2020-2022 Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide FLHTCUTGSE: Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 Factory Trike

The 2020-2022 Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide was the premium factory trike in Harley-Davidson’s Trike family, positioned above the standard Tri Glide Ultra and aimed at riders who wanted full-dress Touring equipment, three-wheel stability and Custom Vehicle Operations finish in one factory-built machine. Its mechanical identity was clear: the FLHTCUTGSE combined Harley’s Touring-based trike platform with the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117, a 117 cubic-inch, four-valve-per-cylinder V-twin reserved for CVO models in this period.

It mattered because it made the trike a first-rank CVO product rather than a side category for riders who had simply aged out of two wheels. With factory paint, premium audio, Touring electronics, electric reverse and the largest regular-production CVO engine of the period, the CVO Tri Glide became a high-spec long-distance motorcycle for riders who valued stability, cargo capacity and factory originality over the usual two-wheeled performance script.

Best Known For: the CVO Tri Glide is best known as Harley-Davidson’s limited-production, factory-custom trike powered by the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 and identified by the FLHTCUTGSE model code.

Quick Facts

The table below gives the reference points most useful to an enthusiast, buyer or restorer trying to place the CVO Tri Glide within Harley-Davidson’s modern Trike family.

The headline numbers only tell part of the story. The CVO Tri Glide’s significance lies in how Harley-Davidson applied its most expensive factory-custom treatment to a machine built for stability, luggage capacity and high-mileage touring rather than for boulevard minimalism or outright corner speed.

Why the 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide Matters

Harley-Davidson’s modern trikes occupy a specific place in the company’s catalogue. They are not conversion kits, not aftermarket adaptations and not historical curiosities in the manner of the Servi-Car. The Tri Glide is a factory-engineered three-wheeled Touring motorcycle, sold through Harley-Davidson dealers and supported by Harley parts, service information and warranty structure.

The CVO Tri Glide elevated that formula. It joined the factory trike platform to the top CVO engine and the paint, trim, audio and equipment level that Custom Vehicle Operations buyers expected. For collectors and future marque historians, that is the point: this is not merely a Tri Glide with accessories, but a documented CVO model with its own factory code and year-specific finishes.

Its importance is also demographic and cultural. Harley-Davidson’s core touring audience was increasingly interested in comfort, stability, load capacity and two-up security, and the CVO Tri Glide addressed that audience without apology. It gave the trike buyer the same prestige cues long associated with CVO Electra Glides, CVO Road Glides and CVO Limiteds.

Historical Context and Development Background

Harley-Davidson returned to factory three-wheel production in the modern era with the Tri Glide Ultra Classic for the 2009 model year. That move was commercially important because it brought trike customers back under the factory umbrella rather than leaving the segment to conversion specialists. By the time the CVO Tri Glide appeared for 2020, the trike was no longer a novelty in the Harley range; it had become a durable Touring-family branch.

The engineering context was the Milwaukee-Eight generation. Introduced for Touring models in the 2017 model year, the Milwaukee-Eight architecture gave Harley-Davidson four valves per cylinder, improved cooling strategy, reduced mechanical noise compared with the Twin Cam, and stronger torque delivery for heavy Touring motorcycles. The CVO Tri Glide used the 117 cubic-inch version with Twin-Cooled cylinder heads, a specification that suited the machine’s mass and touring load.

The market around the CVO Tri Glide was not the same as the performance cruiser market or the adventure-touring market. Its real competitors were other premium long-distance touring machines, factory trikes, high-end trike conversions and fully equipped touring motorcycles bought by riders who wanted confidence at stops and in parking-lot manoeuvres. The CVO Tri Glide’s answer was factory integration: paint, electronics, chassis, reverse system, engine and luggage all built as a single Harley-Davidson product.

There is no racing or military story attached to the FLHTCUTGSE. Its history is commercial, cultural and engineering-led: a high-dollar factory trike designed for touring riders who wanted CVO exclusivity without giving up the practicality of a three-wheeled platform.

Engine and Drivetrain

The defining mechanical feature of the 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide is the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117. It is a 45-degree pushrod V-twin with four valves per cylinder and a single camshaft, using electronic sequential port fuel injection. Twin-Cooled refers to liquid cooling around the hottest areas of the cylinder heads, while the engine as a whole remains visually and conceptually in the air-cooled Harley big-twin tradition.

