How to Customize a Road Glide
Motorcycle enthusiasts can ride their bikes to complete errands or commute to work, but it's also a lifestyle. You can make your bike a hobby instead of just a form of transportation, and one of the best parts about a motorcycle hobby is customizing your bike to make it uniquely yours. While you can certainly purchase a bike with all of the features you're looking for, some riders prefer to buy aftermarket parts to enhance their Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
If you're looking for a Harley-Davidson touring bike you can customize with various options, the Road Glide is an excellent choice. The Harley-Davidson Road Glide gives owners the best of both worlds. It's an appealing motorcycle that comes with numerous quality features and just as many opportunities to add aftermarket parts.
Are you looking for some ideas on how to customize a Road Glide? Check out this guide for some helpful examples and ideas for making awesome upgrades on your ride.
What Is a Harley-Davidson Road Glide?
The Road Glide is the perfect bike for riders who enjoy cruising on long-distance rides. These bikes handle cross-city drives or road trips with ease. You can quickly spot the Harley Road Glide on the road with its distinctive frame and features, including its fenders, saddlebags and front fairing. In the world of motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide is a popular option for riders looking for a high-quality touring bike.
Learn more about the Road Glides specs and other features that come with the basic model:
- Upright riding position
- Passenger seat
- Saddlebags
- Shark nose frame-mounted fairing
- Infotainment system
- Floorboards
- RDRS optional
- Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine
- Dual Daymaker LED headlamp
- Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection fuel system
- Chrome dual exhaust with tapered mufflers
Customizing Your Harley-Davidson Road Glide
As a motorcycle lover, you probably take great pride in your bike. There's also a chance that you ride your bike often. Those who own touring bikes usually travel long distances, so it's not a stretch to say you're out on the road for miles on end. Therefore, you want to make your bike your own — but you also want to ensure every ride is as smooth and comfortable as possible.
You can customize your Harley-Davidson Road Glide in various ways. From the audio system to the frame, you can find numerous Harley aftermarket parts to install on your bike. Take a look at the various upgrades you can add to make your bike special.
1. Audio and Accessories
A fantastic way to upgrade your Road Glide is to install a new audio system. A rocking audio system can make your rides more entertaining. After all, there's nothing like blasting your favorite tunes while you're cruising down an open road.
Harley-Davidson bike owners can find numerous stereo and radio systems that work with their Road Glide bikes. Whether you're looking for a basic model that offers excellent radio connectivity and GPS or an advanced audio system with Bluetooth capabilities and killer speaker systems, you can find an option that makes your bike perfect.
Check out some of the options you have for a new audio system for your Road Glide:
- Sony DSX-M80 High-Power Plug & Play Bundle: This high-powered radio and audio bundle will be a great addition to a 1999-2013 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. This system features a handlebar control module, Plug & Play wiring harness and a Metra 99-9600 Harley-Davidson installation kit.
- Sirius/XM satellite radio turner: If you're a rider who enjoys tuning into their favorite radio station, you can spruce up your Road Glide with a Sirius/XM satellite radio tuner to listen to a variety of stations. This device works with all Sony audio bundles.
- Dakota digital gauge set for Harley-Davidson touring: This direct plug-in digital gauge set is an excellent addition to your Road Glide's dashboard and sits right above your audio system.
- Sony XAV-AX7000 Rockford Fosgate fairing speaker: Cruise around blasting your favorite tunes with this advanced Sony XAV-AX7000 audio system bundle. This audio accessory is compatible with your Road Glide bike with an aftermarket amplifier. This audio system bundle includes a Metra 95-9700 installation dash kit, a handlebar control module and comes prewired for your convenience.
- Rockford Fosgate 6.5" full-range fairing speakers: This full-range speaker is great for turning up the tunes on your 1998-2013 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. This speaker fits within the upper fairing of your motorcycle.
2. Saddle
If you're traveling long distances on your Road Glide, you might want to consider upgrading your bike's seat. You can change the saddle out for something that provides top-notch comfortability to enjoy road trips and long-distance rides.
3. Custom Lights
Your Road Glide's lighting helps you safely navigate the streets when the sun goes down or during inclement weather. The Road Glide comes with one headlight, so you may feel the need to upgrade the lighting to ensure you see better. Plus, adding aftermarket lights to your bike can help improve the look of your Harley.
Check out these aftermarket lighting products that you can install on your Road Glide:
- Dynamic LED vent inserts: These LED vent inserts go on the left and right sides of the Road Glide's headlamp. The lights offer more lighting with bright LED lights to draw attention to your bike on the road.
- TruBEAM LED headlamp: This TruBEAM LED headlamp will fit your 2015-2021 Road Glide. These lights offer four low beam LED lights and four high beam LED lights for your plug-and-play audio installation.
- Harley-Davidson Fusion state 2 LED lighting kit: This eye-catching LED lighting kit for your Harley Road Glide will revamp the look of your bike. This kit can show 21 colors and 14 flash patterns, five levels of sound sensitivity and a five-speed flash driver.
4. Frame
Riders can change the look of their Road Glide by customizing the frame. Altering the frame of your motorcycle will transform the look of your bike, so it's a chance to add even more personality to your ride. There are a few ways motorcycle riders change their frames. Some riders prefer a lot of negative space on their frame, while others prefer a hefty appearance to their motorcycle. It's up to you.
5. Wheels
Upgrading the wheels on your motorcycle can alter the appearance of your bike and change the way it rides. Be sure to look for wheels made for your specific model so your bike rides as smoothly as possible. Thankfully, it's easy to find tires that work correctly and look amazing, so you don't have to compromise.
Purchase Parts for Your Harley-Davidson Road Glide From Fat Head Cycles
Customizing your Harley-Davidson Road Glide allows you to put your own personal touches on your ride. Whether you already own a Road Glide or want to purchase one, you can look forward to customizing your bike just to your liking. For the best aftermarket parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson bikes, contact the experts at Fat Head Cycles. At Fat Head Cycles, you can shop for high-quality Harley products and we'll ship them directly to you.
Chris Rutter
Author