MPH limiter???

[89 fxrs]

I have two friends that bought brand new Road Glide CVO's (2019 and a 2020) and they both complained about the same thing - both bikes max out at around 109 mph - I've got a 2013 CVO and have had my bike up to 115+ numerous times - is there something done to the newer bikes that limits the mph? Now they've both got me curious!!

[rigidthumper]

Yes, there are MPH restrictionS on the new vehicles. 

[89 fxrs]

Can it be eliminated by way of TTS tuner?

[CVOThunder]

If they don't mind voiding their warranty then I hear TTS will take care of it. My 2020 hits a mph wall but I'm not willing to dump the warranty, especially with the 131 kit I had installed.

[rigidthumper]

Can it be eliminated by way of TTS tuner?

The TTS tuner doesn't have any of the restrictions of the SE/factory products. Use of any non-approved tuner may void your powertrain warranty.

[Big Cahuna]

It kinda seems like a waste of time ,effort and $$$ ,to spend the money on an expensive new big inch motor and not have it exceed what a stock out of the box motor can do. At first I was thinking the suspension might not be up it, and can't handle the extra speed, or the brakes. Sure they will do ok if the bike is only doing 1/8th or 1/4 miles runs at the track. And sport bikes will do almost double what big Harley's can do out of the box, but their whole bike is designed to be basically a street version of track bikes. So I guess Harley figures it will give the public a bike that will exceed the speed limit by a little ,and the handling to achieve that, and nothing more. I can only imagine what it would cost to upgrade your primary parts, change over to rear chain drive, fork modifications, rear shocks, and stabilizers, to be able to run high mph numbers on the street. All that after the big motor upgrade. They used to say speed costs, how fast do you wanna go?.,,,

[Hossamania]

A friend just had his '18 Ultra, 114" stage 2, cut out at 109 mph yesterday as well, which left him getting passed by the guy he was running against (not me, I had the slow bike yesterday, they pulled away, all I did was hammer and not fall too far back). He was disappointed, but still has warranty, so no tuner yet. He can't wait for warranty to end!
Is the speed limiter partly due to the ratings of the tires from the factory?

[Big Cahuna]

I'm not sure what tire your friend has on his bike, but I looked up online what a "H" rated tire is good for. It said up to 130 MPH. That was for a car tire, and that was the low end for a performance tire. I checked the J&P cycle site, and they don't list speed ratings for motorcycle tires that I could find.,,

[PoorUB]

I'm not sure what tire your friend has on his bike, but I looked up online what a "H" rated tire is good for. It said up to 130 MPH. That was for a car tire, and that was the low end for a performance tire. I checked the J&P cycle site, and they don't list speed ratings for motorcycle tires that I could find.,,

You need to look somewhere other than JP, maybe the manufacturer's web site. Dunlops that come on HD bagger are H rated. The radials on the CVO bikes are often V rated, so 130 or 149.

The speed limiter on a Harley is not because of the tires. It is probably more government mandate or a voluntary deal from the MoCo for safety. Most automobiles top out around 100 MPH too. No reason to run that fast, it is against the law in the USA and most other places to run that fast, and I know I sure wouldn't!

[Hossamania]

Riiiight....

[kouack]

I'm not sure what tire your friend has on his bike, but I looked up online what a "H" rated tire is good for. It said up to 130 MPH. That was for a car tire, and that was the low end for a performance tire. I checked the J&P cycle site, and they don't list speed ratings for motorcycle tires that I could find.,,

You need to look somewhere other than JP, maybe the manufacturer's web site. Dunlops that come on HD bagger are H rated. The radials on the CVO bikes are often V rated, so 130 or 149.

The speed limiter on a Harley is not because of the tires. It is probably more government mandate or a voluntary deal from the MoCo for safety. Most automobiles top out around 100 MPH too. No reason to run that fast, it is against the law in the USA and most other places to run that fast, and I know I sure wouldn't!

That is probably the same reason the crotch rockets are capped at 299kmh or 185mph up here in Canada lol

[Big Cahuna]

 The rockets can be sold here in the states, and still can do 185 out of the box, so I don't think it's do to an agreement. Like I said they're basically a track bike de-tuned for the street. With tires rated to handle their top speed. I looked at the J&P site because I recently bought tires from them and I thought I saw a mention of speed ratings, but I was mistaken. The only bike Harley ever sold that could run past the 9 second, 130 mph mark was the '06 V-Rod destroyer. The factory built race bike that wasn't street legal. It even came with wheelie bars, and tires rated for what it could run. They had a price tag of 26k by me. For that price you could have bought 2 Hyabusa's, that would more then likely outrun the V-Rod. So if your gonna hot rod your bike and have it run past the 109 mph limit, you'll have to do your homework as to where to get your hands on a set rated for that. My bike will never see more then 80 mph, so those tire wont be on my x-mas list.,,,

[SixShooter14]

