Motorcycle specifications Harley-Davidson1870 Electra Glide Highway King 2023 The Electra reboot

To rekindle the flame of certain moments in its history, Harley launched the Icon collection in 2021. These are motorcycles with a lot of cachet, produced in limited editions. After theElectra Glide Revival in 2021 and last year's Low Rider El Diablo, the Electra Glide Highway King is added to the shelf.

while the Revival model was inspired by the 1969 FLH, the Highway King goes (a little) further back in time, drawing its design from the 1968 model. The orange and red-bordeaux colors are identical to those of the year in question. Quite a year, in fact, with a stormy May, the death of Martin Luther King and the famous Black Power fist raise at the Olympic Games.

let's get back to this bike, which Harley has modified quite a bit to better imitate its 60s forebear. It's called the "Electra Glide", but technically it looks more like a "Road King" with two additional headlights and a large removable windshield. The lower part of the windscreen matches the general color scheme. The Elton John effect is guaranteed!

nostalgia is everywhere, with the spectacular single-seater seat mounted on springs and shock absorbers, the whitewall tires, the chrome-spoked wheels, the little skirt at the bottom of the front mudguard and the chrome rails. These rails, anchored to the mudguard and suitcases, were already present on the FLH... and have survived the decades. They accompanied Electras until 2012, adorning the Glide Classic at the time.

what the heck! Why don't the suitcases match the bodywork? Because the '68 Electra was sold naked. The "King of the Highway" accessory kit had to be added to make the tourer pictured here. And the cases supplied were only available in white - so Harley followed its idea of mimicry to the end. The package also included a windshield, crash bars and a luggage rack.

how about a quick engine comparison between the two bikes? Quickly then. In 1968, the Shovelhead block cubed 1222 cm3 , produced 60 hp and 9.7 mkg. 55 years later, the twin has changed, except for its 45° angle. In the Electra Highway King, the big Milwaukee Eight reaches 1870 cm3. Fat as a slice of potato, its torque reaches 16.1 mkg at just 3250 rpm. Its 93 horsepower will only be remembered as a figure from the technical section; a Harley doesn't conceive of strength in terms of watts, but in terms of the rendering of its engine.

exuberant, certainly, and paradoxically very discreet when it comes to its electronics. It doesn't flaunt its physique, yet its body is riddled with modules to make riding safer. Interconnected brakes with curve-active ABS supervision, cruise control, angle-sensitive traction control, vehicle hold control and another to digest residual torque.
No Boom Box or TFT screen on this Electra Glide. The removal of the fork head has taken away all the space needed to house the infotainment system. On the other hand, a pair of Scream'in Eagle mufflers will be supplied; separately but included in the price.

the Electra's pricing and availability are designed to make it a precious model: 1,000 units will be produced in the Hi-Fi Orange finish, and 750 in the Hi-Fi Magenta livery. The serial number is laser-engraved on the center console.
in fact, 2023 is a vintage rich in limited series. Between this "Icon", the "CVO", the "120th Anniversary" models and the "Enthusiast Fast Johnnie" collection, there must be a quarter of Milwaukee's annual production divided between special editions.
To really get into the spirit of things, a few accessories are highly recommended: a paper road map, a wad of dollars, jackal-bitten boots and a 33/45 rpm record player in the garage.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos