Street Motorcycle

Harley-Davidson recently announced its four-bike CVO lineup for the 2011 model year. Returning to the Custom Vehicle Operations stable is the range-topping Ultra Classic Electra Glide ($36,499), the popular Street Glide ($32,499), and the versatile Softail Convertible ($29,599) – all with new additions and options to set them apart from the 2010 iterations. We’ll bring you riding impressions of that trio later, but we’ll first start with the newest CVO, the Road Glide Ultra, a stylish and exclusive luxo-touring rig.

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It’s a tough economy out there for a lot of us, causing a precipitous drop in motorcycle sales over the past two years. However, those with deep pockets and shrewd investments always seem to have disposable income for a new toy in their garage.
Well-heeled riders such as these don’t choke when they are told the $35,999 MSRP of the 2011 CVO Road Glide Ultra. If you’re trying to eke out another 500 miles from your old KLR650’s tires, perhaps you’re not the customer the CVO group is targeting.

According to Harley, the average age of a CVO customer is 54-55, right in their prime earning years. Harley research reveals that CVO customers buy $3,500 of accessories on average, roughly double that of the average H-D OE customer despite the CVOs already being fantastically tricked out.
Like last year’s CVO lineup, all 2011 CVOs are set apart from their lesser brethren by the implementation of the Screamin’ Eagle Twin-Cam 110-cubic-inch motor, hot-rodded from the standard H-D TC96 and even the TC103 in the 2010 Harley Electra Glide Ultra Limited we tested last year. The TC103 is also standard equipment in the OE 2011 Road Glide Ultra we tested last week, and also as part of an optional “Power Pak” upgrade package on any 2011 OE Harley.

If there’s a motorcycle cockpit more visually impressive than the Road Glide Ultra’s, we’ve never seen it.

If you can’t convince a passenger to ride with you on a seat like this, you may have deep personality issues.

This year marks the first time there has been an Ultra version of the Road Glide, and Harley describes it as “a super-premium touring motorcycle.” As such, the RGU is gussied up with every luxury-touring amenity Harley can think of. And, like all CVO’s, it makes for an impressive sight, with rich custom paint, deep and lustrous chrome, and wonderful finish quality.
It’s a fact that if you’ve got stacks of cash, you’re more likely to have a grateful companion along for the ride. CVO engineers obviously have learned that if momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy, because the RGU’s pillion seat is a sumptuous place to plant a pair of cheeks. 
Both rider and passenger get electric heating, leather inserts and matching adjustable backrests. The reshaped saddle also has another trick up its sleeve, having a hammock-style suspension for the rider and a spring-board suspension for the pillion under its thick padding. Passengers will also appreciate the air-adjustable lumbar support that can be positioned in four areas of height.
Behind all that queenly luxury is a Deluxe Tour Pak top-box with interior lighting, an internal 12-volt power port, and color-matched LED brake/tail lamps. Its lock (and those for the saddlebags and ignition) is remotely operable – all at the push of a button on the bike’s key fob. Carry-out luggage liners ease the walk up a B&B’s steps, and an Air Wing luggage rack provides a place to strap on a trinket from the antique store.
Along with the typical RG cockpit features, the CVO version adds cruise control, four BOOM! speakers driven by a Harmon/Kardon 40-watt-per-channel amp, and an 8GB iPod nano that automatically charges itself when stored in its saddlebag pouch. The audio system (including XM radio and intercom) offers an iPod interface via the audio system’s screen and is controlled by handlebar switches. The Glide’s chrome 1-inch handlebar is slightly reshaped for extra comfort, and most wiring is routed internally. A tri-phase charging system generates 650 watts, enough to power all the trick convenience gizmos.

The Road Glide Ultra has a vast array of accoutrements to make its riders as comfy and entertained as possible. Heated seats and grips, dual backrests, cruise control, audio system and ABS only touch on a few of its features.

The Road Glide is distinguished by its distinctive dual-headlight prow of the frame-mounted fairing. This CVO version is visually set apart by its Mirror Chrome Agitator wheels, 18 inches in diameter front and rear, and new billet muffler end caps with black spears. You’ll also notice the Rumble Collection foot controls, mirrors and saddlebag latch covers, all bathed in rich, deep chrome. Trim panels for the CB pod insert, Screamin’ Eagle 110 intake insert, and Tour-Pak lid insert feature a new diamond-cut pattern.

