History

Every company that has existed for as long as Harley-Davidson has their dark days and for many Harley lovers, that period exists around the time when the company was owned by AMF, from 1969 through 1981. This was a period ripe with competition from across the seas in the form of fantastic motorcycles being offered by Japanese and European based companies. In addition, many Harley loyalists felt the quality and the general aura of the company slumped heavily throughout this time. Needless to say, Harley-Davidsons sales struggled throughout these years and something had to be done to bring the American icon back to the centerfold of the US based motorcycling world. 

Harley needed a motorcycle to appeal to the youth market, something more performance oriented than their typical bagger and touring offerings. Luckily for them, Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of Harley-Davidson’s founder, was then the Vice President of styling at Harley Davidson. He had a vision to create a factory cafe-racer for the road, something to compete with the 1/4 fairing wearing, high horsepower motorcycles that were being offered from the international brands. He pulled together a team of people, inside and outside of the Harley organization, and utilizing the basic structure of models already in production, they added some additional one off parts and unique specifications and an aggressive styling which leaned heavily on the infamous Harley XR750 dirt track racer, and the XLCR was born. 

The XLCR was exactly what Harley needed at the time, a radical departure from their traditional cruisers, with a cafe racer-style design that featured a sleek, low-slung seat and a small fairing that housed the bike’s instruments. The XLCR was powered by a 997 cc V-twin engine that produced 61 horsepower, which was significantly more than Harley’s other models at the time. The XLCR was packed with features that made it a high-performance machine, such as dual disc brakes, high-performance cams, and a four-speed transmission with a chain final drive. The XLCR’s suspension was also upgraded from Harley’s other models, with rear adjustable shocks and a front fork with air-adjustable dampening. The bike’s styling was also a bit out of the box for the time, with a blacked-out engine, exhaust, and bodywork, which gave the XLCR a stealthy appearance. The bike’s low profile and low handlebars also gave it a sporty, aggressive stance that was uncommon among Harley’s other models. The bike’s high-performance features and aggressive styling made it a standout in the motorcycle world, but, unfortunately though, it was not a commercial success. It turns out that the crossover segment of Harley owners and the younger crowd looking for a sporty low slung cafe racer was not a high as Willie had imagined. Reviewers were iffy on the performance and brand loyalists bemoaned the styling. Unfortunately, it was deemed a bit of a failure and Harley ceased production of the XLCR after just two years.

Despite its lack of commercial success, the XLCR was a fantastic attempt at something that Harley-Davidson has always struggled at, a revision of its image and an attempt to appeal to a more youthful market. These facts unfortunately only became apparent with the passing of time, but they left us with an extremely interesting and unique piece of history from one of the titans in the American motorcycle industry.  The XLCR’s rarity and unique styling have made it appealing in recent years for collectors who appreciate the bike’s historical significance and now iconic design. The low production numbers, with just over 3,000 produced, have also contributed to its collectability in recent years and the value of these bikes continues a generally strong uptrend over the past 10 years with peak examples now surpassing $30,000 on occasion.

This Motorcycle

Offered here, is a 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR Chassis # 7F00230H7 and is presented in as-found condition. This is a 1 owner example, purchased from the original owner in 2017 by LBI Limited. It currently shows just 10,362 original miles. As the story goes, the original owner was walking past his local Harley-Davidson dealer in the late 1970’s and saw the XLCR displayed in the front window. He went in wanting to purchase the bike, but being young in age, the salesman laughed him out of the showroom. He returned later with the necessary money in cash and rode the bike home, now laughing himself, on his brand new XLCR. He would go on to cherish the bike for years, riding around with his partner on a custom made back seat pad, the two of them cramped tightly on the tiny cafe-racer style seat, but loving it nonetheless. Unfortunately, due to some health issues of the previous owner, it was left in a non-climate controlled shed for about 10 years prior to our purchase. It was stored with the gas tank drained, leaving the interior of the tank in relatively good condition. 

This XLCR is an excellent candidate for restoration as it is very complete and all of the hard to find parts are included with the bike and in relatively good condition under the dirt, grime, and age present on the machine. Replacement parts for these bikes have begun to dry up over the years and things like the front “bikini” ¼ fairing, tank, seat pan, and rear brake master cylinder (all of which are unique to this model) have become increasingly hard to find, meaning the fact that they are present and all in relatively good condition here is less work and money in hunting down obscure parts for restoration. 

We have not attempted much of anything in regards to the mechanical condition of the bike. The brakes are currently free and the bike rolls easily. The engine is in untested condition although we believe it to be free and not seized. Since there is unfortunately no kick starter, the compression has not been tested, but undoubtedly a full rebuild of the engine should be carried out for peace of mind. 

In regard to the condition of this motorcycle, there are a few areas to note. The mirror mounted to the left handle bar has rubbed through the fairing leaving a small hole that should be able to be patched. The left hand side rear turn signal bracket has broken off to the 1 piece seat pan, which is an area that also should be able to be patched by a qualified professional. Replacement seat pans are available. The seat foam was also destroyed from time and rodents, although the cover is still intact. Overall the bike has a good bit of surface corrosion on painted parts, including the frame, but no rot. 

Although its reception in-period was not a PR success story, the historical significance and sheer oddity of the bike have undoubtedly left it as an object of desirability amongst enthusiasts today. This XLCR, being a 1 owner example in complete condition, presents a fantastic opportunity for restoration, or conversely will make for an eye-catching show display in its current condition. 

Included with the sale are the turn signals, which are not currently mounted to the bike, and an extra set of correct style exhaust pipes along with a copy of the original title and original registration.