Harley-Davidson CVO 1920 Tri Glide FLHTCUTGSE 2022 — Specifications

We often talk about grandiose ambition, but here, we reach new heights. Imagine a Chesterfield sofa mounted on three wheels, equipped with a tractor engine and a nightclub sound system. There you have it, you’ve grasped the essence of the CVO Tri Glide. Harley-Davidson took its largest vessel, the Ultra Limited, grafted an extra rear wheel onto it, and let the artists of Custom Vehicle Operations dress it with all sorts of embellishments. The result? A 577-kilo machine ready to go that costs the not-so-small sum of €58,650. This is far from a trike cobbled together for grandpa; it’s a statement, a rolling luxury object that defies all logic, except for the logic of absolute comfort and ostentation.

The cornerstone is, of course, the mythical Milwaukee-Eight, boosted here to 1923 cm³, the famous “117” which displays a monstrous torque of 162.8 Nm from 3500 rpm. This quiet force is essential to move such a mass, and it does so with that characteristic nonchalance of large Harley V-twins. The six-speed gearbox and belt drive translate this power into a sovereign advance, without jerks. To manage this monumental boat, Harley has deployed its entire electronic arsenal: the Reflex Defensive Rider Systems package. Adaptive ABS and traction control, anti-dribble, tire monitoring… it’s a technological fortress designed so that even on slippery terrain, this behemoth remains predictable. A necessity, when you weigh nearly 600 kilos fully fueled.

Let's be frank about handling. With a long wheelbase and considerable width, the Tri Glide doesn’t lean, it inclines. The suspension, although Touring quality with manual adjustments, remains a classic suspension. Faced with semi-active radar suspensions that now equip large BMWs or Honda Gold Wings, it looks a bit old-fashioned. But is that really the point? Probably not. The buyer of such a machine is primarily looking for unwavering stability, a rolling armchair for the American highways. And on this point, with its low seat at 715 mm and its three-wheel rear train, it is unbeatable.

Where the CVO crushes all competition is in the level of finish and equipment. It’s a festival of hand-stitched details: two-tone paints, forged Tomahawk wheels, chrome, upholstery with exposed stitching, backlit controls. The cockpit is like a private jet: heated seats, heated grips, a 300-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system that covers the rumble of the V-Twin, and the indispensable 6.5-inch Boom! Box GTS screen that pilots navigation, the CB radio, and Bluetooth connectivity. Add to that gigantic trunks offering nearly 100 liters of storage, and you have a motorcycle (well, a trike) perfectly self-sufficient for travel.

So, who is this singular beast for? Certainly not for the traditional motorcyclist who thrills when leaning. The CVO Tri Glide targets a very specific audience: the demanding traveler who prioritizes comfort and presence over sportiness, or those with mobility or balance issues that keep them away from a classic two-wheeled machine. Its major asset, and not insignificant, is that it is accessible with a simple B license in France. It’s a niche, an exceptional product with an assumed philosophy. Is it a good motorcycle? In classic categories, no. But is it a unique object of desire, a symbol of luxurious and uninhibited freedom for those who can afford it? Absolutely. It’s the SUV of motorcycles, unreasonable, fascinating, and resolutely unique.