Harley-Davidson will debut two new CVO series limited production motorcycles in June.
Competition is a good thing. In the heavyweight V-Twin touring motorcycle space, the renewed battle between Harley-Davidson and Indian is giving riders some spectacular choices and ever-improving performance. Both brands recently rolled out new limited-edition touring machines, with Harley-Davidson debuting two new Custom Vehicle Operations, or “CVO” models, and Indian adding a second model to their “Elite” limited production line.
Indian Motorcycles' Pursuit Elite packs big power and lots of luxurious touches.
We’ll start with Indian, which had a sole limited model, the Chieftain Elite bagger, which I rode extensively in a recent review. It’s still in the lineup and has received a mostly aesthetic makeover, but it’s now been joined by a more tech-forward sibling, the Pursuit Elite (above). Instead of the air-cooled motor found on the Chieftain, the $39,999 Pursuit Elite uses Indian’s new 122 horsepower 1.7-liter liquid-cooled V-Twin, which also produces a stout 128 pound-feet of torque. It’s a bit more decked out for comfort as well, with a larger front fairing, a top case and backrest for a passenger.
Leather seats with contrasting stitching, a 7-inch touch screen with navigation, four-speaker audio system, adaptive LED headlights, ABS, cruise control, copious storage, a remote-adjustable rear suspension for tweaking ride height to the load and a very long list of standard features will give riders comfort and confidence to tackle long-haul tours. Indian will only make 150 copies of the Pursuit Elite, and you’ll be able to spot them easily enough from their Super Graphite Metallic or Black Metallic paint with Shadow Bronze accents on the body and engine.
The Chieftain Elite is a bit more traditional and laid back.
The Chieftain Elite (above) returns in the new color scheme as well, and rings in at $35,499. It’s a more traditionalist “bagger” type of touring motorcycle with a smaller fairing, a finned, air-cooled Thunderstroke 116 V-Twin motor that make 126 pound feet of torque, and it is designed more for the solo rider looking for a luxurious but more minimalist touring experience. If you do have a willing passenger, Indian has options to accommodate them on the Chieftain Elite. Indian will only produce 175 of the Chieftain Elite models, so don’t delay if it’s more your style.
Harley-Davidson’s long-running CVO offerings have always set a high bar for luxury, design and performance, and for 2023, there are two new additions, the CVO Street Glide bagger-style machine with a bar-mounted fairing and the CVO Road Glide with a frame-mounted fairing.
Both are bagger-style bikes that can be optioned up for more passenger comfort, and both feature an important new addition to Harley’s base engine architecture, the new 121-cubic inch Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin with new variable valve timing (VVT) technology.
Both new CVO models remain a bit of mystery, but will include powerful new engines.
So far, no prices or engine specs have been announced, but the previous CVO Road Glide Limited started at over $51,000, so that may give some idea of what to expect, although these are essentially new models so prices could be quite different, especially given the competition. More details will be revealed by Harley-Davidson on June 7.
The Street Glide looks a bit more traditional but should arrive fully teched out and ready to ... [+]
What we do know so far, beyond the new engine tech, is that the two new CVO entrants will also sport new and improved suspension, an all-new infotainment system, and a pair of paint and finish options. In a press release, Harley-Davidson said both bikes will have “dramatic new visual designs.” You can get some hints on the look in the teaser video above.
Bottom line is that both companies are pushing each other to design and develop their products in almost every way, and the unexpected success of the “King of the Baggers” racing series has renewed their rivalry beyond their traditional flat-track teams, which continues to draw fans as well.
