Giving it a try. Brian J. Nelson “Specs don’t sell bikes. (Riders) want performance all the time, ” says Alex Bozmoski, Chief Engineer of New Product at Harley-Davidson.

Bozmoski led the difficult task of improving the much-loved Twin Cam engine.

Riders wanted everything to be better: better performance and better comfort without sacrificing the look, feel, and sound that make Harley-Davidson iconic.

With the help of somewhere between 20-30 carefully 3-D printed engines, the Motor Company was able to deliver a better performing engine that, impressively, does not weigh more, will require less maintenance, and is more comfortable to ride.

The new motor, named the Milwaukee-Eight, is matched with all-new front and rear suspension on all of the touring models. Scott Miller, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling and Product Development Strategy, says, “These are the most powerful, most responsive and most comfortable touring motorcycles ever offered by Harley-Davidson.”

Riding the new Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight engine

To back that claim up, Harley-Davidson brought me to Tacoma to ride the entire touring lineup through twisty mountain roads, stretches of raining highway, and bits of bumper-to-bumper urban traffic.

I spent time on the entire lineup, including an extremely fun Street Glide with the Screamin’ Eagle Stage I kit. These bikes absolutely rip. The Milwaukee-Eight comes in two displacement sizes 1,750cc and 1,870cc.

They feel fantastic. Riders will benefit from the new suspension, fantastic fueling, and impressive torque. These bikes move! No matter where you are, low to high, twist the throttle and hold on. These bikes are big. They are heavy. But get them moving and you absolutely own the road, pass with confidence. When it’s time to hit the twistys they handle surprisingly well and are still plenty fun. I had the chance to push these close to the limit and they didn’t disappoint. Grins all around. The new engine was prototyped by 3D printing. Chris Force

The brakes? Well, they work. Braking is not my favorite part of riding any big touring motorcycle. The clutch, while slightly improved, is still extremely heavy. Neutral? Well, it’s in there somewhere, good luck trying to find it. If you plan on riding in stop-and-go traffic your left wrist is going to get a workout. Besides that, other gripes are tiny. These bikes beg to be ridden. I would have happily jumped on any bike in this lineup and rode it the 2,000 miles back to Milwaukee. They are fun, confident, and comfortable to ride.

The specs that you’ll notice

10% increase in torque

50% increase in charging capacity (add all the gizmos you want)

Stage I, II, and III kits can increase power up to 24%

You’ll never need to adjust valves again

Easily adjust suspension with no tools (matters a lot on big bikes like these)

Exhaust runs 100 degrees cooler

Chris Force is a motorcycle journalist.