Harley-Davidson CVO 1920 Tri Glide FLHTCUTGSE 2021 — Specifications

Can the most luxurious trike also be the most Harley? The exercise seems paradoxical, but Custom Vehicle Operations, Milwaukee’s center of excellence, has risen to the challenge with this CVO version of the Tri Glide. Starting with the Ultra Limited, the ultimate touring sedan, they grafted on a third wheel and applied the CVO recipe: the largest engine, the most refined finish, and a catalog of technological and aesthetic options already integrated. The result is a machine weighing close to 600 kg fully fueled, which has a price of 53,890 euros, and which presents itself as the bourgeois culmination of an already marginal concept.

The signature is in the engine, and here, it is written in large letters. The Milwaukee-Eight twin, boosted to 1923 cm3, becomes the 117. It delivers 107 horsepower, a modest figure, but its torque of 162.8 Nm at 3500 rpm is the sledgehammer argument. This constant push, this loaded rumble, is made to move masses effortlessly. On a trike of this stature, it is essential. The engine is liquid-cooled in its critical areas, and features the red details under the cylinder heads that are the hallmark of the CVOs. The transmission is entrusted to a six-speed gearbox and a belt, for silent and maintenance-free operation. The announced top speed of 170 km/h is not the subject. The essential thing is this ability to pull its imposing chassis with quiet authority, without ever seeming to suffer.

Harley-Davidson has intelligently equipped this behemoth with the Reflex Defensive Rider Systems package. This bouquet of electronic aids, including adaptive ABS and traction control, an anti-dribble system, and tire monitoring, is almost indispensable on a machine as heavy and with three wheels. It provides active safety that is often lacking on more rudimentary trikes. The suspension, a 49 mm fork and emulsion shock absorbers with adjustable preload, is classic but robust. It is designed for long-distance comfort, not for liveliness. Compared to the semi-active systems of some European competitors, it may seem simple, but it corresponds to the philosophy of the machine: reassuring stability and insulation from road imperfections.

The true selling point of this CVO Tri Glide is its level of equipment and finish, which places the machine in an absolute luxury category. The Tomahawk wheels, the two-tone paint with specific patterns, the chrome and billet parts, the seats with exposed and heated stitching, the painted Heavy Breather air filter, constitute a meticulous setting. Entertainment technology is on board with the Boom! Box GTS: a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, a 300-watt sound system, GPS navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and even a CB radio. The H-D Connect system allows you to monitor the motorcycle via a smartphone app. Practically, the trunks, the Tour-Pak, and the integrated luggage offer approximately 100 liters of capacity, making this machine a true three-wheeled camper.

This trike is a very niche proposition. It targets the older touring rider seeking ultimate comfort, iconic presence, and the ability to drive with a simple B license. It has no direct competitor at this price and with this level of finish. Its weight of 577 kg and its size are its limits, but they are also its reasons for being. It is less a motorcycle than a grand touring vehicle with Harley-Davidson aesthetics. For those who want the ultimate in comfort, equipment, and prestige in the three-wheel world, this CVO is the undisputed option. For everyone else, its price and concept remain a lively topic of discussion.