Harley’s CVO division always delivers superlative paint and finish work. Seen here is the Frosted Ivory and Vintage Gold with Quartzite graphics version.

Glide Ride
First impressions of the RG Ultra are of its physically imposing size and its brilliant finish quality. There’s a lot of stuff to look at on this huge machine, and all of it is of a very high quality. The RG’s massive fairing presents to a rider a lustrous cockpit with a bold instrument panel that is painted to match the body panels. The Rio Red version features deep red metallic paint that a rider can admire all day long.

Although the Road Glide Ultra is ponderous at low speeds, it can carve up a twisty road at a fair pace. Harley says it can be leaned over to the right up to 33 degrees.

Speaking of all day, the RGU’s pillowy saddles seem fully up to the task – this could be the cushiest seat combo in motorcycledom, made even more pleasing by their heating elements. The newly shaped handlebar is a comfortable reach, and it also includes a mount for the Road Tech zumo 660 GPS navigation system. A small ergonomic niggle for shorter riders is the high angle of the audio display. I also had problems navigating through the iPod menu, but I have little doubt it would become second nature after more miles.
The RGU is said to scale in at 943 lbs full of fuel, and it certainly feels it when lifting the bike off its chrome sidestand. Rubber-mount handlebars and a lot of weight carried high (fairing and top case) conspire to made the RGU a little unwieldy below 5 mph – the big Glide is daunting at walking speeds.
But once underway, the newest CVO seems to shed some of its considerable weight, and it adroitly bends into corners better than you might expect. Air-adjustable shocks allow the RGU to adapt to various loads, all the way up to its 1360-lb GVWR. Harley claims an available lean angle of 33 degrees (30 degrees on the pipe side), more than many cruisers.

This Charcoal Slate and Black Twilight with Quartzite graphics version is the most understated of the three available color schemes for the Road Glide Ultra.

Hauling all that weight down from speed is a fairly potent brake system. Triple Brembo four-piston calipers offer strong bite on the trio of 300mm rotors, with smooth initial power progressing linearly to the ABS system’s reasonably high limits.
Performance from the Screamin’ Eagle TC110 was muted because of the mile-plus-high elevations around the Lake Tahoe area in which we rode. But despite the thin air and a half-ton of weight, the burly TC110 never felt out of breath. Throttle response is impeccable, with ultra-smooth pickup from a closed throttle. The rubber-mounted V-Twin is exceptionally smooth on the road, with vibes only noticeable at idle. The addition of a high-torque starter ensures the big-cube motor fires up easily.

Chrome, glorious chrome! The Road Glide Ultra is slathered in it, looking especially tasty in the Screamin’ Eagle TC110 engine compartment. Note the heat deflector behind the rear cylinder to deflect hot air away from a rider’s leg.

The RGU is EPA-rated at 47 mpg on the highway (32 mpg city), so as much as 280 miles on a single 6.0-gallon full tank might be achievable on the open road.
Wind tunnel testing was used to design a new mounting angle for the 16-inch Road Glide smoked windscreen, and we found its new design to offer excellent protection for its size. Wind deflectors on the top of the engine guards force more air around a rider for greater protection from the elements.
"Throttle response is impeccable, with ultra-smooth pickup from a closed throttle."
Suspension control is quite good, especially considering the rear end has just 3.0 inches to work with, a nominal amount that helps achieve a low-ish 29.5-inch seat height. Dunlop D408/407 dual-compound tires offer acceptable grip along with the expectation of greater life from the more durable center compounds.
Our least-favorite aspect of the RGU is its rubbery feel from the front end. Feedback through the rubber-isolated handlebar is indirect, and this makes itself known at parking-lot speeds and during quick steering inputs. I rode the RGU back to back with the CVO Street Glide, and the SG offers more secure feedback due to its lower-profile front tire and less weight up high from its smaller fairing and lack of a Tour Pak.
The Verdict
Okay, so the Road Glide Ultra won’t appeal to everyone – its price guarantees this even if its style doesn’t. In fact, like all CVOs, production numbers are finite - the RGU will be limited to about 3,000 units (never mind the fact that any Victory model would be lucky to sell 3K annual units).
We’ll bet that, even in this current gloomy economy, Harley will have no trouble finding 3,000 customers for this exclusive touring machine. After all, it’s the first time there has been a Road Glide Ultra to be given the CVO treatment, and CVO customers really enjoy standing apart from the crowd.
There is so much to like here, including several luxury and convenience upgrades that will coddle and soothe on road trips of every length. And, at the risk of belaboring the point, the finish quality on this and every CVO is beyond reproach. And everything is backed by a two-year warranty
Harley reps describe CVO customers as “alpha riders,” always at the front of the pack. For those who want to make a bold statement and have the bucks to afford it, this CVO Road Glide Ultra is a distinctive and stylish way to lead the parade.

