One of the flashiest bikes at the 2007model dealer show was the red FXDSE featuring upside-down forks, covered shocks, and a massive 110” engine hidden behind the polished steel and chromed covers. While it is supposed to be an accessorized and hopped-up Dyna Super Glide or Low Rider, from the front it actually looks more like a Wide Glide with the massive forks set so far apart from each other. The skinny 21” front wheel adds to that impression as well. Only the rear fender, tank, and shortened forks deviate from the Wide Glide look.

The Screamin’ Eagle lineup from Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) department shows what the factory can make a bike look like if they empty their accessory shelves on any one model. Buyers of CVO bikes save money over buying the regular version and building them up piece-by-piece, since there are no wasted
or thrown away pieces buying the CVO directly. But if you do have the regular model and want to accessorize it, the CVO bike can show you clearly what is attainable from the Harley catalog.

Now to that motor. Not so long ago, 120” motors were considered enormous, at the cutting edge of available street technology. In fact, in the early years it was difficult to find starters that would start them and frames strong enough to hold the bikes together with big-inch motors. Today, just a few years later, The Motor Company is making a 110” engine available as standard equipment in a Dyna, a Softail, and two FL/dresser bikes. So what’s the verdict? Can the standard chassis handle the power? Does the bike shake and quake like the early aftermarket bikes equipped with massive motors? Are there any bad side effects like shuddering at low RPMs like the VTX Hondas with their 1800cc engines do? The answer is that I noticed none of these negative traits in my test of this model. The bike started easily, it was as smooth as any Dyna I had ridden in the past, and I was unable to upset the chassis exiting corners and rolling on the throttle. In my opinion, Harley-Davidson has made the first seriously well-behaved big-engined bike in the American V-twin tradition.

The final test of this claim of taming the big engine will be freeing up the breathing on one, releasing the power inherent in the design, and running it through its paces one more time. We will try and get this done for you in just a few issues’ time. My overall impression of the bike was that it was fairly comfortable. The seat seems to be a little thin, but most would sacrifice a little comfort for the looks. The handlebars and footpegs felt well placed, the handlebar controls are exactly what H-D customers expect them to be.

With its bodywork-color painted frame, the FXDSE takes the CVO line one step closer to the handmade and low-volume custom bikes that we view so frequently in this magazine. This is one Harley that you won’t just walk by in a parking lot; it is definitely approaching the realm of a full custom. And the huge bonus that comes with owning any Harley is the reliability and ridability. Over 600 dealers nationwide welcome you in their service departments, parts are readily available, and there is the unmatched performance in the blue book; Harleys hold their value better than almost any other make. Hopefully, the 2007 model CVOs are leading the way for all Harley-Davidsons in the future. The power available in this class, 105 to 115ft lbs of torque
in box-stock trim, is starting to hit the area of serious fun. Ten to twenty additional foot-pounds are probably available on the cheap, which would place these models right in the middle of the fun zone.

- Mark Barnett
Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson Photography & Imaging