“One in every of this stuff will not be just like the others,” go the lyrics to a track from my childhood. “One in every of this stuff doesn’t belong.”
It’s a track that got here to thoughts not too long ago when take a look at driving the three new Restricted fashions being supplied by Harley-Davidson: the 2026 Pan America 1250 Restricted, 2026 Highway Glide Restricted, and 2026 Avenue Glide Restricted.
“Are you able to inform which factor will not be like the opposite by the point I’ve completed this track?”
2026 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted, Highway Glide Restricted and Pan America Restricted
The three bikes had been a part of a 13-model announcement made at first of the yr, which included trikes and Liberty Version fashions, and some different issues that – with respect to Harley – most UK riders would have glossed over.
Harley’s had a foul behavior of burying its personal headlines not too long ago, a very good instance being the distinctive engine tuning on the Low Rider ST, Avenue Bob, and Fats Boy fashions that Visordown Editor Toad Hancocks and I rode final yr. So, after I acquired an invitation to experience Harley’s three 2026 Restricted fashions, my ideas had been: “OK, however why? Aren’t these the identical bikes we’ve already ridden?”
They’re not. Effectively, not precisely the identical, not less than. And the three fashions serve to focus on the strengths (and weaknesses) of one another, in addition to, extra broadly, the strengths (and weaknesses) of Harley-Davidson. So, let’s dive into every of them.
Yow will discover the Pan America 1250 Restricted evaluation beneath, the Avenue Glide Restricted evaluation is beneath that, , and the Highway Glide evaluation is beneath that.
2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Restricted
2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America Restricted
Enjoyable reality, I used to be working for Harley-Davidson’s PR staff when the Pan America 1250 first arrived within the UK in 2021. I turned very conversant in the bike, spending a variety of time driving it and telling individuals how implausible it was.
Now, not within the make use of of the MoCo, I can inform you in all honesty that I used to be being fairly sincere again then. I assumed the Pan America 1250 was a very good bike – actually a superb first effort – and would have been completely satisfied to personal one. My solely (unstated) criticism was its Harley-Davidson pricing; the so-called “Harley tax,” – ie, the concept that placing a Harley-Davidson badge on a bike robotically will increase its asking worth – is actual.
The 2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Restricted has a beginning worth of £22,995. That’s slightly spicy when you evaluate it towards, say, the £16,740 beginning worth of a BMW R 1300 GS, however the factor concerning the Harley is that it comes with ALL the bells and ALL the whistles. From baggage to heated grips to quickshifter, the Pan America 1250 Restricted comes absolutely kitted out.
The three-piece baggage comes by way of a collaboration with SW Motech; full carrying capability is 120 liters. You additionally get crash bars, a strong bash plate, tubeless spoked wheels, and adjustable brake and gearshift pedals.
The “Screamin’ Eagle” quickshifter guarantees up and down clutchless shifting. The Adaptive Trip Top function lowers the bike at stops to make it simpler to get a foot down. And also you get semi-active digital suspension back and front. Plus adaptive LED lighting.
2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America Restricted (within the rain)
You get a “full suite of rider security enhancements” and 9 selectable experience modes. 9. What particular person is so schizophrenic of their driving types that they want NINE driving modes?
Serving to you handle all it is a 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen with telephone connectivity.
However right here’s the dangerous information. When you strip away all of the add-on bling, there have been no important adjustments to the Pan America 1250 because it was launched half a decade in the past. It seems the identical, it rides the identical, it performs the identical.
If you need an in depth report of what the bike is prefer to experience, I’d encourage you to learn Toad’s 2021 function on residing with the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Particular. In all of the ways in which depend, this is identical bike.
And I can’t assist feeling that’s slightly problematic. 5 years on, the Pan America 1250 continues to be a very good bike, however Harley’s “glorious first effort” now feels unrefined and, maybe, uncared for. Opinions will differ on the rawness of the engine’s character and energy supply. I type of prefer it, however I can see how others wouldn’t. Pair this with a transmission that’s imperfect – and never helped by the equally imperfect quickshifter – and there are features right here that go away a rider pondering: “Is that this value what Harley says it’s value?”
2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America Restricted
And therein lies extra dangerous information for the girls and boys in Milwaukee. Whereas Harley-Davidsons are well-known for holding their worth, the Pan America 1250 appears to be an exception to the rule. Looking out the web, I’m capable of finding a number of Pan America 1250s being supplied for lower than £7,000.
At £7,000 – half its authentic worth – the Pan America 1250 is an absolute cut price. At simply shy of £23k, nevertheless, its continued lack of refinement pushes one to make comparisons with Chinese language bikes. Certain, the Pan America 1250 Restricted is a demonstrably higher machine than, say, a Voge DS800X Rally – in just about each approach. However is it £16,000 higher?
