Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST (2026 – ) review

If full dress Harley tourers like the Ultra Glide can lay claim to being the ultimate expression of two-wheeled American excess the CVO Road Glide ST still stands as top dog, even it only has a solo seat and no top case. Essentially, it’s Harley’s Road Glide Bagger (its frame-mounted fairing discrete from the bar-mounted one on the Street Glide) which has already on its third update. The base model was last revised in 2024 with new styling, a 105 horsepower 1,923cc Milwaukee-Eight 117 big-twin, slick 12.3-inch TFT dash and more. The step up to the Custom Vehicle Operations adds a hand-built sheen as well as the bigger 115 horsepower 1,977cc Milwaukee-Eight 121 engine while this ST version takes inspiration from the King of the Baggers race version. This includes a 127 horsepower High-Output engine, lots of carbon bits, top-spec cycle parts and a cut-down riding position. As tested it included seven grand’s worth of Hot Lap paint … told you it was top dog!

Long-distance comfort and big fairings are part of the appeal of baggers like the stock Road Glide but the ST trades that against its performance goals. The bars are lower, the 720mm seat is a solo item (a pillion is available as an extra) while cut down and thinner and even the footboards are smaller, sportier versions. All that, allied to the non-adjustable screen and firmer sports suspension makes for a tauter, less plush, less protective ride but it’s still very much a bagger and, besides, so precious probably not one you’d likely ride for hours anyway.

Another part of the traditional appeal of baggers is their versatility – at least in a US context. The whole point, after all, is to combine touring comfort and practicality with cruiser style. Which is fine in America, but slightly less so in the gridlock, rain and busy city streets this side of the pond. The ST, meanwhile, being a premium, sportier version, offers even less. Yes, it has all the luxo goodies like infotainment and heated grips, but it’s also marginally less comfortable, has no pillion, its panniers are smaller, its screen lower and, at the end of the day, it’s also way too expensive to consider for use as a daily.

Although still powered by an air-cooled V-twin pushrod engine the ST is also the most potent and powerful Harley yet built, thanks to a hot cam, revised intake and raised rev limit. The result produces peak power of 127 horsepower at 4,900rpm and torque of 193Nm at 3,750rpm – the most ever from a factory twin and, yes, you really do feel it. It also has two additional Track riding modes which, with the throttle whacked open, deliver punch like an all-American muscle car and a thrill like no other. Thankfully, it also has the brakes to match thanks to twin 320mm wavy discs with big, four-piston Brembo radial calipers.

The ST’s suspension, brakes and wheels are all a significant upgrade over the CVO, never mind the standard Road Glide. You get race-grade, fully adjustable Showa 47mm USD forks with similarly configurable twin Showa shocks at the rear complete with natty remote reservoirs where the pillion seat would normally be. You also get lashings of carbon fibre, including for the front mudguard and tank ‘strap’ as part of a 13kg weight saving over the CVO. The suspension and beefed-up brakes are more than up to controlling the ST’s extra performance, too, with a refined, controlled and classy feel even if it’s all mildly terrifying on a footboard-dragging 380kg colossus. But then terrifying is probably what an OTT bike like this should be!

Exclusivity, performance and a pricetag knocking on 50 grand mean the costs don’t end with buying your ST, insurance and the rest likely to be equally burly. On the other hand, Harley residual values are usually strong and, given the power is somewhat less than sports bikes like the Panigale V4, it should be relatively less demanding on brakes, tyres and the rest. Belt drive also means no chain to worry about.

Considering the ST is a new model with the most powerful air-cooled V-twin Harley has yet produced it’s impossible to be certain about its likely reliability. But Harley’s track record is pretty good, most of the ST’s mechanicals are long-proven and it’s also a premium, lovingly-built machine with the very best suspension and brakes available. All things considered we have few concerns.

The standard two-year warranty includes 12 months of roadside recovery, all of which can be extended at extra cost with the Harley-Davidson Optimum Warranty. Servicing-wise, regular oil/filter changes are due every 5,000 miles or annually while major services for timing checks, other fluids, brake pads, plug changes and the rest come every 10,000 miles.

As Harley-Davidson’s most extreme and performance-orientated bagger yet the ST comes with all the sporting goodies you could dream of on top of the typically generous spec. So, there’s the fairing and panniers, albeit slimmed down and with the single seat mentioned previously. Elsewhere, though, everything’s about performance and prestige. For the former there’s the High Output engine, race grade multi-adjustable suspension, new wheels, brakes and tyres, lashing of carbon fibre and even race ‘mini board’ footboards. Then there’s that fancy paint, uprated electronics including eight modes and even fancy speakers. No Harley ever had so much.

The ST may be an oddball replica of an equally bizarre racer but, performance-wise, it just about delivers, while at the same time retaining much of the relative practicality of a bagger. It’s also mouth-wateringly exotic, ridiculously expensive and very niche. For the upgrades over the stock CVO it feels worth it, but it’s harder to justify over a standard Road Glide. Regardless, if you want the maddest, baddest bagger going it’s easy to see the appeal of going the whole hog!