A Harley bagger is a very particular kind of touring motorcycle, opting for comfort, plenty of storage and a traditional cruiser feel over and above anything else; they are built for long-distance travel while maintaining classic motorcycling at their heart.
For as long as bikes have been around, the natural sense of freedom evoked has meant that riders have taken their two wheels on some pretty intense adventures.
Weekend motorcycle camping trips, touring cross-country from state to state or across Europe and some have even taken their trusted bikes around the world.
Arguably Harley Davidson are the ultimate manufacturer for a bagger style motorcycle, with a rich heritage of traditional cruiser designs to draw on and V-twin engines which historically are known for eating up the miles and taking riders far and wide.
What is a Harley Davidson Bagger?
A Harley bagger is equipped with a full set of saddlebags and other luggage options.
Often you will find a windshield, fairings (or part-fairings), forward controls, good suspension and large tank are all tell-tale signs of a bagger motorcycle along with the saddlebags.
The ‘bagger’ term is used to describe a motorcycle that came with the accessorising bags.
Today there are so many luggage accessories available to all sorts of bikes that in theory any bike could be called a bagger if it can accommodate a set of saddlebags.
However, in the traditional sense they are usually big touring or cruiser bikes, especially in the case of those rolling out of Harley’s factory.
Other terms for a Harley bagger might be a ‘dresser’ or ‘full-dresser’.
When I think of a bagger motorcycle I have a pretty outdated perception of a big V-twin, with a huge windshield, swooping front and rear fenders and a lot of leather fringe ‘dressing’ the seat, saddlebags and tassels on the grips.
Tastes have become somewhat more refined over the years, but the same principles apply.
As the Kings of Baggers, let’s take a look at some of Harley’s best touring models that are proven to deliver performance for customers who like to put the miles behind them.
Best Harley Baggers for 2022
There are several baggers in Harley’s current line-up, some of which have been around for a while and are several generations down the line.
My personal picks below all share the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine and basic frame; the main differences between them come down to cosmetic styling designs, prices and weights.
Street Glide Bagger
The Harley Davidson Street Glide was first released in 2006 and while very similar to the Road Glide the difference is found with the fairings.
The Street Glide’s fairing is attached to the forks and moves with the bars, whereas with the Road Glide the fairing is fixed to the chassis and so the handlebars turn independently of it.
In the US there are three variations of the Street Glide, the base model alongside the Special and ST versions.
In the UK, only the Special and ST versions are available.
The differences between the three vehicles largely comes with the increased engine size.
The Special is equipped with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 and the ST with the even larger Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin.
Upgraded infotainment systems are also found on the Special and ST versions along with a bit more luggage capacity.
The Street Glide is a traditional American cruiser and the choice of engine capacity means the customer can select the right one based on their needs depending on style of riding, whether they carry a passenger and how far you plan on going.
Upright riding position, floorboards and pillion accommodation have you ready to cruise in comfort.
Specs:
- Engine – Milwaukee-Eight 107
- Capacity – 1745cc
- Max Power – 83 horsepower
- Max Torque – 147 Nm
- Seat Height – 26.1”
- Wheel base – 64”
- Wet Weight – 829lbs
- Luggage Capacity – 2.3 cu ft
- Prices Start From – $22,249
More information and current promotions here.
Road King Bagger
Unlike the Street Glide, the Road King lacks any fairings and for the base model is equipped with a tall windshield instead.
The Road King is perhaps the most traditionally styled Harley Davidson bagger, and is most reminiscent of the original 50’s era cruisers.
Available with the 107 V-twin and the bigger 114 for the Special version you have choices in terms of how much power you need on tap.
Interestingly the Special model does not come with the windshield as standard, but does accommodate the rider with a bit more luggage space.
The riding position is comfortable and upright with floorboards, the bike is built for the customer who wants to be able go the long haul, with or without a pillion.
Specs:
- Engine – Milwaukee-Eight 107
- Capacity – 1745cc
- Max Power – 83 horsepower
- Max Torque – 147 Nm
- Seat Height – 26.3”
- Wheel base – 64”
- Wet Weight – 828lbs
- Luggage Capacity – 2.3 cu ft
- Prices Start From – $19,929
More information and current promotions here.
Electra Glide Bagger
The UK has dropped the Harley Davidson Electra Glide from its line up, and in the US there is only one model available which is the Electra Glide Standard.
The Electra Glide may be my favourite of Harley’s Grand Touring models. It is a stripped back, purist touring motorcycle lacking in the tech/entertainment systems that in my opinion should be left to cars.
Powered by the 107 V-twin, the bike has the famous Batwing fairing, and comes in a Vivid Black finish.