The open road beckons the CVO Road Glide Ultra. Comfort will never be an issue.

“This just doesn’t seem altogether right,” was what I said to myself as I watched a patron sail through the large windows that open on to the sidewalk and let the evening costal breeze cool the remnants of a muggy summer day.
The erstwhile bipedal chap, now transformed into a flying mammal, landed on the tattered seat of a bicycle parked on the sidewalk. He was deemed troublesome by an athletic college lad who elected himself peacekeeper. Words were exchanged, gestures made, chests puffed up, but nothing came of it other than bruised egos.
Whiskey Richards, with its dearth of tables and chairs, punching bag machine as sole arcade game and grimy Mens room complete with busted-in-pieces non-functioning toilet, is where this bar room brawl took place, and its about as hole-in-the-wall as a business could be. It really seems out of place in the tony ocean side community of Santa Barbara, CA.

Each CVO model gets the hopped-up Screamin’ Eagle 110 Twin-Cam, the largest engine Harley offers...
In the game of Which One Does Not Belong that played continually in my head, the premium machines that brought me to Santa Barbara, the 2009 Harley-Davidson CVO models, fit much better in this town than Whiskey Richards.
For the uninitiated, CVO is short for Custom Vehicle Operations and is Harleys in-house custom line. Starting with an existing model in the standard Harley line-up, each bike is a rolling display of the thousands of accessories available in the fabled Harley-Davidson Parts and Accessories Catalog. The bikes have rap sheets of chrome bits and custom accessories too long to list. Each bike has three paint schemes available that are unique to the CVO line.
Each CVO model gets the hopped-up Screamin’ Eagle 110 Twin-Cam, the largest engine Harley offers; its joined to the six-speed Cruise Drive tranny.
“CVO allows us to execute our premium vision from our styling team,” says Steve Earnshaw, Director of Parts and Accessories Marketing for Harley. He goes on to explain that CVO is “about introducing styling, performance and features to our consumers.” Then there’s the sense of “exclusivity and scarcity” that Harley hopes to build into CVO machines by, well, not building many of them. Annual production numbers for each model are a worldwide total, and not just for the U.S.
Something else that was said over the course of the day, one of those things that made me sit up and take notice, was that CVO owners reportedly feel these bikes “offer great value,” and they allegedly put on more miles in a year than most standard Harley riders do. That simply isn’t something I would have expected from someone riding a bike with a starting price of over $25,000. How presumptuous of me.
The Softail Springer and Ultra Classic Electra Glide return from last year as CVO models while new for this year are the CVO Fat Bob (a bike new last year to H-D’s standard line) and the venerable Road Glide.
2009 CVO Springer Softail
$26,999 ($27,099 in CA); limited production of 2,500 units
The 2008 CVO Springer Softail broke with Springer tradition last year when it came with a 130mm wide 18” front wheel. The wider front tire was a good improvement as it smoothed out ride quality and helped eliminate the tendency of narrower tires to seek out cracks or rain groves. This year the CVO gets chubby out back with the addition of a 240mm rear tire accented with new rear fender louvers.
Further functional changes include a new frame complemented by suspension that is, although specific to the Springer, tuned similar to the Rocker and other Softail models. More updates include a new single four-piston front brake caliper that replaces the older single-piston brake still employed on the Cross Bones.

