Harley-Davidson’s 2013 CVO Models

Harley-Davidson’s 2013 production-limited Custom Vehicle Operation lineup consists of two brand-new models, the CVO Breakout (FXSBSE) and the CVO Road King (FLHRSE) as well as two already existing models with lots—and definitely impressive—improvements, the CVO Road Glide (FLTRXSE) and the CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide (FLHTCUSE).

       For those among us who expected more than just a bigger, better, and shinier mousetrap, the CVO engineering crew did not disappoint. Lo and behold, the CVO Breakout (FXSBSE), a Softail model unlike any Softail model (aside from the FX designation) you might have ever seen come out of Milwaukee.

       The first thing we noticed in the balmy sunshine of Carmel Valley during H-D’s CVO press event last July was the glittering, dazzling, and exclusive paint job consisting of  Black Diamond/Molten Silver with Crushed Slate graphics, Crimson Red Sunglo/Scarlet Lace with Hammered Sterling graphics, or Hard Candy Gold/Liquid Sun with Pagan Gold graphics, depending on which of the three available options you were looking at.

       The second thing we noticed were the new polished chrome turbine wheels with its poke ridges on the rims, as well as how low the Breakout sits. It has the lowest seat height among the CVO models at 24.8 inches, but it’s the low front that is really striking. The CVO engineers removed everything one usually finds beneath a gas tank and rerouted the braided steel vent lines to the top of the tank. What used to be a dash is now a digital cluster of armatures positioned on the handlebars.
       Handling, thanks to its low stance and long (67.5 inches) wheelbase is also among its most touted features. Riding the Breakout is like sitting on a very low-slung custom bike without the uncertainty of which way the bike would go as you lean into a sharp curve. It’s a stock Harley, and as such, it handles like one, only better. Its 240mm rear tire grips the road perfectly, and its coil-over rear shock absorber – conveniently hidden within the frame rails – takes every bump and pot hole without missing a beat coming from the 110-inch air-cooled Twin Cam engine.
       At a bit more than 700 pounds wet and with 112 foot-pounds of torque, the bike’s power-to-weight ratio is better than that of any other current CVO model. This bike is tons of fun, whether you’re looking for a very cool bar hopper or something that’s capable of taking you on some longer trips. With its wide beach-type handlebars and low seating position, it’s very comfortable either way.

       The new CVO Road King, while basically a “typical” CVO vehicle with its 110-inch TwinCam, 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission, and everything else you’d expect from a high-end Harley cruiser, features a new detachable Vented Wind Splitter windshield that’s adjustable and aimed to reduce buffeting at highway speeds as well as a 200-watt amplifier and interface module for an included 8GB Apple iPod that’s located in one of the bags but controllable by buttons on the handlebars.

       There were no big surprises about the Road King if you’ve been on one before. Because of the many twisties along our way and never really reaching highway speeds, the chance to test the windshield never really materialized, but even at lower speeds you could feel a definite change in wind patterns as you adjusted the vent up or down.

       The other two models, the Road Glide and the Ultra Classic, mainly feature improvements over previous years’ models, like the Road Glide’s new Daymaker LED headlights that will truly turn your nighttime riding into an illuminating experience, or its antenna that’s now hidden inside the fairing. All models except the Breakout also feature a 110th Anniversary Edition that includes the 110th Anniversary cloisonné on the tan console insert as well as an anniversary tank medallion.

       Common to all models except the Breakout is also the new high-output sound system, while all four models benefit from the new Assist & Slip clutch system that provides a slip feature on downshifts to reduce loading of the driveline and less effort when it comes to squeezing that clutch lever. But the most obvious feature all four models have in common is the immense riding fun they provide, riding fun that comes from a high-powered, high-torque beast with superior handling abilities and the apparent entitlement of owning whatever road you’re on.

      The main drawing point for most CVO customers is, of course, the exclusivity of their ride as only a limited amount of each model will be available worldwide: approximately 3,900 Ultra Classics, 3,150 Road Kings, 3,620 Road Glides, and 1,900 Breakouts will be produced for a global market, and that’s an exclusivity Harley-Davidson eagerly promotes. After all, exclusivity is usually accompanied by a corresponding price tag and the idea that what’s exclusive and limited tends to sell out, and that’s good for business.
       For more info or to get your hands on one of these beautiful bikes, go to www.harely-davidson.com, or check with your local Harley-Davison dealer.
—Kai R.
Photo Credit: Nelson and Riles