Custom – Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit! – Page 1 – Static: the ultimate Electra

Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit !

Custom - Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit! - Page 1 - Static: the ultimate Electra

Priced at 29,910 euros, the Harley-Davidson Electra Ultra Limited oversees the American manufacturer’s 2017 range of road bikes with panache. But if your wallet contains 12,000 euros more and your heart is racing at the idea of ​​an engine even more vitamin than its Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107, the CVO Limited and its new big bloc "114" is made for you ! Test of the most efficient Electra…

Page 1 – Static: the ultimate Electra

431 kg, 1625 mm of wheelbase, 1865 cc (932.5 cc per cylinder!), 102 hp and 165 Nm of torque: to say that the de la impresses is a great understatement! Everything is spectacular on this bike pampered in every detail by the Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) service. Starting with its price of 41,750 €, or 11,840 euros more than the one from which it came. The equivalent of two high-end hyper sports cars…

Custom - Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit! - Page 1 - Static: the ultimate Electra

Fortunately, the alarm and keyless start are fitted as standard – thanks to the transponder remote control – without which parking in public would be risky! Another risk, inevitable this time: the impossibility of making it move back a place on a slope, for lack of reverse gear. An unacceptable gap in view of the 460 kg reached when the suitcases – deep but quite narrow – and the large top case are loaded, capable of carrying two full-face helmets.

This rigid luggage, precisely, differs from that of the "basic" Electra – assuming that this qualifier is suitable for a motorcycle at € 30,000! – by the addition of LEDs responsible for lighting the interior and a welcome remote locking system. It is through this kind of attention, both practical and chic, that this CVO Limited asserts its exceptional stature. Another notable difference: the quality of its surface treatments, even better than that – however already excellent – of an Electra Ultra Limited.

The depth of its bitons paint flatters the retina, while its glittery reflections (also present on the engine casings) outright dazzle it. Going unnoticed is impossible with its unique coloring with patterns reminiscent of the flames drawn in the past on "Hot Rods" … But is this really the goal? This ostentatious appearance is reinforced by the soft and delicate leather of the heated upholstery (pilot and passenger) and the abundant use of chrome, from the long silencers to the edges of the rims with angled valves, including the fork, the luggage rack and the engine.

Milwaukee-Eight 114: The Most Powerful Harley Twins 2017 !

Let’s talk about this V-twin! As per custom at Harley, this is specific to the CVO lineup. Its main particularity is its increased displacement of 123 cc – the equivalent of a small motorcycle! – related to . This impressive volume of 1868 cc (1.8 liters!) Is obtained by an increase in stroke and bore, from 100×111.1 mm on the 107 to 102×114.3 on the 114. 

Custom - Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit! - Page 1 - Static: the ultimate Electra

His "inspirations" and "expirations" are also boosted by exhaust and a "Screamin‘Eagle" air filter, accessories more stylish and more "free" while remaining approved. The whole system significantly increases the performance of this partially water-cooled engine, via radiators discreetly integrated at the top of the cylinder shields. From 91 hp and 152 Nm on the 107, the 114 thus increases to 102 hp and 165 Nm. To date, it is the most powerful of the Harley twins since the Revolution of 123 hp developed with Porsche has bowed out since the .

A word finally on the plethora of equipment installed on this CVO Limited, like its control of heated grips cleverly – and aesthetically – integrated at the end of the grips. Mention also very well for its multimedia system including a sound system, a GPS and a new tire pressure indicator (absent on Electra Ultra Limited). Information is clearly displayed on the 6.5-inch color screen, a real tablet controlled by tactile feedback or via backlit controls..

As for the audio installation, it outclasses – thanks in particular to additional amps – the already astounding sound quality and volume of the "Boom Box" used on the Touring range. Its four 165mm loudspeakers – inside which we find noble materials, such as carbon and aluminum – develop 75 watts per channel. Concretely, you can listen to a radio interview with astonishing clarity of speech, set to the regulator at 130 km / h at 3000 rpm in sixth…

Custom - Harley-Davidson Electra CVO Limited 114 test: no limit! - Page 1 - Static: the ultimate Electra

Only downside: the speakers occupy a large part of the dashboard, which takes up the space available to install storage compartments. It’s nerd, on a motorcycle so bulky and of such a high standard … A very narrow space thrones well on the right of the instrumentation (see our), but it is used to receive a smartphone or an MP3 to connect with the sound system in Bluetooth or with the preinstalled USB cable. 

Other reasons for disappointment with regard to the price of this unusual motorcycle: the absence of adjustable levers, consumption indicator (s) or the impossibility of locking the cover above the gas cap, moreover without hinge. Being able to adjust the height of the windshield – electrically, as long as it is needed – would also have been appreciated, if only to lower this real "veranda" a little at low speed, when the need for protection is low..

At the same time amazed by this debauchery of luxury but more circumspect in the face of the few practical shortcomings mentioned above, MNC presses the starter to discover the qualities – and the flaws – dynamic of this CVO Limited. While you engage the first via the practical dual branch selector, quickly spin !

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