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Harley-Davidson’s upcoming CVO Avenue Glide 121 has but to be formally confirmed by the manufacturing unit, however it’s been the topic of big quantities of web intrigue already this 12 months. Now, these real photographs of the bike have emerged through new certification filings in Australia.
The photographs (which we’ve digitally enhanced for extra readability) present a machine that’s each immediately recognizable as a Avenue Glide but additionally distinctly new in comparison with its predecessor. The visible adjustments begin with that considerably reworked batwing fairing, which now homes a squared-off “squircle-shaped” LED headlight as an alternative of the present Avenue Glide’s spherical design. It sits in a suitably reshaped recess, whereas the fairing’s decrease edge now juts ahead to offer a extra fashionable, aerodynamic look.
In addition to containing a number of LEDs for its excessive and low beams, the brand new mild is rimmed with accent lighting and flanked by lengthy strips of LED operating lights extending all the best way into the mirror housings on the very fringe of the fairing. Under it, there’s a brand new front-fender design wrapped over an modern wheel that mixes traditional-style wire spokes with a forged or solid alloy rim that has raised sections the place it meets the spokes, comparable in idea to BMW’s Cross Spoke wheels on the R 1250 GS, however extra trendy.
A pair of enormous, floating brake discs, extra like these seen on sportbikes, are gripped by radial-mount, four-piston Brembo calipers. That is all revolutionary stuff for a Harley tourer, and whereas the preliminary mannequin is a part of the high-end CVO vary—carrying the FLHXSE mannequin code and carrying CVO badges on the facet circumstances—it’s certain to filter all the way down to the extra mainstream bikes earlier than later.
Shifting farther again, the remainder of the bodywork can also be new. The tank seems to be subtly reshaped, significantly across the decrease entrance edges, and sits forward of a thickly padded seat, embroidered with the CVO emblem and contrasting stitching. The facet panels under it aren’t as deep as the present design, making for a lighter look to the rear finish, regardless of the very fact the facet circumstances look like greater. These circumstances are topped with audio system, with one other pair seen contained in the fairing as a part of a high-end Increase! Field GTS audio system.
Seen from the rear, the bike has new, vertical taillights filling the hole between the rear fender and people facet circumstances, and the exhausts are additionally redesigned with bigger exits and a darkish chrome end. The rear angle additionally reveals the bike’s huge show display screen, changing any typical devices and inevitably offering connectivity, navigation, and multimedia management in addition to entry to an array of rider-adaptable settings. There look like new, multifunction management pods on the bars, with a D-pad on left-hand bar controls to function the added tech.
Regardless of all this, the CVO Avenue Glide’s major draw is prone to be its engine. The “121″ badges are clearly seen on the consumption and the clutch cowl, denoting its capability in cubic inches. That’s equal to round 1,983cc, and a fraction lower than the 122ci provided by the present Stage III Screamin’ Eagle equipment for the Milwaukee-Eight V-twin, however the capability alterations are solely the beginning of the brand new engine’s enhancements. It’s extensively anticipated to make use of the variable valve timing system that we wrote about again in 2020, giving the air-cooled Milwaukee-Eight a brand new weapon within the fixed battle to beat emissions limits.
Whereas nonetheless largely air-cooled, the CVO Avenue Glide has a giant cooler sitting in a blacked-out piece of bodywork simply forward of the motor. Whether or not it’s merely an oil-cooler or a radiator—making this the “Twin-Cooled” model of the engine—isn’t clear from these photographs. Sadly, the paperwork revealed alongside these photos doesn’t seem to incorporate the proper particulars concerning the new engine, as an alternative quoting the capability and efficiency of the prevailing 117ci Milwaukee-Eight. The quoted mass of 831 kilos and wheelbase of 64 inches additionally match the numbers for the previous-generation CVO Avenue Glide—final a part of the vary in 2022—suggesting the paperwork, whereas carrying photos of the brand new bike, have figures referring to the previous model.
Visually, there are adjustments to the engine past the 121 logos. The timing cowl on the right-hand facet of the engine has an extra bulge, believed to cover a few of the variable valve timing equipment, and the transmission facet cowl can also be bulkier, clearly hiding some new mechanical components. In addition to the brand new CVO Avenue Glide, Harley is anticipated to launch a equally substantial set of updates on the CVO Street Glide later this 12 months, together with the identical new wheels and 121ci engine, in addition to redesigned bodywork.
