Harley-Davidson to disclose CVO Highway Glide and CVO Road Glide: Here is an early look

Prepared for one more anniversary bash? Although Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson did not begin promoting naked engines and bikes till 1905, the corporate was based in 1903, making the HOG — the agency’s nickname and its inventory image — 120 years previous this 12 months. And that, as with Porsche and Lamborghini amongst others, means some particular editions and a slate of occasions. Harley’s teased what’s forward with hints about two new bikes from the 24-year-old Customized Car Operations (CVO) division. CVO could possibly be thought of a a lot older analogue to Indian Bike’s Elite bikes, that means we’re about to get limited-edition manufacturing facility specials. Lead designer Brad Richards stated he is introduced “a better diploma of visible change than any technology prior” of the Road Glide and Highway Glide.

There’s already a 2023 CVO Highway Glide on sale, however one of many new bikes is a mid-year remake with new options. Trying no additional than the headlight, we will hear the howling from some Harley devoted. As a substitute of the twin spherical lamps Highway Glides have worn for the reason that mannequin’s introduction in 1998, the one headlight within the coming CVO Highway Glide is supposed to seem like two stacked rectangular parts. Flip alerts have been built-in with the brand new lamps as an alternative of resting on the finish of stalks bolted to the fairing. Throughout that, there’s “an aggressive replace” to the bike’s sharknose fairing with a lot sharper angles and extra raked windscreen. 

On the CVO Road Glide (the bike at left, above), the batwing fairing takes on much more sharpness. The present spherical “Omega” headlight goes square-oval, a brand new housing working beneath, above a deeper lower between the cockpit and entrance fender. Right here, the flip sign stalks mounted to the forks are remodeled into extremely swept, slashing strains alongside the fairing wings.  

That is all a reasonably large deal. The total reveal would not occur for one more two months, on the Harley-Davidson Homecoming on June 7. That is once we’ll discover out extra concerning the new Milwaukee-Eight engine, new suspension, and new infotainment system.

Till then, there’s this quote from CEO Jochen Zeitz: “With the introduction of the all-new CVO Road Glide and CVO Highway Glide, we’ve fully reimagined two of Harley-Davidson’s most iconic bikes and redefined the boundaries of CVO within the course of … ushering in a brand new period of innovation, design, engineering, and know-how [and] taking the Grand American Touring expertise to a different degree.”