2011–2013 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
CVO Custom With Touring DNA
This is the range-topping CVO, hand-finished by Harley's Custom Vehicle Operations team on its own Softail platform, and its trick is a split personality. Quick-release fasteners let you pull the windscreen, saddlebags, pillion pad and backrest in minutes, turning a full-dress tourer into a lean solo cruiser. Underneath sits the air-cooled Screamin' Eagle Twin Cam 110B, 1802 cc of 45-degree V-twin making 90 hp and a thick 110 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm through a six-speed box and belt drive. Exclusive paint and heavy chrome finish the statement.
On the road the 110 pulls with relaxed authority rather than urgency, and the low 24.4-in seat with feet-forward controls settles you into the bike instead of on top of it. At 754 lb it stays planted and confident once the speed climbs, and standard ABS backs the stopping. It ages best with a caring owner: the Twin Cam 110 wants attention on lifters and cams as the miles stack up, and the rear cylinder radiates heat in traffic. If you want a boulevard flagship with presence, this is your bike. If you want light and nimble, look elsewhere.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 90 hp (67 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 110 lb-ft (149 Nm) @ 3,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1802 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 130/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 200/50-18 |
| Wheelbase | 64.2 in (1631 mm) |
| Seat height | 24.4 in (619 mm) |
| Wet weight | 754 lb (342 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
Connectivity
Safety
Thumb the starter and the big air-cooled V-twin drops into that deep, uneven idle that trembles the mirrors and lets you feel every firing stroke through the pegs and grips. It is charisma you feel in your hands and chest, metered so it talks to you without ever going numb or turning harsh. The mini-ape bars set your hands up and wide, the seat sits you down low, and your boots reach out front, so you fall into a long, laid-back stance that suits a slow roll down the main drag. Run your eyes over it up close and the finish earns its badge: deep paint, real chrome, weight you can see and feel. It carries that bulk low, so at walking pace it feels heavy but never tippy, and it hides the heft the moment you start moving.
Set the marketing aside and listen to the riders instead: pit-lane talk, owners swapping notes, conversation at club nights, and the steady messages that reach me directly. For the CVO Convertible the sentiment settles in one place. People fall for the presentation and the quick-change trick, then learn to accept a bike that carries serious weight and resists low-speed work.
Owners consistently point to how the bike carries itself, with the finish and detailing reading as if it rolled out already customized. Close behind comes the versatility: riders like how fast it shifts from full tourer to stripped cruiser, and that the swap looks tidy when it's done. A smaller group praises the big V-twin's low-end pull, the loping beat and the way it moves off without needing revs.
The loudest complaint is weight when the bike sits still. Owners describe real effort to walk it around and to bring it through slow turns. Ground clearance draws the next set of notes, the boards scraping down sooner than expected once the road bends. A few also raise the heat the air-cooled motor puts onto their legs in stop-and-go traffic.
BCM seal defect may cause electrical short and stalling
On early‑2011 build units, an improperly sealed body control module can allow water ingress, leading to an electrical short that may cause the engine to stall. This was the subject of a factory safety recall (NHTSA campaign 11V041).
Lifter and camshaft concerns on Twin Cam 110
Across the 110 cu in‑equipped CVO range, owners report premature lifter wear and occasional cam lobe scoring, typically beyond 30,000 km. Proactive replacement of lifters and installation of a high‑flow oil pump is a common preventive measure.
Excessive engine heat in traffic
Riding in dense, slow‑moving city traffic can cause annoying heat from the rear cylinder, especially on summer days. While not a mechanical fault, it is a frequently noted comfort issue.
Sticky throttle grip
Some 2010‑2011 models exhibit a throttle that fails to snap closed, staying in position when released. Likely a lubrication or cable‑routing issue.
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
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CVO FLSTSE Softail Convertible is actually built for.
If Sturgis and Daytona anchor your calendar and the brand is part of who you are, this flagship delivers the sound, the presence and the swagger you showed up for. It was built for exactly this rider.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For slow days through small towns and historic routes, its stance and relaxed rhythm fit beautifully. Just know it is a heavy, low custom, happier cruising open roads than carving tight backroads.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
The convertible setup and steady high-speed manners make two-up miles pleasant, but the 5.0-gal (18.9 L) tank and heavy weight mean it tours in comfort more than it swallows big coast-to-coast days.
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 · 2010
Two Bikes, One Statement
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 FLSTSE Softail Convertible. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
