#CVOStreetGlide

Harley-Davidson’s CVO line has always been for the company’s biggest fans, the riders who want the best that is available for any given model year and are willing to pay a premium to get it. Typically, the CVO line comes with exclusive paint and accessories along with other choice upgrades like a premium sound system. For the powertrain, Harley historically graces the CVO with the largest production units available, which will typically start to become standard a model year or two on. Of course, that means that the next CVO needs an even bigger engine. Lather, rinse, repeat. Well, this year, besides bumping the displacement up to 121 cu. in. from the now paltry 117 cu. in. of the previous year, other huge changes were mixed in, giving an advanced look at what we predict the bulk of the Milwaukee-Eights will be like in the not-to-distant future. If the fact that the 2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide CVO and Street Glide CVO models both feature this new mill weren’t enough, there are a plethora of other changes to the bikes. So, let’s get started.

Harley-Davidson revealed full details about its next-generation CVO models, and the new Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine. The 2023 CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide offer a dramatically new (and already polarizing) fairing design, updated suspension, selectable ride modes, and a giant 12.3" TFT display.

Harley-Davidson officially announced it will reveal new CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide models for 2023, confirming many of the details we've previously uncovered. These include a new Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine, new suspension, a new infotainment system, and dramatically redesigned fairings that have already drawn strong reactions from the Harley faithful. While we will have to wait until June 7 for more information, here's what we know for certain.

Official images appear in Australian certification filings

Harley-Davidson released the bulk of its 2023 lineup about two months ago, but we’re still waiting to here about more models, such as the Custom Vehicle Operations models that will be joining the CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary. We may not have much longer to wait, as videos of a new CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide have popped up on line, revealing some big changes to the CVO models, and perhaps a sign of what to expect for the 2024 lineup.

When you show up on a CVO, you know you’ve arrived and so do all the peons on lesser machines. “Exclusive and hand-crafted paint and designs are executed to a level of intricate quality that is unmatched in the motorcycle and automotive categories,” says H-D, to “represent the pinnacle of style and design.” For 2022, a new CVO Road Glide Limited replaces the CVO Limited, with CVO Street and CVO Road Glides returning, along with the CVO Tri Glide. 

Harley-Davidson is expected to announce more 2022 models on Jan. 26, including its top-of-the-line Custom Vehicle Operations models. While the full list of 2022 CVO models remains to be determined, we expect a new Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited will be part of the announcement.

The Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations lineup returns four models for 2021, offering the most exclusive components and styling the company has to offer. The four CVO models are the same as last year, consisting of the CVO Limited, CVO Street Glide, CVO Road Glide, and the CVO Tri Glide threewheeler.

You really do need a program to keep track of all the players at Harley-Davidson. I’m still in a constant state of bewilderment even after all these years trying to keep track of the Glides and Ultras and FXRs and things as they come and go. After passing summary judgment on the new Low Rider S last week, it’s time to move on to the new Touring models, all of which at least still carry the prefix “FL.” (As do some Softails, possibly a Dyna or two – now retired – and possibly a trike. Let’s move on.)

We convened in Minneapolis, MN (interesting choice) as Harley-Davidson introduced its 2019 touring line. I had the chance to spend two days swapping between models as we po-ta-toe, po-ta-toed our way from that other cruiser brand’s hometown to Harley-Davidson’s 115th-anniversary celebration in Milwaukee, joining thousands of die-hard H-D enthusiasts from all over the globe.

The Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations line continues to showcase the most exclusive and advanced motorcycles the Motor Company can offer, with higher end finishes, paint and technology. Getting the CVO treatment for 2019 are the Limited, Street Glide and Road Glide.

In all the hoorah over the new Softail line, many riders may have missed the announcement of the Harley-Davidson touring lineup for 2018. Although there weren’t many changes to the standard touring models which had a major revamp last year, the CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) models, which always have to stay a couple steps ahead of the lesser machinery, did receive a few alterations for the upcoming model year. Fortunately, we got our hands on a 2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide to see how those changes – though largely cosmetic (with two notable exceptions) – shake out.

Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) touring models are the top-shelf factory customs of the Glide family (Street Glide, Road Glide, and Limited) offered by Motor Company to what they call their “alpha” customers. Alphas are the customers who want to attract attention to themselves. They want to have the very best and frequently use the CVO models as their leaping off point for their own accessorizing/customizing efforts. Given the top dog status of the CVO models, Harley’s designers always give the next model year’s offerings something to make them different from any previous Harley. Let’s take a tour of what makes the 2018 Harley-Davidson CVO line special.

Change comes slowly in the world of Harley-Davidson. The faithful will say that is a feature, not a bug. Still, change does come, and when any manufacturer introduces a new engine line, it’s a big deal. When Harley introduces a new engine and summarily whisks away the old engine in an entire category of its motorcycle models, it’s a sea change. You can almost feel the earth shifting on its axis. While we’d like to think that the performance of the new engine – which is impressive – could be the cause, the gravitational adjustment is most likely from the sheer number of motojournalists the Motor Company flew from locations around the globe to northwestern Washington state for the Milwaukee-Eight’s riding introduction.

Last year, we published an April Fools post about a new Harley-Davidson engine called the “Milwaukee-Eight.” The post was total BS, of course, except for the name; Harley-Davidson does, in fact, own the trademark for that Milwaukee-Eight. (UPDATE: Harley-Davidson has now officially announced the Milwaukee-Eight engine.)