The Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra is a benchmark when it comes to touring trikes, especially those with the Bar and Shield logo and a big twin engine. However, the current market has pushed the trike way beyond the means of an average buyer, with the 2024 model costing nearly $40k out of the showroom. That’s an expensive trike.
But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your touring dreams just yet. The Tri Glide Ultra has also been one of the most popular trikes on the market, and the used market is full of some well-maintained examples. And the best part is that you can save thousands of dollars with such used models. So, how much does a used Tri Glide Ultra actually cost today? Let’s find out.
Why A Used Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra Is A Smarter Pick In 2026
Today, Harley-Davidson’s niche trike lineup includes five trike models. The three 2026 model lineup starts with the Road Glide 3, a capable touring trike, with a sticker price of $35,399 starting. Spend $39,199, and you can get yourself the next model, the Street Glide 3 Limited, which offers a full-dresser two-up comfort for touring. Harley-Davidson also offers the exclusive CVO Street Glide 3 Limited at $54,999. H-D also lists a couple of 2025 models on the website, including the entry-level Freewheeler at $31,999 and the Tri Glide Ultra at $37,999.
Regardless of which trike you pick, you can’t deny its eye-watering price tags. Even a brand-new 2025 Tri Glide Ultra, which offers the best balance of the lineup, is nearly $40k out of the showroom. That’s not the kind of dough most of us would be willing to spend on trikes, which is why it’s better to pick a used trike model. Here, a used Tri Glide Ultra is the smartest pick as, like the brand-new model, the older Tri Glides also offer the right balance of performance, comfort, and stability that you’d expect from your touring trike.
Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra Has Lived A Long Life
The Tri Glide Ultra goes all the way back to 2009, when it was introduced with the Twin Cam 103 engine. This was later upgraded to the High Output unit of the same engine, which delivered 102 pound-feet of torque. Post 2017, the Tri Glide came with the then-new Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin, which was later upgraded to the M8 114 V-twin in 2019. This M8 114 unit offered 120 pound-feet of torque and a decent 42 miles per gallon fuel economy.
Apart from the powerplant, the Tri Glide has always been about offering all the touring essentials of its time. That includes the extensive batwing fairing and lowers, which promise wind protection on the highway, along with laid-back, couch-like comfort for long-distance touring. The later models even came with a modern infotainment system with speakers, Harley-Davidson’s Safety Enhancement Suite, electric reverse, and much more. For your luggage, the Tri Glide Ultra has always offered plenty of storage space, too.
A Used Trike Isn’t Such A Bad Thing, Honestly
A lot of prospective buyers are wary of used motorcycles, but the same concerns generally don’t translate to trikes. Remember, these three-wheelers are intended for riders who cannot ride two-wheelers comfortably, probably due to age, injuries, or height. And being typically expensive models, they also attract wealthier first owners and are generally well-maintained and not ridden hard. So, you really don’t need to worry about a trike being abused by the first owner, at least in most cases. Get a well-maintained one, and it will last you for years to come.
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You Can Buy A Used Tri Glide Ultra From As Low As $22,000
Kelley Blue Book shows that the typical listing price of a used Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra ranges anywhere from $22k to $40k, depending on the model year. These numbers only reflect the typical listing prices of models starting from 2016, as anything older isn’t really worth spending on. But in general, you can expect a ten-year-old 2016 Tri Glide Ultra to cost you around $22,481, whereas a five-year-old model will set you back by $27,730. Newer models, like the 2024 Tri Glide Ultra, will be expensive at nearly $35k to $40k.
How The Tri Glide Ultra Depreciates
Typically, a motorcycle depreciates by 50 to 60 percent in the first five years or so, but trikes don’t share the same depreciation curve. Since these are usually bought by wealthier riders, have low mileage, and are well-maintained, they depreciate much more slowly, with the Tri Glide Ultra only losing around 20 percent in the first five years. For this trike, the depreciation is slow and weirdly flat, with the first two years losing you the most money. From years 1 to 3, the bike sees a moderate drop in value, and after 3 years, the curve becomes more or less flat until it reaches 8 years.
The Sweet Spot Is A 2019 to 2022 Model Year
If you’re looking to buy a used Tri Glide Ultra, look for a 2019 to 2022 model range, which is where you’ll find the best value. With the 2019 to 2022 models, you get more or less the same experience with way less depreciation ahead since most of the depreciation has already happened. You’ll still get modern features, so you won’t feel like you’re riding a piece of automotive history.
Ignore newer 2024 or 2025 models unless you want to burn money; you’re better off buying a brand-new model instead. On the other hand, avoid pre-2017 models as these are almost a decade old, so they use older tech. Plus, being so long on the road, they come with a higher maintenance risk and worse resale value later. As a result, newer as well as almost a decade-old models don’t make the best sense, strictly financially speaking.
The Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra Is Here To Make Mile-Munching Effortless
The new Street Glide Ultra costs just $3,000 more than the Street Glide
Best Years For A Used Tri Glide Ultra
Financially speaking aside, there’s another way to see this from a hardware perspective. Here, too, 2019 and newer models make the most sense. Post-2019 models came with the more powerful Milwaukee-Eight 114 engines, better suspension and braking system, and Reflex Defensive Rider System (RDRS). These models also had a better infotainment system, standard cornering-enhanced safety features, and electronically linked braking.
You can also save some money by going slightly older with the 2017 and 2018 models, which featured the earlier Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. This engine was a significant upgrade over the older Twin Cam models, featuring better heat management, lower vibrations, and more torque. However, earlier M8 engines did face some oil pump issues, so make sure you get the full service record for these models.
If your budget forces you to get something even older, the sweet spot here would be 2014 to 2016 models. This is a sweet spot for cheap used Harley-Davidsons since these models had all the Project Rushmore upgrades and later Twin Cam engines, which are significantly more reliable than the older models. For the Tri Glide Ultra, these model years featured the High Output 103ci engine that fixed known cam chain tensioner, heat, and compensator issues.
More Bad News: These Popular Harley-Davidson Touring Bikes Are No Longer On Sale
Both these Harley-Davidsons use the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine
Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra Maintenance Costs Over The Years
Buying a used trike is one thing, and maintaining it is another. Which is why you should also be aware of how much it will actually cost you to own over the years. Fortunately, the Tri Glide Ultra isn’t so expensive to own. While there’s no universal service price list for how much you’ll actually spend on the trike, owners on forums report an annual service cost of around $1,000, which adds up to $5,000 over five years. Remember, this is just a rough estimate, and the annual costs may vary drastically depending on your mileage, dealership labor rates, and the consumables you use.
Keep Some Spare For Repairs, Too
Apart from the usual routine maintenance, you should also keep some spare cash aside for repairs, especially if you’re buying a used trike. Here, owners report that suspension rebuilds and other major services can be pricey. Since this is a three-wheeled motorcycle, you’ll also spend money on three bigger tires compared to a motorcycle. Estimating that cost is tricky since consumables can range from budget to premium tiers. Plus, surprise repairs can set you back a lot of money, too.
Regardless of which Tri Glide Ultra you pick, unless it’s an archaic one, you’re in for a treat. The trike has garnered quite a following for the balance of performance, comfort, and stability that it offers. And buying used means you’ll also save thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars compared to a brand new Tri Glide Ultra. The next thing to do is use that money to refresh the bike as per your requirements and set off on your cross-country road trip.
Source: Harley-Davidson, Kelley Blue Book, online forums