Flew to Orlando to pick up my new 2017 CVO Limited – Black Garnet/Electric Red Pearl with Carbon Dust. I added just 2 upgrades for the 1000+ mile ride home to NJ – 3 pocket windshield bag and 360 highway brackets. Closed all the paperwork by lunch. If you’re interested in more details on the actual deal just send me a PM. It was definitely worth the trip to Florida.

First impressions. I was a little unsure on the paint scheme but after seeing it in person it’s really spectacular. I wasn’t sure about the black and chrome wheels but I’ve come to really like them. No less than a half dozen people said the paint was outstanding on the trip home.
Break-in: First 50 miles were kept between 2-3000 rpms. I took my time getting familiar with the bike. I’m coming from a 2010 SE Ultra with 60K miles so I’m comfortable with the CVO Limited. I increased rpms to 3500 after the 50 miles and kept in that range for the next 300-400 miles. After that I rode the bike like I would my other bike.

The Outstanding:

- The sound system is just so perfect. At any speed including over 90, the fidelity is simply excellent. I was still amazed at the end of a 470 mile day just how good it sounded.
- The engine is remarkable for stock. If you hit the throttle hard at 60, the bike jumps forward, same thing at 70, 80 or even 90. It really is a strong performing engine. I make my comparison to my current bike with serious engine upgrades. It fades after 4000 but for a stock compliant engine it is sweet.
- The shifting is smooth and precise. No clunk. Just a satisfying, barely noticeable click.
- Personally, I like the clutch throw. It felt perfect for me and I wouldn’t change it at all. Even though others had an issue with Neutral I found it easily each and every time.
- Headlights were amazing. There’s almost no need for high beams except in deep woods. I had the dealer flash the software to use both hi-beams and passing lights together.
- The heated grips are also remarkable. I had several mornings in the mid 50’s and the grips can crank out incredible heat. I never needed to go above setting #1-2. Same for heated seat. Tons of heat.

The Good:

- The suspension is sure-footed. Slow speed parking lot maneuvers are very stable and backroad twisties just felt…. so easy.
- The seat is good. Deep with slightly more back support than my 2010 Hammock, but they increased the nose width of the seat. It was OK for me at 6’3” but I really can’t see how shorter riders will find the width of the seat to be acceptable.
- Hand controls are OK as I’m still learning them. I didn’t use the CB but I can see how it will be a nightmare having the PTT button on the throttle hand.
- The vented fairing does help somewhat but its only slightly better in my opinion than the vent closed. The windshield is very good. Perfect height for me.
- There’s still lots of heat from the water-cooled engine. It was 94 when I left Florida and the fairing fans were cranking to keep the engine temps down. I’ll be installing the CoolFan shortly. Still better than my 110 CVO.
- The 1-handed tourpak and saddlebags are very good, but you all knew that already.

The Ugly:

- The floorboards are just too close. I’ll be getting extenders to get more comfortable.
- The rear brake position is ridiculous. Its nearly impossible to use if you have a size 12. I’ll be getting either the Soft Brake or EZ brake right away.
- Overall the brakes are excellent. Strong performance, just a poorly designed position with your foot under the rear brake when resting on the floorboard.
- Finally the overall design of the Boom system needs to have a complete remake. Some lawyer needs to be fired. It feels like a GPS system from a decade ago. The system will tell you to exit the highway in 2 miles but give you no idea if its right or left. Insane. At least they should pop up an arrow for which side you’re getting off. The system can’t even pronounce the road you’re getting off onto. Garmin’s systems have been doing that for almost 10 years.
- And locking out the ability to enter a searchable destination is just insane. They expect me to get off the road to type a city name on my route so I can look for a restaurant??? Come on, that’s ridiculous and more dangerous than just letting me click an OK button so I know it’s dangerous to enter a destination.
- And maneuvering with the HK menus is just too darn complicated. Too many steps to get to basic functions. Just downright poor design.
- Sadly I’ll be solving this immediately with a bracket for my Garmin 665.

Summary:
Damn good piece of machinery. Other than the GPS setup, you can tell lots of smart engineers and techs designed an excellent, well-balanced, luxurious and powerful touring motorcycle. Now they need to just find a way to keep the lawyers away from hand-cuffing the technology.

Next steps:
Even though the stock performance is excellent, I’ll be upgrading to the 117 performance kit with Street Cannons within the first 60 days so the upgrade is covered under the factory and ESP warranties. Can’t wait for my next ride…… later today!!!!

 

Good write up, thanks for taking the time and good luck with your new ride.

 

Where can I get a transmission like yours? Lol. I can't describe mine as a "click" by any means, but I was raised on imports.

 

Very nice! Thanks for the write up. Great color.

 

Great review....to bad they didn't upgrade the navigation. I have the same gripes on my 15.

 

Just to let you know if go thru the Boom manual there are settings for just about every thing you stated it will not do. It does show arrow for turns
it does give you the voice turn directions it does pop up arrows and tell you what lane you need to be in. I agree fully with your comments about not being allowed to use the key board while moving. once you learn the menus they really are pretty simple. But if you use the voice input it works well. The system does have a learning curve. But if you use it for a while I think you will see it works very well. I did mount my Garmin on the bike for about a month until I learned the boom I came from using Garmins for the last 20 on more years. Good luck with the new bike I was waiting to buy the 17 CVO RGU doesn't look like it will happen this year.

 

Agree about the settings. Great looking bike.

 

Nice write up. I have a 2017 Ultra Limited (non-CVO version). Traded my old bike and never looked back. The 2017 is freaking awesome. I did the blackout kit and the HD stage 1 with street cannons and heavy breather. You comments on the Boom! system are right on the money, but I see someone else mentions reading the manual. Which I did after a few weeks of owning the bike. As mentioned the features you are looking for are there but are not enabled out of the box. I had to turn on direction feedback, which seems like it should do automatically. I thought WTF, this thing does not tell me when to turn? But it actually does once you enable it. The system works well for me now. The Boom! 1.20.2 system upgrade enable Siri (iPhone) which was freaking super awesome, problem was the system would lock up and Harley pulled the upgrade to fix it. O'well. I am sure they will get a handle on it. This is my first "bagger" and I can say I never wanted one, but man this thing pulls like a train and I just have the 107" with a simple stage 1. Never had all the radio crap before, but it is really nice (guess I need to stop calling it crap). For me, no need to go with anymore cubic inches. I am a happy camper. Good luck to you, please keep us updated. By the way, nice pics!

 

Thanks for the feedback. Several of the GPS "disappointments" I shared have since been solved deep in the menus which definitely improves the GPS but not to the point that it can replace my Garmin. At least not yet.

If you know your destination and all stops in advance then the system isn't too bad with all the nav features activated. Its still very cumbersome if not impossible to find destinations ahead since the keyboard becomes deactivated once you're underway. Adding the Garmin also allows me to play music by BT.

Maybe in time I'll learn the system well enough to find destinations underway. Or maybe siri on my phone will solve the issue. We'll see in time.

 

Hi Heatwave. I agree that the footboards are too close and the brake pedal is way to big on the CVO Limited. Footboard extenders from VTwinGoodies (previously called Harleygoodies) and the smaller Air Flow Brake pedal have solved that problem for my size 13s!

The fitment guide claims that this pedal won't work on our bikes. It fits and works just fine. Just ask your dealer if you can take it out to your bike. The mounting differences are minor and the smaller pedal buys you another inch of important foot space.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/store...rake-pedal-pad

CORRECTION to this post. The smaller brake pedal will only work with significant modification to the existing brake arm. So forget the above recommendation! tsc0789's Softbrake recommendation appears to be the answer!