Think of a touring motorcycle, and an age-old image will pop into your head. Perhaps you imagine a Gold Wing or a Harley-Davidson Grand American Tourer, being ridden by someone who prioritizes comfort over everything else. These bikes typically feature plenty of chrome, infotainment options, and a butter-smooth engine that’s all about refinement.
But what if we told you, today, tourers no longer stick to that stereotype. Some tourers are pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a tourer, and there is one bike that leads the way here. It’s still a Grand American Tourer, but the way it handles its business when the road gets fun makes it good enough to be the ultimate performance bike for those who want to ride the same bike to a track and on it.
The World Of Performance Baggers That Make Highway Cruises Fun
The world of motorcycles has changed quite a bit today, and so has the touring segment. Sure, there are still the sensible, couch-like tourers for most touring enthusiasts, but a new breed of riders expects a bit more. Many riders these days want it all, and that includes comfort for long hauls as well as performance when the road gets fun. And to cater to them, manufacturers are bringing out touring motorcycles that bridge that gap.
This new generation of touring bikes combines long-distance comfort with genuinely bonkers performance, which is sometimes more handling-oriented than all-out speed. So, what used to be a segment catering to those who prefer to chill out is now transforming into a segment that can genuinely have fun on a twisty road or even a racetrack.
There are some seriously competent tourers and baggers here, some of which take the old-school route, whereas a select few bring cutting-edge tech to get the job done. A terrific example of the latter is the BMW R 1300 RT, a touring bike that comes with the available Dynamic Chassis Adaptation (DCA), which actively changes the chassis geometry to make the bike more dynamic. But at the forefront sits a bagger with a Bar and Shield logo: the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST.
The Harley-Davidson Built For Riders Who Still Believe In The Open Road
For riders who still believe the road itself is the destination, the motorcycle has to deliver far more than simple transportation.
The Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST Is A Bagger With Performance Punch
The Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST is a race-inspired bagger that builds on top of what is already an amazing tourer, the standard Road Glide. Except, this one isn’t just about touring comfort, building on top of that with plenty of performance bits to make it feel like a custom track-ready bagger rather than a production motorcycle. And unlike other performance tourers, this one leans into the performance territory without alienating traditional buyers.
From a distance, the silhouette remains similar to the standard Road Glide; you still get the imposing Sharknose fairing, a laid-back flyline, and a pair of saddlebags. Look just a little closer, and you’ll realize this is a purpose-built performance bagger. It features a massive Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine, plenty of forged carbon fiber bits, and specialized track-ready components.
The looks, too, are something to write home about. It’s a menacing bike that looks like it means business. Everything looks tighter and sharper here compared to the standard model, with an aggressive stance and tall handlebars that give it a clubstyle look. The forged carbon fiber bits only add to its performance-oriented charm. All of that is finished in wild paint options, too.
Starting At $44,999
The CVO Road Glide ST is not a cheap motorcycle, though, starting at $44,999 for the Inferno Gray and Electric Coast options. For the spicy Citrus Heat, you’d have to pay a $4,500 premium. That’s a steep price, but you do get a full CVO treatment, pushing the bike into properly exclusive territory. This is more about desire than logic, but you are paying for a bike that feels special every time you look at it, not just when you ride it.
10 Powerful Touring Bikes Short Riders Can Enjoy
These touring motorcycles have a more universal appeal than most thanks to their low seat heights
Bonkers Performance To Keep You Hooked On The Road
The CVO Road Glide ST features the Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine, displacing a whopping 1,983cc with an 11.4:1 compression ratio. Unlike a regular Harley tourer, though, this engine trades in its refinement for relentless performance. The Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine does away with the variable valve timing system for better peak power output. As a result, Harley says the engine spins quicker, revs higher, and has a much punchier mid-range.
The result is a V-twin engine that dumps a tire-shredding 127 horsepower at 4,900 RPM and 145 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 RPM. Harley-Davidson says this engine offers the sharpest throttle response ever to come out of a Harley factory. In our review of the CVO Street Glide ST, which shares the same powerplant, we found the engine to offer an immediate, punchy response that only keeps pulling harder than you expect all the way to the redline. This is a thoroughbred engine that can have you live out your King of the Baggers dreams on a track.
The Most Comfortable Harley-Davidson For Long Road Trips In 2026
The motorcycle in context is Harley’s flagship CVO tourer with an over $50,000 MSRP
Track-Ready Underpinnings For The Long Haul
The CVO Road Glide ST still runs a touring chassis and, tipping the scales at approximately 838 pounds, it’s a hefty motorcycle. Still, this thing can lean 31 degrees on either side, and Harley-Davidson promises that this motorcycle can handle itself quite well in the corners. Being a tourer, it should still perform well on a highway and let you cruise in comfort.
Premium, Fully-Adjustable Suspension
The bike sits on premium fully-adjustable suspension, including a 47mm Showa upside-down fork up front with DLC-coated sliders. At the back, the bike gets remote-reservoir rear shocks. This suspension setup lets you dial in precision for the road or track, and is said to make the bike planted on the road while offering you plenty of control and feedback.
The Other Hardware Bits
Then there are black powder-coated titanium mufflers with forged carbon fiber end caps, which not only sound menacing but also shave off some weight from the bike. Braking duties come from dual floating rotors gripped by radial-mount calipers, promising sharp, consistent stopping power. Finally, the gloss-black seven-spoke wheels are said to minimize unsprung mass while improving throttle response.
Forged Carbon Fiber Bits To Shave Off Some Pounds
Harley-Davidson is serious about making the bike as light as possible without sacrificing its comfort, and to that end, it has given the bike plenty of forged carbon fiber bits. These include the front fender, console, rear seat cowl, and more. The bike also features compact billet aluminum floorboards to keep the weight low.
The American Touring Bike With The Longest Riding Range
This American luxury grand tourer uses VVT to help its big-twin return better MPG figures.
Comfort And Tech For The Long Haul Is Still There
The CVO Road Glide ST still features a relatively relaxed riding triangle, but it differs in some ways from the standard model. The biggest differentiator is the moto-style handlebar that sits on six-inch risers, which is said to offer a more commanding, race-inspired riding position. This handlebar is paired with Switchback Collection mini-boards and grips that offer a slightly more aggressive riding triangle for when you want to have some fun in the twisties.
Fairing And Saddlebags Are There, Too
The bike also features the signature Sharknose fairing that promises excellent wind protection on the highway as well as exceptional aerodynamic performance. It features a red-tinted windshield that reflects the Performance Red accents all over the bike, giving the bike a track-inspired look. And the saddlebags can hold up to 2.42 cubic feet, which should be enough for a weekend road trip.
High-End Tech For Days On The Road
At the front, the bike features a 12.3-inch infotainment system running the Skyline OS that offers critical data without cluttering the dash. It is paired with a Rockford Fosgate Stage II speaker setup, including two speakers in the fairing. You also get eight ride modes, including Road, Rain, Sport, Track, Track+, and 3 custom modes. Rounding out the package are TPMS, vehicle hill hold, and cornering enhanced ABS, traction control, electronically-linked braking, and drag-torque slip control (DSCS).
What makes the CVO Road Glide ST so special is how unapologetic it is. Unlike other baggers that merely balance performance and comfort, the CVO Road Glide ST goes all the way, leaning into performance hard without giving up comfort and tech along the way. It’s a monstrous tourer with real handling capability and a premium, almost custom-level finish. And somehow, it just works. It moves the game forward when it comes to performance tourers.
Source: Harley-Davidson