10 Of The Coolest Motorcycles Under The Harley-Davidson CVO Banner

From the company's first motorcycle in 1903 to the latest machines rolling off the assembly line, Harleys are among the world's most customized bikes. Wrenching on a Harley, whether to improve performance, make a repair, or upgrade its appearance, has been a rite of passage for millions of motorcycle lovers, and millions more have enjoyed the custom bikes in the pages of magazines or on the grounds of auto shows.

Passionate Harley fans have supported the rise of an expansive aftermarket stuffed with options for performance and aesthetic upgrades, but what happens when the company itself gets in on the action? The answer is Harley's Custom Vehicle Operations. Like what Chrysler has done with its SRT program, Harley has built an in-house team of top-tier designers, engineers, mechanics, and artists tasked with upgrading specially designed motorcycles with performance parts, custom paint, and luxury features. Classified as part of the factory custom market, a CVO Harley is different from other Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

They might cost more than the average Harley-Davidson, but the more awesome motorcycles around, the better. The CVO unit has been around since 1999, so to celebrate the program's 25th anniversary, we've gathered some of the coolest motorcycles ever to fly the CVO banner.

The first CVO wasn't a CVO at all — it all started with the popular FXR in 1982, which was one of the company's first bikes with a rubber-mounted engine. Its smoothness and comfort made it popular until 1995, when Harley nixed the model. When the idea for CVO came along, the company raised it from the dead to test the concept. So while the FXR2 and FXR3 never got CVO badges, they are the project's originators. A combination of customer demand, the zygote of the CVO idea, and production capacity made available by the demise of a program building single-cylinder military bikes made it possible to test the CVO concept.

Harley tasked project lead Jim Hoffman with building 900 FXR2s and 900 FXR3s in a limited-production run. Restarting FXR frame production, Hoffman nestled an Evolution Twin -– one of Harley's best engines -– within. The new FXRs were mechanically identical to the old ones except for some factory upgrades. The FXR2 got a Badlander seat, upgraded shocks, a 21-inch front wheel, a slotted rear wheel, and tons of chrome. The FXR3 got a flame paint job, 19-inch ThunderStar wheels, a unique saddle, and all the chrome it could handle.

Well received, the FXRs today are curious pieces of Harley lore that remain affordable. J.D. Power values one in very good condition at $9,905. The FXRs never got the CVO designation, but they are the original CVO bikes in everything but name.

Harley-Davidson celebrated its hundredth anniversary in 2003 with the CVO Screamin' Eagle Road King. The motorcycle builder had been developing in-house aftermarket performance parts under the Screamin' Eagle brand since 1983, and for the first portion of the CVO era, most CVO bikes got the Screamin' Eagle moniker as affirmation that this was the best Harley offered.

The Road King, with its lineage tracing back to the FL series that debuted in 1941, was officially christened in 1994. It has since remained the cornerstone of Harley's touring lines. Stock 2003 Road Kings used the 1,450 cc Twin Cam 88 engine, but the 2003 Screamin' Eagle CVO version packs a bored and stroked 1,690 cc Twin Cam 103 V-Twin. Weighing 785 pounds, the Road King made over 100 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm.

In addition to the engine upgrade, the '03 CVO Road King boasted unique features that set it apart from the stock bikes. These included silver calipers, a tinted windscreen, lockable saddlebags, backrests for rider and passenger, a lowered suspension, and exclusive paint schemes. These features made the '03 CVO Road King a highly desirable and unique model in the Harley-Davidson lineup. Despite the fact that it is over 20 years old, the '03 CVO Road King demands prices between $8,000 and $15,000 on the used market, according to J.D. Power. 

The Harley-Davidson V-Rod hit the scene in 2001 as a modern muscle bike thanks to an unlikely partnership between the Milwaukee based motorcycle company and a certain Stuttgart area automaker. Determined to introduce a modern iteration of a brand often criticized for clinging to air-cooled twins, Harley turned to Porsche to develop something new. The result was a 1,131 cc liquid-cooled overhead cam V-twin sourced from Harley's VR1000 superbike, which was aptly named the Revolution.

The V-Rod's mission screamed for a CVO edition. CVO installed a 1,250 cc Revolution motor attached to a five-speed transmission, already powerful enough to spank most V-Twins on the market. The slayer from Stuttgart made 123 hp at 8,000 rpm and 86 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm. For comparison, the stock V-Rod made 115 hp while a contemporary Street Glide, made a mere 67 hp.

