Harley-Davidson sells on its image of Americana, especially Atomic Age Americana, the post-World War II years of Baby Boom and counterculture—so it should come as no surprise that its latest big-bore V-twin is a visual throwback to that era. It should also come as no surprise that despite those looks, it is absolutely packed with modern tech.
The new-for-2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King broke cover as the third installment in the MoCo’s Icons Motorcycle Collection. These are limited-edition machines intended to offer a modern interpretation of a classic bike from Harley’s past. In this case, it’s a recreation of the 1968 Electra Glide, sort of. That bike could be ordered with touring-friendly bits like fibreglass saddlebags, a windshield, a rear rack and engine guards as part of the King of the Highway accessories group.
Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson’s VP of Design/Creative Director said that machine was a deluxe bike in its time, and the modern reinterpretation has been put together to match the vintage look: “The colors we’ve selected for the Highway King model are reminiscent of the original color options offered in 1968. We carefully matched each color in the lower section of the windshield. In 1968, the accessory fiberglass saddlebags were only offered in white, so we’ve done the same in 2023.”
The 2023 model will come in Hi-Fi Orange paint (with only 1,000 machines built) and Hi-Fi Magenta (only 750 built, for a total production run of 1,750 bikes). The lower section of the detachable windshield is tinted to match the bike’s paint; a solo saddle comes standard, and the rear suspension runs on old-school coilover dual shocks, looking like the old-school FL models of the ’60s. You also get spoked wheels with whitewall tires, and lots of chrome elsewhere on the machine. Oh yes, and a serial number laser-cut into the console insert.
With those dual shocks, you might reckon this bike uses one of Harley’s older frame, but the company says it uses a single-spar Touring-series frame. Those shocks have knob-adjustable preload, and the 49mm fork comes with dual-bending valves, to smooth out damping.
The Electra Glide Highway King uses the Milwaukee Eight 114 engine, with just over 100 hp. Cruise control comes standard, as well as linked brakes with cornering ABS, cornering-sensitive traction control, and other electro-trickery.
MSRP starts at $32,999 in Canada, and we’re guessing these will sell fast. If you want more photos or details, visit Harley-Davidson’s Canadian website here.
