2010 Harley-Davidson CVO Model Line-Up Preview

Imagine the future. Now, imagine that the past has caught up to it and ‘The Past’ is covered head-to-toe in shining chrome amour and wearing the most decadent war paint. Sandwiched between a 1950 Panhead and a concept car from the SEMA show, you’re standing in the middle, looking at a Harley-Davidson CVO motorcycle.

Now imagine that example of chrome and fantasy parked on the golfing greens of one the world’s poshest resorts. You’d expect to find celebrities and dignitaries hob-nobbing with Willie G in a place like this, but instead you've got me and the 2010 Harley-Davidson CVO model launch.

Now in its 11th year, the mission of the Custom Vehicles Operation program is to design and build limited-production, factory-custom motorcycles for customers who appreciate brilliant chrome, exquisite paint, thundering power and the exclusivity of owning and riding a very special motorcycle.

As is typical for the original American iron builder, new CVO bikes are announced before that of the standard OE lineup – apparently, those CVO employees like winning races. Most often we’re treated to improved favorites of the preceding year’s OE lineup, wrapped in that Custom Vehicle Operation blanket of limited production runs, exclusive and pioneering technologies and the freshest bling available from the bar-and-shield parts and accessories catalog.

Model year 2010 is no different. Any possible new models from the world’s most popular V-Twin builder won’t happen at this event. If you’re wondering if Harley has anything to compare to the new Victory models you just read about on Motorcycle.com, you’ll have to wait for Kevin Duke’s report next week

As Harley’s test bed and incubator for P&A catalog items, Harley presents a pile of new goodies to drool over today.

With all the market research and metal probing H-D marketing teams do on rally-going riders and owners, they know a lot about the typical CVO buyer and continue to create a club membership with lofty entry fees and high expectations. With MSRPs sometimes reaching 50% higher than standard-model retail prices, exclusivity and the exotic nature of the CVO bikes has its price. CVO buyers like it that way, too, spending even more money to further customize their otherwise premium factory-custom motorcycles.

For 2010, the CVO team introduces two new models to the family: a Softail Convertible and the Street Glide. Plus, two models return with refreshed new faces: the Ultra Classic Electra Glide for its fifth year and the Fat Bob for its second.

Culling from the massive Harley-Davidson Parts and Accessories Catalog of past and future, each CVO is decked out with the best parts that Harley builds, and then wrapped in three new CVO-exclusive paint schemes.

Since all these new CVO models are built around Harley’s largest powerplant to date, the familiar fuel-injected Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 (and 110B) V-Twin, we’ll focus on what amounts to cosmetic additions and examples of H-D ingenuity and extravagance. Like the greens surrounding our host hotel, Harley and the Ritz-Carlton know how to put on a show.