Blog - CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide 2023
Harley-Davidson announces all the details and prices for the new CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide models.
My personal impression of the new CVO models
First of all, I am often asked what the abbreviation CVO actually means at Harley-Davidson. The exact translation of CVO is Custom Vehicle Operation. These are the top versions at Harley-Davidson. Limited editions, exclusive features, and high-quality paintwork adorn the CVO models, which in previous model years also Screamin‚ Eagle have been called, but today are more likely to be referred to as the athletic parts.
On June 7, Harley-Davidson revealed its closely guarded secret: the expected price of the new Harley-Davidson CVO models 2023, which was a hot topic!
Now it's certain: the price starts at €45,495 ex works, but of course it still has to be shipped to Europe and to the dealer, so we end up with €46,382.25 if the Dark Platinum color is enough; otherwise, there's an additional €7,500 for the elaborate Whiskey Neat – Raven Metallic paint job on top of that.
The Whiskey Neat paint job with airbrush accents certainly looks very good in real life. It will be necessary to look into the background of the paint job to understand how the extra cost is justified, and ultimately, if you really want the paint set, you will find some reason to justify it.
What's new about the CVO models?
The CVO Road Glide now has a 19-inch wheel at the front, where a 21-inch wheel was previously fitted. But they probably thought it would be better to move away from the bagger style, because the panniers now end above the exhaust pipes, which means you can see the entire exhaust, which looks pretty good if you leave it on, otherwise you'll have to see what the relevant suppliers can come up with.
The new CVO lighting design
Now it's time to say goodbye to traditional incandescent bulbs in turn signals.
The new lighting design is strikingly new on both CVO models. However, the Road Glide community has commented that the design is too similar to Indian models. Personally, I quite like the design, which in a way makes me a little nervous. On the Street Glide, the headlight with LED strips is supposed to represent the eagle's wings. Well, when you explain that, you can see the intended T-design, but I actually prefer the CVO Road Glide.
The turn signals are now integrated, replacing the old incandescent bulbs. LED lights offer so many possibilities today—you have to see them in action to appreciate them. On the Road Glide in particular, the LED Daymaker reflectors on the current model are a real safety bonus. When I'm riding the Road Glide, other drivers are much less likely to fail to yield the right of way. At first glance, I don't see any major changes to the brake light combination at the rear. The light design appears to have been modified slightly.
The new suitcase design
The new saddlebags are more angular and no longer enclose the exhaust. In the photo, it looks as if the entire system has been styled in a scorched chrome finish. We've already seen this style on the 2022 CVO Road Glide model in blue steel, and it looks really great. Many people prefer the deep-drawn saddlebags that we find on the Special models, for example.
The new design will have to be accepted, and well-known exhaust manufacturers will have to pay attention not only to the sound but also to the appearance of the system in order to maintain the design line. The new cases are supposed to have more space; normally, the amplifier for the music system is stored there. Let's see if they left it there.
The new Showa suspension
Finally, they have addressed the issue of the chassis. The front now features a Showa upside-down fork, which should generally be stiffer than a conventional fork. At the rear, there is an adjustment wheel to hydraulically adjust the suspension strength, and a 40% longer suspension travel should provide more comfort. In any case, this is something that needs to be looked at more closely. There are probably a number of adjustments that can be made, otherwise Wilbers or Öhlins are certainly available as alternatives.
Skyline OS - Weatherproof TFT color touchscreen
The new and modern Skyline OS control center for both CVO models
Harley-Davidson isn't exactly known as a trendsetter; you could say that they sometimes give us a little more time to get used to the new modern world. From now on, CVOs will feature Wi-Fi and a multifunctional cockpit with integrated information and navigation systems.
It will be possible to customize the template, i.e., the view itself, and yes, there will even be widgets that can be displayed in specific places.
What were widgets again? These are small applications that can display the temperature or show messages, for example. It depends on how far along the system is at Harley and which widgets are included; we'll have to wait and see.
