Launch: 2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special

The Harley-Davidson Road Glide took a nap at the end of 2013, and has now woken up much wiser for the occasion. Most of that has to do with being injected with Project Rushmore DNA, the customer-led initiative which saw the Harley-Davidson touring models come in for a serious revamp in the 2014 model year with over 100 updates.

However, the Road Glide missed out that time and was subsequently removed from the touring line-up -- part of the company's typical process of bringing models in and out of the range each year as it introduces new bikes.

But with the Road Glide previously commanding about nine per cent of Harley-Davidson's sales volume in America, the model's purge was never going to be permanent, and when we got official word in July this year that it was returning we weren't blindsided in the slightest – it simply made sense.

Three new ‘shark nose' fairing Road Glides have been unveiled -- the FLTRX (Road Glide), FLTRXS (Road Glide Special) and FLTRUSE (CVO Road Glide Ultra) -- but we'll only be getting the last two in Australia and New Zealand. The Road Glide Special will retail for $34,995 and the CVO Road Glide Ultra for $48,995 (click HERE for the pricing on all 2015 Harley-Davidson models).

Compared to the Road Glide, the Road Glide Special has anti-lock braking, a security system, the premium communication, navigation and entertainment system (Boom! Box 6.5GT) as standard, but both bikes are powered by the marque's High Output 138Nm Twin Cam 103 engine -- while the CVO Road Glide Ultra gets the more spirited Twin-Cooled Twin Cam 110 donk.

Setting the standard Road Glide aside, our attention was focussed on the Road Glide Special and CVO Road Glide Ultra when we recently took in some of the best roads that California has to offer – including the legendary California State Route 1 from Carmel to San Simeon – as Harley-Davidson unveiled its 2015 range of touring bikes over three glorious sun-kissed days.

So has the absence of the Road Glide made the heart grow fonder, and does it hit the nail on the head for both form and function? Let's take a look.

Day one of right-lane riding was predominantly an inland expedition, as we made a return trip from the wine heartland of Sonoma – the motorsport enthusiasts among us will also recognise that it's also the location for one of America's biggest motorsport complexes – and taking in some stunning vistas along the way.

On a sportsbike those rich panoramas have probably been missed in a howl of revs and hard braking, but the meander through the wine country suited the Road Glide Special down to the ground – it's a bums on seats long distance type of bike.

I felt it as soon as I took off: it has such a high level of refinement, and that finely tuned flavour begins with the wonderfully soft clutch engagement. That really does set the tone, and tracking at variable speeds through the 'burbs of Sonoma was also a lithe exercise. The placement of the handlebars, which are 11cm closer to the rider than the 2013 model, as well as being lower, and the low seat height (663m) mean that slow-speed manoeuvring isn't onerous at all. However, we'd soon be picking up speed to see how the bigger front fork (49mm) and stiffer triple clamps helped to keep the 385kg bike tracking in a stable and predictable manner.

But first there was time to focus some early attention on the bike's brakes, which come with four-piston Brembo calipers front and rear. The Reflex system is new to the scene, where the front and rear brakes are linked electronically (but only at speeds above 40km/h), as well as incorporating an anti-lock function.

Project Rushmore dissected every way that we hit the skids on a touring motorcycle, and we aren't all front brake jockeys – far from it. The Reflex system doesn't disaffect anyone, but for those riders who tend to use both front and rear brakes in a more orthodox fashion the system is probably not going to feel a lot different. However, in pressure-cooker and emergency situations the linked system is a wise tool. Thankfully, that wasn't required on the launch, but the brakes deliver solid and consistent power.

The Road Glide Special's frame-mounted fairing, which features the triple slipstream vents, is a wind-deflecting genius. Well, that's with all the vents closed, where only a smidgeon of low-level buffeting reaches the helmet, but certainly not in a fatigue-inducing type of way. And it helps to get the best out of the entertainment system for listening quality, as well.