The saddle on this beauty is sculpted with a nice, deep recess for the rider; the minimal pillion’s shape and fit to the main seat makes a good support for the rider’s lower back. A nice touch on the seat is flame-stitching accents on the Buffalo leather insert.
A new 1.25-inch handlebar shaped with a bias toward easy ergos touts internally routed wiring to help keep the clean custom look that each of these CVOs strive for.
Though the Springer is powered by a 110-inch Screamin’ Eagle engine like the other CVOs, in this bike it is rigid-mounted but also counterbalanced, hence the B in 110B. The other three bikes in the CVO line have rubber-mounted mills. The Springer’s engine exhibits muscle-car appeal with the forward-facing exposed Heavy Breather intake adorned with a special “SE 110” tube emblem and chrome end cap. Claimed torque from this Vee is a devastating 110 ft-lbs at 3,000 rpm.

Once aboard this premium Harley the rider gets the picture that this bike has a vast amount customization from a company producing motorcycles on such a large scale. The premium, hand-detailed paint, acres of chrome, quality leather saddle, and loads of little details say it was built with love.
The bike initiates turns easily and steers with limited effort.
The bike fires instantly, the sequential-port EFI is smooth and throttle response is very good. Slam the throttle open, dump the clutch and there’s no question as to the performance boost the big 110 gives as the rear tire lights up effortlessly. The transmission is classic Harley, shifting with an audible ka thunk at lower revs but rowing through the box at speed is effortless and can be done clutch-less. Engine vibes are kept well in check for a rigid-mount engine.
The reach to the bars is humane and the saddle is cozy, but I was little less enthused about the abundant chrome on the forward controls that occasionally made for a slippery surface. The open riding position is only a challenge at freeway speeds where windblast is formidable. Yet at the same time you’re hugged into that carved-out seat so some of the effort to hang on is relieved.
Bikes with such fat rear tires usually have me anticipating a bike that’s reluctant to tip into a turn and resistant to maintaining a line, preferring instead to right itself. Score one for H-D engineers. The bike initiates turns easily and steers with limited effort. Ride quality is very good save for damping over the sharpest of bumps or imperfections; ground clearance is better than one would expect, pegs scraping only at the extreme angles – or as extreme as can be on a cruiser.


About the only fly in the custom ointment is the new four-piston brake. It may produce sufficient stopping force, but it was often too difficult to tell as it lacked virtually all feel. There was little, if any, travel in the lever upon initial pull. I’d much rather sacrifice some power in order to gain more feel. Frankly, I think the single-piston caliper this new four-pot job replaces is a better unit.
This bike isn’t my first pick as an all-out fave, but it does the best job of exemplifying the word “custom” in Custom Vehicle Operations.
The 2009 CVO Springer Softail is available in Black Diamond with Emerald Ice Flames, Candy Cobalt with Blue Steel Flames and Sunrise Yellow Pearl with Volcanic Fury Flames.
2009 CVO Fat Bob
$25,299 ($25,499 in CA); limited production of 2,450 units
The Fat Bob was introduced last year as a new addition to the Dyna line. This year Bob gets gussied up as one of two new CVOs.
No major structural changes were given to the Fat Bob, but suspension is 0.75-inch lower than the O.E. model in order to give it “that slammed look,” and it’s been tweaked and tuned to offer a forgiving ride without sacrificing the excellent handling characteristics that had me calling it Harley’s sport bike when I rode it last year.
The saddle retains a similar shape to that of the standard Fat Bob but has some exquisite detail work. CVO designers wanted to give the saddle the suede look but know all too well how poorly suede weathers. Exterior seat material is called Alcantara, named for the Italian company, Alcantara, S.p.A., that manufactures the faux suede finish. The final touch is a tasteful Harley-Davidson badge sunk deeply in the seat.

