2025 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® Ultra vs 2025 Indian Roadmaster near Hagerstown, MD

Overview

Touring riders demand comfort, control, and confidence mile after mile, which is why the 2025 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® Ultra vs 2025 Indian Roadmaster comparison matters. Both are fully dressed tourers with storied badges, but the Street Glide® Ultra steps ahead by blending the classic Batwing silhouette with modern wind-tunnel development, the brand’s most advanced 12.3-inch TFT display, Vehicle Hold Control for steep stoplights, and a Milwaukee-Eight® 117 powertrain with liquid-cooled cylinder heads. The Roadmaster counters with an air-cooled Thunderstroke 116, a 7-inch RIDE COMMAND screen, and three ride modes, plus premium comforts like heated grips and a heated 2-up seat. Where the Harley-Davidson® shines is in cohesive integration: the taller windshield reduces helmet buffeting by up to 60 percent, the fairing lowers and fork-mounted deflectors refine airflow, and the King Tour-Pak® with a supportive back pad and armrests maximizes long-haul confidence. At Eisenhauer's York Harley-Davidson®, we help riders near Hagerstown, MD evaluate the details that truly affect day-to-day riding. For cross-country ambition and daily usability alike, the Street Glide® Ultra’s tech, wind management, and ergonomics make it the tourer to beat.

Key Features

Line up the 2025 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® Ultra vs 2025 Indian Roadmaster and you see two different design philosophies. The Street Glide® Ultra carries a computational fluid dynamics-shaped Batwing fairing and a taller, clear windshield tailored to cut turbulence at highway speeds, backed by larger, adjustable fork-mounted air deflectors and new fairing lowers. SHOWA® dual outboard emulsion shocks with three inches of travel and hand-adjustable hydraulic preload help maintain poise whether you are solo or riding two-up with full luggage. Inside the cockpit, the expansive 12.3-inch TFT with Skyline OS is the most advanced display Harley-Davidson® has ever fit to a touring model, enabling intuitive navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and simple switching among four ride modes. Indian’s Roadmaster answers with a powered windshield, a 7-inch RIDE COMMAND display, and Tour, Standard, and Sport ride modes, plus premium audio and heated seating. Still, the Street Glide® Ultra’s built-in, hands-free voice recognition for navigation, Vehicle Hold Control, and the seamless integration of storage — including the standard King Tour-Pak® with a plush passenger back pad and armrests — underscore its long-haul purpose. Riders near Hagerstown, MD, who value technology that fades into the background will appreciate how the Street Glide® Ultra’s systems enhance the ride without complicating it.

Dimensions

Touring comfort is shaped as much by dimensions as it is by features. The Street Glide® Ultra’s wind management package begins with a fairing and tall, clear windshield specifically designed to reduce helmet buffeting by up to 60 percent compared with standard Street Glide® models, a material improvement you feel in your neck and shoulders after a full day in the saddle. The integrated fairing lowers add weather coverage without feeling bulky, and the ergonomic two-up seat is contoured to rotate the rider’s hips slightly forward to relieve spine pressure during long stints. Storage is generous and practical: the King Tour-Pak® trunk, sizable saddlebags, and fairing cubbies combine for roughly 4.9 cubic feet — more than twice the capacity of a standard Street Glide® — translating to more than 36 gallons of usable space. The Indian Roadmaster likewise offers over 36 gallons of weatherproof, remote-locking storage and a low 28-inch seat height, plus hard lower fairings for coverage. For riders commuting between York and Red Lion, or planning multi-state tours, these packaging decisions translate directly into less fatigue and smoother transitions from back roads to interstates.

Engine

Power delivery defines the character of any grand tourer. The Street Glide® Ultra is propelled by the Milwaukee-Eight® 117 V-Twin, which adds liquid-cooled cylinder heads and a centrally located radiator that channels air straight to the intake for thermal consistency. This design supports sustained highway speeds, hot-weather rides, and extended two-up touring without dramatic power fade. Throttle response is crisp yet predictable, aligning with the bike’s mission as a poised distance machine. The Indian Roadmaster’s Thunderstroke 116 is an air-cooled V-Twin tuned for pulse and pull, rated at a stout 126 ft-lbs of torque at 2,900 rpm, and it suits relaxed, low-rpm cruising. Where the Harley-Davidson® engine stands apart is in its combination of displacement, liquid-cooled head architecture, and refined fueling strategies, which together bolster real-world endurance under load. For riders who plan to cross mountain passes, haul full luggage, and encounter regional temperature swings near Hagerstown, MD, that extra thermal margin is a practical advantage.

Performance

On the road, stable aerodynamics, suspension control, and braking confidence set the tone. The Street Glide® Ultra advances in all three. Its CFD-tuned Batwing fairing and taller windshield smooth airflow across the rider’s helmet and shoulders. SHOWA® dual outboard emulsion rear shocks with three inches of travel and easy, hand-operated hydraulic preload adjustment make it simple to dial in the ride for varying loads. In the cockpit, four selectable ride modes optimize throttle response and electronic interventions for changing conditions, while Vehicle Hold Control helps manage uphill starts. The Roadmaster counters with three ride modes, a powered windshield for quick height changes, and a chassis set up for long-distance composure. Both motorcycles are capable cross-country machines, but the Harley-Davidson® package prioritizes day-to-day usability with a wide adjustment range, intuitive controls, and a cockpit that remains calm and quiet at speed. Those differences add up to over a thousand miles.

