Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[kdavin]

She will regret trading for the convertible.  I traded my 08 Fatboy for the convertible Friday and it does not ride near as good as the Fatboy did.  The windshield is so bad I had to take it off and send it home with some friends.  It is much better riding without the windshield.  HD should have test ridden this motorcycle before they sent it to the dealers.  Has a really bad vibration also at 70mph.  This is my second CVO and 11 Harley.  Both CVO's had problems that I did not find on any of the production bikes.  It is not because they are built off the production line.  I have 2 motorcycles that were custom built with 110 engines and they do not have any of the problems of the CVO's.  Before you trade your wife's bike make sure HD fixes the problems.  The bike does handle good.

List of problems at 300 miles and only 2 days.  This is the ninth HD motorcycle I bought and the most disappointing one.  The 2007 Road King CVO had lots of problems also.  All the production bikes were almost flawless. 
 
Parts of the bike are painted purple and does not match the other paint.
Windshield is useless unless you are under 4' tall.  The buffeting is so bad you cannot ride with the windshield on the bike if you go over 55 mph.
Bad vibration at 70-80 mph.  Comes through your feet and hands.
Bike was built to bar hop only, but is sold as a light touring, and cruiser.  My chopper is much more comfortable to ride and believe it or not much more comfortable for my girlfriend.  I bought this so she could ride with me more. 
Bottoms out every time you hit a bump if you are riding a passenger.  The shocks are not up to par for a motorcycle of this caliber.

If I keep it I will have to fix the problems that HD could have done before they sold it to me.  Very disappointed with HD CVO division.  They can do better.  It is not because they are built by a few people and not on the assembly line.  My car was built by hand and the two before this one was also.  If the Italians can take pride in how they build things so can Americans.  The two custom chopper bikes I bought both had the same motor as this CVO, but different trans.  I have not had any problems with either.  They used mostly HD parts.  Smoother ride than this CVO and the Road King and not much more money.

[NVTHIS]

Man what a great day to get to ride so many great bikes.

[kdavin]

Let Harley fix the bugs on the convertible first.

Shocks have no travel so the bike bottoms out at every bump especially if you have a passenger.  I understand you can adjust it, but still with such little travel distance it would be useless.  Looks like they used stock fatboy shocks.

The windshield is totally for looks only.  They need to contour it so the wind goes up and over or around.  It is so bad I had to leave it at my destination so I could ride back home without my head bouncing off my shoulders.  Maybe it works if you are under 5' tall.

There is a vibration that comes up through your feet and hands.  I have 2 other bikes with the 110 engine, but they both have a baker trans.  No vibration in them.

Also paint on part of the bike is purple instead of the dark blue.  My second CVO and both have been below par in workmanship and design.  Out of 14 harley bikes I have only had problems with the CVO models.  And they cannot use the excuse that they are hand built by a small group.  I have two other bikes that were custom built and are almost perfect.  On my third Italian hand built car and have never had a problem with them either.

Love Harleys, but the CVO division is giving them a bad rep.

[lunker]

My wife has decided to keep her 09 Fatboy. Would probably be looking at 10-12K to trade and don't see the value.  The windshield is an issue (as is the 110) with the convertible.  I have never had a problem with my 07 SERK 110 (knock on wood), but I installed a SERT and took care of the lean/hot condition right away so maybe that helped.  The Fatboy is stable, comfortable and with the Xied's, it runs cool and strong.  She had Mean City Cycles modify the seat (narrower, lower and memory foam) and is quite happy with that.  We may change out the shocks to Progressive or Works to lower it another 1/2 in and change out the exhaust to a 2:1 system and air cleaner.  That's it.