Nashville Riders Get Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 Power on the 2025 Harley-Davidson® CVO™ Road Glide®
Riders in Nashville know a thing or two about engines. This is a city where loud pipes echo off Broadway and long rides into the hills are part of the weekend routine. When it comes to V-twin power, expectations are high—and the 2025 Harley-Davidson® CVO™ Road Glide® meets them with the kind of authority only a Milwaukee-Eight® can deliver. The new VVT 121 engine is the core of this motorcycle’s identity, and for Tennessee riders who value real performance, long-range dependability, and the unmistakable character of a Harley-Davidson® motor, it’s a game-changer worth a closer look.
What sets the Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 apart is how thoroughly it’s engineered for real-world riding conditions. Around Nashville, that can mean anything from gridlock in the Gulch to open-road sprints toward the Natchez Trace. This engine responds to all of it with a level of refinement and muscle that’s unmatched in the Harley-Davidson® lineup. It produces a strong 139 ft-lb of torque, which you feel right away—be it rolling out of a stoplight downtown or climbing toward the state line on a curvy two-lane highway. The 115 horsepower rating doesn’t just look good on paper, either. It’s the kind of steady, confidence-inspiring pull that keeps building as the road opens up ahead of you.
But the real advancement here is Variable Valve Timing. It’s not a gimmick—it’s a serious performance tool that constantly adjusts the engine’s valve timing to match how you’re riding. In the city, it helps manage heat and smooths throttle input so you’re not lurching in traffic. On the highway, it stretches the torque curve and gives you deeper reserves of power without wringing the engine out. Around places like Murfreesboro or Hendersonville, where one minute you're cruising and the next you're accelerating hard to pass, this seamless flexibility really shows its value.
Riders around Nashville will notice how the VVT engine feels both familiar and new. The signature rumble is still there, that unmistakable Harley-Davidson® rumble. But it’s more refined. More responsive. There’s less mechanical drag, fewer dead spots in the powerband. No matter if you’re riding two-up to a bike night in Franklin or heading out solo toward the rolling roads near Cookeville, the Milwaukee-Eight® 121 delivers power that feels smooth and immediate. And because it’s tuned for a broad rev range, there’s no need to constantly downshift—just roll on and go.
Heat management is another area where this engine proves its worth, especially in Nashville’s summer months. Sitting through a red light at Broadway and 8th in July is no one’s idea of fun, but the liquid-cooled cylinder heads and advanced combustion control help keep temps in check. Riders will feel the difference—not in what the engine’s doing, but in what it’s not doing. Less heat radiating up. Less fan cycling. Less fuss overall. That means more comfort on those long rides out toward Chattanooga or leisurely loops around Percy Priest Lake.
There’s also the fuel economy factor. At an estimated 45 mpg, the VVT system helps make the most of every gallon. And it does so without neutering the performance. Riders who hit the road often—from weekday commutes to full-blown weekend tours—will appreciate the balance between power and efficiency. It’s an engine designed to go long without feeling like it’s being held back.
And while performance is front and center, the VVT 121 is also about control. The power delivery is responsive but never twitchy. It gives you room to work the throttle, with a measured response that feels intuitive. That matters when you're picking your way through winding backroads or overtaking slower traffic on narrow passes outside the city. The engine feels like it’s always in sync with what you need, never lagging, never overreacting. It gives you confidence to push a little harder, brake a little later, and trust the bike to handle the rest.
What really stands out is how the engine becomes part of the experience, not just a component of the machine. It’s central to how the 2025 Harley-Davidson® CVO™ Road Glide® moves, breathes, and responds. Every time you drop into the saddle and thumb the starter, you’re reminded that this isn’t only a displacement bump—it’s a step forward in the way Harley-Davidson® builds power. And for riders who have spent years in the saddle, that evolution is easy to feel.
In towns like Columbia or Springfield, where weekend rides often turn into full-day escapes, the Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 keeps you in the zone longer. It’s less tiring to ride at speed. The throttle is light. The response is crisp. You get more of what you love about touring and less of what wears you out. Long hauls to Knoxville or the Smokies? This engine is built for that. It’s consistent mile after mile, with no drop-off in performance even when loaded down or pushing through elevation changes.
What makes the VVT 121 matter most to Nashville-area riders is its adaptability. This isn’t a motor that only shines on wide-open roads or at top-end RPMs. It’s tuned for the full spectrum of Tennessee riding. It’s built for the stop-and-go, the switchbacks, the wide sweepers, and straightaways. And it does all of it without drama—just strong, predictable power from a motor that feels like it’s working with you, not against you.
If you’re an experienced Harley-Davidson® rider, you’ll recognize the improvements right away. It’s still a Milwaukee-Eight®, still unmistakably Harley-Davidson®. But the added refinement, the smarter power delivery, and the ability to stretch out across any kind of ride—it all adds up. You won’t need a dyno chart to feel the difference. You’ll know the first time you open it up past 3,000 rpm and realize there’s still more waiting. And then more after that.
The bottom line is this: the Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 engine brings meaningful, ride-enhancing improvements that every serious Harley-Davidson® touring rider will appreciate. It’s not about hype—it’s about how it actually performs on Tennessee roads, in Tennessee weather, with Tennessee riders in the saddle. And it performs beautifully.
If you’re ready to see—and feel—what all this power and refinement adds up to, the 2025 Harley-Davidson® CVO™ Road Glide® is ready for you at Boswell’s Harley-Davidson® in Nashville, TN. Contact us today or drop by the showroom, take a close look at the Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 engine, and schedule your test ride. Once you twist that throttle, you’ll understand why this powertrain sets a new benchmark for touring performance.