The rockets can be sold here in the states, and still can do 185 out of the box, so I don't think it's do to an agreement. Like I said they're basically a track bike de-tuned for the street. With tires rated to handle their top speed. I looked at the J&P site because I recently bought tires from them and I thought I saw a mention of speed ratings, but I was mistaken. The only bike Harley ever sold that could run past the 9 second, 130 mph mark was the '06 V-Rod destroyer. The factory built race bike that wasn't street legal. It even came with wheelie bars, and tires rated for what it could run. They had a price tag of 26k by me. For that price you could have bought 2 Hyabusa's, that would more then likely outrun the V-Rod. So if your gonna hot rod your bike and have it run past the 109 mph limit, you'll have to do your homework as to where to get your hands on a set rated for that. My bike will never see more then 80 mph, so those tire wont be on my x-mas list.,,,

Most street bikes since the late 90s have been capped at 299kmh (185mph) due to an 'unwritten' industry agreement among the bike mfgs. I think production autos are limited due to several factors, one of which being the tires, but also the driveshafts, brakes, suspension, government, etc...

There's just about always a way to bypass the speed limiter, but of course it's dangerous and irresponsible and I would never break the speed limit 

[Propflux01]

Perhaps it is because of the generally mediocre handling of the Bigger bikes (I say that Solely because of the numerous threads over many forums that indicate the first thing people start doing after a stage one is shocks and fork items). Perhaps the moco 's view of the performance of their CVO is not the top speed, but how fast you get there.

[PoorUB]

As for the top speed on a HD I would assume it is because of the lack luster suspension and complaints of wobbles over 100 MPH. If the stock bike can't go over 100 MPH, no complaints of wobbles! Problem solved! If someone flashed the ECM and runs it over 100 MPH and has wobbles, there is no liability for Harley, the bike was no longer stock!

[Sinker]

I had a 1995 Road King that wobbled on me at 100+ mph and I have never gone above 95 mph since. Scared the hell out of me.

[SixShooter14]

I had a 1995 Road King that wobbled on me at 100+ mph and I have never gone above 95 mph since. Scared the hell out of me.

Yup, mine gets squirrly over 95. Could be the 20+ year old suspension, bushings, and motor mounts.

[PoorUB]

My '05 Ultra would go into, what is best described as a "weave" around 105 MPH. It would weave left to right about one cycle a second. The first time it happened I just let off and slowed and it stopped. The second time i was riding with a few guys and they decided we needed to be somewhere fast and took of, of course a guy has to follow! I hit 105 MPH, the bike went into the weave and I just held on to the throttle. It never got worse and stopped before the speedo showed 110 MPH and it was fine. I caught up, the guys slowed and I let up on the throttle. Around 105 MPH it went into the weave again, and stopped somewhere before I slowed to 100 MPH. I went through this a few more times, very predictable and manageable, just relax and ride through it, but I am certain it would freak out many riders.

It also had the "rear steer" twitch when ridden hard into corners. I got accustomed to it doing that too. I never did but one of those chassis linkage do-hickeys that mounted under the transmission.

[SixShooter14]

mine starts a handlebar wobble at 95ish, Of course I was on the interstate surrounded by a convoy of 18 wheelers running 65-70 (hence why I was running 100 to get around them all). And I have a quite tall fork mounted windshield.

I kept on it and it worsened as I neared 100 so I just backed it down to 92ish and held it there until I got to the front of the line, then I was happy with 80mph.

[Appowner]

I simply can't hold on anymore much past 85-90.

[chaos901]

It also had the "rear steer" twitch when ridden hard into corners.

If thinking about the same dynamic.  I always attribute this to me and the bike disagreeing on how to take a particular turn due to a different camber or dips and the bike is correcting the geometry problem which I presented.  Best not to fight it, IMO. 

On a much larger scale, we've all seen those superbike racers that get into a bad way and once the bike gets rid of the problem (the rider), they (the bike) straighten up and settle down.   

[PoorUB]

It also had the "rear steer" twitch when ridden hard into corners.

If thinking about the same dynamic.  I always attribute this to me and the bike disagreeing on how to take a particular turn due to a different camber or dips and the bike is correcting the geometry problem which I presented.  Best not to fight it, IMO. 

On a much larger scale, we've all seen those superbike racers that get into a bad way and once the bike gets rid of the problem (the rider), they (the bike) straighten up and settle down.   

The rear steer was a common issue up through 2008, then in '09 HD did a major frame change that helped.

The rear steer was a twitch that would happen when a rider was just past the point when he was leaning over and into the corner. The rubber driveline mounts would "load" up and then the driveline would suddenly move in the chassis and the rider would feel the twitch and the bike's line would change slightly. Keep in mind the swingarm is mounted to the transmission and the whole driveline, engine and transmission "floats" in the frame on rubber mounts. Back in the 2000"s there were a ton of aftermarket frame linkages the bolted on under the transmission that would hold the rear of the driveline and swingarm in the same position so no more twitch or rear steer in corners. It is nothing about what the bike wants to do or not over the rider, just a poor job of engineering.

I ride every year in Montana and Wyoming, Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Highway, lots of switchbacks. My '05 would do it in every corner, worse when I was riding hard and draggin footboards. The first time it happened it was a bit unnerving, but with more miles I got accustomed to it.

[chaos901]

We are talking about the same thing, I still have a 2000 and 2008 touring bikes, did have a 2002 and 2007 but most of my riding now is on a 2010.