Motorcycle specifications Harley-DavidsonCVO 1980 Street Glide FLHXSE 2026 The Shadow of the Future

A shockwave across American roads. For Harley, Indian’s gains in its market are a thorn in its side. The company is responding—sometimes subtly… or very decisively. When the CVO Street Glide 117 debuted, it was much more than just a new motorcycle. Thus began a new generation of machines at Harley-Davidson. A profound and intense change, the likes of which are rare for the manufacturer. The last time a major shake-up occurred in Harley’s timeless legacy was with the Rushmore project in 2013.

And even then... The design had evolved subtly, so as not to shock the regular clientele. This time, it’s THE leap into the 21st century. With its thoroughly redesigned bodywork, the Street Glide becomes a neo-classic-techno-tourer. The designers completely redesigned the “Batwing” fairing and discarded its shape, which had remained unchanged since 1969. They retained only the T-shape, which disappears beneath intricate contours and new structural elements.

Much like the Fat Boy at the end of the last decade, the Street demystifies the round headlight by flattening its corners. Harley calls this the “Omega” lighting. Combined with the large light bars (incorporating the turn signals), the front end is instantly more modern and inviting. The Splitstream air intake has disappeared, while a vent is fully integrated into the sleeker design. A windshield set far forward on the front takes the place of the old-fashioned visor. Without changing its capacity, the fuel tank adopts a sleeker profile, topped by a new console. With this, the Harley image catches up with its future.

Let’s linger a moment on the front of this CVO Street Glide to note that the chassis has also reached a new milestone. As if the chrome fork had become outdated, the front end now cuts through the air with a 47 mm inverted fork topped by Brembo radial brake calipers. The brake discs measure 320 mm in diameter and are each served by four-piston calipers. Surprising for a Harley or a touring bike. The rear suspension takes a more laid-back approach, prioritizing comfort with increased travel: 50% more to handle and absorb road irregularities. But we want to understand why the front end is so firm. With its muscular, almost sporty approach... is it justified by the brand-new, beefed-up engine block up front?

It’s one of this CVO’s most thunderous assets. Along with its Road Glide sibling, it introduced the 1,977 cc 121-degree V-twin (the landmark year of 1977). Body-colored inserts hint at its noble lineage. The Milwaukee Eight gains even more displacement (+54 cc), boosts its power—especially its torque—and is equipped with variable valve timing. The Pan America is already equipped with this technology, featuring variable intake and exhaust valve timing. The VVT system advances or retards the camshaft timing by up to 40° relative to the crankshaft, or 20° of rotation in either direction. Thus, the timing system allows for a broader power band and improved torque management. This type of adjustment has dramatic effects on BMW’s 1250 Boxer; the impact is similar on the American Big Block.

By increasing from 117 to 121, the M8 gains 12 horsepower. Its peak of 115 hp is reached 400 rpm earlier, just above 5,000 rpm. But it’s the torque that’s most impressive. At 3,500 rpm—the same rpm as the 1,923 cc engine—this CVO’s engine blows the current lineup out of the water with 18.6 lb-ft. Huge! Enough to lift the bike as if it were being pushed by a bison. For those who prefer the language of Nm, the numbers speak even louder: from 168 to 183 Newton-meters.

Furthermore, the manufacturer’s test results indicate it’s more fuel-efficient and produces fewer emissions. It’s a small improvement, but the effort is there.
This twin remains primarily air-cooled but also features some water cooling, like a few rare versions of the Milwaukee Eight. For the 121, Harley redesigned the cooling system and the intake system, installed a new air box, changed the camshaft, increased the compression ratio, adjusted the exhaust pipe diameter, boosted the alternator’s power by 21%, and improved the gearshift drum. As for the Street Glide as a whole, it has shed 14 kg. Everyone at Harley has been hard at work, and it seems they’ve even hired a nutritionist.

The Rushmore project we mentioned a few paragraphs ago also propelled H-D into the world of infotainment with the Boom Box, its TFT screen, and its entire multimedia ecosystem. With the CVO 121 Street Glide, the interface takes another step forward with a much larger screen (a 90% increase in diagonal size). Its name is evocative: Skyline!
Its dimensions are impressive: 31.2 cm—its omnipresence marks a revolution for Harley tourers: no more dials, no more needles, no more analog instrumentation... just the screen and its beautiful graphics, featuring 3 display themes (Cruise - Sport - Tour).
Let’s start by placing the smartphone in the glove box located beneath the screen. A USB-C port awaits inside. But the Skyline also supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Apple CarPlay is installed, but for Android systems, you’ll have to make do with simplified functionality, limited to music and call management.
Skynet.... oops, sorry. The Skyline also features a GPS navigation system, voice recognition, radio, music playback from various connected devices, a 7-band equalizer to shape the sound, and an intercom... Plenty to keep the crew occupied if they want to focus on something other than the massive engine under the hood for a moment.

The riding electronics aren’t left out either: the manufacturer has discovered the joys of riding aids. As a CVO, it deserves to come standard with plenty of features. Let’s list them: cornering ABS, traction control, an inertial measurement unit, hill-start assist, torque control, tire pressure monitoring, as well as 5 riding modes* and interconnected braking.

Aside from these internal upgrades—which represent a revolution for the Milwaukee-based company—this Custom Vehicle Operationbike certainly leans into luxury, with a choice of two premium paint schemes, special equipment, a 4 x 125-watt Rockford Fosgate Stage II rock-spewing sound system, beautifully crafted accessories from the Adversary collection, and limited availability.
A new era for CVO, with the future of Harley-Davidson on the horizon.

M.B - Manufacturer photos

The different riding modes of the Harley-Davidson CVO 121 Street Glide:

- Road Mode: Designed for everyday use, "Road" mode offers balanced performance. This mode provides a less aggressive throttle response and less engine power in the mid-range than "Sport" mode, with a higher level of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention.
- Sport Mode: Sport Mode maximizes the rider’s connection to the motorcycle. It allows the rider to experience the bike’s full performance potential in a direct and precise manner, with full power and the fastest throttle response. C-TCS is set to its lowest intervention level, and engine braking is increased.
- Rain Mode: Throttle response and power output are programmed to significantly limit acceleration, engine braking is reduced, and the highest levels of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention are selected.
- Custom Modes: To create a custom mode, the rider uses the touchscreen to select their preferred combination of engine torque delivery characteristics, engine braking, throttle response, and C-TCS and C-ABS intervention levels within specific ranges.