Harley-Davidson CVO 1800 ROAD GLIDE CUSTOM 110th Anniversary FLTRXSE2 2013 — Specifications

How to approach a machine that, at first glance, seems to defy all modern motorcycle logic? Consider this 2013 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Custom, a 383 kg behemoth, equipped with an engine that delivers 96 horsepower. A power output that seems modest considering its colossal weight, but the secret lies elsewhere: in this 148 Nm of torque, available from 3500 rpm. That’s where the 1803 cc Twin Cam 110 finds its purpose. It doesn't aim for top speed, with a stated maximum of 170 km/h, but rather for massive propulsion, a sensation of inexhaustible force that defies conventional physical laws.

Its design is another subject of polarization. The Shark-nose, this fork head fixed to the frame rather than the steering, is a signature of the Road Glide. It offers remarkable straight-line stability, relieving the rider of some of the mass to be handled in turns. But it’s also a radical style, far from the more conventional lines of the Electra Glide. For this 110th Anniversary version, finished by the Custom Vehicle Operations department, the eccentricity is taken to its paroxysm. The 900 units produced were collector's items from their release, with a price of 35,000 euros that placed them in a very exclusive niche.

On the saddle, the experience is unique. The belt drive and six-speed gearbox ensure smooth progress, perfect for deploying this torrent of torque. The braking, with its 300 mm discs and four-piston calipers, is honest but requires anticipation, as moving this mass demands a certain commitment. The 699 mm seat and lateral pneumatic suspensions promise comfort, but the motorcycle remains a giant, reserved for riders with a certain experience and physical strength to deploy.

Compared to Japanese or European cruisers of the time, it doesn't play in the same category. A Honda Gold Wing or a BMW K 1600 GT were more versatile, more technological, and often more performant. The Road Glide CVO, on the other hand, sells a raw emotion, a sound, a presence, and a status. It is the ultimate expression of the American cruiser for those seeking a rolling monument, a symbol more than a simple means of transportation. Its audience? Collectors, Harley purists, those for whom the numbers on paper come after the soul and mythology. For the daily traveler or the sporty rider, it will be an object of curiosity, sometimes of incomprehension. But for its owner, it will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of a very American dream.