I'm not interested in a Japanese cruiser so put down the Harley kool-aid and read my post before spouting Inkjet.

The Indian Chieftain Limited is a really nice bike and doesn't have the silly fenders however it's not my thing.

Im hoping with cash in hand that Harley blows it out of the water this year including updates to their best selling Street glide. If not I'll likely just settle for a discounted leftover SGS M8 with the archaic infotainment system. No sense paying extra for 2018 with bold new graphics.

 

That's all well and good but HOG stock just took a dump while Polaris got a bump this week on earnings.

 

Are you serious?!? The Harley has one, and exactly one, advantage over the Yamaha: It's a Harley.

Everything else, starting with the same engine and power as a $40,000 CVO for $26,000, is Yamaha all the way.

There are precisely zero things the Harley has that the Yamaha doesn't, and the Yamaha has a long list of options that the Harley doesn't, and that aren't even available on the Harley, even from aftermarket vendors.

 

I bet there will be a road glide ultra cvo next year..... a lot of guys like the road glide. A cvo road glide would be nice.

 

I think so, too. There wasn't a RG CVO this year.

I'm guessing it will be $41,000.

 

Tell me what is has in stock form that an Ultra Limited does not have? It's got the power windshield, which I believe to be a novelty, and some ride modes. You need to compare it to a non-CVO and the price difference is not that great.

 

I hope so. Crossing my fingers MoCo doesn't make a CVO SG for 2018.

 

Click on "Features" in the left-hand list, and enjoy.

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/tr...8/star-venture

I'll take your advice and compare to the "non-CVO" Ultra, at exactly the same price; just a tiny few of the dozens of differences:

Yamaha: 126 lb-ft of torque, at 2,500 rpm. Ultra: 114 lb-ft at 3,250.
Yamaha: Traction control. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Dual mode ride control; Sport and Touring. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Central locking for saddle bags and tour pack. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Full bluetooth connectivity: Ultra: partial.
Yamaha: Full, separate infotainment system for rider and passenger, including the ability to make separate, private phone conversations. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Electric, low speed forward and reverse parking assist. Ultra: not available. (Third-party vendors only, reverse only, crude use of the starter motor, $1,500 plus installation labor cost.)
Yamaha: Heated rider and passenger seats. Ultra: extra cost.
Yamaha: Heated grips. Ultra: extra cost.
Yamaha: In addition to standard heated seats and grips, heated rider and passenger backrests. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Heated passenger grab rails. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Slip & Assist clutch. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Multi-position adjustable clutch and front brake levers. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Electrically adjustable windshield. Ultra: not available. (Note: trust me, if you're short or tall, or riding with a passenger, this is NOT a "novelty".)
Yamaha: CB radio. Ultra: extra cost.
Yamaha: XM/Sirius connectivity. Ultra: extra cost.
Yamaha: Pandora. Ultra: not available.
Yamaha: Full alarm system. Ultra: extra cost.
Yamaha: All LED lighting. Ultra: headlights only. All turn signals and brake lights: extra cost.
Yamaha: 5.1" of front shock travel, 4.3" of rear shock travel. Ultra: you're joking, right?

There's more, but you can read the specs.

Bottom line: The Yamaha, with the optional Transcontinental Touring Package, is the exact same price as the Ultra. But, if all you did was put the 114 kit on it to get the same power, that would be another, what...$4-5,000? Then, when you start adding CB plus antenna plus installation, plus XM/Sirius plus installation, plus heated seats and heated grips, plus installation, you're at $35,000+.

Which is, obviously, Harley-Davidson's business model, as it has been for decades. Sell you a $25,000 motorcycle with features that riders want either crippled or missing, and then sell you the "P&A" upgrades for thousands of dollars.

And that's without even considering the long list of standard features that's "Not Available" on the Ultra, and most are not available on the CVO either, even at a starting price of $40,000. Electronic traction control for wet or sandy roads is not some toy, it's important.

If you started with an Ultra, and tried to duplicate the Yamaha using available HD options, it would cost you another $15,000. Minimum.

And you still wouldn't have electronic traction control, dual riding modes, electrically adjustable windshield, central locking bags and tour pack, and...and...and...

Btw, this is what an "infotainment" system is supposed to be: https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/tr...s/infotainment

Time to go back on topic..."2018 Street Glide Special".

 

Idaho, all valid points. Its a no brainer, the Yamaha has more standard features and probably costs less. I bet it is a great touring bike. That being said, Id rather have my Harley Ultra Limited. It has soul and I really really love it. It is like riding a work of art, a piece of Americana. It is timeless and during the winter, when the snow is falling and Its cold as heck outside, I find myself sipping on a nice bourbon and staring at it....... I dont think the Yamaha would give me the same satisfaction. A brand new corvette is a modern work of art, it looks amazing, but a 57 corvette has soul...... You know what I mean....

 

The paint scheme sucks (HD's definitely better), the bike is ugly, the chrome will rust sooner. The HD joystick is more minimal than that big *** Nintendo d-pad on the Yamaha. The Yamaha infotainment looks better than HD on the YouTube video I watched (more modern), but it is a 2018 model (assume they didn't have it for 2017). Now using it, is only way to know if it's more robust. But Carplay or Android Auto will decimate it, like it would for HD's as well. HD does need to get a power windshield that can at least adjust 1.5-3". Also, at least the Yamaha has the exhaust come out correctly. HD CVO models have cutouts, and the exhaust doesn't ever come out straight or look like it's meant to be there, where the Yamaha from the back does.

Harley needs to step up more, that's for sure. But the Yamaha is so-so. I guess if it takes all the sales away from HD this year, we'll know that people felt it was a better bike.

I have a Kawasaki as a 3rd bike in the garage. Compared to the HD equivalent, it's made so damn cheap (besides motor) it ain't funny and it shows, it's embarrassing to Kawi to have made it. (though it does have standard gas gauge compared to the same HD, which is embarrassing for HD).