Harley Davidsons have been an integral part of the American Motorcycling community. A very rich history coupled with various motorcycling groups has allowed Harley-Davidson to build a close-knitted brotherhood among bikers. Choppers, cruisers, bobbers, and brats have all had their roots from a very niche set of manufactures, with HD being one. They have offered us with offerings that are not hesitant to take on the long route back home.
Harley Davidsons are not exactly coded to be blistering fast machines, rather known for laid back cruisers. Their big brawny Milwaukee-eight is the latest to join Harley's historic bunch of engines and is made for the rumble! And so, unlike other motorcycles out there, where cubic capacity tallies along with sheer performance and speed, Harley Davidson motorcycles are mostly slow! Not in any bad way, but swiftness is not the cup of tea for these cruisers. But even among them, the slowest tag goes to one unique offering- The Harley Davidson CVO Tri-Glide.
CVO Tri Glide is the slowest Harley-Davidson but its sheer street presence makes it worthwhile.
CVO Tri Glide Is The Slowest Harley-Davidson
The CVO Tri-Glide from Harley-Davidson can be compared to something that the SVR Division builds for Land Rovers. It has been and will continue to be the testing ground for many new and revolutionary technologies from Harley. So, being the "Slowest Harley-Davidson" for the CVO treated Tri-Gilde is a whisker! This bad boy is powered by the largest production engine from HD.
It is an insane 117 cu. ft. (3313 cc.) homebred Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin engine that pumps out an insane 125 lb-ft as low as 3,750 rpm. This sounds insane but then the Tri-Glide also weighs in at a hefty 1,269 lbs. And of course, unlike its stablemates, it also has an extra driven wheel to cater to. All of this adds more complicated technology to keep this tri-wheeled motorcycle at bay and make it act close to a two-wheeler. Also, to contain all of its 125 twisties, Harley had to go for heavier mild-steel members in the frame, that makes its stern on the road, but at the sacrifice of speed and acceleration.
Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide Does 0-60 Mph In 7.4 Seconds
Despite the insane heft and a whole lot of cozy technology and tricked out parts that come as a part of the CVO treatment, the Harley -Davidson Tri-Glide still manages to pop a wheelie. Well, you have to build up, on the initial torque from its high compression V-Twin but when it's done, a self-balancing wheelie is at your disposal!
The Tri-Glide is in no hurry at all, as it takes a sweet 7.4 seconds to touch the 60 mph mark and the quarter-mile comes up in 15.5 seconds. We chose the CVO Tri-Glide over the standard one, as it gets a few aesthetic upgrades including custom alloy wheels that actually add up to its weight. Harley, for sure, didn't build this to be a corner carver or a straight line monster, but a very cozy and dare we say luxurious cruiser on 3 wheels. And so for that reason, the Harley-Davidson CVO Tri-Glide has a top speed that barely touched the 100 mph mark.
Three Wheels Make Up For A Relaxed Highway Cruise
Clearly being the slowest is not a weakness for this Harley-Davidson or any other for that matter. The Tri-Glide fares to be one of the most comfortable highway companions out there. It has a 6-gallon fuel tank and returns a combined 40 mpg to a gallon which is respectable given the heft and insane torque it carries. But it's the tri-wheeled layout that makes a huge difference in the long run, with minimal fatigue.
Its instrument cluster layout is no less than a cockpit that comes tucked neatly in a WIDE front fairing that also doubles up as a wind deflector. A full-color TFT display is topped by four round gauges to keep numbers in check. Four speakers, two up front and two at the rear fares well for entertainment. Both the rider and passenger get backrests, but the passenger gets bigger ones and armrests as well. Clearly, comfort is not compromised here.
So, the Harley-Davidson CVO Tri-Glide might be the slowest one out there, but it sure lives up with its strong reasons for being so. And nothing has been settled for here, as Harley has gone all-out with the CVO treatment. Adrenaline doesn't actually go hand in hand with slow cozy countryside cruises, but exclusivity sure does, and the CVO treated Tri-Glide is priced from $49,000. It is a true-blue American cruiser and being slow is in good terms for this Harley!
Sources: Harley-davidson.com, Wikipedia.com, Topspeed.com, Zeroto60times.com, Thunderbike.com