Print

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

[JCZ]

Interesting perpestive Jeff.  I thought the same thing every since the 04 SEEGs (Blue and Black and Orange and Black) came out.  I remember everybody posting on here about loosing sleep till their bike was delivered (there weren't as many CVOs back then).  Yes, 06 and 07 seemed like it turned down a little.....08 seems like it's turned down even more.

Kind of makes me wonder what they do have in mind for next year.

[VaEagle]

I think it's still early in the model year to predict the demand. I agree once the magazines get out with stories on the 6 gallon tanks and ABS it will interest people into trading in older bikes to get the new features but since it's not CVO specific I think the money for a CVO will be harder to justify in some people's minds.
I for one like the anniversary CVO Ultra color scheme and i just realized by checking the Harley site that the colors are the same but in a different pattern between the CVO anniversary bike and a standard anniversary Ultra. The cost for MSRP is something for most buyers to consider. Anniversary Ultra MSRP is $23,270 then ABS is $795 so not counting shipping ,prep etc. thats $24,065. For the CVO anniversary Ultra the MSRP is $35,490.
If my math is correct that is a $11,425 difference and to many buyers a slightly different paint pattern and some chrome and a bigger engine will not be worth it. Think about what you could do for engine mods if you didn't want the chrome (I know a blasphemy here) and put $11,000 into the drivetrain or even the bank? 
I for one was interested in seeing a CVO Roadglide again with more items specific to the CVO and they could not be found on other models.
I bet there will be quite the buzz both positive and negative when Harley finally previews a water cooled touring bike in the future.

[d o g o l s]

i thing the interest are not the cvo

Number one for me will be the ROCKER

[RedDevil]

I agree with the ones that stated we have to wait until they, the CVOs, start hitting the dealerships to get the true reaction.  Even though I think the MoCo really left a lot to be desired with the 08 CVO colors, they will still sell.  The MoCo is looking, as any business should, at the bottom line, baggers are their most popular rides right now, so why drop the cash cows when they're poplular.  The fact that the MoCo came out with a third-year SEUC didn't surprise me.  Disappointed me, but didn't surprise me.  The only thing I like about the 08's is the Brembos and the ABS.  Is that worth trading my '07 in?  Not in my opinion.  I can do without the 6 gal tank, as my old ass needs to stretch about every 125 miles anyway, so 6 gals does me no good.  I'll reserve judgement on the Anniversary color until I see one in person, but that's about the only CVO color that the MoCo came close to doing right this year. IMHO.
Cheers ,
 

[MJZ]

All the responses posted ring true to me but being one that has paid a deposit on one (white/silver), I have a little different view. There is definitely less buzz for the 08's and possibly there are 3 main reasons that I see, first colors, they are quite similar to the standard ultra (blan & somewhat boring). Second, three years on the same product aimed at the same market and the fact that most of us were expecting a SERG. Lastly cost, 40K (including tax, registration, freight and prep), chit that price is now within reach of a new Corvette or a Shelby Mustang. JMHO

[grc]

All the responses posted ring true to me but being one that has paid a deposit on one (white/silver), I have a little different view. There is definitely less buzz for the 08's and possibly there are 3 main reasons that I see, first colors, they are quite similar to the standard ultra (blan & somewhat boring). Second, three years on the same product aimed at the same market and the fact that most of us were expecting a SERG. Lastly cost, 40K (including tax, registration, freight and prep), chit that price is now within reach of a new Corvette or a Shelby Mustang. JMHO

Mark,

I agree, less excitement about the new models, and I agree with your assessment of the reasons.  I would add another, and that is the way the MoCo cranked up the volume over the past few years on what was supposed to be a very limited quantity "custom" vehicle.  Even the dealers complained about the volume, and I think you're seeing them back off slightly on both the standard and CVO volumes for '08.  

As for the pricing, I get the impression from what I've read here over the past couple years that H-D will always be able to find plenty of folks with deep enough pockets (or enough credit) to keep jacking up their prices.  We have folks paying several grand over MSRP and then promptly sinking another 5 or 10 grand into mods to make the bike run, stop, and handle the way it should have from the factory.  Unfortunately, my pockets aren't that deep, especially now that I'm living on a fixed income, so I guess my next bike won't be a Harley CVO.  You know, for $40k I could buy a K1200GT and a K1200LT.  Use the GT for a daily rider, and the LT for trips.  Hmmmm  

Jerry

[bobaroni]

The only feature I would have liked to have had on my CUSE2 is the ABS now available on the '08. It seems easy to chirp the back tire when braking. I'm thinking of adding pullback risers and sitting in the REAR seat.