In the CVO Tri Glide, the 117 was less about chasing peak horsepower than about moving weight with authority. Harley-Davidson’s published U.S. specifications emphasized torque rather than horsepower, and factory horsepower figures were not consistently published for this model. The engine’s value in a trike is its low- and mid-range output, especially when carrying a passenger, luggage and the mass of the rear trike structure.

The drivetrain followed established Touring practice: chain primary drive, wet multi-plate clutch, 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission and belt final drive. The factory electric reverse system is an important part of the machine’s real-world usability, since a fully loaded CVO Tri Glide is not something most riders want to push backward on a grade.

The 117 engine is central to the model’s collector identity. A standard Tri Glide Ultra of the same period used the Milwaukee-Eight 114, while the CVO Tri Glide carried the larger CVO-only 117 specification and the associated CVO trim package.

Chassis, Suspension and Braking

The CVO Tri Glide is based on Harley-Davidson’s Touring architecture but with a factory trike rear structure rather than a motorcycle swingarm and single rear wheel. That distinction matters. A factory trike chassis is not merely a motorcycle with a bolt-on rear axle in enthusiast terms; it carries different rear suspension, bodywork, fenders, trunk structure, braking requirements and steering feel.

At the front, the machine used the modern Touring-family 49 mm fork. The rear of the trike used a two-wheel rear axle arrangement with adjustable rear shocks, allowing the machine to handle touring loads that could include a passenger, luggage and the contents of the Tour-Pak and rear trunk. Braking equipment combined dual front discs with the rear trike braking system and Harley’s linked braking and ABS functions.

The chassis gives the CVO Tri Glide its personality. It is stable and confidence-building in a straight line, but it does not steer like a two-wheeled Touring bike. The rider steers it directly with handlebar input rather than countersteering, and that single fact shapes every riding impression.

Riding Experience and Mechanical Character

The starting ritual is modern Harley Touring: security fob, ignition, fuel injection prime and the heavy cadence of a large Milwaukee-Eight settling into idle. There is no choke, no carburetor warm-up technique and no vintage theatrics. The character instead comes from the mass of the flywheels, the cooling fans and radiators integrated into the Twin-Cooled system, and the dense mechanical sound of a large four-valve Harley V-twin behind the fairing.

Throttle response is broad and deliberate rather than sharp in a sport-motorcycle sense. The 117 pulls the trike away from a stop with the kind of low-speed torque that suits a heavy touring machine, and the six-speed gearbox gives relaxed highway cruising once the weight is moving. Clutch and shift feel are recognizably big-twin Touring Harley: substantial, mechanical and happier with a positive boot than with half-hearted inputs.

The CVO Tri Glide asks the rider to think like a trike rider. At walking pace it feels planted, but the front end carries steering effort because the machine does not lean. On crowned roads and in tight corners, the rider works the bars and upper body more than on an Electra Glide or Road Glide, while the rear width requires attention at fuel islands, garage doors and motel parking lots.

Braking performance is best understood in the context of weight. The linked system and ABS are welcome, but physics remains physics when a touring trike weighs well over half a ton before rider, passenger and luggage. The best riders use the torque, brakes and steering rhythm together rather than treating it like a two-wheeled bagger.

Identification and Originality

The most important identification clue is the factory model code FLHTCUTGSE. The standard Tri Glide Ultra is FLHTCUTG, while the CVO version adds the SE suffix used by Harley-Davidson for Custom Vehicle Operations models. Buyers should verify that the VIN label, title, service records and dealer paperwork identify the machine consistently rather than relying on paint, badges or accessories alone.

Correct equipment matters because CVO machines are often accessorized further by owners. A genuine 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide should have the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117, CVO-specific paint and trim, CVO badging and the premium touring equipment appropriate to its model year. Painted inner fairings, wheel finishes, seat trim, audio components and decorative engine covers are all areas where replacements or owner-installed parts can blur originality.