Drive Train

Both motorcycles use a proven 6-speed transmission mated to a belt final drive optimized for low maintenance and long belt life. On the Street Glide® Ultra, the pairing complements the Milwaukee-Eight® 117’s broad torque curve, allowing relaxed highway cruising in top gear and strong roll-on response without incessant downshifting. Gear selection feels deliberate and positive, with ratios that cover everything from two-up departures to sustained interstate speeds. The Roadmaster’s 6-speed feels similarly robust, keying into the Thunderstroke 116’s early torque peak to maintain momentum at modest rpm. Where the Harley-Davidson® edges ahead is the way its liquid-cooled cylinder heads maintain consistent performance when the tour gets hot or mountainous. That thermal stability helps keep shifts consistent and clutch feel predictable when repeatedly stopping and starting with a passenger and full luggage. Over the course of a season, those small advantages translate to less drama and more progress.

Chassis

The Street Glide® Ultra’s chassis is about predictable control and protection. The saddlebag guards arrive finished to match the bike and add peace of mind in low-speed tip-overs. The fairing lowers and larger fork-mounted air deflectors are more than trim pieces — they are functional components that work with the fairing skirt to shape airflow and reduce turbulence in the rider pocket. SHOWA® rear suspension components, with their external reservoirs and hydraulic preload knob, make setup changes quick at fuel stops. The Roadmaster’s hard lower fairings, protective bodywork, and spacious luggage integrate well and keep the weather at bay. Both bikes are designed for long miles with stable geometry, rigid frames, and stout braking systems. Still, the Harley-Davidson® implementation of wind management is a highlight; by blending wind-tunnel-informed surfaces with practical hardware, it creates a quieter, steadier ride, especially useful for riders near Hagerstown, MD who face gusty, four-season conditions.

Electric

Touring electronics can elevate a ride when they are clear, reliable, and easy to use. The Street Glide® Ultra leads with a crystal-clear 12.3-inch color TFT and Skyline OS, a step change in available screen real estate and interface clarity. Built-in navigation with a hands-free Voice Recognition System allows simple, conversational commands — “Find me a gas station” — keeping gloves on and attention forward. Bluetooth connectivity, four ride modes accessible from the display, and crisp instrumentation let the rider manage systems without distraction. The Indian Roadmaster’s 7-inch RIDE COMMAND screen delivers GPS navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and the ability to unlock RIDE COMMAND+ for added features such as Apple CarPlay, Bike Locator, and Bike Health. Both support a modern touring experience, but the Street Glide® Ultra’s larger display and native voice control reduce menu-diving and keep information legible at a glance. If you value clarity and simplicity, Eisenhauer's York Harley-Davidson® makes the case for the Harley-Davidson® cockpit experience every time you power up.

Rider Safety Enhancements

Confidence at touring speeds depends on helpful, transparent safety aids. The Street Glide® Ultra features Vehicle Hold Control to keep the bike from rolling on steep grades after you release the front brake — a small convenience that pays off when fully loaded with a passenger. Harley-Davidson® also offers Rider Safety Enhancements, a suite of technologies engineered to assist in cornering and low-traction scenarios, aligning braking and power delivery with available grip. The Roadmaster counters with ABS, tire pressure monitoring, cruise control, LED lighting, and a host of rider-centric features, plus rear cylinder deactivation that enhances comfort in slow-moving traffic. Both are well equipped, but the Harley-Davidson® approach integrates wind control, braking feel, and safety aids into a cohesive whole that remains unobtrusive until you need it. For long east-coast runs and Appalachian detours near Hagerstown, MD, that balance of assistance and transparency is precisely what seasoned riders request from our team at Eisenhauer's York Harley-Davidson®.

Choosing between the 2025 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® Ultra vs 2025 Indian Roadmaster comes down to how you prefer your touring miles to feel. The Roadmaster is a comfortable, fully featured machine with strong torque and premium amenities. The Street Glide® Ultra, however, combines superior wind management that cuts helmet buffeting by up to 60 percent, a larger and more advanced 12.3-inch TFT with Skyline OS, built-in voice-controlled navigation, four ride modes, and practical touring touches like standard Vehicle Hold Control and the King Tour-Pak® with a supportive passenger back pad and armrests. Those advantages show up in the first hour of your ride and keep paying off on day three. When you are ready to upgrade your long-distance experience, our team at Eisenhauer's York Harley-Davidson® is here to help you compare the details that matter and get you set for the kind of travel this platform was built to conquer. Riders considering their next step in premium touring will find the Street Glide® Ultra the smarter, more confidence-inspiring choice.

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