[RedDevil]

Mark,

I agree, less excitement about the new models, and I agree with your assessment of the reasons.  I would add another, and that is the way the MoCo cranked up the volume over the past few years on what was supposed to be a very limited quantity "custom" vehicle.  Even the dealers complained about the volume, and I think you're seeing them back off slightly on both the standard and CVO volumes for '08. 
As for the pricing, I get the impression from what I've read here over the past couple years that H-D will always be able to find plenty of folks with deep enough pockets (or enough credit) to keep jacking up their prices.  We have folks paying several grand over MSRP and then promptly sinking another 5 or 10 grand into mods to make the bike run, stop, and handle the way it should have from the factory.  Unfortunately, my pockets aren't that deep, especially now that I'm living on a fixed income, so I guess my next bike won't be a Harley CVO.  You know, for $40k I could buy a K1200GT and a K1200LT.  Use the GT for a daily rider, and the LT for trips.  Hmmmm  

Jerry

You raise a very valid point...and I heard, though I can't remember from where, that the MoCo is going to cut back production this year.  I've looked around at the local dealers and am totally amazed at the amount of 07 big-twins that are still available.  Most dealers around me are having year-end inventory reduction sales, which has been typically unheard of.  Normally, by this time of the riding season, all the dealers have around here for new stock is a couple of big twins, but mostly sporties and v-rods.  Touring rigs never used to be still on the floors this time of year, but now I'm seeing plenty of EGs and RKs available.  I think the MoCo got a little greedy and thought with the new engines that everyone would trade in their 88's for the 96's and produced way more than they should have.  As far as the CVO's I think they made too many of them also, but fortunately, they, for the most part have sold, although, I did see an SE Dyna at an HD dealership in North Carolina last week.
Cheers ,
 

[MJZ]

Very good points, I did not think about it until you mentioned it but both the dealers here have packed floors with quite a few 07's in the back with no room on the showroom floors. I remember in past years the showrooms were very sparse by the end of Sturgis.

[SOKOOLJ]

You raise a very valid point...and I heard, though I can't remember from where, that the MoCo is going to cut back production this year.  I've looked around at the local dealers and am totally amazed at the amount of 07 big-twins that are still available.  Most dealers around me are having year-end inventory reduction sales, which has been typically unheard of.  Normally, by this time of the riding season, all the dealers have around here for new stock is a couple of big twins, but mostly sporties and v-rods.  Touring rigs never used to be still on the floors this time of year, but now I'm seeing plenty of EGs and RKs available.  I think the MoCo got a little greedy and thought with the new engines that everyone would trade in their 88's for the 96's and produced way more than they should have.  As far as the CVO's I think they made too many of them also, but fortunately, they, for the most part have sold, although, I did see an SE Dyna at an HD dealership in North Carolina last week.
Cheers ,
 

Unless Cape Fear slod them last week while I was having surgery, they had two CVO Dyna's and a CVO springer. I believe the interest in this years bikes, CVO and Non-CVO, will be the Rocker-C and the Dyna Fat Bob. And by the way, they cost a heck of a lot less than the CVO's.

[skyglide]

BORING PAINT SCHEMS ON THE ULTRAS  BUT THE REST OF CVO LINEUP PAINT LOOKS GOOD

[CVOJOE]

I know, for $40k I could buy a K1200GT and a K1200LT.

   

Hmmmmmm.........excellent point. But what to do with all the damn HD t-shirts and riding gear?   

MOCO won't drop their high margin/cash cows because it seems there will always be someone willing to pay for their personal dream scooter, then put another $10K or more to get it right. But when the dreams become nightmares due to poor service and unreliability, we'll look elsewhere for our two wheel fix maybe?

[SOKOOLJ]

   

 But when the dreams become nightmares due to poor service and unreliability, we'll look elsewhere for our two wheel fix maybe?

NEVER!

[napalm]

I toured the York Plant this Monday and in the dyno area was several red & white SEUCs, paint did nothing for me, saw some of the anniversary copper and black bikes....jury still out.  It is a shame that the Motor Company will put out a CVO bike in 105 Anniversary colors and you can get the same colors on about anything else.

The HD Dealer in York already had a 2008 Road King in the anniversary colors.....looked like a bad penny!!!!!!

Best upgrade is the ABS, but not important enough for me to buy one.  After owning a '06 SEUC and now a '07 SEUC the '08s do not do much for me.  Dissappointed.

naplam

[FrankD]

Yes I'm also disappointed in Harley. I was hoping for a Jim's type 120 cu.in. SERG with a wild paint scheme similiar to the my SERG. The paint schemes the last two years have been nothing to get excited about. I might as well take a stock 08 RG and upgrade to a 120 cu.in and look for a custom painter.

Harley's graphics artists continue to use the same boring style graphics. Their is a done of candy colors to chose from maybe they should sub out to House of Colors and fine some better graphic artists. The CVO's were sharp bikes. If you pay $35k you want it to be unique.

Frank