It's been a minute since I threw a leg over a Road Glide. The last one I owned was a 2009 — back when they were still pretty raw from the factory. Not a lot of options, very few customizations. If memory serves, that bike had the 96 cu-in motor and had just received a long-overdue frame update. Solid bike. But what we’re dealing with now, in 2025? Whole different universe.

Harley-Davidson let me borrow the 2025 CVO Road Glide ST, and I’ve got to say it — this bike is the best CVO I’ve ever ridden. Hands down.

A Little Backstory...

I actually tried to hold on to my 2009 Road Glide. Loved it. But one day, Kevin James (yeah, that Kevin James) walked into our dealership, saw it, and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Sold it on the spot. And since then? It’s been a back-and-forth mental battle between batwing fairings and fixed fairings, between Street Glides and Road Glides. You know how it goes.

But riding this 2025 CVO Road Glide ST — man, it reminded me why I fell for this platform in the first place.

First Impressions: Vegas Bound

I picked the bike up on a Thursday and by Friday I was riding it out to Vegas. Smooth as hell. That 121 cu-in Milwaukee-Eight HO motor (that’s about 1,982cc for my metric-heads) — it’s an absolute beast. You get 145 ft-lb of torque with a raised rev limit around 5,900 rpm, which means it keeps pulling longer, harder, faster. This isn’t your grandad’s V-Twin.

Let’s not even talk about the carbon fiber. Or better yet — let’s absolutely talk about it.

• Carbon fiber front fender

• Carbon fiber dash trim

• Carbon accents around the air cleaner and more

It’s not just for looks either. Dropping weight in the right places — especially unsprung weight — makes a huge difference in how the bike handles at speed, in the twisties, and during braking. Speaking of which...

Brembo Brakes. For Real.

The front end is handled by dual floating Brembos, and I felt that stopping power on the downhill runs out by Red Rock Canyon. No fade. Good feel. Progressive bite. If you’ve ridden long enough, you know the difference between “stock okay” and “premium performance.” These are the latter.

All the Comfort, All the Tech

Harley absolutely nailed the ergonomics on this one. Tall risers with moto-style bars gave me that perfect aggressive-but-comfortable posture. The seat had solid lumbar support — ideal for long hours. Cruise control was smooth, predictable, and easy to toggle.

Then there’s the new infotainment system. Apple CarPlay worked without a hiccup, which — if you've used CarPlay on a bike before — you know that’s not always the case. Touchscreen was intuitive. UI was clean. Harley did their homework here.

The Color. Rally Red?

I’ll be honest — I never thought I’d like red on a bike. But this one? Changed my mind. It’s called Rally Red, but it’s not your typical candy red or firetruck bright. It’s deep, bold, almost like a blood red with soul. You’ve got to see it in the sunlight — absolutely pops.

And yes, those Prodigy wheels? Familiar to me. Had them on my 2020 Street Glide. Love the design, love the grip, love how they pair with the whole look of the bike.

Red Rock to Canelo

Saturday I took the bike out through Red Rock Canyon, and it was as picturesque as you can imagine. Great curves, killer scenery, and the bike felt right at home. From there, I hit up the Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford fight in Vegas. Rode the bike around the strip, back to the hotel, out the next day — and the craziest part? It all just felt like a regular weekend ride.

Four to five hours on the saddle? Flew by. No soreness. No fatigue. Just smooth riding, a killer sound system, and that unmistakable CVO thump under me.

The Fairing Debate: Batwing vs Sharknose

Let’s be real — this debate never ends. I’ve always loved the look of the sharknose Road Glide. And yeah, you can do more custom mods with it. But functionality-wise? I’ve often leaned toward the batwing — especially for wind coverage on long trips.

That said, the Road Glide fairing on this 2025? Felt dialed in. Wind was manageable even with a shorter shield, and if I really wanted more coverage? Easy fix. Get a taller screen. Still — it’s hard to deny how cool it looks with the shorter one.

Final Thoughts

If I were to buy a new bike today? It’d be this one. The 2025 CVO Road Glide ST checks all the boxes:

✅ Power

✅ Comfort

✅ Tech

✅ Looks

✅ Long-distance capability

✅ Track-worthy parts (seriously)

There’s nothing I’d rush to change. Maybe just minor fit and finish tweaks to make it mine — but out of the box, this thing’s damn near perfect.

Huge thanks to Harley-Davidson for letting me experience it. More to come, more rides, and definitely more deep dives on bikes like this.

Until next time — ride boundless.

— Roberto Valderrama, Ride Boundless Podcast