Hello everyone,
I most likely want to buy a 2020 CVO limited. The color choices for 2019 dont do much for me (Especially that brown) and I am hoping that is not the case in 2020. I know the 20s have not been announced yet but I went to a HD dealer near my work today to inquire about how the ordering process worked (assuming that I would have to wait till the dealer show in august before I could do anything).
The salesman proceeds to tell that a CVO cant be ordered and that the MOCO gets to choose what dealers get, how many and what colors. He said I could put a deposit on one when the got there allocation notification after the show.
So If I want a bike I cant shop dealers, I have hunt around the country for a dealer that has the model and color that I want resulting in me losing most of the negotiating room I had. If Harley wants to earn customers outside of its old faithful aging out of motorcycling baby boomer and gen x cround it is going to stop making people work hard to buy something from them. This interaction will result in me taking a hard look at the 4 or 5 other brands that make a dedicated touring bike. I have plenty of time to look and test ride till August.

 

Most of what he said I have heard before from other dealers. The CVO is limited production.
How can the dealer take a down payment from you if the dealer does not know what colors are coming from the factory AND you don't even know what color you want?
In August start shopping bigger volume dealers and you will find something you like. The more they sold last year has a say on how many they get this year.
I have never heard nogotiating room on a CVO
Good luck.

 

CVO = Custom Vehicle Operations, or something like that, means limited production and limited availability. EPA allowed manufactureers the ability to produce custom, non-conforming, bikes in limited quantities. That was the original plan. Not sure of regulations now, or if Harley just said screw it and everything meets EPA standards now or not.

 

I don't believe CVO's had anything to do with not conforming to EPA standards.

 

I think you missed the point. the dealer cant order me one if I wanted a 19 in silver. I have to find a dealer that has been allocated the bike taking away my ability to choose the dealer.
The way this should work is in September after the new colors have been announced is I go to the dealer of my choice and negotiate the deal that I want and put money down on a bike that he orders for me.

I can go to any Ford dealer for a raptor ( a limited production truck) choose the color I want from a list of available raptor colors and order the truck. There is room to negotiate on any deal.

 

It's a refundable deposit..I had to go through the same BS when i got my CVO. They really limi the production and access to keep the demand and desire high. The MoCo went crazy a few years back on CVOs and that's got their asses handed to them. Now they are very limited and the dealers don't know what they're gonna get..kinda like that ol' box o chocolates. If you don't like what your dealer gets, they can make a request to do a swap with another dealer like mine did. You want to get your name on the top of that list though..there will be 100 people beneath you willing to jump through the hoops. it is what it is!

 

Seems odd you can't order it direct and choose the dealer for delivery.

 

also...some dealers throw a nice tax on the CVOs. In some cases as high as $5k. I was lucky and my dealer didn't do that crap..but other dealers in Vegas were on their CVOs

 

Good to know, Thank you for sharing that.

 

I hope you get what you want! I love my Ultra...just wish I could hook up that new Boom GTS...I was a little pissed about that!