Along with the twin side-by-side streetfighter style headlights retained from the standard Fat Bob is the trick “Tommy Gun” exhausts system. Only difference this year is that the dual over/under mufflers end in a “blunt cut” style rather the slash cut style of the standard bike.
For not being a touring model, this is one comfortable cruiser.
The biggest styling coup on this bike is something that had CVO Manager, Jeff Smith, beaming with pride. The ’09 CVO Fat Bob rolls on a pair of what are called Fang cast wheels. The wheels are powder coated black and chromed in what Harley says is a proprietary process. No secrets were revealed, no matter the amounts of free booze flowing. These “fangs” that decorate the perimeter of the wheel are bolted in as a separate piece. It’s a neat set-up and looks the business upon inspection, but I found that the pair of large front brake rotors obscured too much of this special wheel. An added bonus for you standard Fat Bob owners is that the new Fang wheels will be available in the mighty Parts and Accessories catalog.
Other little details include a “granite” and chrome chin spoiler, rear axle covers that do a great job of concealing the axle nut assembly and a new one-piece chrome handlebar riser that serves to hide ugly wiring.
The CVO Fat Bob is the only bike other than the CVO Springer Softail that comes with the Heavy Breather forward-facing intake. Claimed torque from this rubber-mounted 110-inch Screamin’ Eagle is 114 ft-lbs at 3,500 rpm.
For not being a touring model, this is one comfortable cruiser. My 5-foot 8-inch frame would have preferred mid-controls that are available on the standard Bob; alas it’s forwards only on the CVO version. The chunky 130mm front and 180mm rear tires provide good handling and do well at isolating road imperfections, but the ride suffers a bit over poor road surfaces thanks to the lower suspension.
If you’ve an eye toward sporty riding, the Fat Bob is the bike to consider when considering a Harley. And if you need some extra glint, glitter and goodies in your life, then the CVO Fat Bob is the one.
The 2009 CVO Fat Bob comes in Denim Granite with Electric Blue Fade, Black Diamond with Fire Quartz and Sunrise Yellow Pearl with Platinum Quartz.

2009 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide
$35,499 ($35,699 in CA); limited production of 4,200 units
Like the Softail, the Ultra is a returning favorite. It has enjoyed the longest continuous CVO run of any bike. People like their Harley tourers.
The Ultra line (standard models included) receives some notable updates for ’09. One of the basest parts, the frame, is now a two-piece design (similar to a main frame and subframe on other motorcycles) that is 100% robotically welded and bolted together. It has a new engine mount system and is joined by a wider, longer swingarm that adds five-tenths-inch to the wheelbase. When taken as a whole, the chassis (that is frame, wheels, swingarm, etc) is claimed to be 30% more rigid than the previous FL chassis.
...the Ultra...has enjoyed the longest continuous CVO run of any bike.
Suspension was reworked for better ride quality, wheels now wear dual-compound tires from Dunlop and the rear tire is covered by a wider fender. Radio and CB antennae are shortened and the 2-1-2 exhaust has been rerouted beneath the frame eliminating the left-side headpipe in the process.
Of particular interest to touring folk will be two key changes. The saddle is what Harley is calling “suspended.” Imagine if you will the seat in profile and cutaway so that you can see the internals. Now envision the foam just under the top surface that rides on a flexible plastic “hammock.” Below this upper material is a large gap between it and the bottom of the saddle. This support material and open space beneath allows the seat to give and return without obstruction while under load. This suspension effect applies only to the rider portion of the seat, but both rider and passenger seats are heated and come in shark print leather.
The other important touring updates are stronger saddlebags and Tour-Pak (trunkbag) that each has a payload increase of five pounds. Be careful, though, not to confuse payload with bag volume that is unchanged.

