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The 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra arrives as a fully loaded touring model that keeps the brand’s classic look but adds modern electronics. It excels on long, open highways, yet its substantial mass and some fiddly hardware make everyday riding in tighter environments more demanding.
Heritage and purpose
Harley-Davidson designed the Street Glide Ultra for extended rides and comfort. Visually it carries the company’s long-standing batwing fairing cues and, to the eye, closely resembles the 2024 Ultra Limited it replaces. The move appears aimed at capitalizing on the Street Glide name, which remains a consistent seller for the marque.
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Touring machines are a core part of Harley’s business; the Grand American Touring segment represented the largest share of the company’s sales in 2024. The Ultra is pitched as a “full-dresser” — a bike with top-box luggage, comprehensive weather protection, and creature comforts intended for long distances.
Fit, finish and ergonomics
The build quality is unmistakable. Surfaces, fastenings and hardware have a durable feel, and the bike projects presence wherever it parks. It’s not classically elegant like some sport-tourers, but there is an imposing, polished aesthetic to the design.
Sitting on the 725 mm seat feels comfortable for long hours, though the combination of a broad stance and deep cowling makes the bike better suited to taller riders. Controls are substantial, designed for big hands, and the floorboards provide a relaxed foot position.
Practical touches include a rubber-lined slide-out drawer for a phone with a USB-C charging point. That tray is handy, but it — and the gloveboxes — are not lockable, which reduces security for stored items.
Powertrain and electronics
The Street Glide Ultra uses a twin-cooled Milwaukee Eight 117 V-twin, listed at 1923 cc. Harley quotes peak figures of 107 bhp at 5,020 rpm and 129 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm, numbers that translate into strong, low-down shove rather than high-rev rush.
The engine’s twin-cooled arrangement keeps the aesthetic and character of an air-cooled big twin while using liquid cooling for the heads. Three ride modes — Sport, Road and Rain — alter throttle response and traction control behavior.
The six-speed transmission performs adequately on open roads, but the reviewer frequently found gear changes heavy and effortful in slow-moving traffic. Shifting could feel tiring during stop-start riding.
Infotainment and rider aids
The dashboard centers on a 312 mm TFT touchscreen flanked by stereo speakers. It supports Apple CarPlay and numerous connected functions, but the display can take around two minutes to reach full operation after startup. That delay leaves the rider without on-screen navigation for the first part of a ride.
The bike is rich in electronic aids: cornering ABS, cornering traction control, tyre-pressure monitoring, keyless start, cruise control, heated grips and more. Harley’s Cornering Enhanced Electronic Linked Braking (ELB) links braking between front and rear wheels and is intended to improve stopping performance.
However, the reviewer found the ELB intrusive at times. Under some low-speed or tighter manoeuvres it applied feel and force in ways that unsettled the bike, producing abrupt brake modulation where a more predictable response was preferred.
How it rides
On highways and fast, flowing roads the Street Glide Ultra is where it shines. Its suspension soaks up long distances and the cruise control maintains steady speed on steep grades. The stereo and heated grips add to the touring comfort, and the LED headlight provides broad night-time illumination.
Yet the bike’s weight — quoted by Harley as 393 kg in running order — becomes a real factor at low speeds. Tipping the scales further when fuel is added, the mass can make manoeuvres and parking feel physically demanding. In narrow lanes, congested streets or parking areas the Ultra’s scale reduces the likelihood of casual, everyday use.
Exhaust tone and engine refinement are tuned for touring; the sound is less raucous than Harley’s cruiser models, allowing mechanical character to be appreciated without excessive noise.
Practical implications for different markets
The Street Glide Ultra is clearly conceived with long American highways in mind. On wide, well-surfaced routes it performs exceptionally and rewards extended touring. In contrast, the reviewer found it less suitable for the tighter roads and frequent low-speed situations common in the UK and much of Europe.
Riders seeking the Harley touring experience but needing something lighter and more agile should consider the Low Rider ST, which sacrifices some luggage capacity and luxury features for improved everyday usability.
Quick specs
| Starting price | £28,495 |
| Engine | 1923 cc twin‑cooled Milwaukee Eight 117 V‑twin |
| Power | 107 bhp @ 5,020 rpm |
| Torque | 129 lb‑ft @ 3,500 rpm |
| Transmission | Six‑speed manual (noted as heavy to operate in traffic) |
| Weight | 393 kg (running order) |
| Fuel capacity | 22.7 litres |
| Seat height | 725 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,625 mm |
