High Tech
Compared.

H-D CVO Road Glide — 2024 & 2025

IN BRIEF: Premium · Intuitive · Refined

COMMENTS: It’s a long way from the chrome bezels, ornate dashboards, radio/cassette and CD players of the early Harley baggers, but the CVO’s integrated screen is very aesthetically pleasing. It has stunning graphics, layouts  and design with excellent legibility.

The whole cockpit says premium.

The high-resolution dashboard offers three basic layouts, with numerous data display options available within them, including a split-screen CarPlay view.

The drill-down menus are easily accessible and quite intuitive, as are the multifunction toggles on both switch blocks for menu selections.

Having spent time on both ’24 and ’25 models also proved a good example of the difference a model year and a heap of firmware upgrades can make. Each year brings better features and reliability. The ’24 display was a breakthrough for Harley; the ’25 model improved it.

The later version’s connections were far more reliable, and the layouts and on-screen warnings were significantly improved.

Screen visibility is generally good night and day, with automatic contrast settings. The screen can reflect the sun when it’s at just the right angle over your shoulder, but it’s a rare occurrence.

Specifications
Touch Screen	Yes
Operating System	Harley-Davidson Skyline OS
Screen Type	Full-colour TFT
Screen Size	12.3 inches / 312 mm
Screen Resolution	Not specified
Phone Connectivity	Apple CarPlay; Android via Bluetooth only

H-D Street Glide — 2025

IN BRIEF: Integrated · Beautiful · Practical

COMMENTS: The Street Glide took a huge leap with the 2024 model, and the ’25 model saw the dash layout from the CVO trickle down to the Batwing and standard Road Glide models.

It’s possibly an even better integration aesthetically than the CVO’s now that the Street Glide runs the same beautiful display and OS - and benefits from upgraded firmware and functionality.

My previous experience of the system had been on two CVOs, and it wasn’t until I rode the Street Glide at night that I appreciated the illuminated switchgear fitted to the top-end machines.

It took a short while to develop the muscle memory to operate efficiently.

The media drawer under the screen was the best phone-storage option of any of the systems.

Specifications
Touch Screen	Yes
Operating System	Harley-Davidson Skyline OS
Screen Type	Full-colour TFT
Screen Size	12.3 inches / 312 mm
Screen Resolution	Not specified
Phone Connectivity	Apple CarPlay; Android via Bluetooth only

Indian Pursuit — 2025

IN BRIEF: Customisable · Comprehensive · Versatile

COMMENTS: Indian has approached the design and functionality differently.

The Pursuit stacks two analogue gauges above the RIDE COMMAND touchscreen—in its best layout yet.

Indian’s system has the most customisation options for data displays and screen layouts. It employs a drag-and-drop widget system that allows all manner of readouts, from trip-computer information and diagnostics to tyre pressures.

The smaller screen means there is an array of old-school function buttons beneath it for navigating through the menu screens, and they work well.

So do the toggles on the switch blocks, which help negotiate the myriad controls available from the screen, including rear suspension preload, heated seats and grips, and fog lights.

The system offers the most data and display options through its combination of analogue and digital instruments. Data can sometimes be duplicated, but the system is customisable and comprehensive.

Specifications
Touch Screen	Yes
Operating System	Indian Motorcycle RIDE COMMAND
Connected Services	RIDE COMMAND+ on equipped models
Screen Type	Colour capacitive touchscreen
Screen Size	7 inches
Screen Resolution	800 × 480 pixels
Phone Connectivity	iOS for CarPlay; Android via Bluetooth only

Indian Chieftain — 2025

IN BRIEF: Safe · Familiar · Integrated

COMMENTS: The Chieftain shares the same systems as the Pursuit in its fork-mounted fairing layout.

It was the first time I experienced lane-change and tailgating warning systems on a motorcycle, and I found them a worthwhile safety addition.

The customisable warnings can be displayed on the mirrors and touchscreen.

The two gauges on either side of the screen, along with the button layout, are essentially the same as on the 2019 model and could do with an update.

I really like the customisable widget options in the RIDE COMMAND system. It offers various snippets of data that can be dragged and dropped into the cascading display screens. Very clever.

It took a few attempts to connect my phone via Bluetooth, but once established, the connection proved reliable and reconnected automatically throughout the test period.

Controlling music and playlists was easy, with the option to send the sound to either the bike’s fairing-mounted 100-watt speakers or a wireless headset. Both worked well.

Specifications
Touch Screen	Yes
Operating System	Indian Motorcycle RIDE COMMAND
Connected Services	RIDE COMMAND+ available as an upgrade
Screen Type	Colour touchscreen
Screen Size	7 inches
Screen Resolution	800 × 480 pixels
Phone Connectivity	iOS for CarPlay; Android via Bluetooth only

BMW K 1600 B — 2022

IN BRIEF: Clear · Tactile · Focused

COMMENTS: BMW takes a different approach again.

It was the first motorcycle I rode with a large, integrated TFT display, and the wide 10.25-inch screen remains one of the clearest and best proportioned of the group.

Rather than a touchscreen, it uses BMW’s familiar Multi-Controller—a ring on the left handlebar that works a little like a mouse—along with toggle switches for navigating the menus. It takes some familiarisation, but soon becomes intuitive and is easy to operate while wearing gloves.

The screen can be divided between vehicle information, media and navigation, with the BMW Motorrad Connected app supplying maps and route guidance through a paired phone.

It doesn’t offer the same level of touchscreen customisation as the Harley or Indian systems, but the presentation is clean, the important information is easy to find and the physical controller means there is no need to reach forward while riding.

Specifications
Touch Screen	No
Operating System	BMW Motorrad Connectivity
Navigation Platform	BMW Motorrad Connected app
Screen Type	Full-colour TFT
Screen Size	10.25 inches
Screen Resolution	1920 × 720 pixels
Control Method	Handlebar controls and BMW Multi-Controller
Phone Connectivity	Bluetooth and Wi-Fi via the BMW Motorrad Connected Only.