Like all CVO bikes, the 2006 V-Rod offered custom paint in electric orange and black, scarlet red pearl and charcoal slate, and chrome yellow pearl and platinum pearl. It also came with big-bore pistons and high-flow cylinder heads, a fat 240 mm rear tire, Brembo brakes, and custom and chrome goodies installed everywhere between the fork trees and the rear lug. The V-Rod went out of production in 2017, leaving behind a legacy of a modernized Harley ready to demonize the drag strips. The beastliest among them, the Screamin' Eagle CVO version, was made in limited numbers.

The first Harley Dyna debuted in 1991 as the FXDB Sturgis to join the Softail as a mid-range Big Twin. Intended as a bridge between the full-sized cruisers and the more performance-oriented FXR, it proved wildly popular, completely supplanting the FXR. Like the V-Rod, the Dyna got the axe in 2017, but not without leaving us some prime specimens of CVO styling and tuning.

Equipped with an air-cooled 1,800 cc Twin Cam 110, which was the largest Big Twin in Harley history at the time, it made 89 hp at 5,500 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm against a dry weight of 679 pounds. The factory 2007 Dyna used the unbored 96 Twin Cam and lacked several cosmetic upgrades enjoyed by the CVO. A straight-cut muffler, chrome everywhere, forward controls, and an aggressive air filter that points the way sticking out of the side mark the CVO Dyna as something special. Custom paint included silver rush and midnight black, inferno red and desert black, or twilight blue with ice blue pearl.

Compared to some Screamin' Eagle CVOs, the 2007 Dyna is almost toned down. Sure, it's still a loud, flashy, shiny Harley, but its simple lines don't try to do anything extra, leaving behind a timeless bike with a bona fide performance pedigree.

Harley's Road Glide is a bagger cruiser that's knocked around in Harley's lineup since its debut in 1995. The 2009 CVO version was costly — the factory MSRP was $30,999, which is equivalent to over $40,000 today. With the same 1,800 cc 110 Twin Cam V-Twin, the CVO edition made 115 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm through a six-speed transmission equipped with Harley's Cruise Drive cruise control system.

The Cruise Drive is not the only nod to the Road Glide's purpose. The CVO tourer came equipped with a pair of custom saddlebags with 27% more space than the stock version. Underlined by chromed dual-exhaust pipes, the bags integrate perfectly into the bike's lines. Harley forewent a trunk bag, providing the passenger with a padded sissy bar to keep them from needing to continuously adjust their position on long rides. 

CVO exclusive 18-inch wheels are slightly larger than the 17-inch stock wheels. A lowered and tuned suspension improved handling, and an extra drop in the rear underscores the custom dynamic. From head-on, the broad front fairing makes it look like the flap-faced dilophosaurs from "Jurassic Park" in attack mode, but in profile, it adds an interesting line to the bike and keeps the worst of the wind off the rider. Who are we to judge?

The overall vibe of the 2009 CVO Road Glide is one of classic chrome and sweeping lines that make it look like the wind is whipping past even when it stands still.

Oodles of shiny chrome have been a Harley trademark for decades, but we love it when Harley-Davidson goes dark. With the introduction of the Dark Custom line with the 2008 Cross Bones, it was only a matter of time before we got CVO's take on Harley's new look.

Harley built 999 of the blacked-out Electra Glide for the 2010 model year. Festooned in matte black and grey components, with the exception of the chrome exhaust pipes, the Dark CVO looks like a shiny shadow when it rumbles past. In 2010, 110 Twin Cam remained the largest engine in Harley's history, but cosmetics are the headlines of this story. Harley dubbed the paint combination Crimson Mist Black and Dark Slate and slathered 185 darkened parts over the top to create the menacing appearance.

The CVO Electra Glide Dark includes a smoked windshield, ABS, hard bags with LED lighting, fuel injection, and Brembo brakes. At $35,999 (around $50,000 today), it was far from cheap and represented the top of the Harley line. With fewer than 1,000 ever built, it's not likely to be easy to find.

Handsome and unmistakably Harley, the 2014 CVO Limited plunged Harley-Davidson into modernity with one of the earliest liquid-cooled engines outside the V-Rod. Though common on its bikes now, Harley implemented liquid-cooling slowly, integrating it into its upper-echelon bikes first — and fewer were higher up on the Harley-Davidson totem pole in 2014 than the CVO limited.

