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[RoadDawg]

I don't know if special is the right word. But I'm having a hard time finding much information on CVO bikes. I realize the 110 engine is the biggest HD makes. But other than that, what does a SE engine have that other HD engines don't, if anything?

[hd-dude]

The 110 has different heads, cams, pistons and barrels. All other internal components are the same

[HILLSIDECYCLE.COM]

Once tuned with a cam other than the use of the 255 for the moco to edge past emmissions testing, the heat is usually down substancially.
Scott

[SDCVO]

I realize the 110 engine is the biggest HD makes.

No its not, 120r is

[SDCVO]

I realize the 110 engine is the biggest HD makes.

No its not, 120r is

[Twolanerider]

what does a SE engine have that other HD engines don't, if anything?

Huge price tag on the bikes they are attached to....

[Jswerve]

Huge price tag on the bikes they are attached to....

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

[RonandJanet]

I am not a CVO expert but this is my second one. They do run hot but it doesn't seem to be much worse than the standard Ultra I had. Once you tune the bike up right it is much better. I have not noticed any reliability issues but that is just me.  The cost is high but the bikes are all custom, have great performance and lots of dress up (Chrome). To me the big deal is the engine and uniqueness (only a few made, hand painted,etc.). I think they look good. I like all bikes but this is my favorite bike to-date!  I just love her!

[grc]

A CVO engine is NOT what many people assume, which would be an engine full of those parts in the Screamin' Eagle catalog.  What it really is, is a regular production engine that has a slightly larger displacement due to a larger bore, different but still street legal cams, and different but not true SE heads.  It's something anyone with a couple grand can do to a stock TC96/103 with pistons, jugs, heads, and cams. 

Btw, it is the largest displacement regular production engine Harley sells.  The 120R is not a street legal regular production engine (hint:  the R stands for Racing, not Street Legal).

Something else a CVO isn't is a "custom".  Custom implies one or very few copies, not the thousands of identical bikes Harley now sells as CVO's.  A modern day CVO is just a high end option package, no different than when you spring for the Limited Titanium package at the auto dealership.  The "custom" tag is just typical marketing hype.

Jerry

[redmtrckl]

About $15,000 of bling.

[Ironhorse]

I don't know what makes them special, but they must be. Some folks here are on their second or third 110 engine.

[DCFIREMANN]

No its not, 120r is

Not sure anymore but the 120 was produced by jims and sold by Harley. It is not a production motor sold in any new bikes unless the Dealer makes the change before the sale!!!

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[DCFIREMANN]

The 110 has different heads, cams, pistons and barrels. All other internal components are the same

Jim is correct. They are only special IMHO only after you open them up and make a few changes!!!

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[RoadDawg]

They are only special IMHO only after you open them up and make a few changes!!!

What changes? I hear some are having Woods cams installed.

[Banana man]

Nothing.

[SDCVO]

Not sure anymore but the 120 was produced by jims and sold by Harley. It is not a production motor sold in any new bikes unless the Dealer makes the change before the sale!!!

Be Safe

THE DAWG

They still have the Jims motor available (costs less) but now the Motor Company also makes the 120r

[FlaHeatWave]

The 110 is the best boat anchor that Harley has ever made...

[Jswerve]

The 110 is the best boat anchor that Harley has ever made...

 

[Skipper]

The 110 is the best boat anchor that Harley has ever made...

  . actually it is the best, until you fire it up!

[HILLSIDECYCLE.COM]

.............and all this time I thought Iron XL's were...........
Scott

[Mr. Warlock]

It's the "SPECIAL" Attention we all have to give them to make them run right

[OBB]

.............and all this time I thought Iron XL's were...........
Scott

You gotta use the whole bike, not just the engine 




I always thought it was that nifty 110 emblem that comes on the Ventilator

[grofcvo]

There is bunch of option for a se 110'' but you have to open your wallet very wide....
I have CVO RK '14 and is different beast comparing to my other bikes ..(had SG, RG, dyna..) handling is superb corners like a sport bike, I love it would buy another one if I could. 110HP, 125TQ

[FlaHeatWave]

.............and all this time I thought Iron XL's were...........
Scott

'Hurt a lot of feelings with the '76 XLH (drag pipes, 2-up on the main jet) and got over 50k miles until failure ( 5x more than the 110 )

[casbar]

I also have a 14 cvo RK. Really pleased with it, goes really well

[RonandJanet]

I may be wrong (probably I am) but I thought the CVOs all had the graphics hand painted. is that not correct? The production numbers are also limited for each color pattern in order to keep CVOs unique.

[RoadDawg]

I may be wrong (probably I am) but I thought the CVOs all had the graphics hand painted. is that not correct? The production numbers are also limited for each color pattern in order to keep CVOs unique.

Yes, that is what I've been told.

