I was sitting on the side of the M1 freeway that connects NSW and QLD a few months back, and I was struck by the number of baggers heading up and down the road. I've been a fan of baggers for many years, but the bagger craze-huge in the States-has been slow to take off here. At last, it seems it has.

The MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series, apart from bringing wide exposure to the segment, has gone some way to improving the breed. Harley's Street Glide and Road Glide have drastically improved over the last few years-to the point where they are arguably the best bikes Harley makes, in my opinion.

But thoughts of racing baggers aside, the majority of these machines will find themselves meandering along the highway, ripping out big miles in relative comfort. And with the Street Glide, it's a case of having your cake and eating it too-play on Sunday, cruise on Monday, if you will.

However, if you desire more luxury in your ride-without, let's say, moving over to the MoCo's heavier and less sporty Ultra Limited-then you can simply soup up the Street Glide with what Harley calls its Long Haul pack.

The Long Haul pack contains a gaggle of bolt-on bits to ensure your cruise across the country is as enjoyable and comfortable as ever, without losing too much (if any) of the Street's corner-munching ability. Included in the pack is a rump-friendly Sundowner seat, an 8-inch Wind Splitter screen that helps keep insects from infusing themselves into your outlaw beard, a mid-frame deflector kit that reduces the heat from the mighty 117ci Milwaukee-8 cooking the backs of your supple thighs, and a heel shifter setup-does anyone actually use these?

With the comfort factor ratcheted up, it's on to where you're going to stow your kit. That's taken care of with the addition of a Tour Pack-otherwise known as a top box-which also comes with a nice, comfy backrest to keep you in the good books with your passenger. Said passenger, of course, will affect the handling of your new bagger far more than the addition of the roomy, colour-coded top box. Naturally, the Long Haul pack comes with all the necessary fittings you'll need to rig out your new sporty comfort-bagger, and if you care not for certain elements, items are available individually.

The wind protection provided by the Long Haul kit is, for me at 186cm, an absolute boon. I'm often copping the full brunt of the breeze with the standard screen, so if you're on the taller side, you'll really appreciate the reduced buffeting and rain cover the optional screen provides. But for me, the essential accessories win goes to the Sundowner seat. It's gloriously comfortable. Having ridden plenty of standard Street Glides-and Road Glides, for that matter-I reckon it's a must-have for any Glide owner.

The cavernous top box is large enough to take two full-face helmets, and combined with the factory hard panniers, there's plenty of room for your holiday junk. There were no handling ill effects with the addition of the top box-but then, I didn't load it up. So I expect if you're taking a tonne of heavy stuff, you're going to notice it.

I chucked my better half on the back to assess the pillion comfort afforded by the Sundowner and plush backrest. There was little to no whinging about comfort-just about my riding style-on our seven-hour round trip. Like Winston Wolf from Tarantino's Pulp Fiction said: “I drive real f*#kin' fast.”

Now, what you throw at your Street Glide is personal preference. I like to roll with minimal equipment and, to be honest, I'd prefer the missus rode her own bike. So I'd ditch the top box and backrest-but the other kit is a non-negotiable.

I love the Street Glide and, along with the Low Rider S, it's my favourite Harley. (See my review from the launch of the new Street Glide and Road Glide here – previous reviews – for more on why I love this big bagger so much.)

If it's been a while since you've ridden a Harley bagger, then it's high time you had another crack. The world has changed-and the Street Glide along with it. A throbbing V-twin in a bagger package no longer means an ill-handling sled with ground clearance issues, poor brakes, and sloppy suspension. You can punt the Street Glide along your favourite set of twisties with surprising ferocity and grace-hell, I've even taken one for a few track day sessions at Sydney Motorsport Park, and I'm not dead!

Now roll that ability with an up-specced comfort level, and I reckon you've got something mighty special.