Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special (Milwaukee-Eight 114, 2017+) Maintenance Schedule
This is the maintenance schedule for the FLHRXS Road King Special with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 motor made from 2017 onward, sourced from the owner’s manual.
The FLHRXS Road King Special is based on the 2017+ Milwaukee-Eight FLHR Road King, but is more of a casual, style-first touring bike. It has a larger engine, larger front wheel, blacked out components, and no windshield.
The Road King Special from 2019 is powered by the larger Milwaukee-Eight motors 114 (1868 cc) air-cooled V-twin with four valves per cylinder. H-D quotes peak torque of 122 lb-ft (165 Nm) at 2750 rpm, lower than when the 107 gets to peak torque, and peak power of 95 hp (71 kW) at 5020 rpm. Final drive is via a 6-speed transmission and a belt.
In 2017-2018, the Road King Special had the standard Milwaukee Eight 107 engine, but the maintenance requirements are the same.
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Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special (2017+) Service Intervals
Like most Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special (2017-onward, with the Milwaukee-Eight engine) has 5000 mile / 8000 km or annual service intervals.
At every service, change the oil and filter, and look over your motorcycle for items adjustment, replacement, lubrication, or cleaning. Also check all gear relevant to riding (tires, belt etc.) for condition.
As the Road King (and nearly every Harley-Davidson) has self-adjusting lifters, there is no valve service interval. However, Harley-Davidson does suggest you change the spark plugs every 30000 miles / 48000 km or two years.
As well as engine oil, you need to periodically replace both primary chaincase lubricant and transmission lubricant.
A number of items need to be done less frequently, like changing the brake fluid. See the schedule for more details.
Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special (2017+) Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the FLHRXS Road King Special. From 2017-2018, the Road King Special had the standard Milwaukee-Eight 107 motor, and from 2019 onward it had the larger Milwaukee-Eight 114 motor. But it doesn’t have the Twin-Cooled (liquid-cooled) version seen in some of the Ultra or CVO models.
The schedule is broken up into the standard maintenance schedule of major items and the inspection checklist of regular service items.
Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special.
Notes:
- To keep the schedule more readable, we’ve cropped it at 30000 miles / 48000 km. Keep repeating it in the pattern shown, with some items only done irregularly.
- Follow the earlier of time-based or distance-based service intervals.
| mi x 1000 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1.6 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 48 | Every |
| Inspection checklist (see below) – Perform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year (some items only) |
| Engine oil – Replace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year See notes below |
| Oil filter – Replace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Air cleaner filter – Inspect Clean as necessary in lukewarm water with mild detergent | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in severe conditions. | |
| Spark plugs – Replace | ✓ | 2 years | ||||||
| (Spoked rims) Spoke tightness (front and rear) – Check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in severe conditions. | ||||
| Hand control switch housing screw torque – Tighten | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |||
| Front brake handlebar clamp screw torque – Tighten | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |||
| Steering head bearings – Lubricate | ✓ | |||||||
| Windshield bushings – Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Primary chaincase lubricant – Replace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in severe conditions. | |||
| Transmission lubricant – Replace | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in severe conditions. | |||||
| Brake systems – Replace (use DOT 4 fluid) | 2 years | |||||||
| (2017-2020 Hydraulic clutch models) Clutch fluid – Replace | 2 years | |||||||
| Front and rear axle nut torque – Tighten | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |||
| 12 battery – Check battery, terminal torque, and clean connections. Lubricate with electrical contact lubricant | Year | |||||||
| Fuel filter – Replace | 100000 mi (161000 km) |
Standard Inspection Checklist
Below is the standard inspection checklist for the Road King Special (Milwaukee Eight). Follow this checklist per the schedule above.
Not all items need to be checked annually — those that have annual service requirements are marked on the right.
Note that from 2017-2020, the Road King and other Tourers had a hydraulic clutch (The Road King didn’t get the Project Rushmore hydraulic clutch in the Twin Cam generation, unlike other Tourers). Harley-Davidson went back to a cable clutch from 2021.
| Standard Inspection Checklist — Milwaukee Eight | Annual |
|---|---|
| Drive belt and sprockets – Inspect | |
| Drive belt – Check / Adjust tension | |
| Rear sprocket isolators – Inspect at every tire change | |
| Electrical equipment and switches – Inspect | |
| Tire pressure and tread (front and rear) – Check | ✓ |
| Brake and clutch controls – Lubricate | |
| Brake pads (front and rear) – Wear check Minimum thickness: 0.4 mm / 0.016 in | |
| Brake fluid level (front and rear) – Inspect level (fluid drops as pads wear), and check moisture content. Replace if moisture over 3%. | |
| 2017-2020: Clutch fluid level – Inspect level and check moisture content. Replace if moisture over 3%. | ✓ |
| 2021+: Clutch cable – Adjust and check for leaks, contact, or abrasion. Lubricate cable with Harley-Davidson lubricant | |
| Oil cooler – Clean | |
| Oil and brake lines – Inspect | |
| Jiffy stand – Lubricate | |
| Exhaust system, fasteners, and shields – Inspect | |
| Fuel door hinge and latch – Lubricate | |
| Component and system function – Road test |
Wheel / Tire Size
The FLHRXS Road King Special ships with Dunlop bias blackwall tires, custom made for Harley-Davidson.
In 2017, the original Milwaukee-Eight FLHRXS shipped with a 19/18 front/-rear tire combination, and it has kept it to this day through engine updates.
