Harley-Davidson: 120th Anniversary of Pride and Craftsmanship

With the release of the first new 2023 Harley-Davidson® motorcycle models, including the CVOTM Road Glide® Limited Anniversary model and six other limited-edition motorcycles with special 120th Anniversary paint, finishes, and details, a year-long celebration of Harley-Davidson pride and craftsmanship began at the beginning of this year. In 2023, Harley-Davidson will have a new performance cruiser called the Breakout®, a new middleweight sport bike called the Nightster® Special, and a redesigned and blacked-out trike called the Freewheeler®.

"Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has pioneered American motorcycle design, technology, and performance, and today marks the beginning of a year-long celebration of Harley-Davidson’s 120th Anniversary," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. "We’re excited to share the first release of 2023 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, with more to come later in the year. 2023 is going to be an unforgettable milestone for the company, celebrating the history, culture, and community of Harley-Davidson – we hope you can join us."

The CVOTM Road Glide® Limited Anniversary model, which is extremely rare and extremely expensive, honours 120 years of workmanship with one of the most intricate paint jobs ever presented by Harley-Davidson. Heirloom Red panels with hand-applied gold paint scallops and vibrant red pinstripes are painted over a base coat of Anniversary Black. The head and wings of a soaring eagle are depicted by subtle elements added within the panels. The famous Harley-Davidson design element of an eagle is depicted on the gold-plated tank medallion in an Art Deco style. Rich Alcantara seat surfaces with red and gold contrast stitching accents, gold-tone powertrain inserts, and vivid red rocker boxes and pushrod tube collars are additional features. Only 1,500 units of this magnificent motorbike will be made for worldwide sale, and each one will be serialised with a laser-etched panel on the console of the fuel tank.

Six more limited-production Harley-Davidson® models will be available with special 120th Anniversary paint in a distinct colour scheme, with colour and design combinations inspired by early Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Each is painted in a timeless panelled style with dazzling Heirloom Red as the primary colour. Panels are filled with a darker Midnight Crimson fade and are outlined with a vivid crimson pinstripe. An Art Deco eagle tank medallion, red seat covers with gold embroidered Harley-Davidson logos, and red fade powertrain inlays are additional features.

This commemorative design will be offered on the following serialized models:

  • Ultra Limited Anniversary (production limited to 1,300 examples globally)

  • Tri Glide® Ultra Anniversary (1,100 examples)

  • Street Glide® Special Anniversary (1,600 examples)

  • Road Glide® Special Anniversary (1,600 examples)

  • Fat Boy® 114 Anniversary (3,000 examples)

  • Heritage Classic 114 Anniversary (1,700 examples)

Breakout is Back

The Breakout® model is back in the North American model lineup. It has more muscle and a bright new look over its long and lean chopper shape. The muscle comes from the Milwaukee-Eight® 117 V-Twin engine, which has the most torque and displacement of any regular-production Harley-Davidson® engine. This gives the Breakout rider instant street cred.

Other new features include:

A chrome console with a low profile and a five-gallon gasoline tank on top that lengthens the motorcycle's profile and increases cruising range.

A new handlebar riser and polished stainless steel handlebar are ¾-inch taller than the previous model for improved rider reach to controls.

The new 26-spoke cast-aluminium wheels are completed in gloss black with machined details, and the rear fender supports, side covers, exhaust shields, turn signals, and mirrors all have a stunning chrome finish.

The classic hardtail lines of a Harley-Davidson® Softail® chassis are preserved without sacrificing utterly contemporary ride and handling capability. With power and style, the Breakout model is made to dominate the streets.

More Cruise Control and Traction Control

For the Fat Boy®, Fat Bob®, Breakout®, Low Rider® S models, electronic cruise control will be a standard feature. It is still a standard feature on the Low Rider® ST and Heritage Classic versions. Breakout®, Low Rider® S, and Low Rider® ST models will now have the choice of the Traction Control System. The purpose of traction control is to stop the rear tyre from spinning too much when moving forward quickly. Using a button on the hand control, the user can disable traction control.

Exhilarating New Nightster® Special Model

The riding experience on the Nightster motorcycle is enhanced by a number of design, practicality, and technological advancements in this new middleweight contender. The Revolution® Max 975T liquid-cooled V-Twin engine, tuned to produce incredible torque at low RPM, offers exhilarating speed. The engine is built into the motorcycle as the main structural component to reduce total weight.

Freewheeler® Model Goes Dark

The Freewheeler® model, which is a cruiser-style trike, is getting a blacked-out makeover for 2023. Instead of the prior bright finishes, the front end, headlamp nacelle, tank console, hand and foot controls, powertrain, and exhaust all have black finishes. The end result is a dramatic change in appearance that shows off this model's rough, hot-rod style. For performance design, new Gloss Black cast aluminium rims have exposed rear-wheel lug nuts. The Freewheeler® model's dramatic new stance is achieved by swapping out the rear 15-inch rims for 18-inch ones. Never has riding on three wheels been so amazing.

Discover more: Harley-Davidson