Harley took a fresh eye to the CVO Limited, including redesigning the front fairing for the first time in 20 years, refreshing the gauge cluster, and integrating an LED headlight and fog lights. It also got other signs of the times, including a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, and 75-watt external speakers to annoy neighbors when the engine isn't running. Or, perhaps, even when it is.

Harley claims 115 lb-ft of torque out of this iteration of 110 Twin Cam. Even at a hefty 950 pounds, reviewers report that this gargantuan torque that sends the CVO Limited up and down hills with ease. A six-speed transmission with electric cruise control allows for set-it-and-forget-it cruising to your favorite riding music.

The CVO Limited's MSRP was $38,999, which was $10,000 more than the standard Electric Glide Ultra Limited. Is it worth it? You won't know unless you ride one for yourself. J.D. Power puts the contemporary average retail value at $15,330 –- a significant savings from new if you find the right one.

We're as surprised as you are that it took this long to get to the Softails, but we saved a special one for the honor. This 2015 CVO Softail Deluxe has a vintage rebel vibe that makes it stand out from the pack.

The CVO Softail includes a rigid-mounted 110 Twin Cam with Screamin' Eagle upgrades and a powder-coated powertrain, ABS, detachable sissy bar, and lockable luggage. Three paint schemes offer Crimson Red Sunglo and Ruby Flake combinations, Candy Cobalt and White Gold Pearl, and Maple Metallic and Atomic Orange, each supplemented by Airflow graphics that give it an Art Deco look. Though not a full-bagger, the Softail offers some premium options, like a Road Tech GPS Navigator with a 4.3–inch screen, electronic cruise control, and a security system. If riders prefer them as commuters, windshields and bags are easy to remove.

With gently curving exhaust pipes and chrome galore, the CVO Softail makes a statement, especially when equipped with big ape hanger handlebars. The bike may not be for everyone, but its elegant yet powerful profile puts it on our list as one of the coolest CVOs out there.

Tidy, muscular, and no-nonsense, Harley has been making a CVO Street Glide since 2017, the same year the Milwaukee Eight took over as Harley-Davidson's premier powerplant. Only the eighth complete engine redesign in Harley history, the Eight finally broke away from the Twin Cam format, which made it a natural for the Screamin' Eagle treatment.

The Milwaukee Eight initially had 107 ci and 114 ci displacements, but the 2023 CVO Street Glide got the 121 ci VVT variant — the first Big Twin Harley engine to have variable valve timing. Making 115 hp at 4,500 rpm and 139 lb-ft of torque, it was a nice chunk of power to go with the other CVO goodies. The 2023 is 31 pounds lighter than the 2022 mode, which sounds like a ton until you consider it still tips the scales at a healthy 838 pounds. It's a Harley, after all, not a Ninja.

A glance at the redesigned seat reveals high-quality leather. As far as handling goes, new inverted 47 mm SHOWA forks and shocks with three inches of travel pair are with dual 320 mm in the front, while single 300 mm rear Brembos bring it to a stop.

Unsurprisingly, the 2023 CVO Street Glide is expensive. The Harley tax is real, and this is about as fancy as Harley gets. Consumers can expect to pay $42,999 for the paint job pictured above. Going with the custom two-tone upgrade punts that price into the rafters with pre-fee and surcharges MSRP of $48,999.

The Pan America is a testament to the rising popularity of adventure bikes in recent years. It makes sense — what's more adventurous than riding a motorcycle? Not often praised for embracing new trends, Harley nonetheless jumped in with both feet with the Pan America. 

The Pan Am debuted in 2019. Fast forward a half-decade, and we arrive at the 2024 CVO Pan America. Whether you approve or not, you have to admit it looked rugged. Equipped with a 1,250 cc Revolution Max V-Twin, the bike makes a truly impressive 150 hp at 8,750 rpm and 95 lb-ft of torque at 6,750. As a modern bike, the Pan America has all of the aids and gizmos one has come to expect in this age of miracles. With semi-active suspension, a touchscreen display, and an inertial measuring unit sending signals to a slew of traction and braking control systems, it's already a pretty sweet bike.

Enter CVO. To this intriguing package, CVO adds adaptive ride-height control, a Screamin' Eagle quick-shifter, aluminum luggage that utterly completes the powerful yet utilitarian appearance, a skid plate, and extra lighting. However, the Pan America faces stiff competition from builders like BMW, which has been in the adventure game for decades, but it stands as tall as any of them. The limited edition CVO Pan America has an MSRP of $28,399.