There are lashings of chrome with the exhaust and engine to brighten things up, but other than that black covers everything, curating that moody, mean, Harley vibe that we all know and love.
There is only a solo seat as standard, which is also why I love the Electra Glide; stash your stuff in the saddlebags, and leave the world behind – just you, your bike and the open road.
The fairing is mounted on the forks, the seating position is upright and instead of pegs you get floorboards.
We live in a world where tech features are so advanced that we are getting to the point where we will soon have self-driving bikes.
There is something reassuring about a stripped back Harley Davidson V–twin that you still have to ride without the distraction of a sat nav or music system.
Specs:
- Engine – Milwaukee-Eight 107
- Capacity – 1745cc
- Max Power – 83 horsepower
- Max Torque – 147 Nm
- Seat Height – 26.1”
- Wheel base – 64”
- Wet Weight – 820lbs
- Luggage Capacity – 2.3 cu ft
- Prices Start From – $19,429
More information and current promotions here.
Road Glide Bagger
The Harley Davidson Road Glide is the bagger with several variations in the line-up both in the US and UK.
The standard bike is loaded and ready to go the distance in comfort, the riding position is upright with floorboards and a passenger seat comes standard along with the frame mounted fairing.
The Road Glide Special is equipped with the bigger Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin for more performance. You have a choice of 10 paint schemes which also alter whether the bike is blacked out or shining bright in chrome. For 2022 it is the first time there are two-tone paint schemes available.
Upgraded infotainment system and stretched saddle-bags are also equipped on the Special model.
The Road Glide Limited takes things even further in terms of comfort with a backrest for the pillion attached to a rear Tour-Pak luggage carrier with a luggage rack so you can stack your stuff high.
It is this model that will allow you to take the kitchen sink with you on your next motorcycle camping trip if you so require it.
The Harley Davidson Road Glide ST is all about performance. It is a mean, slammed bagger, powered by the 117 V-twin engine giving the model the best performance possible.
It is set for just the solo rider with no standard accommodation for a pillion. It is blacked out in either a Vivid Black finish or Gunship Grey and means business.
Lastly there are two CVO models of the Road Glide, the standard and limited versions.
These are the pinnacle in Harley’s engineering, style and design. If you want the ultimate comfort for either yourself as a solo rider or for both you and a passenger, then the limited CVO bikes are for you.
Specs:
- Engine – Milwaukee-Eight 107
- Capacity – 1745cc
- Max Power – 83 horsepower
- Max Torque – 147 Nm
- Seat Height – 25.9”
- Wheel base – 64”
- Wet Weight – 855lbs
- Luggage Capacity – 2.3 cu ft
- Prices Start From – $22,249
More information and current promotions here.
Bagger FAQ
What’s the difference between a bagger and a cruiser?
Not very much. Many bagger motorcycles are just adaptations of cruisers.
Baggers will largely be identified by the standard saddlebags that come with the bikes, and more luxury features such as premium forks/suspension, more comfortable seats, floorboards over pegs and some sort of the windscreen or fairings.
The best way to think about it is that a cruiser is a daytrip bike whereas a bagger is ready for an overnight stay or longer road trip.
What is Bagger Life?
Bagger life is a term used by fans of Harley baggers, who ride them, love them and endorse them as the best bikes around.
Over the years Harley particularly, has indirectly created several followings and almost sub-cultures that are associated with various bikes.
There is a huge Harley Sportster following in the UK for example with ‘Sportster Life’ being a kind of motto and groups of riders meeting up on just Sportsters.
The same is now true of Harley baggers and there has been an increase in riders buying up stock baggers and modifying them to be the ultimate in performance machines, despite their heavy weight and style not naturally leaning them into being racers or wheelie kings.
How much does a Harley Bagger weigh?
All Harley baggers are heavy machines with the lightest Electra Glide weighing a huge 820lbs. The Road Glide standard hits 855lbs and the heaviest, a CVO Road Glide Limited, weighs in at a whopping 963lbs.
Are Harley Baggers suitable for beginners?
There aren’t many people who would opt for one of the HD baggers as a first or even second bike, mainly because they are big, heavy, touring models with a lot of power.
However, that is not to say it can’t be done or indeed shouldn’t be done.
The best option would be the lightest of the bunch which is the Electra Glide. The Electra Glide is a great choice as it is stripped back, equipped with only the bare riding essentials.
It would be beneficial for newer riders however, to have learnt the basics on a smaller, lighter bike to begin with to gain confidence before moving up to one of the big Harley baggers.
Picking up a Harley Davidson Superlow second hand, would be a good start point to get you used to riding this type of bike. These are often equipped with a windscreen and saddlebags, so would give you a feel of riding a bagger but on a smaller scale.
Check out my 7 best beginner Harleys for more ideas.