Harley-Davidson
Throughout the year, we have been reviewing some of Harley-Davidson's motorcycle letter codes and model designations. From examining general family designations, like the XL code often seen on many Harley-Davidson bikes, to more specific model codes such as the Street Glide's FLHX identifier, we've been on a journey to make these designations easier to understand. Today, we are talking about the Road Glide Custom's FLTRX model code, one that, like the other specific bike codes we've covered so far, is an amalgamation of different letter designations that not only denote which family the bike belongs to, but also which features it comes with.
The first section of the Road Glide Custom's code starts with F, which simply means that the bike comes with a Big Twin engine. Over the decades, Harley-Davidson has made several of these engines, from the iconic Knucklehead and Panhead that reigned through the first and middle parts of the 20th century, respectively, to the Evolution and Twin Cam engines, which more or less ushered us into the 21st century.
Currently, the company uses the Milwaukee-Eight as its Big Twin. Of course, the engine has undergone several iterations, from the Milwaukee-Eight 107 to the VVT 121, each with a different displacement. For the current Road Glide lineup, the company has fitted the bikes with a liquid-cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin rated at 105 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque.
The code covers the model's family, features, and trim
Harley-Davidson
After the F, we have the L, which — when combined with F to form FL — denotes a Touring or Softail model with a 16-inch front wheel. In this case, the Road Glide falls under the Touring banner, as it is a Grand American Touring Harley. That is why a T follows FL, indicating the bike's family.
As a current tourer on Harley's list, you can expect the current Harley-Davidson Road Glide to come with a slew of features meant to make every ride memorable, such as seat and handlebars maximized for riding comfort, a massive fairing for wind and weather protection, selectable riding modes, and an infotainment system that comes with two 5.25 inch fairing speakers and a 12.3-inch TFT screen equipped with Skyline OS.
Some of these features, such as the fairing, which, in this case, is a frame-mounted Sharknose fairing, will be unique to the Road Glide. As an identifier for this specific model, Harley has included the R in the bike's code. Lastly, we have the X, which the company uses to denote different trims available within the Road Glide lineup, such as FLTRX for the Road Glide Custom or FLTRXS for the Road Glide Special.
