2012 Harley Davidson FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide Limited Edition

2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide Limited Edition Review

In its second year as a CVO,  2012 Harley Davidson FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide returns with one major new trick up its sleeve, a 19.0", 7-spoke Agitator front wheel the largest hoop ever used on a Harley-Davidson bagger solely to enhance its hot rod custom looks. Wheel width remains the same at 3.50", and the Street Glide’s rear wheel is unchanged, measuring 5.00" x 18". Surprisingly enough, its tires remain bias-plies rather than radials a Dunlop D408F 130/60-B19 M/C 61H front and a Dunlop D407 180/55-B18 M/C 80H rear as Harley engineers avoided having to retune the suspension to compensate for the lower-profile front tire. Like the Road Glide Ultra and the Ultra Classic Electra Glide CVOs, the Harley-Davidson FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide floating 300mm Brembo brakes also come standard with a Delphi-designed ABS system.

The rest of the 2012 FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide updates are cosmetic. For instance, its 6.0 gal., side-fill fuel tank features a new flush-mount cap and a new low-profile console for a sleeker appearance. That theme carries over to its new low-profile “bucket” seat, which features snakeskin leather inserts. The fairing, however, receives a new 7" smoked windscreen that is taller than the unit on last year’s Harley-Davidson FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide. Four different color combinations are available in 2011: Black Diamond with Crimson Tag Graphics; Autumn Haze and Antique Gunstock; Black Diamond and Inferno Orange; and Kryptonite and Black Diamond.  

Harley claims that the various paint schemes are complemented by a specific engine color and finish, wheel finish, tank console finish, muffler end-cap style and inner fairing color, but the Kryptonite and Black Diamond finish is arguably the most exclusive, featuring a wrinkle-black engine finish and gloss black outer primary cover, rocker box, rocker cover, air cleaner cover, cam cover, and transmission side and top covers. Of course, 2012 FLHXSE2 CVO Street Glide retains the extended saddlebags with stop-tail-turn LED lights that are “frenched in” a popular postwar-era custom hot rod car trick that makes for a cleaner look and lowered rear suspension with dial-adjust hydraulic preload.