1977 Harley XLCR
Miles: 7,331
NH Registration
Bid at post: $5,977
Auction ends: Sept 15
Straight from BaT
This 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR spent time in the northeastern US before it was acquired by the current owner in 2000, having been stored for approximately a decade prior, and it remained dormant in storage until being recommissioned in 2022. Work at that time included overhauling the ignition system, oiling system, Keihin carburetor, and triple disc brakes as well as re-aligning the bodywork and lighting mounts, buffing and polishing the fairing and windscreen, installing replacement dashboard light bulbs, and more as described below. Finished in gloss black, the motorcycle is powered by a 998cc Ironhead V-Twin paired with a four-speed transmission. It also has an electric starter, a matte black-finished exhaust system, a Showa 35mm fork, Gabriel rear shocks, Morris cast alloy wheels, rear-set foot controls, a molded tail section, a solo seat with a Naugahyde cover, and a side stand. This XLCR-1000 shows 7k miles and is offered by the seller on behalf of the owner with an AMF Harley-Davidson service manual, a recommissioning invoice, a mechanic-prepared refurbishment narrative with corresponding photos, and New Hampshire registration in the owner’s name.
- Chassis: 7F01309H7
- 7k Miles Shown
- 998cc Ironhead V-Twin
- Four-Speed Transmission
- Electric Starter
- 38mm Keihin Carburetor
- 2-Into-1 Exhaust w/Siamesed Headpipe
- Gloss Black Paint
- 19″ Front & 18″ Rear Cast Alloy Wheels
- Showa 35mm Fork
- Gabriel Rear Shocks
- Triple Disc Brakes
- Rear-Set Foot Controls
- Molded Tail Section
- Solo Seat w/Naugahyde Cover
- Side Stand
- AMF Harley-Davidson Service Manual
- Refurbishment Narrative & Photos
- Recommissioning Invoice
RSBFS
Hey Mikey! He likes it!
Not everyone likes this model, but we do. Though there are Harley/Buell’s, this is the only Harley/Harley that tried to cross over into sport territory.
According to Mike, “In the mid-1970s, the cafe racer craze was in full swing. Bikes like the Ducati Super Sport, Norton John Player Special and Moto Guzzi LeMans were gaining market share. Willie G Davidson, then Vice President of Styling for Harley-Davidson, decided the cafe racer scene could help grow the fortunes of AMF-controlled H-D. He was wrong…
As it turns out, the Harley crowed wasn’t very interested in sportbikes, and the sportbike crowd wasn’t very interested in Harleys. This perfect storm created a rare collectable.”
BaT sold a similar XLCR in 2024 with 8k miles for $13,250. Come Monday, we’ll see what the current market value is for these rare Harleys.
It seems appropriate that on 9/11 we found one of the few American production sportbikes. Like it or not, Harley really is Americana. Red was driving into NYC that morning and watched the towers from Jersey City. He worked on construction projects in the towers and had made many friends there. I was in Cambridge MA waiting to hear from family about my cousin who was a NYC Firefighter.
I hope you all are soaking in your day – perhaps even able to take a ride on your favorite bike.
Good luck to the buyer and seller!
A story from Harley-Davidson of Ventura in the late seventies. Crane operator Danny Blair bought one of these things and we put 1,835 cc’s of stroker into that motor. S&S side draft carburetor with low middle and high-speed Jets finally tuned with tiny drill bits. Stock rear sprocket was 52 teeth but we put a 40 on the back of this motor and it was 150 plus miles an hour all day long. As the smallest Harley-Davidson mechanic at that dealership I was the one that raced the bike. For a quarter mile race over the Ventura River bridge which is exactly a quarter mile long, we put a 45 tooth rear sprocket on it and a new chain. As I left the Harley shop the three stop lights right there at the corner all turned yellow so I threw the bike down and wicked it on and was doing 130 as I passed the Cottage Cafe. Didn’t see the police officer across the street as I left the Harley shop and needless to say he took off after me. I had crossed the quarter mile bridge turned around and did my first ever non burnout takeoff in this bike and passed the same police officer going the opposite direction at 132 mph. I got a ticket for exhibition of speed because he had no idea how fast I was going. Having a blue uniform with Harley-Davidson of Ventura on the back didn’t help at all. After the Harley shop closed, me on the XLCR, John on a 98-in shovelhead sidewinder and Steve on an 883 Sportster with thunder heads on it which later became the EVOS all raced the quarter mile. I won the quarter mile race but that 883 was 8 ft behind me at the finish line. Good times my friends good times. Danny Blair lived to a ripe old age and left Earth in 2019, and I am now 70.
@Thoh – Great story! Thanks for sharing. I hope you still have the ticket that says “exhibition of speed”. Red got a ticket that said “Wheeling on Washington Street” lol!