Harley-Davidson CVO 1800 STREET GLIDE FLHXSE 2011 — Specifications

At a time when Japanese competitors were lining up inline twins or over-multiplied four-cylinder engines, Harley-Davidson has always stuck to its fundamentals, with this 45° V-Twin which is more than an engine, it's a statement of intent. The 2011 CVO 1800 Street Glide is its apotheosis, almost an assumed caricature. Its Screamin’ Eagle 110 block, a 1803 cm3 behemoth, doesn't speak in horsepower, but in sledgehammer blows. With 148 Nm of torque available from low RPM, you're closer to a locomotive than a sportbike, a sensation that the considerable weight, approaching 385 kilos with a full tank, does not contradict. The philosophy is clear: prioritize the sensation of crushing low-speed power over the pursuit of RPM. As a result, the 96 horsepower struggle to propel this mass beyond 170 km/h, but it doesn't matter, that's clearly not the objective.

What immediately strikes you is the controlled ostentation of this CVO edition. Harley has always known that its customers also buy, and sometimes above all, status and bling. The Street Glide is therefore a demonstration of factory customization, where every bolt seems chromed, where every part displays its pedigree. Accessories from the Rumble collection, the colored saddlebag straps, the leather inserts on the lowered custom seat, everything is designed to assert a "factory custom" style that avoids the wealthy customer having to go through the local artisan. It is both the strength and weakness of the beast: it offers a complete and exclusive look, but it removes a part of the soul of bespoke personalization, that pride of the unique piece chosen by its owner.

In terms of equipment, Harley plays the card of technological grand touring, or at least its vision of modern comfort. ABS was a necessary concession to safety, cruise control an obvious feature for long, straight American roads. But the highlight remains the monster audio system, with its six speakers and 100 watts per channel, designed to drown out the V-Twin's roar under a flood of classic rock. It's a funny paradox for a motorcycle whose engine is the main reason for its existence. The new ventilated leg fairings are a good idea, proving that in Milwaukee they also think, a little, about function.

Who do you ride with such a machine? Certainly not to graze apexes in series or to cut through traffic jams. The CVO Street Glide is the ultimate weapon of the "show-off tourer," of the one who wants to cover long distances in a noisy and shiny rolling armchair, attracting all eyes at stops. At more than 30,000 euros new, it is aimed at a loyal and affluent clientele, for whom a standard Harley is already too common. It crushes the high-end cruiser competition through the purity of its architecture and its aura, but it is beaten without appeal by a BMW K 1600 GTL or a Gold Wing on everything related to pure efficiency, dynamic comfort and versatility. It is an object of passion, not of reason. A monument to the glory of torque, chrome and a certain, immutable, idea of the road.