For over 25 years, Harley-Davidson has offered riders with deep pockets the opportunity to own highly exclusive models through its Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) division. The CVO formula is simple—The Motor Co. takes a handful of existing models each year, specs them to the nines, and sells them for an eye-watering amount of money.
A CVO model will typically feature the company’s newest tech and biggest motors, a whole bunch of ex-factory accoutrements pre-fitted, and a never-to-be-repeated livery. They usually don’t rev our motors, but this year’s batch has offered up two particularly intriguing variants: the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide ST and CVO Road Glide ST.
Drawing heavily on Harley’s bagger racing endeavors, the CVO Street Glide ST [above] and CVO Road Glide ST [below] stand out from this year’s other new CVOs; a menagerie of full-dress baggers and a trike.
Featuring their signature batwing (Street Glide) and shark nose (Road Glide) fairings, the CVO ST bikes combine vibey graphics and oodles of forged carbon fiber bits with race-bred upgrades that enhance performance. They’re not full-bore racers—but they do arguably offer more value for money than most CVOs.
Both bikes use Harley’s stonking Milwaukee-Eight 122 High Output motor, good for a claimed 127 horsepower and, more importantly, 197 Nm of torque. They share the same high-flow air intake and washable filter, plus a two-into-one-into-two exhaust system with forged carbon end caps.
Race-derived details include scooped solo seats and forged carbon tail cowls, plus slimmer floor boards and handlebar setups that are more aggressive than stock. Trimmed windscreens scream ‘play’ rather than ‘tour,’ while forged carbon front fenders and tank center strips give the CVO Street Glide ST and CVO Road Glide ST a modern muscle car feel.
Form meets function in the upgraded CVO ST suspension setup. The front forks on both models are 47 mm inverted units with adjustable preload, compression, and rebound, and the rear shocks are piggyback units with the same range of adjustability. The front brakes use twin floating rotors with four-piston Brembo calipers.
If you’re looking for the typical Harley bagger stuff, don’t fret—it’s still there. You get the full smorgasbord of tech and entertainment features, including USB-C charging, Apple CarPlay-ready displays, and switchable rider modes, including new Track modes.
The CVO Street Glide ST and CVO Road Glide ST each come in three paint schemes, most of which feature vivid colors and unapologetic graphics. Each bike, regardless of its base color, features a red windscreen and myriad red details, plus a cheeky ‘Fast Johnnie’ decal on the left.
The vibe is modern, youthful, and most importantly, loud.
It’s a break from the usual CVO fare, but it does raise a question—are these baggers radical enough to attract younger riders? And if they are, can those riders afford the CVO premium?
Only time will tell.
Source: Harley-Davidson