[Dietea]

Maybe CVO is hand painted, but subcontractor. That can be seen in Y-13 paint quality problems.

All CVO touring and Softails are assembled same line in York plant that basic bike. This matter it is not even so called hand made bike. Engines are made in same assy line Pilgmin Road than other twin-cam engines.

[grc]

Actually the CVO paint isn't any more "hand painted" than most other paint jobs.  Most if not all the graphics are the result of appliques or die cut masks, not some guy freehanding it with masking tape like you see on those Foose custom car tv shows.  I'm not familiar with the facilities at the vendor for the CVO painted parts, but the odds are much of the actual spraying is probably done with hand held spray equipment versus robots or automated equipment, so if that's what you mean by "hand painted" perhaps you're correct.  One or two models over the years claimed to have hand painted pin stripes, but most are actually the result of those appliques or masks I mentioned earlier.

If you're intimating that the CVO's really are custom bikes, you need to adjust the definition of "custom" a huge amount to make that true.  When you make 1000 to 5000 copies of something, that's not a true custom.  If you wanted something closer to a custom paint job from Harley you would need to buy one of their numbered paint sets from the catalog.  Instead of thousands, those are usually limited to around a hundred sets.  But if you want to tell a friend or acquaintance who isn't terribly knowledgeable about CVO's that you have a "custom" bike to impress them, it's no skin off my nose and I won't be around to call you out, so go for it.  

Jerry

[cambo]

Actually the CVO paint isn't any more "hand painted" than most other paint jobs.  Most if not all the graphics are the result of appliques or die cut masks, not some guy freehanding it with masking tape like you see on those Foose custom car tv shows.  I'm not familiar with the facilities at the vendor for the CVO painted parts, but the odds are much of the actual spraying is probably done with hand held spray equipment versus robots or automated equipment, so if that's what you mean by "hand painted" perhaps you're correct.  One or two models over the years claimed to have hand painted pin stripes, but most are actually the result of those appliques or masks I mentioned earlier.

If you're intimating that the CVO's really are custom bikes, you need to adjust the definition of "custom" a huge amount to make that true.  When you make 1000 to 5000 copies of something, that's not a true custom.  If you wanted something closer to a custom paint job from Harley you would need to buy one of their numbered paint sets from the catalog.  Instead of thousands, those are usually limited to around a hundred sets.  But if you want to tell a friend or acquaintance who isn't terribly knowledgeable about CVO's that you have a "custom" bike to impress them, it's no skin off my nose and I won't be around to call you out, so go for it.  

Jerry

Based on the uneven pin striping on my bike (both the thickness and the distance to other paint detail) I would think at least some CVO models are done by hand.

[grc]

Based on the uneven pin striping on my bike (both the thickness and the distance to other paint detail) I would think at least some CVO models are done by hand.

Sadly, bad quality doesn't qualify as custom either.  If it did there are a whole lot of us who could claim true custom status.    For instance, a bunch of us from 2005/2006 had the next best thing to signed parts; finger prints of the folks who handled the parts at the paint vendor, under or in the clearcoat, no extra charge.

As I mentioned, Harley claimed that a couple (few?) models had hand painted pin stripes.  I'm guessing yours is one of those models.  After seeing the results, do you still think it was a great selling point?  Btw, you can get the same sort of thing on pretty much any car dealers lot these days, "custom" tape or paint stripes applied as you wait.  Doesn't make the car or the paint job a true custom.  Just sayin'.

Jerry

[cambo]

Agreed.

[Ironhorse]

What year did they stop the "Special Hand Building Teams" at York, PA., and start building the CVOs off the mainline?

[sadunbar]

What year did they stop the "Special Hand Building Teams" at York, PA., and start building the CVOs off the mainline?

Four or five years ago.  When the York facility was remodeled and the Union had to agree to new management terms to prevent the facility from being closed and relocated...

[YELLOWBIRD]

What year did they stop the "Special Hand Building Teams" at York, PA., and start building the CVOs off the mainline?

2009' was the last of the "Hand Bulit" CVO's. In 2010' they joined the regular assembly line right next to the standard harley models.

I ain't getting rid of my scoot,

 

YB

[Twism_23]

+1 to that!

[RonandJanet]

Still love my bike.  One point that may be correct is that the pin stripping is hand applied. I saw this on a video a while back but maybe that was before 2010. I think I will ask my dealer as well. I still love my bike and the way it looks. They may make 1000 (about) in this color but you don't see another bike like it very often. The last CVO I had was the same way. I looked at a 2006 CVO and the paint job did have an issue which was from the factory and although I loved it I didn't buy it due to that. 

[RoadDawg]

When I got my Hard Candy Sedona Sand and Blaze Orange with Black Abyss Graphics CVO Breakout, my dealer told me the graphics were hand painted and that if i put two bikes together I would see some differences due to the hand paint. Whether it's true or not, I'll likely never see another like it to compare....and that's the point for many of us. The bike is a Harley-Davidson unlike most other Harleys off the line. I wouldn't change a thing.

