What Is Harley-Davidson's Biggest Motorcycle And How Much Does It Weigh?

If you've ever owned a motorcycle, you'll know just how important it is to consider its weight. You quickly learn just how heavy two wheels can be when a bike tips over, and you have to pull it back up. While many brands invest in lightweight motorcycles, Harley-Davidson has never backed down from the bulk, having built its reputation on big, imposing machines. Many of its touring bikes already surpass the mighty 800-pound mark, but there's one model that puts all the others to shame when it comes to size.

That bike, or rather, trike, is the Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra. This three-wheeler holds the title as the heaviest Harley-Davidson motorcycle in production, weighing a colossal 1,237 pounds in running order. For comparison, Harley's next heaviest motorcycle is over 300 pounds lighter than the Tri Glide. That's almost a whole sport bike extra in weight.  

Besides the obvious extra wheel, the Tri Glide Ultra is no ordinary motorcycle. It wasn't made for people who want to zip through corners or weave through city traffic. Instead, it's a grand-touring machine that eats up miles for fun and is safe for those long trips where you're carrying a little extra weight.

So, what makes the Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra such a behemoth? It starts with Harley's Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine, which is paired with a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission. The powertrain alone is a solid chunk of metal, but the real weight comes from everything Harley piles on the rest of the bike to make it such an accomplished long-haul tourer.

There is a full Batwing front fairing to protect you from the weather, a large Tour-Pak trunk and saddlebags for carrying your stuff, an infotainment system with navigation, and electronic cruise control for long stretches of highway. Then, there is obviously a whole extra wheel, accompanied by the necessary structural components that need to be added to the bike to accompany it.

In a way, the Tri Glide flips the usual motorcycle philosophy on its head. Where sport bikes are stripped down to weigh in at the lowest possible weight, Harley goes the other direction with this trike, indulging in comfort, storage, and stability. Extra weight is the obvious trade-off, but it's one that certain riders are willing to make to own one of the ultimate touring machines.

Compared to Harley's two-wheeled touring bikes, the Tri Glide Ultra is in another league. The Ultra Limited weighs in at 917 pounds. Meanwhile, the CVO Road Glide weighs 862 pounds, and the Road King Special tops out at 807 pounds. All three models are some of the biggest cruiser motorcycles ever made, yet they are no match for the mighty Tri Glide Ultra.

That extra heft serves a purpose. Riders who choose the Tri Glide won't find themselves balancing at stoplights or parking lots, trying to support half a ton of metal, thanks to its third wheel. What makes the trike especially appealing to long-distance bikers, in particular, is how much extra space you get for gear, without sacrificing comfort.

In the world of motorcycles, weight can often be frowned upon, but the Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra shows that, occasionally, it can be a good thing. It may not cut through corners like a hot knife through butter, but it does what it was made to do really well: give you miles of smooth, comfy Harley-Davidson touring. If you're looking for a heavyweight cruiser, there's really nothing else like it on the road.