Harley-Davidson CVO Limited FLHTKSE Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The CVO Limited sits at the very top of Harley-Davidson's Grand American Touring range, and it looks the part from every angle. The custom paint is finished by hand, the Kahuna trim is exclusive to this bike, and the build quality holds up on the third close look as well as the first. Underneath is the Milwaukee-Eight 117, a 1923 cc 45° V-twin with air and liquid cooling. It makes 104 hp and 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm and sends it through a six-speed box and a belt. A lot comes standard: cruise control, heated grips, TPMS, keyless ignition, full luggage, and the Boom! Box GTS touchscreen with navigation and Apple CarPlay.

This is a big-mileage bagger built for riders who want the whole American touring statement. It's calmest at highway speed, where it tracks straight and settles in, and the engine stays smooth enough that you stop counting the hours. For its size it also changes direction more willingly than you'd expect. Still, 944 lb (428 kg) wet is a lot of motorcycle, and you feel every pound pushing it around a gas station or a gravel lot. The front fork has no adjustment at all. The rear shock only adjusts for preload. The only rider aid is ABS: no traction control, no ride modes. You're paying for presence and finish, not the latest electronics.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	104 hp (77 kW)
Torque	125 lb-ft (169 Nm) @ 3,500 rpm
Displacement	1923 cc
Engine	45° V-twin
Cooling	Air/liquid-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Belt
Front brake	300 mm
Front tire	130/60-19
Rear tire	180/55-18
Wheelbase	64.0 in (1625 mm)
Seat height	29.9 in (760 mm)
Wet weight	944 lb (428 kg)
Fuel capacity	6.0 gal (22.7 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Standard
Luggage System Standard

Connectivity

Keyless System Standard

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

Known issues

GTS touchscreen erratic behavior in wet conditions

electrics occasional

Raindrops on the capacitive touchscreen cause phantom inputs, muting the audio or switching screens.
Factory CB radio poor performance

electrics common

The CB radio's range is extremely limited, often unable to communicate with bikes even 50 feet away.

The Numbers Compared

Compare the technical specifications of the Harley-Davidson CVO Limited FLHTKSE with other bikes in its class.

Head-to-head: Harley-Davidson CVO Limited FLHTKSE vs. its rivals

Power

104 hp This bike 105 hp Triumph Rocket III 100 hp Indian Scout 100 hp Yamaha XV 1900 A 96 hp Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado

Torque

125 lb-ft This bike 150 lb-ft Triumph Rocket III 72 lb-ft Indian Scout 123 lb-ft Yamaha XV 1900 A 89 lb-ft Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado

Displacement

1923 cc This bike 2294 cc Triumph Rocket III 1133 cc Indian Scout 1854 cc Yamaha XV 1900 A 1380 cc Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado

Wet weight

944 lb This bike 871 lb Triumph Rocket III 558 lb Indian Scout 725 lb Yamaha XV 1900 A 743 lb Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado

Seat height

29.9 in This bike 28.7 in Triumph Rocket III 26.5 in Indian Scout 27.8 in Yamaha XV 1900 A 28.3 in Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2006–2013

Harley-Davidson CVO FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (FLHTCUSE)

Chrome Flagship, Endless Miles

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Harley-Davidson CVO Limited FLHTKSE

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 Limited FLHTKSE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.