First Ride: Harley-Davidson 2015 CVO Road Glide Ultra
The 2015 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Ultra is a fully loaded touring motorcycle costing nearly $40,000.
Harley-Davidson has put its Road Glide back onto the road, after a season in mothballs. The 2015 CVO Road Glide Ultra is a return to glory for this big bagger.
And big it is: 102 inches long and almost 1,000 pounds fully fueled, powered by a fuel-injected, 1,800-cc motor producing 115 foot-pounds of torque.
Harley advertises the Road Glide Ultra by touting its “long mile capability,” and long-distance driving is what it’s designed to do.
The fairing is fitted with an intelligently engineered venting system that almost eliminates wind noise and head buffeting, as well as lower vents that allow cool air to pass over the motor and under the rider.
Generous foot boards for rider and passenger are standard, as are highway pegs up front for a long-distance leg stretch.
It’s a little balky around town. Though the 28-inch seat height helps, starting and stopping is harder work than on a lighter bike. But at 80 mph, this motorcycle almost rides itself.
My passenger and I put more than 500 miles on the Road Glide Ultra over the span of a weekend and found it quite comfortable.
That’s largely due to the plush seating, the back rests and arm rests, the low vibration and the Road Glide’s swept-back handlebars.
What puts the Ultra in Road Glide Ultra? The bike comes standard with cruise control, heated grips and seats, an onboard music and navigation system, ABS, keyless ignition and seemingly dozens of plug-ins for electronic devices.
The storage is sumptuous and includes a locking top box that holds two full face helmets, with room left over for jackets and water bottles, as well as two locking saddlebags and two small “glove box” compartments up front. I’ve lived in apartments with less closet space.
The Road Glide Ultra also has a generous 6 gallon tank, which means my average of 36 miles per gallon buys a range of about 215 miles. Unlike a lot of bikes, the fill-ups won’t necessarily be welcome breaks from riding. A 215 mile-ride on this all-day roller is nothing.
Unfortunately for anyone watching their wallets, the Road Glide Ultra also distinguishes itself at the bottom line. This bike -- the most expensive machine in the Harley fleet -- starts at just under $40,000.
Follow me on Twitter: @misterfleming