According to Harley-Davidson, the multifunctional information system is weatherproof, but I still think you shouldn't hold a steam cleaner on it, especially since most devices have a coating. Special protective films will surely be available soon.
The new driving modes
The new driving modes are interesting: Rain, Sport, and Road, plus two customizable settings. It will certainly be interesting to discover the character of the new engine.
Thanks to variable valve control, the V2 engine, which is just under 2 liters in size and has approx. 180 Nm, will deliver a decent punch at low revs and still have plenty of power at high revs to really open up. You can now adjust this to suit your preferences, either for a more relaxed ride on long journeys or for sporty cornering in Sport mode.
Personally, I've come to appreciate Rain Mode. No matter how wet the road is, it really gives you a feeling of safety. This feature is already included in the current touring models from 2020 onwards, as well as in the Pan America with its 152 hp.,
The new switches
I'm not really sure yet whether I like the new layout of the switches. The cruise control is now at the top, which isn't ideal when you're driving a lot and have to fiddle around up there with your index finger, which is probably still in a thick rain glove. Operating it with your thumb was perfect. I mean, before, there was just one joystick switch for all those arrows in the middle, but now it's completely overloaded. At least I can still see the turn signal switch on the left and right.
I really wonder who comes up with ideas like turning a joystick into five switches. It would be good if the switches were at least illuminated, but we don't know anything about that yet. Although that's always a purely personal opinion.
USB-C has now also found its way into the CVO, but it remains to be seen how much power it will deliver. There are additional connections for heated clothing under the seat.
Is the window adjustable or not?!
Is the windshield an underestimated issue at Harley-Davidson?
I mean, yes, I know some people who struggle with strong turbulence on their helmets, which can be really annoying on a long tour. That's why some people collect various visors in their garage to get to grips with this problem.
I only experienced this during the first 500 kilometers when I started riding touring bikes. For me, it wasn't due to the helmet or the windshield; I was simply sitting in the wrong position, and riding with footboards was really unfamiliar to me. Today, I wouldn't want to be without them, and I don't have any problems with turbulence on either my current Road Glide or Street Glide. But the problem can't be dismissed; others have it.
Now the question is, is the window adjustable, and if not, why not?
The CVO in particular would be a good candidate for a little extra comfort. It would be nice if you could ride it a little higher in bad weather, but it shouldn't be too dark either. The CVO is also about long-distance comfort, so the weather may not always be on your side. We don't all live in Florida, after all.
Basically, it looks like plenty of air comes through the front, and the flap under the windshield could be continuously adjustable, which might prevent turbulence. They will have tested this in the wind tunnel. Ultimately, only a test drive will be able to answer this question. A small number will be available from us starting in August 2023.
I expect to be able to clarify many of the outstanding questions myself in July. If there is anything else you are particularly interested in that is missing, you can send me a short mail, or a message about the Social media send.
CONCLUSION:
I'm surprised that it ended up costing less than €50,000, but the asking price is still a lot of money. However, for those who are already in this price range and trade in their old CVO or sell it themselves, switching to the new CVO era is certainly appealing.
The day after: Opinions from the Harleysite Facebook community!
On the first day of the premiere, the price and the similarity in design to Indian were the main topics of discussion. On the second day, the focus shifted more to the technology, and there were significantly more comments with interesting opinions. But one topic that wasn't discussed at all was where the new CVO models come from. Will they continue to be made in the US, or will they perhaps also come from Thailand in the future?.
According to my information, it may well be that some models are assembled in Thailand, depending on capacity utilization. The real joke is that the Thais apparently work more precisely, which is particularly evident in the cable harnesses and the assembly in general, at least that's what I've heard from various mechanics at Harley. In times of globalization, this is probably no longer an issue, which is why no one talks about it anymore.
Here is an excerpt from various comments, from the Harleysite Facebook page.
Test – Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO and Road Glide CVO 2023
The 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO models mark the beginning of a new era.
THE NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO MODELS 2023
THE NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO MODELS – EVEN MORE DESIGN, PERFORMANCE, AND TECHNOLOGY CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide are powered by the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121
