2014 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Chrome-Dipped Factory Chopper
The CVO Breakout sits at the top of Harley's factory-custom Softail line, and it earns that spot with hardware rather than badges. The 1801cc air-cooled 45° V-twin makes 90 hp and 115 lb-ft, so the whole machine is organized around torque instead of revs. A 21-inch front wheel, a 240-section rear tire, a 66.7-inch wheelbase and a 26.1-inch seat give it the slammed, stretched profile that defines the chopper end of this class. Hand-finished paint and chrome laid on thick finish the job. It reads as a one-off, not a production bike.
On the road it behaves like what it is: long, low, 710 lb wet, and rock steady once you are up to highway speed. It ages well as long as the paint and chrome get looked after, and the belt final drive keeps the running costs sane. ABS, cruise control, a slipper clutch and LED lighting are standard, which is more usable equipment than the styling lets on. The honest caveat is the Twin Cam 110. Oil weeping from rocker box and base gaskets is common, and lower-end failures have shown up at low mileage. Buy on service history, not on shine.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 115 lb-ft (156 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1801 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Front tire | 130/60-21 |
| Rear tire | 240/40-18 |
| Wheelbase | 66.7 in (1695 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.1 in (663 mm) |
| Wet weight | 710 lb (322 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Lighting
Safety
Clutch master cylinder seal failure (recall)
The hydraulic clutch master cylinder seal may tear, causing fluid loss and the inability to fully disengage the clutch, leading to creeping and potential loss of control.
Twin Cam 110 engine oil leaks and premature failure
Owners report oil weeping from rocker box gaskets, base gaskets, and occasional catastrophic lower-end failures at relatively low mileage.
Fuel gauge inaccuracy (recall)
Fuel gauge may display an incorrect reading, potentially causing the rider to run out of fuel unexpectedly; a recall was issued for affected 2014 Softail Breakout and CVO Breakout models.
Where this Harley-Davidson CVO Breakout FXSBSE pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CVO Breakout FXSBSE is actually built for.
This one is built for you. It pulls a crowd at every gas stop, sounds the part rolling down Main Street, and holds a steady line on the long slab days between rallies.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Works if you ride for the look and the pace rather than the odometer. Small-town loops suit it well, though the 5.0-gallon tank will cut your legs shorter than you plan.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Not the tool for your kind of day. 5.0 gallons, no heated grips and 710 lb of slammed, stretched motorcycle make long, loaded, all-weather runs harder work than they should be.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2013
Factory Custom, Full Stop
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson CVO Breakout FXSBSE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
