That didn’t take long. Earlier in April 2023, proof of the existence of a near-future Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide 121 emerged in Australian vehicle certification documents. It gave us some insight into what we could expect, while also raising additional questions. The Milwaukee-Eight 121 engine certainly sounded tasty on paper, but would it come with variable valve timing to help with emissions compliance?
On April 26, Harley-Davidson put some of the speculation about the 2023 CVOs to rest. While it didn’t opt for a full reveal of the redesigned bikes at this time, the changes are significant—so much so that it dropped a teaser trailer with a few choice details, scattered like breadcrumbs to enjoy until the full meal arrives.
Both the 2023 CVO Road Glide and 2023 CVO Street Glide are on their way and will make their formal public debut at both the Harley-Davidson Homecoming and 120th Anniversary events held in the US and Europe later this summer.
Gallery: 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide Preview
Full specifications aren’t yet available as of April 26, 2023, but here’s what we do officially know: The Milwaukee-Eight 121 engine will indeed come with variable valve timing. Other tantalizing upgrades include (in Harley’s terms) an all-new suspension, all-new infotainment system, and two separate paint and finish options. Since we have zero details about either the suspension or the infotainment system, we’ll have to wait and see exactly what “all-new” means as a descriptor.
The visual elements, as we’ve already noted, have evolved to include fully integrated turn signals, rather than separate external units as in the past. That’s true on both the CVO Street Glide and the CVO Road Glide, but the Road Glide’s LED headlamp also offers a neat visual trick to hark back to previous designs. Although it is a single rectangular LED setup, its configuration makes it appear to have twin elements.
“With the introduction of the all-new CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide, we’ve completely reimagined two of Harley-Davidson’s most iconic motorcycles and redefined the boundaries of CVO in the process,” Harley-Davidson chairman, president, and CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement.
“By rethinking these two models from the ground up, we are ushering in a new era of innovation, design, engineering, and technology, while expanding the definition of Harley-Davidson CVO and taking the Grand American Touring experience to another level. The new CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide break the mold and reset the bar for the pinnacle Harley-Davidson riding experience,” he continued.
“These all-new and unquestionably Harley-Davidson designs bring a cohesive and dynamic flow from the front fenders to the saddlebags. Achieving a greater degree of visual change than any generation prior, the design of these CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models are revolutionary takes on the historical art of evolution. Like all Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, these new models are meant to instill a sense of timeless desire,” added Harley-Davidson VP of design and creative director Brad Richards.
