2009 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic Reviews

2009 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic

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First Reviewed August 11, 2009 Found in Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Reviews, Touring

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For the 2009 production year, Harley-Davidson decided to redesign the frame of their Electra Glide Classic line of touring motorcycles. The rebuild was focused on comfort over long cross-country rides. The result is the kind of motorcycle that a passionate long-haul rider needs in order to get the full joy out of a hundreds (if not thousands) of miles traveled during warm spring and summer months.

Weighing in at over 800 lbs the '09 Electra Glide Classic is given enough power to confidently move all that steel down the highway with the classic Harley-Davidson 96 cubic-inch V-Twin engine coupled to a new isolated drive system. To handle acceleration the motor produces 92.6 ft-lbs of torque and fuel injection comes standard so even this bike gets a full 54 mpg on the highway. The chassis is based on a single-spar, rigid backbone frame that supports an increase in load capacity of 70 pounds. This allows for a five pound increase in each saddlebag and the Tour-Pak. A new swingarm contributes significantly to the overall system. The engine-isolation system has been revised to reduce engine and vehicle vibrations at idle speed. Other powertrain revisions include a new 2-1-2 exhaust system that reduces heat exposure to the rider and passenger, and a lower final drive ratio for improved acceleration performance.

In 2009 upgraded cast aluminum wheels with Dunlop tires come standard from the factory on this Electra Glide Classic as well. The front wheel diameter increased to 17 inches from 16 inches while the width of the 16-inch rear wheel is increased to five inches from three inches. The new Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread rear tires offer as much as 25% more rear-tire tread life. The wider rear wheel accommodates a new 180/65-16 rear tire. The new front tire is a 130/80-17. Front and rear suspension has been recalibrated to match the dynamics of the new chassis, wheels and tires.

Exterior styling queues include a "Bat Wing", fork-mounted fairing, classic touring handlebars, injection-molded GTX saddlebags, full length adjustable passenger footboards and a classic one piece two-up leather seat. Rear styling is cleaner, with a wider fender and the elimination of the rear “hoop” over the fender on models not equipped with a Tour-Pak and to take the touring experience one step further, the '09 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide is also available with an optional TLE side car!

Nothing is as essential in the owner's mind as the paint job on any Harley and plenty of care has been put into selecting the color choices for the 2009 touring bikes. Where the Electra Glide Classic is concerned the Harley-Davidson factory paint shop makes these motorcycles available in 7 color schemes for 2009 including favorites such as Vivid Black, Pewter Pearl, Two-Tone Vivid Black/Pewter Pearl, Two-Tone White Gold Pearl/Pewter Pearl, and new choices such as Flame Blue Pearl, Red Hot Sunglo, and Two-Tone Flame Blue Pearl/Pewter Pearl.

Reviews of the 2009 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic (Model: FLHTC) can be found below. Please write a review of your own if you've had the opportunity to ride this bike yourself and can shed a bit of your perspective on its overall style, quality, and value. Be sure that this is the right motorcycle before writing your review as the '09 Electra Glide Standard, '09 Ultra Classic Electra Glide, and the '09 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide have their own respective review sets and we want to make sure your thoughts are matched to the right bike. If you have a picture of your Harley, email it to pictures@hdreviewspot.net and we'll be sure to attach it to the '09 Electra Glide Photo Gallery.