2017-2019 Road King tire sizes:
| Wheel | Wheel size | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 19 x 3.5 in | 130/60B19 61H | 36 psi / 248 kPa |
| Rear | 18 x 5 in | 180/55B18 80H | 40 psi / 276 kPa |
Oil Change on the Road King Special
There are three fluids that need to be changed on the Road King Special, as with most Harley-Davidsons..
For all of them, you can use Castrol V-Twin 20W50, a popular oil for Harley-Davidson big twins. You can also use Screamin’ Eagle Syn3 Synthetic 20W50, Harley-Davidson’s own in-house high-quality synthetic.
These are the places oil needs to be changed:
- Engine oil (See below table)
- Primary chaincase
- Transmission
For engine oil, you can actually use any of the following oils. Generally one of the first two is appropriate for most people (or Castrol or Mobil 20W50).
| Lowest ambient temperature | Oil brand | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 30 F / -1 C | Screamin’ Eagle SYN3 Synthetic | SAE 20W50 |
| 40 F / 4 C | Harley-Davidson H-D 360 | SAE 20W50 |
| 60 F / 16 C | Harley-Davidson H-D 360 | SAE 50 |
| 80 F / 27 C | Harley-Davidson H-D 360 | SAE 60 |
While the standard oil change interval is 5000 miles / 8000 km, H-D recommends you change the oil every 1500 mi / 2400 km if you frequently ride the motorcycle short distances (less than 15 mi / 24 km) in ambient temperatures below 60 degrees F / 16 C.
For example, if you’re regularly riding in winter in most of the northern hemisphere, you’ll want to change the oil more often.
Belt Tension Check / Adjustment
To check the belt tension on your FLHRXS Road King Special, follow the procedure below.
You need a belt tension tool (either Harley-Davidson or aftermarket) and a ruler.
- Put the motorcycle in neutral on its stand, with the rear wheel on the ground, and nothing in the saddlebags.
- Push up on the middle of the bottom half of the belt until the belt tension gauge registers 10 lb (4.5 kg) of pressure.
- Use the ruler to measure belt tension.
Target belt tension for the FLHRXS Road King Special: 1/4 – 7/16 in (6.4-11.1 mm)
Note that the belt tension spec for the FLHRXS Road King Special is different from that of the standard Road King due to different wheel and suspension components.
If the belt tension is out of spec, you can either adjust it yourself if you’re familiar with how, or take it to a dealer.
About the 2017+ Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special
The Harley-Davidson FLHR Road King (and its associated sub-brands) has been a mainstay of Harley-Davidson’s line-up since the 90’s. It’s part of the “Grand America Touring” line, and is designed for long-distance travel — in style.
At its core, the Road King has always been a stripped-back bagger. And the FLHRXS is still a bagger, but it’s even more stripped back, to the point where it doesn’t even have a windshield! (You can get one though, either a Harley-Davidson one or an aftermarket windshield.)
Not having a windshield does limit its scope for “Grand America Touring”, however. You either have to have a bit of patience for windblast, or not go too quickly. An hour of highway cruising above 60mph / 100 km/h is going to beat you up. Either way, you’ll probably at least look very cool trying it.
Other than that, the Road King Special strikes an interesting balance between baggers and cruisers. The FLHRXS has mini-ape handlebars, which in combination with the floorboards makes for an assertive but comfortable riding position.
You’re not totally stretched out, like you might be on a performance cruiser, but nor are you in an aggressively forward-leaning riding position, as you might be on a sporty cruiser with mid controls (like the VRSCR Street Rod, for example).
The 19-inch wheel at the front isn’t just for style, either. The larger diameter helps the Road King Special glide relatively effortlessly over potholes — an increasingly common occurrence even in highly developed parts of the world.
Many people thinking about a large Harley-Davidson Grand Touring bike have misgivings about handling. But the wide handlebar reach and big steering lock range means that neither low-speed manoeuvring nor high-speed stability are compromised. Basically, this bike can do it all with ease.
The rear suspension only has 2.1 inches of travel in the rear, but the handling and ride quality is still quite good nonetheless! It’s not a good bike for going over boulders, but I think that goes without saying…
One thing should be said about handling though — you’ll scrape quickly. Yes, you have 30 degrees of lean angle, if you want to use it. But you really do have to lean hard to get a big, heavy, long-wheelbase bike like this to go around corners, so be aware that you won’t just be sharpening your floorboards, but scraping hard parts pretty quickly. This isn’t a bike to ride too aggressively around hairpins. Or aggressively at all.
The main difference between the Harley Davidson FLHRXS Road, King special and the base model Road King is the larger Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin engine. It may not sound like much of a difference in capacity, but the larger engine has a higher torque peak, and also peaks torque a little bit lower than the smaller 107. It’s just a little bit of pull that’s always welcome when you’re travelling with luggage and going a long distance.
The Road King Special, being the up-market Road King, also has been available with Harley-Davidson’s RDRS Safety Enhancements package. These are, in a nutshell, cornering ABS and traction control, a rarity on the cruiser scene. It also implies linked braking, which goes hand-in-hand with ABS on Harley-Davidson’s cruisers.
Reference — Manual for the Harley-Davidson FLHRXS Road King Special
The above info came from the owner’s manual for the Harley-Davidson FLHRXS, as well as by cross referencing other sites.
You can see the schedule below. It’s a “generic” schedule, with footnotes and so forth, and even mentions coolant. We’ve simplified it to the view above.
You can see the manual for yourself online here (subscription required).