Paint is a major value component. CVO paint schemes were model-year specific, expensive to repair and difficult to duplicate convincingly. Trike rear fenders, Tour-Pak lids and lower panels are vulnerable to parking-lot damage, so an otherwise low-mileage machine deserves close inspection for repainting, panel mismatch, decal placement and clearcoat repair.

Documentation is especially important because exact CVO production numbers are not consistently published in the same way collectors would like for earlier limited-production motorcycles. Original purchase documents, window stickers, owner manuals, CVO accessories, service invoices and warranty history all help separate a complete factory CVO trike from a standard trike dressed with catalog parts.

Model Code and Variant Breakdown

The CVO Tri Glide sits within a small but important group of Harley-Davidson factory trikes. The table below separates the FLHTCUTGSE from closely related models that are often compared by shoppers and researchers.

There was no commonly documented separate police, military or racing version of the 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide. Its identity is civilian, luxury-touring and CVO-specific.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Harley-Davidson’s own published material for the CVO Tri Glide emphasized torque, displacement, equipment and touring capacity rather than sport-style performance numbers. Factory U.S. literature commonly listed torque at 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm for the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117. Horsepower, 0-60 mph, quarter-mile times and top speed were not factory headline figures and should not be treated as core identification data.

The most useful dimensional references for ownership are the machine’s approximately 1,269 lb running-order weight and 6.0-gallon fuel capacity, both commonly listed in Harley-Davidson specification material. Those figures explain much about the riding experience: the engine is sized for load, the brakes are specified for mass, and the reverse system is a practical necessity rather than a convenience gimmick.

Compared With Related Harley-Davidson Models

CVO Tri Glide vs Tri Glide Ultra

The standard Tri Glide Ultra is the closest comparison because it shares the same basic touring-trike mission. The CVO Tri Glide adds the 117 engine, CVO-specific paint, trim and equipment, and the collector interest that follows documented CVO production. For many buyers, the question is not whether the CVO is more practical, but whether originality, finish and the 117 engine justify the premium.

CVO Tri Glide vs Freewheeler

The Freewheeler is a different interpretation of the factory trike. It is lower visually, more cruiser-like and less committed to full-dress touring equipment. The CVO Tri Glide is the choice for riders who want a Batwing fairing, Tour-Pak, passenger accommodation, premium audio and long-distance luggage capacity.

CVO Tri Glide vs CVO Two-Wheeled Touring Models

A CVO Limited, CVO Street Glide or CVO Road Glide of the same period offers a more traditional motorcycle experience and greater two-wheeled agility. The CVO Tri Glide trades lean angle and countersteering for stability at stops, weather protection, storage and passenger confidence. That trade is not a flaw; it is the entire point of the model.

Restoration and Ownership Notes

Restoration in the traditional sense is not yet the main issue with these machines; preservation and correct repair are more important. The expensive pieces are CVO paintwork, trike-specific body panels, electronics, audio components, engine trim and low-production decorative parts. A mechanically sound but cosmetically damaged CVO Tri Glide can become expensive quickly if the goal is factory-correct presentation.

Mechanically, the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 should be evaluated like a large, high-output Touring engine. Service history matters: oil changes, primary and transmission service, coolant service for the Twin-Cooled system, belt inspection and evidence of dealer updates should all be reviewed. Listen for abnormal top-end noise, check for leaks, confirm normal operating temperature behavior and inspect for signs of careless tuning or non-factory exhaust mapping.

The trike-specific rear structure deserves more attention than many buyers give it. Rear tires, parking brake operation, belt condition, rear suspension adjustment, wheel alignment, fender damage and reverse-system function are all central to ownership. The rear bodywork also hides small impact repairs better than a two-wheeled bagger does, so inspection under good light is essential.

Parts availability is generally strong through Harley-Davidson and the aftermarket for service components, but CVO-specific cosmetics can be costly and model-year dependent. A missing or damaged CVO-only trim piece is not the same problem as replacing a generic Touring part. The best examples tend to be the ones that have not been over-customized.

Buyer and Restoration Inspection Points

A CVO Tri Glide inspection should combine modern Touring-bike scrutiny with the kind of paint-and-documentation review normally reserved for limited-production machines. The following points are the ones that most directly affect value, usability and correctness.

