Harley Davidson motorcycles have been in production since 1903. Harley’s are a staple of the American landscape. There have been a lot of iterations of Harley-Davidson motorcycles since the company’s inception. None of them are perfect, but all of them have improved over the years. Harley spent years listening to feedback and reengineering their bikes to bring you the most comfortable, smoothest riding, the best Harley for road trips.

Touring Bikes - Best for Long Trips

The best motorcycles for a smooth ride are going to be touring bikes. Because of their large, heavy bodies and improved suspension, bumps don’t feel quite so jolting and rough as they do on other motorcycles. For that reason, baggers (touring bikes) are more highly recommended than cruisers.

All Bagger are touring motorcycles with fairing designs for the least wind resistance and the smoothest ride. Sometimes referred to as soft tails, their wide seats, and bigger bodies give a more comfortable ride, especially for women. Narrower seats on bikes with poorer suspension systems can painfully jolt pelvic and hip bones and spines with every pothole, so it’s great that this problem was addressed so attentively.

Other Considerations

If you’re taking it on a long trip, it should offer more than just a smooth ride. It’s got to have cruise control so your hands don’t get so tired. It needs spacious saddle bags and under-seat storage for all your gear. The handlebars can’t be so high that they cause your shoulder blades to hurt but not so low that you have to bend over all the time. It needs a batwing windshield so you don’t have bugs smash into your visor and impair your vision.

There’s much better back support with touring bikes than there used to be, and a lot of engineering has gone into Harley seat heights and specs. The Street Glides have floorboards, which is unique in the motorcycle industry. These bikes are safer and more comfortable than crotch rockets or cruisers, and that makes them better for long trips.

The Harley Road King and the Electra Glide models come highly recommended in Harley forums, but there’s one that trumps them all: The Road Glide. Nothing else compares to the smooth moves, secure turns, and comfortable ride of the Road Glide. Everyone who tries this bike loves it. It’s a deluxe model and an ultra-luxurious motorcycle that’s designed to keep you comfortable in your seat for an extended time.

The powerful V-Twin engine gets you up to speed fast, making merging onto the interstate safer. There isn’t too much wind resistance, the boom box has a 6-inch screen, and it feels like you’re riding in a padded canoe with powerful oars over a glassy lake. This is the Harley Davidson of your best road trip fantasies.