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2006–2013 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Chrome Flagship, Endless Miles
This is Harley's CVO flagship in full dress, the factory-custom top of the touring range. The heart is a 1802 cc air-cooled 45° V-twin pushing 115 lb-ft of torque and 80 hp through a 6-speed box and a belt final drive. Peak numbers were never the point here. What defines this generation is presence: deep paint, layered chrome, and a level of finish that reads as expensive from across the parking lot. Every panel earns its place. It sits long, low, and heavy, and it wants you to notice.
On the road that 926 lb settles into a low center of gravity, so the mass hides once you are rolling and the bike tracks arrow-straight at interstate speed. This is a machine for riders who measure a day in states, not miles, and who want their motorcycle to feel like an occasion. It ages well when maintained, and the aftermarket support is effectively bottomless. The honest caveat: it is a lot of metal to wheel around a gas station, and the earliest engines carry mechanical quirks worth checking before you buy.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 80 hp (60 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 115 lb-ft (156 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1802 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 130/80B17 |
| Rear tire | 180/65B16 |
| Wheelbase | 63.5 in (1613 mm) |
| Seat height | 28.7 in (730 mm) |
| Wet weight | 926 lb (420 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Thumb the starter and the big twin settles into that loping, uneven idle you feel in your palms and boot soles before you hear it. Pull away and the first thing your body registers is how the seat and floorboards cradle you: this is an armchair with handlebars, built for hours. Vibration is present but metered, a steady pulse through the grips that reminds you something large is working underneath without ever going numb or buzzy. Roll onto the highway and it flattens out, the belt drive spinning up smooth under the wind and the fairing pushing clean air over your chest. Two-up with the bags loaded, it never feels flustered. The whole thing broadcasts weight and intent, and after a full day in the saddle you climb off tired in the legs but not beaten up.
What follows isn't one test loop. It's what riders have told me over years of paddock talk, club nights, owner conversations, and the steady run of messages that reach me directly. On this CVO Ultra Classic the pattern holds firm: strong praise for its muscle and finish, balanced by honest talk about its bulk.
The engine draws the most agreement. Riders describe a torque-rich V-twin that hauls a loaded bike and a passenger up a grade without strain. Right behind it comes the finish: hand-laid paint, matched luggage, and abundant chrome that read like a boutique custom. Comfort lands next, with plush two-up seating and strong wind cover keeping long days easy on rider and passenger. For a machine this size, several add that it handles a U-turn and a parking lot more willingly than they expected.
Weight is the note that surfaces most. At a standstill or walked around a garage, owners say the top-heavy mass wants a firm foot and full attention, enough to intimidate newer riders. Fuel comes up often too: lean on the big twin and the large tank drains fast, clipping range. And in tighter bends, a number of riders mention the floorboards and exhaust touching down earlier than they'd like.
Premature cam chain tensioner failure (2006 models)
Spring-loaded cam chain tensioners in Twin Cam 103 engines can wear quickly, leading to plastic shoe debris in the oil pump and potential catastrophic engine damage. Many owners upgrade to hydraulic tensioners or gear-driven cams.
ABS hydraulic control unit recall (2008–2011)
Certain touring models equipped with ABS may experience a loss of brake pressure due to a faulty hydraulic control unit. Harley-Davidson recalled affected bikes to replace the unit. (Recall 18V076000)
Crankshaft runout on early Twin Cam 110 engines (2007–2008)
Excessive crankshaft runout caused vibration and could lead to main bearing failure. Affected bikes were often repaired under warranty with welded crank assemblies.
Six-speed transmission whine
The Cruise Drive helical/straight-cut gearbox produces a noticeable whine in 5th and 6th gears, particularly on bikes with low-mileage break-in. Swapping to heavier gear oil can reduce noise.
Where this Harley-Davidson CVO FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide 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 FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide is actually built for.
If your season runs Sturgis to Daytona and the statement matters as much as the ride, this fits. It has the presence, the soundtrack, and the chrome to hold the front row anywhere.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
You will get the Americana road-trip feeling in spades, all chrome and small-town main streets. Just know this is a full-dress heavyweight, not a light classic, so the relaxed rhythm comes with real bulk to manage.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Loaded two-up for Going-to-the-Sun or Beartooth, it eats long days and cross-winds without complaint. Comfort and stability are its native language, though you will work harder than most parking it each night.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
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 FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
