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2010 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Two Bikes, One Statement
The CVO Softail Convertible was a limited-production halo build, and the point of it sits right in the name. Fit the detachable windshield, saddlebags and passenger seat and you have a full-dress cruiser ready for a week away. Pull all three off in the driveway and what's left is a slammed factory showpiece: hand-painted exclusive colors, 18-inch chrome Stinger wheels, a 200-section rear tire. Underneath sits the Screamin' Eagle Twin Cam 110B, 1803 cc of air-cooled 45-degree V-twin making 90 hp and 110 lb-ft through a 6-speed box and a belt.
This is a bike built around stance and metal, and it ages the way that kind of build should. The chrome, the paint and the switchgear still read as expensive years down the line, which is the whole argument for paying CVO money in the first place. It suits a rider who wants presence first and a machine that can still swallow a long weekend two-up. The honest caveat is the equipment list. No ABS, no traction control, no cruise control, and a front fork with no adjustment at all. On 756 lb, everything that happens is on you.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 110 lb-ft (149 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1803 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twinMotorcycles With V-Twin Engines → |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | BeltMotorcycles With Belt Drive → |
| Front brake | 292 mm |
| Front tire | 130/70R18 |
| Rear tire | 200/50R18 |
| Wheelbase | 64.2 in (1631 mm) |
| Seat height | 24.4 in (619 mm)Motorcycles With a Seat Height Under 30 Inches → |
| Wet weight | 756 lb (343 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
| Top speed | 105 mph (169 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 37 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Over the years I've listened to what owners of this CVO have to say, in paddock talk, club-night chatter and the messages riders send me directly. A clear pattern comes out of all of it. Owners praise the engine and the way the bike handles highway distance. Their complaints center on cornering clearance, buffeting at helmet height and moving it around at slow speed.
The engine comes up first in almost every conversation. Riders describe strong, usable torque that pulls hard from low rpm, so passing on the highway and relaxed cruising take no effort. Several say the screen keeps the wind off their chest and lets them sit upright and relaxed for long stretches. A couple describe it as plowing through the road at speed. One owner calls the brakes sufficient for the weight, with good feel.
The most common complaint is floorboards touching down even at moderate lean, which rules out spirited riding. The same short screen that shields the torso sends turbulent air at the helmet, and riders mention the noise and buffeting that come with it. Some owners find it hard work at parking-lot pace or when pushing it around the garage. One rider over 6 feet found the ergonomics cramped and needed time to adjust on long trips.
Erratic fuelling and torque dip
One test bike exhibited a significant torque and power black hole between 2000 and 3200 rpm, resulting from a possible fuelling issue. Not all bikes are affected.
Sticky throttle grip
A few owners report the throttle grip does not return smoothly when released, staying where it is instead of snapping shut. Replacement or lubrication may be required.
Where this Harley-Davidson CVO FLSTSE Softail Convertible 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
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CVO FLSTSE Softail Convertible is actually built for.
This is your bike. Limited-run paint, a perfect chopper stance and the 110B soundtrack give you presence on Main Street, and the bags and screen go back on for the ride home.
Made for Florida State Road A1A · Black Hills · Main Street, Daytona Beach
It fits the slow, scenic rhythm you ride at, and it looks the part in every town you stop in. Just know you're managing 756 lb on tight, low-speed roads with no rider aids helping.
Made for Park Loop Road · Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Bags and pillion seat make real distance possible, and it's stable and relaxed on the interstate. But there's no cruise control, and 5.0 gallons at 37 mpg means planning fuel stops out west.
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.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
