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[Schnobel]

I was having a discussion last night with a buddy who sold his '13 FLHTCUSE8 and he said his next bike would only be another CVO. When I asked him why his answer was not what I expected so got me thinking.

Why a CVO instead of a regular model? Options, colors, prestige, exclusivity, performance?

For me, I wasn't actually looking to buy a CVO but wanted a StreetGlide and in a bright color. During my search I ran across the Bee and loved the looks of it even though it was an Ultra.

 In the past I always spent like the majority of us, a whole bunch of $$$$ adding chrome bits and upgrading the HP.  I justified the extra front end cost believing since it had everything already upgraded, I was investing what I would anyway to buy a base SG and add on the extra's. Or so I told the wife. LOL

For the cosmetics that has proven true. The performance has been a little underwhelming from what I imagined a 110 would be but that's soon changing!

[Spiderman]

In 2007 after waiting six years for another SERG to be introduced without success, I bought a standard FLTR for $19,000 and then spent another $15,000 creating my own Faux SERG. It's a great motorcycle but the value of it today is based on as if it were a standard FLTR.
If you're going to dump double the cost of a Harley into it you might as well buy a CVO. To be sure, 8 years later you're not gonna get your money back but you will get some of it as opposed to non of it for that $15,000 worth of add ons.

Just my 2cents

B B

[Schnobel]

Whoa! $15K in upgrades? Wow, that is a lot of coin and you're right about resale value. You may get .10C on the dollar back when it's time to sell.

My first HD was a '02 RK Classic. I spent a out $4K in chrome and about the same upgrading the motor and exhaust.

And I thought I spent plenty in upgrades!

[ultrarider123]

In 2007 after waiting six years for another SERG to be introduced without success, I bought a standard FLTR for $19,000 and then spent another $15,000 creating my own Faux SERG. It's a great motorcycle but the value of it today is based on as if it were a standard FLTR.
If you're going to dump double the cost of a Harley into it you might as well buy a CVO. To be sure, 8 years later you're not gonna get your money back but you will get some of it as opposed to non of it for that $15,000 worth of add ons.

Just my 2cents

B B

Could not have stated it any better, Spidey.  Well said.

[ZVO]

I had a 201 Street Glide black and i loved it, when the 15 Road Glides were announced I picked one up. I then began the process of transforming my RGs into a CVO version of the Street Glide.

I added the new floorboards, pegs, the seat, i upgraded to a 110 kit had speakers in the lids and upgraded boom plus amp, but at the end of the day I couldnt add liquid cooled heads and the upgrade to stage 2 was like 1600 bucks.

I decided to sell my RGs and get a CVo street glide. My dealer told me good luck getting your money back....I sold my RGS for 30K and have been riding my new CVO street glide

The reason why? Simple I like the fact that my bike doesnt look like everyone elses. I know I can customize any bike but no matter how much money you dump into a bike its not a cvo unless you buy it that way.

[tysndys]

The flashy paint draws me in, and having the upgrades without having a shed full of "take offs".

[Dr.D]

Whoa! $15K in upgrades?

It is not hard to spend that or more redoing a bike till it is the dream machine. I bought CVO for colors, motor and the bling is already there. I think it hard to go back to regular models and be satisfied.

[JCZ]

Even the CVO models improve over what they were ten years ago.  The GPS, chrome axel caps, the fairing wind vents, under seat heat shields, improved speakers, tweeters were all items that I added to my 04 SEEG that are already on this 13 CVO Ultra Classic.  And your buddy outsmarted all of us......got rid of his 110 before they depreciated so that he can get one with the new 120ST next year. 

[Nicky Pass]

Why buy a Z06 over a regular C7?
Why buy a Z28 over a regular SS?
Why buy a GT500 over a regular GT?

There are two schools of thought....you can take the regular model and make it your own, or buy the top of the line and do minimal and still stand out from the crowd.

Me, I like the rarity of a CVO....all you really have to do is pipes and a tune and you have the top of the line....all the bling and extras is worth it. Add it up...the motor an chrome alone would out weight the cost difference of making a regular model a CVO.

In the end....do what you want and you can afford and be happy!

[110tHunDer]

I was having a discussion last night with a buddy who sold his '13 FLHTCUSE8 and he said his next bike would only be another CVO. When I asked him why his answer was not what I expected so got me thinking.

...

Did I miss it?  What was your buddy's response?

[phato1]

I purchased my 11.5 CUSE6 because my wife told me to.

seriously I was looking to replace my 06 FLHTCU (note the lack of SE) and I was actually looking at one of the other custom colors HD offered on the "regular" Ultra in '11 and I happened to see that the Blue CUSE6 was going to be offered I showed my lovely wife the press release and she just looked at it and said "you know I would look good on that one" - meaning SHE would look good on the back of that bike - so of course I HAD to buy it 

The fact that I would have added a ton of chrome and other accessories to any bike I bought made the CVO a better overall decision, less money spent on upgrades and more money and time spent travelling on it 

[Schnobel]

Did I miss it?  What was your buddy's response?

Without making my friend out to be a stuck up snob...and he is a bit...he said after owning a CVO, anything else wouldn't be good enough. I was "Hey, you can make any bike good enough!" and he disagreed. As was noted, you can buy a base Mustang and make it stupid fast or buy a limited edition Shelby 500 and everyone will know you bought the best. That's what he was saying.

I was curious if everyone was thinking the same or not.

[TheGullGuy]

If you're going to dump double the cost of a Harley into it you might as well buy a CVO. To be sure, 8 years later you're not gonna get your money back but you will get some of it as opposed to non of it for that $15,000 worth of add ons.

Just my 2cents

B B

Couldn't agree more ~ ~ ~ I put approximately 10k on a 2004 FLHTCI, chrome  forks, headed grips, cruise control, lowers, custom paint, upgraded sound, on and on . . .  Not a penny more for my trade.  Salesman said strip it and sell the parts on Craig's List - the value book has no boxes to check for all those extras - - - I now own a CVO . . .

[Supershooter]

I just prefer to ride a bike that's outfitted nicely without having to buy each piece individually,because I wouldnt do it if I had to spend the extra cash after the initial purchase. When folks ask me what I ride, I usally tell them I ride an Ultra, and only tell them its a SE if the conversation leads to it or they ride a SE too. I'm kind of speed junkie so I will break out the checkbook to buy more throttle response!
Supershooter

[JCZ]

A couple other schools of thought:

CVO comes with a warranty on all of it......a highly modified/altered bike...well 

or....once you're at the top of the heap, everything else is back down hill.

Or...if I had to explain, you wouldn't understand

or................................................................

Then, there's also an equal amount of arguments that support the other side of the coin.  But.....for me......I want a bagger that's all about comfort, performance and appearance in equal parts.  Hard to get that in a full blown custom.