If I had been nonetheless working for Harley, I’d select to reply the query with discuss of construct high quality, group, seller help, and the chance of elements availability a few years down the highway. I’m not working for H-D anymore, so I’d say that it’s best to simply purchase a secondhand Pan America 1250 and be taught to dwell with out 9 driving modes.
2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Restricted specs
|
STARTING PRICE |
£22,995 |
|
ENGINE |
1252cc liquid-cooled Revolution Max 1250 V-twin |
|
TRANSMISSION |
Six-speed |
|
POWER |
150 bhp at 8750 rpm |
|
TORQUE |
95.1 lb-ft at 6750 rpm |
|
TOP SPEED |
n/a |
|
SEAT HEIGHT |
815/840 mm |
|
GROUND CLEARANCE |
154 mm |
|
WEIGHT |
299 kg |
|
FUEL CAPACITY |
21.2 litres |
|
FRONT TYRE |
120/70R19 |
|
REAR TYRE |
170/60R17 |
|
FRONT BRAKES |
Twin discs, 4-piston calliper |
|
REAR BRAKE |
Single disc, single piston calliper |
|
FRONT SUSPENSION |
47 mm inverted fork with electronically adjustable semi-active damping management |
|
REAR SUSPENSION |
Linkage-mounted monoshock with automated digital preload management and semi-active compression & rebound damping |
|
TLDR REVIEW |
Purchase a secondhand one |
2026 Avenue Glide Restricted
2026 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted
“Don’t attempt to do all the things,” Steve Jobs famously suggested. “Do one factor properly.”
If Harley-Davidson had been to comply with that recommendation to the letter, it will solely be making the Avenue Glide, Highway Glide, and their touring derivatives. As a result of, man, this firm actually is aware of find out how to make an enormous, comfy, go-far bike.
Broadly talking, the driving expertise of the Avenue Glide Restricted is equivalent to the driving experiences I wrote about in my evaluation of the 2025 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Extremely. Nonetheless, there are some notable variations.
The largest of which is the truth that the partially liquid-cooled 1917cc Milwaukee Eight V-twin that powers the Avenue Glide Restricted (and Highway Glide Restricted) now has variable valve timing. This implies slightly extra energy (107 bhp), slightly extra torque (130.5 lb-ft) and higher gasoline effectivity.
It’s probably not one thing that you just discover, however that’s as a result of it is an evolutionary enchancment on an already glorious (albeit heavy) platform.
2026 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted
My normal remark about Harley touring machines is that they make Britain really feel very small. These are bikes influenced by and designed for the good rivers of concrete that stretch throughout the USA. Roads like Interstate 90, which stretches from Boston to Seattle. Theoretically, it’s a highway upon which you might experience 3,100 miles (that’s Land’s Finish to John o’ Groats, and again, and again once more) with out ever as soon as tapping your brakes (when you had sufficient gasoline).
Driving one in every of these behemoth machines requires a barely completely different approach; your fashion must be all about circulate. When you get into the rhythm of issues, Harley-Davidson touring bikes are so dialled-in, so refined, so good, that they’re surprisingly straightforward to deal with.
Harley held its press experience for all three Restricted fashions within the mountains overlooking Malaga and I rode all three on the identical roads (it was raining on and off all day, which is why I am carrying waterproofs in most photographs). What actually stood out to me was how far more assured I used to be going into corners on the big touring bikes than on the lighter and extra nimble Pan America 1250 Restricted.
Having stated that, the downside of a 405kg bike just like the Avenue Glide Restricted is that once you screw issues up they actually get screwed up. Go right into a nook too sizzling and there’s not as a lot room for emergency adjustment as with smaller, lighter machines. The Avenue Glide Restricted is a bike that can shortly educate you the worth of constructing good selections.
Beginning worth on the Avenue Glide Restricted is £29,995, which is greater than I earned in the entire of final yr. However, as with the Pan America 1250 Restricted, Harley has outfitted this bike with all of the bells and all of the whistles. And in contrast to the Pan America 1250 Restricted, Harley touring bikes are recognized to carry their worth properly.
2026 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted
The record of bells and whistles is intensive, however by way of what’s ‘new’ right here, the fairing has improved aerodynamics, the display screen is taller, heated grips and heated seat come normal, and also you get a heel shifter. Harley says that is simply eliminated and I’d counsel doing so.
Baggage capability is 144 litres, and the entire present is roughly 11 kg lighter than the previous-generation Avenue Glide Restricted.
The 2026 Avenue Glide Restricted is an excellent bike. But when I had the cash to purchase one I nonetheless wouldn’t. I’d select the Highway Glide Restricted as an alternative.
