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2014–2016 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Top-Shelf Tech, American Iron
The CVO Ultra Limited sits at the top of Harley's touring range and does not pretend otherwise. The 1801 cc Twin-Cooled Twin Cam carries liquid-cooled heads, and it makes 115 lb-ft at 3,750 rpm against 97 hp, which tells you everything about how this thing is geared to travel. A 6.5-inch Boom! Box 6.5GT touchscreen runs navigation and audio from the middle of the fairing, keyless ignition, cruise control and heated grips come standard, and a belt-driven six-speed does the rest. CVO paint and finish work is the other half of the argument.
On the road it behaves the way a 950 lb full dresser should: settled at speed, unbothered by expansion joints, happiest with two people, both hard bags and the Tour-Pak loaded. This is a motorcycle for riders who measure a trip in days rather than hours and who want the brand's presence along with the mileage. The honest caveat is mass and age. ABS is the whole rider-aid package here, so there is no traction control sitting under 115 lb-ft on a wet on-ramp, and any used example needs its recall and service history read closely before money changes hands.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 97 hp (72 kW) @ 5,010 rpm |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Front tire | 130/80B17 |
| Rear tire | 180/65B16 |
| Seat height | 29.1 in (739 mm) |
| Wet weight | 950 lb (431 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Thumb the starter and the 45° V-twin settles into a low, uneven idle you feel in your chest before you hear it, loud enough to count as an event and never busy enough to wear on you at 70 mph. The liquid-cooled heads earn their keep on a hot afternoon in stop-and-go traffic, where far less heat comes up at your thighs than a bike this size has any right to allow. Bars fall close, floorboards sit where your boots already want to be, and the seat holds you instead of perching you on top. Air comes over the fairing clean at interstate pace, quiet enough that the audio through the Boom! Box 6.5GT works at a civil volume. At 29.1 in, both boots go flat at a stoplight, which matters when you are moving this much motorcycle around a gas pump.
None of what follows comes from a spec sheet. It's the picture that builds up over years of listening: conversations in parking lots and at club nights, and the notes owners send me long after the sale. On this CVO the chatter splits cleanly, with real warmth for the way it travels and a steady undercurrent of concern about what it costs to keep.
The praise gathers first around the cockpit and the seat. Riders talk about the touchscreen, the navigation and the audio setup as something a step beyond what they expected to find on a motorcycle, and they speak with the same warmth about covering long distances two-up: the heated seat, the suspension that stays compliant, and enough luggage for a real trip. Underneath that, owners describe the low-end pull of the Twin-Cooled 110 as effortless, with noticeably less heat reaching them than the air-cooled bikes they came from. A few point to the hand-applied paint and chrome as the thing that separates it from a standard Touring model.
Reliability leads the complaints, and it isn't close. Owners return again and again to cooling-system trouble on this platform and the warranty visits that followed. Cost is the next steady note, from the premium the CVO carries to servicing and repair bills. And a fair number say the weight becomes real work at walking pace, enough to intimidate riders who haven't handled a tourer this heavy.
Hydraulic clutch master cylinder malfunction
The clutch master cylinder can develop an internal leak, resulting in difficulty disengaging the clutch and dangerous 'creep' at stops. This issue prompted a safety recall (NHTSA 14V-537, HD recall 0160).
Tour-Pak conversion kit omits rear reflectors (Recalled)
NHTSA 19V574000: 2016-2019 FLHTKSE and other Touring/CVO Touring models fitted with the Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (part 53000291, 53000291A, 53000567). The kit did not include replacement rear red reflectors for the ones it removes, leaving the bike outside FMVSS 108 and less visible from behind. Dealers fitted the replacement reflectors free of charge. Only affects bikes with that accessory kit.
Air in clutch system and wrong release plate (Recalled)
NHTSA 13V515000: certain MY2014 FLHTCU, FLHTK, FLHTP, FLHX, FLHXS, FLHTKSE and FLHRSE built 3 May 2013 - 14 Oct 2013. The clutch master cylinder may allow air into the clutch system, and an incorrect clutch release plate may have been fitted. Either condition can stop the clutch disengaging, so the rider may struggle to slow or stop the bike. Dealers rebuilt the master cylinder and fitted the correct release plate free of charge.
Front brake line pinch, front wheel lock-up (Recalled)
NHTSA 14V319000: certain MY2014 ABS-equipped Touring and CVO Touring models incl. FLHTKSE, built 1 Jul 2013 - 7 May 2014. The front brake line can be routed so it gets pinched between the fuel tank and the frame, which raises front brake fluid pressure and can lock the front wheel. Dealers inspected and replaced damaged lines and added cable straps free of charge. Check the recall was done before you buy.
Saddlebag mounting receptacles can release the bag (Recalled)
NHTSA 15V427000: certain MY2014-2015 Touring and CVO Touring models incl. the CVO Ultra Limited (FLHTKSE). The saddlebag mounting receptacles may not hold the saddlebag securely, so a bag can come off while riding and become a road hazard. Dealers replaced the receptacles with updated parts free of charge.
Clutch master cylinder gas build-up, 2016 models (Recalled)
NHTSA 16V471000: certain MY2016 Touring and CVO models. The clutch master cylinder can lose the lift needed to disengage the clutch, most often after the bike has stood for a long time, so the bike can move off unexpectedly when it is running and in gear. Dealers inspected for gas in the fluid, then flushed the system and rebuilt the master cylinder free of charge. NHTSA lists FLHTKSE among the affected models for 2016.
Wheel speed sensor failure
Premature failure of the wheel speed sensor can cause loss of ABS, cruise control, and speedometer. Replacement is required.
Water pump failure
The water pump can fail prematurely, often following thermostat issues, leading to coolant loss and potential overheating.
Rear speaker failure
The rear speaker pods in the Tour-Pak may stop working due to moisture ingress or wiring faults, diminishing the audio experience.
Coolant leaks from engine and radiator system
Owners report coolant weeping at hose connections, radiator seams, and the coolant reservoir. The low-viscosity coolant can be hard to detect, and repairs often involve replacing the water pump or hose clamps.
Where this Harley-Davidson CVO Ultra Limited FLHTKSE 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 Ultra Limited FLHTKSE is actually built for.
Sturgis, Daytona, the ritual and the sound. This is the bike that arrives loud and sits at the top of the Harley touring range, and it rewards the miles between rallies as much as the arrival.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Two-up, fully loaded, days at a stretch. The luggage, weather protection and high-speed stability are all here for it, provided you accept 950 lb and buy one with a clean service history.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
You get the comfort and the scenery, not the agility. On 200 to 400 mile days it flatters open sweepers, but tight backroads keep reminding you how much motorcycle you are steering.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
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 Ultra Limited FLHTKSE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