The strongest purchase candidates are usually not the most heavily modified ones. For a CVO trike, restraint matters: original paint, intact trim, complete documentation and conservative mechanical maintenance are more valuable than a long list of owner-added chrome.

Collector and Market Relevance

The CVO Tri Glide is collectible for different reasons than an early Knucklehead, an XR racer or a Shovelhead chopper survivor. Its appeal is modern, documented and specification-driven. Collectors value the FLHTCUTGSE because it is a factory CVO trike with the 117 engine, expensive original paint and limited-production positioning within the Harley-Davidson range.

Rarity should be described carefully. Harley-Davidson CVO models are limited-production motorcycles, but exact production figures for specific paint and market combinations are not always consistently available to the public. In the collector market, that makes documentation and originality more important than unsupported claims of extreme scarcity.

Auction and specialist-dealer interest tends to favor low-mileage, unmodified examples with complete CVO equipment, original paint and clear service history. High mileage is not automatically a problem on a touring Harley, but cosmetic deterioration and poorly chosen modifications can weigh heavily because CVO-specific parts are expensive to replace correctly.

Cultural Relevance

The 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide reflects a significant shift in American touring culture. Harley-Davidson riders who wanted to keep traveling two-up, carrying luggage and riding interstate distances did not necessarily want to leave the brand or move to an aftermarket conversion. The factory trike allowed them to stay inside the Harley-Davidson Touring world with dealer support and recognizable styling.

The CVO version added status. Custom Vehicle Operations had long functioned as Harley-Davidson’s factory answer to the custom-shop impulse: premium paint, elevated trim, larger engines and low-volume identity without giving up warranty-backed factory engineering. Applying that formula to a trike made a cultural statement that three-wheel touring belonged at the top of the catalogue, not at its margins.

FAQs

What years was the Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide FLHTCUTGSE sold in this form?

The CVO Tri Glide covered here is the 2020-2022 FLHTCUTGSE. These years used the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 and CVO-specific factory trim within the Harley-Davidson Trike family.

What engine is in the 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide?

It uses the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117, a 117 cu in / 1,923 cc 45-degree V-twin with four valves per cylinder and electronic fuel injection. Harley-Davidson commonly listed torque at 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm; factory horsepower was not consistently published in U.S. specification material.

How do I identify a real CVO Tri Glide?

The key model code is FLHTCUTGSE. Confirm that code through the title, VIN label, service paperwork and original documents, then check for the correct 117 engine, CVO paint, CVO badging and year-appropriate factory equipment.

How is the CVO Tri Glide different from the standard Tri Glide Ultra?

The standard Tri Glide Ultra uses the mainstream Trike-family touring specification, while the CVO Tri Glide adds the 117 CVO engine and Custom Vehicle Operations paint, trim and equipment. The standard model code is FLHTCUTG; the CVO model is FLHTCUTGSE.

Are CVO Tri Glide parts hard to find?

Routine service parts are generally well supported through Harley-Davidson and the aftermarket. The difficult and expensive items are usually CVO-specific cosmetics: painted panels, trim pieces, seat details, audio components and model-year-specific decorative parts.

What are the main problems to check before buying one?

Inspect the Twin-Cooled system, service history, belt drive, reverse system, parking brake, rear trike assembly, electronics and CVO paint. Pay special attention to rear fender and Tour-Pak damage because trike bodywork can be costly to repair correctly.

Is the CVO Tri Glide considered collectible?

Yes, but as a modern limited-production CVO touring machine rather than a vintage rarity. The most desirable examples are documented FLHTCUTGSE bikes with original paint, low modification levels, complete CVO equipment and strong service records.

Collector Takeaway

The 2020-2022 Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide deserves a serious place in Harley-Davidson history because it made the factory trike a premium CVO product with no apology. It was not a conversion, not a parts-bin curiosity and not a consolation prize for riders leaving two wheels. It was a fully integrated, top-spec Touring-family trike with the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 at its center.

For collectors, the lesson is simple: buy the paperwork, the paint and the originality as much as the engine. A correct FLHTCUTGSE with intact CVO finishes, documented service history and unmolested equipment represents a very specific chapter in Harley-Davidson’s modern touring story: the moment the factory trike became a flagship rather than a footnote.