Additional styling upgrades include new 2-inch backlit gauges in the robust dash, Roulette wheels and the Rumble Collection trim package that includes windshield trim, mirrors, foot controls, saddlebags and heated hand grips.
Torque output in the Ultra is a claimed 113 ft-lbs at 3,750 rpm.
With a hefty claimed running order weight of approximately 901 pounds, the Ultra isn’t the bike for the inexperienced rider primarily because it carries much of that weight rather high. I’m not a seasoned MSF instructor but I’ve put on more miles in the past 15 years than many do in a lifetime of riding, and I still find maneuvering the Ultra at parking lot speeds a distinct challenge.
Once under power the ride may be the best in the biz. The suspension offers a very forgiving ride without numbing feel of the road. And the ergos, oi vay, the ergos are the best! The rider triangle is very relaxed and roomy at the same time yet it doesn’t prohibit good riding technique. Handling is responsive for such a big beast and I couldn’t help note that the added chassis rigidity for this year may have reduced the hinge-in-the-frame feel that I often experienced on previous FLs when trying to tip-toe the bikes through U-turns or crowded parking lots.
Since the Ultra is a touring machine it retains the throttle-by-wire and ABS introduced on last year’s CVO touring bikes. Throttle response is very good but the feel from the throttle return spring is lighter than I prefer. Braking from the ABS-controlled Brembo calipers is outstanding with very good feel and plenty of power (same on the Road Glide we’ll be covering below). Braking is so good that I kept thinking what a dream it would be if the system would find its way across more of the Harley line.
Riding on this ultimate Harley is a treat with all the amenities offered (XM satellite, Harmon-Kardon sound system, cruise control, heated this, heated that, etc.), but buffeting from the windshield is brutal at anything 80mph and above. In the summer months the lower wind guards shielding your lower legs prevents air flow and the rider is subsequently roasted from heat radiating off the engine and/or exhaust. And gear whine at low rpm in 5th gear is still present; without earplugs or when wearing an open face or half helmet the noise can be prominent at times.
If you’re a long-distance fiend and love going in style, the ’09 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide is your mothership.
The 2009 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide comes in Ruby Red and Typhoon Maroon with Forge-Tone Graphics, Autumn Haze and High Octane Orange with Forge Tone Graphics and Stardust Silver and Twilight Blue with Forge Tone Graphics.
2009 CVO Road Glide
$30,999 ($31,195 in CA); limited production of 3,000 units
This isn’t the Road Glide’s first CVO dance; it appeared in CVO trim in 2000. According to CVO Manager, Phil Zagrodnick the “Road Glide is one the customers keep asking us to bring back.”
The Glide is a touring bike with the emphasis on bike. It has two saddlebags, yet only a small passenger backrest rather than a trunk. Though it has floorboards, and very accommodating ergonomics, its main fairing is subdued and essentially lacks a windshield (sorry, I don’t count that glorified fairing trim piece as a windsheild). It’s also equipped with same frame as on the Ultra as well as a new Dunlop Muti-Tread 180mm rear tire.
CVO updates for the Glide include thin and long turn signal/brake/taillight LED strips integrated into the rear of the saddlebags. Said saddlebags have 27% more payload capacity and have “extensions” that create a very custom look as they blend perfectly with the new dual exhaust that allows for just over half an inch more passenger leg room. A lowered front and rear fender accentuate the custom vibe as they encase 18-inch wheels found only on the CVO version of the Road Glide; the standard model rides on 17-inch hoops. Suspension, as on the Fat Bob, was lowered a tad and retuned for better ride quality.

Other styling changes are a flatter cover over the dual headlamps; the rider-side of the main fairing is color matched to the rest of the bodywork and the same Rumble Collection as found on the Ultra Classic has a home on the Road Glide.
Claimed peak torque from the SE 110 is 115 ft-lbs at 4,000 rpm.
The Road Glide would be the bike I would ride away on if given a choice. Though that big fairing gives the sensation of a lot of plastic acreage out front, it does a better job than the Ultra’s windscreen of deflecting wind. Once over the idea that you’re reaching toward a big billboard, the size of the fairing melts away in the mind. The saddle is really comfortable as is the relaxed reach to the pull-back bars and floorboards.
If there was one defining trait about the Glide, it would have to be ride quality. Harley engineers provided this bike with a very forgiving ride without sacrificing handling. The air-adjustable rear suspension is super supple, yet the chassis doesn’t flex causing a wallowing feel when cornering.


Since this is a touring model it comes with same potent and effective Brembo calipers and ABS found on the Ultra. And, naturally, being a CVO, the Road Glide has all the XM, premium sound, internally wired handlebars and cruise control type amenities as standard.
The 2009 CVO Road Glide comes in Electric Orange and Vivid Black, Yellow Pearl and Charcoal Slate and Stardust Silver and Titanium Dust (Accent stripe on all schemes has ghost flame feathers).
Just like I didn’t expect to see a man fly across the room that evening at Whiskey Richards, I didn’t expect to hear that CVO owners are such devoted, hardcore riders. After spending a day aboard the latest batch of factory customs from Harley-Davidson, my mind easily accepts that there is something altogether right about a CVO bike.