might seem puny by Harley-Davidson standards but offers more than enough oomph to take on both urban and highway duties. Like the Sportster S, the Nightster is underpinned by a modern steel trellis frame with a major focus on weight saving.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Nightster

Starting Price: $9,999

This is the cheapest new Harley-Davidson you can buy today. Apart from the classic styling, there are plenty of bits here to remind you that the Nightster is still a Harley-Davidson. Another important bit is the 975 cc V-twin, which is in the same state of tune as the Nightster Special. Suspension duties are handled by conventional front forks and dual shock absorbers at the rear. The modern chassis, lightweight wheels and low center of gravity make the Nightster a competent handler and the bobber offers an engaging riding experience thanks to a slightly committed riding posture.

Specifications

2020 Harley-Davidson FXDR 114

Price Range: $10,050 – $13,610

This one is a proper power cruiser built to set quick acceleration times on a drag strip. Harley-Davidson achieved this by plonking in the Milwaukee 114 V-twin, tuned for performance, and saved weight by making use of aluminum parts and fiber body components. The result was a motorcycle that could fly from 0-60 MPH in just 2.5 seconds and boasted a claimed top speed of 115 MPH.

The FXDR 114 makes use of an aluminum swingarm and adjustments to the suspension (compared to a Fat Bob), which allows it to handle well on canyon roads. Yes, the raked-out front and large rear wheel will make it a bit cumbersome to turn in, but a rider with the right experience should be able to make the best of the FXDR 114’s handling capabilities.

Specifications

2012 Harley-Davidson XR1200X

Used Price: $4,500

As surprising as it might sound, the XR1200X wasn’t sold in the States for a year when it was first launched. It was developed for the European market and that is reflected in the motorcycle’s roadster styling. However, Harley did bring the model to the United States later on in the model’s lifecycle. Given its target was Europe, the XR1200X was developed to handle well.

To help it do that, Harley-Davidson equipped it with fully-adjustable Showa Big Piston front forks and dual Showa rear shocks, adjustable for rebound. Powering the motorcycle is a 1200cc air/oil-cooled V-twin which produces close to 74 pound-feet of torque. According to J.D. Power, a used XR1200X boasts an average price tag of around $4,500.

Specifications