2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers Review

A CVO is a process that takes 120 years. Celebrate 120 years of handiwork with one of the most elaborate paint schemes ever offered by Harley-Davidson on the very limited, ultra-premium 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers. In honor of Harley-Davidson’s 120th anniversary, the company produces a minimal run of a special anniversary variant of the 2023 CVO Road Glide Limited serialized custom bagger. There is no better way to get to the H-D Homecoming than on this ride. In honor of Harley-Davidson’s 120th anniversary, the company produces a minimal run of a special anniversary variant of the 2023 CVO Road Glide Limited serialized custom bagger. There is no better way to get to the H-D Homecoming than on this ride.

2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers – Features and Specs

Grand American Touring

The new subtype we’ve conceptualized and built. Continue on your journey elegantly. Explore the great outdoors and experience true personal independence on Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Riding a Harley-Davidson motorbike is the first step toward finding adventure. Do something extraordinary with your weekend. Transform your ordinary commute into an experience. The introduction of a Harley Davidson has changed everything. Absolute liberty. Huge and genuine as it gets.

Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin

The ultimate in displacement and power, this engine generates 125 ft. lbs. of torque at 3500 RPM and has precise oil/air cooling. The engine’s responsiveness increases with each throttle blip thanks to the tuned heavy breather intake and high-flow exhaust.

Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements

Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes, Cornering Anti-lock Braking System, Cornering Traction Control with modes, Drag Torque Slip Control, Hill Hold Control (HHC), and Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) all contribute to a more confident driving experience.

Special Limited Edition Commemorative Painting Inky and Vintage Painted in a red panel design with hand-laid accents.

Sit in High Style

Embroidered CVO logo and contrast gold and red stitching on plush Alcantara surfaces.

Serialized Style

Each motorbike has a unique serial number laser carved into the console insert in honor of the 120th anniversary.

“Speedbird” Tank Medallion

Each side of the tank has a glass-encased Art Deco depiction of the Harley-Davidson soaring eagle, a symbol that has come to represent the company worldwide.

Detailed Review

As someone who appreciates performance motorcycles and track riding, I probably shouldn’t like American heavyweight cruisers nearly as much as I do. The CVO and other motorcycles like it need a different attitude and riding style, but once I get going, they never fail to fill me with joy. The bike runs on a Milwaukee Eight 117ci (1,917cc) engine. It’s the same unit we experienced in last year’s Low Rider ST, making 105 horsepower and 103.5 pound-feet of torque. The large CVO 120th may not be as quick off the mark as the Low Rider ST, but it can easily reach highway speeds and even exceed them with its powerful V8 engine. At 75 mph in top gear, the engine will be revving at about 2,000 rpm, providing enough power to easily pass slower cars without resorting to the lower gears of the six-speed transmission.

Furthermore, while we’re discussing the transmission, A complete four-fingered pull on the lever is required to change gears on any of the large tourers I’ve ridden from across the pond, and the new ratio is announced with a gratifying ‘thunk’ that reminds you that you are shifting around some important cogs. I didn’t realize the CVO was equipped with a convenient heel-and-toe shifter until we were about 60 miles into our 140-mile ride, and the gear lever has a somewhat long throw but is usually precise. It took some getting accustomed to, but now I can more easily reach the top and bottom of the forward controls despite being shorter than the average rider.

Although the front brakes’ four-piston calipers and 300mm floating discs provide more than adequate stopping force, they require using all your fingers for anything more than extremely modest braking. Two upgrades to the CVO’s braking system make riding it less of a chore than it formerly was. Adding electronic brake connections and cornering anti-lock brakes (ABS) increases convenience and security. One area where Harley has improved is the anti-lock braking system (ABS), which now intervenes considerably more smoothly than in the past. To my delight, I also found that the connected brakes were hardly visible on either dry or wet pavement. I’ve ridden bikes previously where you can feel the corresponding brakes working, and it wasn’t fun. I give props to H-D for implementing the mechanism so your passenger won’t feel like they’re hitting the back brake every time you slam on the front!

Most of my time on the CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary was spent cruising the winding roads of California’s wine region, which is a perfect setting for such a bike. I’m not sure I’ve ever ridden a bike as pleasant as this one, thanks to its towering screen that encloses you in a cozy bubble of quiet air. It’s cliche to compare riding a Harley tourer to lounging in an armchair, but if the metaphor works, it’s a good one. The seat of the Road Glide Limited Anniversary is oxblood and Alcantara-upholstered for maximum comfort. You’ll be in a lovely, unconstrained riding posture. The high bars are within easy reach, and I just have to stretch a bit when the front end approaches the lock stops while doing the tightest of U-turns.

We got off the main road and onto a kind of B-road that wound its way down the coast; it was considerably more winding than the roads we’d been enjoying up to that point, and it was our first picture stop of the day. Here, the CVO demanded a little more focus, and the bends’ blind crest apexes meant I was using the bike’s tremendously powerful rear brake more often. However, I never felt like I was pushing the bike beyond its limits, and while I was always aware of the machine’s weight, I could still position it just where I wanted it to be.

This bike and the 120th edition of the low-slung Street Glide were my options for the touring day of our American vacation. It was fascinating to compare the two motorcycles side by side at the picture stop. Although the CVO is heavier than the bagger by around 52 kilograms, making it more difficult to lift the bike off the side stand, the larger bike is simpler to handle when traveling at moderate speeds. The CVO fairing’s mounting method lies at the heart of this issue. Steering is easier at low rates and there is no handlebar wobble when approaching intersections or stop signs because the fairing (and its associated electronics, infotainment, touchscreen, and speakers) is mounted directly to the chassis rather than the handlebars (as on the Street Glide). Though it can handle tight U-turns and city riding, this bike is best suited for extended stretches of highway riding, especially when accompanied by my custom playlist on the 400-watt sound (Sweet Child of Mine, Born in the USA, etc.). There’s no better method, in my opinion, to turn gasoline into commotion and noise.

2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers – Price

The new 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers is available at $51,999 only.

2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary Cruisers – Technical Specifications

Dimensions

Engine

Performance

Drive train

Chassis

Electric

Infotainment

Rider safety enhancements