Open the vents – one, two or all of them on the fly if you wish -- and in comes a revitalising stream of air to keep the rider cool – especially if you're wearing the right jacket to take maximum advantage of the situation, as we'd learn on day three when the temperature reached 103 Fahrenheit cruising into Los Angeles. Don't get me wrong, it was still hot, but not unbearable. And that's a big difference when you're planning long trips in hot climes.

And what is it about riding along American freeways: I enjoy them far more than the Aussie equivalents.

The smoked windscreen isn't huge at 20cm tall, but with the triple vent system taking over the main airflow role, it doesn't have to be a whopper. The smaller design also means that the rider has clear view of the road.

The seating position is certainly relaxed on the Road Glide Special, and a lot of that has to do with the new handlebar positioning, which has been necessitated by the frame mounted fairing. Moving the handlebars from lock to lock provides no impediment at all. The seat is also well contoured and comfortable.

The inner fairing is quite the distance away with the revised seating position, but the two main analogue gauges for speed and rpm are still easy to read with the black font on white background. The smaller analogue gauges for fuel and voltage sit alongside the 13.6cm (6.5-inch) infotainment screen, while tacho and speed are below. The Street Glide Special has all the analogue family in a row above the infotainment system, which I prefer.

There are two small joysticks on either side of the handlebars to control the infotainment and navigation, and it's touchscreen as well. Sun glare is always an issue on LCD screens, and the Road Glide Special isn't any different.

Once we motored through the Sonoma Valley – close to the Napa Valley, where an earthquake had hit only a few days earlier – on day one, the road opened up and I could see why it is such a popular long-haul bagger. I found the suspension to my liking: more than ample composure and compliance at a hurried pace, but beautifully plush over lumpy patches of tarmac.

The Road Glide Special is steady, predictable and sure-footed, which is all you can really ask for from a big bagger. There's decent ground clearance (140mm), and you won't get anything but composure from the 19-inch front end -- a 130/60 hoop on the Enforcer cast aluminium wheel. The Road Glide Special has a single-spar steel frame, the same as the previous 2013 model.

However, you want to cover the miles at a consistently more rapid pace, perhaps the Street Glide Special is the better bet – more so for its more aggressive ergonomics than anything else.

The rubber-mounted High Output engine in the Road Glide Special just does like any big-bore V-twin – it just bounces and burbles around in its own hemisphere, isolating the rider from all those huge, buzzing pistons. In every riding situation possible – urban, highways, byways and twisty roads – there was only the slightest hint of vibration.

There's a little shudder and shake, but it then disappears once the clutch lever is let go and bike begins its spritely forward thrust. The bottom end has a steely punch, and maximum torque is reached at 3250rpm, After that, there's about 2250rpm to go before redline is reached – by then who cares, as you're already well into stride. I spent most of the launch in the 2000-3000rpm zone, which was more than meaty enough for my needs.

The six-speed transmission is very compliant: I never a missed gear, engagement is slick, and about the only intermittent issue was finding neutral.

The second day on the Road Glide Special proved to be a long one, as we travelled all the way from Sonoma to Pismo Beach, via the Big Sur. It may have been an epic, but it certainly showed the Road Glide Special in its true light. You can ride this bike all day long in terrific comfort, it holds luggage – complete with the brilliant one-touch latches – has great finish, a 22.7-litre fuel tank, it's user-friendly, and the powertrain looks after the rider. Welcome back!

Standby for a quick spin on the CVO Road Glide Ultra in a few weeks, as well.

The 2015 Harley-Davidson motorcycles and accessories will start to roll into Australian dealerships on October 1, 2014. Visit H-D.com.au to see all the new models and to find your nearest authorised dealer, which will also give you the opportunity to participate in demonstration days.

Gear worn on launch
Jacket: Harley-Davidson Evolution with Triple Vent System $754.06
Pants: Grinfactor Paranoid Jeans $129
Gloves: Resilient Full-Finger Gloves with Touchscreen Technology $98

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: Not given
Claimed maximum torque: 138Nm at 3500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Belt
Clutch: Wet

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 26 degrees
Claimed dry weight: 385kg
Seat height: 695mm
Ground clearance: 140mm
Wheelbase: 1625mm
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres