2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide Review | 12 Fast Facts

August 25, 2017

8. Think of the 2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide as a solo machine. A postage-stamp pillion comes stock, but you can remove it without tools. If you think you might pick up someone along the way, the seat does fit in either of the sidebags. The bike looks great without it, as you can see in the photos I took in West Hollywood, Malibu, and along the Santa Clara River.

9. Don’t buy this motorcycle if you’re a shrinking violet. Wherever you go, people will make positive remarks about the CVO Street Glide, and questions often follow. It is an attention grabber, as you would expect from a bike that’s Orange Lava and Black Denim with a good bit of chrome. There is a less-flashy Dark Alloy and Black Denim version with a darker motor, and the Gunship Gray treatment is fully blacked out and under the radar.

10. The glossy/denim dual paint treatment is expensive and was tricky for Harley-Davidson to develop. Harley-Davidson was rightfully proud of Custom Vehicle Operations’ ability to put gloss and denim paint side-by-side on the bags, fairing, and fenders. However, the result isn’t what the designers likely expected. When I saw it, I thought the denim-painted portions were a sticker—not very CVO-like. I queried various uninformed observers, and they all though the denim patches were stickers. Even when you run your finger on it, it feels like a sticker due to the transition. It’s a tour de force technically, but it doesn’t have the desired premium appearance. Check it out in person and decide for yourself.

11. There’s a new level of connectivity with the infotainment system. I didn’t have a chance to test it on my first date, but the new Boom! Box 6.5GT system now includes a Boom Audio Wireless Headset that can be installed on your helmet. That allows all sorts of communications options with the motorcycle as a hub, including more advanced functions such as independent passenger-to-passenger intercom abilities, also with voice actuation of various systems. It would take a book to explain it all, and I just went with the GPS, which is nothing special. I’d like to see a higher-res display. Also, why can’t I have an analog clock on the dash instead of a battery readout?

12. The 2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide is the best example of a fantastic breed. Everything about the latest CVO Street Glide is a joy. The power, handling, and suspension work together perfectly. It’s at home on a busy boulevard and the open highway. It has the visual authority of a Custom Vehicle Operations motorcycle, and a great aural sound from the beefy Milwaukee-Eight 117. If you have ever loved a Street Glide, prepare to be infatuated by the 2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide.

Action photography by Kelly Callan
Static photography by Don Williams