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2015–2016 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Factory Custom, Wired for Miles
The CVO Road Glide Ultra sits at the top of Harley's touring order, and the figures explain why: 1801 cc of 45° V-twin, 97 hp, and 115 lb-ft landing at 3,750 rpm. Air and liquid cooling share the work at the heads, so the big twin keeps its manners in traffic instead of cooking itself. The frame-mounted sharknose fairing, its splitstream vents, and the tall touring windshield build a genuinely calm pocket at highway speed. Add a heated dual-control seat, keyless ignition, backlit switches, and the Boom! Box GT audio with GPS, and the equipment list is essentially closed.
On the road it does what the best tourers do, which is shrink the country. All 944 lb feel like a lot at walking pace and like very little once the 64.0-inch wheelbase is stretched out under you at 70 mph. Six gears, a wide torque plateau, and 6.0 gallons mean you stop when your body asks, not when the bike does. It suits riders covering real distance, two-up or fully loaded, who want presence along with their comfort. The honest caveat is mechanical: the Twin Cam 110 rewards attentive maintenance, the rider-aid list stops at ABS, and the fork offers no adjustment at all.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 97 hp (72 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 115 lb-ft (156 Nm) @ 3,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 1801 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air/liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 130/80B17 |
| Rear tire | 180/65B16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.0 in (1625 mm) |
| Seat height | 29.7 in (754 mm) |
| Wet weight | 944 lb (428 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Hit the starter and the twin settles into that loping idle you feel through the floorboards before you properly hear it. Pull away and the shake organizes itself. By 60 mph there is a warm pulse in the grips, the kind you stop registering twenty minutes into a day. The riding position is upright and roomy, and with the seat at 29.7 in both boots plant easily at a light. Because the fairing bolts to the frame rather than the bars, the steering stays free of the heavy, front-loaded feel some big tourers carry. Behind the screen your helmet sits in still air, quiet enough that the stereo does useful work at road speed. In stop-and-go the right-side header makes itself known on your calf, and you feel every pound when you are paddling it around a gas pump.
I didn't gather this one from the saddle. It comes from two decades of listening: owners at rallies, talk in dealer lots and on club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. On this CVO, the touring side draws steady praise and the engine draws steady questions.
The 110 draws the warmest reports. Riders describe power that shows up without being asked for and stays even, so a loaded or two-up pass takes nothing more than a wrist. Comfort runs alongside it. Owners say a full day ends without a sore spot, and that the air behind the fairing stays settled enough for two people to talk about the road. The stereo holds up at speed, though several call the built-in navigation fussy.
The valvetrain is where owners turn careful. A chirp from the lifters comes up again and again, and some of those accounts end in expensive engine work before 30,000 miles. Water pump failures on the cooled heads surface less frequently, though owners place them in the same mileage window. Radiant heat on the right leg at low speed is constant, and plenty of owners say they dealt with it themselves. Maneuvering closes it: tight turns and lifting the bike off the stand take real intent.
Hydraulic clutch master cylinder loses lift
The clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate sufficient lift to disengage the clutch, especially after extended parking; if the engine is running and in gear, the motorcycle may move unexpectedly.
Saddlebag mounting receptacle recall (NHTSA 15V427000)
The saddlebag mounting receptacles may not adequately secure the saddlebags. A saddlebag can separate from the motorcycle while riding, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers replace the receptacles free of charge; Harley-Davidson recall number 0166.
Missing rear reflectors with Tour-Pak conversion kit (NHTSA 19V574000)
Bikes fitted with the Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (part numbers 53000291, 53000291A, 53000567) lost their rear red reflectors because the kit shipped without replacements, failing FMVSS 108. Reduced visibility to other drivers increases the risk of a crash. Dealers fit the replacement reflectors free of charge; Harley-Davidson recall number 0629.
Twin Cam 110 engine lifter failure
The aggressive cam lobes and heavy valve springs accelerate lifter wear, often resulting in a chirping noise around 25,000-30,000 miles; if ignored, can cause cam lobe damage and metal debris in the oil system.
Water pump failure on Twin-Cooled models
The electric water pump circulating coolant through the cylinder heads can fail prematurely, leading to overheating warnings. Some failures occur before 30,000 miles and require pump replacement at owner expense if out of warranty.
Excessive catalytic converter heat
In slow traffic or stopped conditions, the catalytic converter in the right-side header radiates intense heat onto the rider's right leg; this is exacerbated by the lean factory tune. Aftermarket de-catted header and tuning are common owner fixes.
Where this Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Ultra FLTRUSE 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 Road Glide Ultra FLTRUSE is actually built for.
This is the bike you ride to Sturgis instead of trailering there. It carries the sound, the paint, and the presence you want at the rally, then still delivers you home comfortable a thousand miles later.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For long routes, two-up and loaded, it does the job: wind protection, luggage room, and torque that never asks you to work. Budget for attentive Twin Cam maintenance and it will keep going.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
On flowing scenic roads it is excellent company. On tight, technical backroads you will feel all 944 lb, so be honest about how twisty your favorite loop really is.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2011–2013
Factory Custom, Mile-Devouring Torque
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 Road Glide Ultra FLTRUSE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