2026 Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted specs
|
STARTING PRICE |
£29,995 |
|
ENGINE |
1923cc Milwaukee-Eight VVT 117 V-twin |
|
TRANSMISSION |
Six-speed |
|
POWER |
107.2 bhp at 5020 |
|
TORQUE |
130.5 lb-ft at 3500 rpm |
|
TOP SPEED |
n/a |
|
SEAT HEIGHT |
740 mm |
|
GROUND CLEARANCE |
150 mm |
|
WEIGHT |
405 kg |
|
FUEL CAPACITY |
22.7 litre |
|
FRONT TYRE |
130/60B19 |
|
REAR TYRE |
180/55B18 |
|
FRONT BRAKES |
Twin disc, 4-piston calliper |
|
REAR BRAKE |
Single disc |
|
FRONT SUSPENSION |
49 mm twin bending valve forks |
|
REAR SUSPENSION |
76.2 mm Twin adjustable emulsions suspension with distant preload adjustment on the left shock, and threaded preload on the suitable shock |
|
TLDR REVIEW |
A Harley icon. Not fairly pretty much as good because the Highway Glide Restricted. |
2026 Highway Glide Restricted
2026 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Restricted
The Harley-Davidson Avenue Glide Restricted and Highway Glide Restricted are successfully the identical bike, save the entrance fairing. However, oh, what a distinction that entrance fairing makes.
The fairing on the Avenue Glide is fork-mounted, whereas the fairing on the Highway Glide is frame-mounted. That signifies that once you transfer the handlebars on the Avenue Glide, the fairing strikes, too. If you transfer the handlebars on the Highway Glide, the fairing stays the place it’s.
Throughout the Church of Jesus Harley Latter-day Davidson there’s a Protestant/Catholic-type break up on which bike is best. However, clearly, anybody arguing that the Avenue Glide gives higher efficiency is flat out mistaken. No efficiency/sportbike has fork-mounted fairing. There’s a cause that King of the Baggers bikes are primarily based on the Highway Glide.
Outdoors of that, there are some minor ergonomic variations. On the entire, the Highway Glide feels extra roomy, which I respect as a 6-foot-1 rider. Its ‘sharknose’ fairing seems cooler (pure matter of opinion, there) and the 4.2-litre decrease fairing compartments have a design that’s extra helpful.
Whereas the compartments on the Avenue Glide Restricted are boxy and may function a very good place to retailer your pet chinchilla, the compartments on the Highway Glide Restricted have a depth that accommodates a 1-litre bottle of water – typically extra helpful than a chinchilla once you’re on the highway.
2026 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Restricted
Harley says the Highway Glide Restricted weighs roughly 6 kg lower than its earlier iteration. Beginning worth is, once more, £29,995. And, once more, it has all of the bells and whistles, will maintain its worth properly, and isn’t going to be an impulse purchase.
When motorcyclists discuss bikes just like the Highway Glide Restricted there’s a tendency to evaluate them unfairly – to deal with issues like weight (417 kg on this case), relative lack of horsepower, and value. Doing this intentionally ignores what the Highway Glide Restricted is for.
Every bike has a goal. Some are extra purposeful than others. Nobody complains {that a} Ducati Panigale V4 lacks off-road chops; nobody bemoans the unimpressive high velocity of a Suzuki DR-Z4S. Each bikes are glorious inside their context.
The context of the Highway Glide Restricted could also be slightly troublesome for UK riders to know. We don’t actually have the large open areas through which it thrives. To essentially respect the Highway Glide Restricted it’s worthwhile to be the type of one who usually holidays in Romania.
And in that sense, a Highway Glide Restricted (or Avenue Glide Restricted) is a bit like a campervan. It’s not a sensible, on a regular basis automobile. It has a particular goal, a sure type of life-style that’s required.
2026 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Restricted
If that’s your factor – in case you are into what Harley’s touring bikes present – the alternate options to the Highway Glide Restricted are… uhm… restricted. There may be actually just one different producer that rivals Harley-Davidson in the case of doing this one factor properly. And Harley does it actually, very well.
2026 Harley-Davidson Highway Glide Restricted specs
|
STARTING PRICE |
£29,995 |
|
ENGINE |
1923cc Milwaukee-Eight VVT 117 V-twin |
|
TRANSMISSION |
Six-speed |
|
POWER |
107.2 bhp at 5020 |
|
TORQUE |
130.5 lb-ft at 3500 rpm |
|
TOP SPEED |
n/a |
|
SEAT HEIGHT |
740 mm |
|
GROUND CLEARANCE |
130 mm |
|
WEIGHT |
417 kg |
|
FUEL CAPACITY |
22.7 litre |
|
FRONT TYRE |
130/60B19 |
|
REAR TYRE |
180/55B18 |
|
FRONT BRAKES |
Twin disc, 4-piston calliper |
|
REAR BRAKE |
Single disc |
|
FRONT SUSPENSION |
49 mm twin bending valve forks |
|
REAR SUSPENSION |
76.2 mm Twin adjustable emulsions suspension with distant preload adjustment on the left shock, and threaded preload on the suitable shock |
|
TLDR REVIEW |
Purchase one you probably have a cabin within the Carpathian Mountains. |
Learn extra bike critiques on Visordown.