[FlaHeatWave]

The paint on my 3 CVOs is pretty much perfect, the only "defect" (if you want to call it that?) is in the hand rolled gold leaf flames on the '01 Switchblade...

[FLY-DOG]

I thought this thread was "What makes a CVO SE 110 Engine Special?"; how did it shift to paint schemes and the like?   

[Jswerve]

I thought this thread was "What makes a CVO SE 110 Engine Special?"; how did it shift to paint schemes and the like?   

Haha no doubt 

[sadunbar]

I thought this thread was "What makes a CVO SE 110 Engine Special?"; how did it shift to paint schemes and the like?   

Threads evolve like any conversation between friends.  And usually for the better!   

[Jswerve]

Threads evolve like any conversation between friends.  And usually for the better!   

True true! 

[UAV Pilot]

Unfortunately, Its also called Hijacking a thread!

[grc]

OK, to get back to the true subject of this thread, I'll answer the OP's question one more time.  There is nothing that makes a CVO 110 engine "special".  It's a slightly larger regular production engine, and it's made in fairly large quantities so it isn't exactly "special" or "custom".  It also hasn't been terribly reliable.

Jerry

[Fired00d]

OK, to get back to the true subject of this thread, I'll answer the OP's question one more time.  There is nothing that makes a CVO 110 engine "special".  It's a slightly larger regular production engine, and it's made in fairly large quantities so it isn't exactly "special" or "custom".  It also hasn't been terribly reliable.

Jerry

Wouldn't that make it special?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Twolanerider]

Wouldn't that make it special?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Dood, there is a difference between special and "special."  The latter is more of the "short bus" variety though it is demeaning to all the variously challenged and very special young people that might ride the proverbial short bus for them to be equated to a current (as opposed to modern) Harley V-Twin engine. 

[Honneybeast]

So what should I expect to pay to have my 110 turned into a 120r ?

[bensonjv]

A SE Pro 120RX kit to upgrade your existing motor will run you in the $3000 range depending on cams, catchup, lettuce, pickles, etc.  A SE Pro 120R crate motor will set you back $5700-6000.

Too many variables to give a reliable ball park quote for a Jims 120 or larger but expect $6000 as a baseline starting point and go up from there.
 

So what should I expect to pay to have my 110 turned into a 120r ?

[Honneybeast]

Thank you for the feedback sir it is appreciated, Maybe Santa will be my little buddy this year   

[Midnight Rider]

A SE Pro 120RX kit to upgrade your existing motor will run you in the $3000 range depending on cams, catchup, lettuce, pickles, etc.  A SE Pro 120R crate motor will set you back $5700-6000.

Too many variables to give a reliable ball park quote for a Jims 120 or larger but expect $6000 as a baseline starting point and go up from there.

Where is that number coming from? If that is a good number, I would imagine it only being parts and not labor.  And it would not be a "bolt on" kit...the motor would have to be pulled and the cases bored, so the labor involved would make the total cost the same or higher than just buying the 120R and doing a motor swap. Then you could at least put the stock 110 on the shelf or sell it to recoup part of the expenses.

[grc]

Where is that number coming from? If that is a good number, I would imagine it only being parts and not labor.  And it would not be a "bolt on" kit...the motor would have to be pulled and the cases bored, so the labor involved would make the total cost the same or higher than just buying the 120R and doing a motor swap. Then you could at least put the stock 110 on the shelf or sell it to recoup part of the expenses.

Like all such SE kits, the price only includes the parts; no machining, no labor.  And this kit isn't designed to upgrade a 110 engine, it's designed to be used with an existing 120R engine.  The kit is in the 2014 SE catalog btw, click on attached photo for a bigger version.

Jerry

[Timusa]

When I got my Hard Candy Sedona Sand and Blaze Orange with Black Abyss Graphics CVO Breakout, my dealer told me the graphics were hand painted and that if i put two bikes together I would see some differences due to the hand paint. Whether it's true or not, I'll likely never see another like it to compare....and that's the point for many of us. The bike is a Harley-Davidson unlike most other Harleys off the line. I wouldn't change a thing.

Me and my friend went to Harley Festival in St. Tropez this year. Local newspaper reported there were 13.000 bikes attending, and I did not see (tried hard but no success) another Deep Sherwood Pearl 2014 CVO Road King among them. I felt happy.

[SDCVO]

So what should I expect to pay to have my 110 turned into a 120r ?

Thats what I did after looking into "fixing up" my 110 and it was the best thing I ever did. So far (about 8000 miles) it has been reliable and a total "E" ticket! I sold my 110 for $2800 so after it was all said and done I had about the same amount of money in then it would have been to do the whole heads/performance deal I was looking at in the first place.