As the dust settles from the revealing launch of Harley Davidson’s CVO two model line up for 2023, questions are already being asked whether these bikes will sell anywhere near the numbers that the company might project.
The CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide have both had substantial changes in both appearance and performance characteristics for this mid year release, however it is not what is being offered that most would push back against but rather the asking price and the differential between the two colour options.
The CVOs have gained uprated suspension, brakes, infotainment system as well as newly designed bodywork too but it is the engine which gathers most attention.
The new 121 cubic inch engine is an air cooled Milwaukee Eight engine with liquid cooled heads and has variable valve timing added too. Pumping out a whopping 183Nm of Torque at 3500 rpm and 115HP at 5020 rpm.
So from a product point of view it has some nice developments and styling, but this comes at an ever increasing cost. The CVO Street Glide starting at £38,295 and the CVO Road Glide starts at £38,795 but wait for it…the Whiskey Neat Raven Metallic colour option will set you back another £6400
However is this a surprise considering the 2023 prices of H-D products from January and across the other motorcycle manufacturers too.
Harley Davidson would likely aim to sell up to 3000 units of the CVOs with a reasonable 50/50 split in a whole year, but as this is a mid year release you would imagine it would be a lot less than that.
Judging by some of the online comments out there it would appear that this information has just added to the already growing concern that Harley Davidson are out pricing themselves with most riders who would never be able to splash out on such an extravagant purchase.
However this is exactly how the company have strategically launched recent models and have done so with the CVOs in recent years too. Limited production numbers with just that little extra to entice even the most reserved motorcycling whale.
There will always be detractors and nay sayers who will revolt at the notion of buying any motorcycle for such a price, but there will always be those who will jump on in with two feet and a bulging wallet to match.
The main question here is whether there is the same value in the new CVOs as once there was in the past and will the new technology, especially from the engine deter potential customers or attract them further?
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