Brakes were improved as well, with the rear gaining disc and the front sporting dual discs. More changes came for 1979 with a new lighter, stiffer, frame based on the one used on the XLCR. There were also special 75th-anniversary edition models, in a sporty black paint with gold cast alloy wheels and gold trim, like the motorcycle equivalent of the Bandit's Trans-Am. Solid state electronics made their way into the charging system for 1978, and by 1979 replaced the points with an electronic ignition system. Stylistically, this is also the last year that the oddball "boat tail" seat, seen on the Superglide and Sportster, was an option.ġ978-79 - Modern Electronics, Goodbye KickstartĪgain there were not a lot of big changes, but the two into one into two exhaust first used on the Cafe Racer was fitted to other bikes in 1978, for better power with less noise. The factory also took the opportunity to incorporate a quieter wet clutch set up, like their Japanese competition used. In 1971 the Sportster got some of the most substantial changes since the 1950s, with new cases introduced that moved the distributor into the engine cases and incorporated an automatic spark advance which resulted in easier starting. It should also be mentioned that this was the year the XR-750 race bike began its very long running dominance on the track. Estimates are that a good running XLCH in 1970 could do the quarter mile in about 13 seconds, thanks to the nearly 60 horsepower it put out. Some of the 1970 Sportster models available were the basic XL, the XLH with a higher compression motor, and the kickstart only XLCH the fastest/quickest bike Harley-Davidson made at the time. 1969 saw better engine breathing and more power through bigger intake valves and updated cast iron heads. Another reason for the uptick in sales were front fork improvements for more travel and a better ride in 1968. 1967 was the first year Harley-Davidson introduced a bike with an electric starter, and that bike was the Sporty, which meant stretching the frame and swingarm for a bigger battery, resulting for more seat room for you and your passenger. They did this through years of evolutionary changes and improvements. The Sportster had already been in production for a dozen years by then, but in 1970 it achieved a real milestone: Outselling the big Electra Glide touring bike by nearly 1,000 units (though still only 8,650) and becoming their best seller. When American servicemen came back from Europe wanting a more nimble ride, like the Triumphs and Nortons in England, it was the logical starting place. These bikes were designed to be lighter and easier to maneuver than the larger Harley touring machines. The roots of the K stretch back even further to the Model W series from 1937 and includes the WWII military bikes and the utilitarian Servi-Car, both with 45 cubic inch flathead motors. The long-serving Sportster first appeared with that name in 1957 with overhead valves, but that bike was an evolution of the flathead powered Model K from 1952. You can expect our new 2014 and up manual to be released at some point in 2018. However, in 2014 Harley gave the bike a substantial update, changing how it was wired, how the fuel injection worked, the design on the brakes, and a whole new computer that incorporated security, antilock brakes, and self-diagnostics. The current Haynes Manual for the Harley-Davidson Sportster covers recently produced models from 2013, but goes back all the way to 1970! For 43 years, there is enough in common that we did not feel the need to create a whole new book. With all of the recent updates to the Big Twin lineup, the Sportster is now the most traditional bike Harley offers, and it isn't just a styling exercise either. The Motor Company, as many fans call them, typically doesn't change anything unless they have a very good reason for it. Rainier.Some people dismiss Harley-Davidson for not keeping up with the latest and greatest thing, but their very traditional nature and long production periods are part of why the people who love them don't want to ride anything else. and Canada, including an antique motorcycle display, swap meet, cruise-in and a 78-mile roundtrip tour from ACM’s Anderson Plaza to Mt. More than 2,000 attendees visited America’s Car Museum for its 3rd annual Vintage Motorcycle Festival ‘The MEET’ last weekend in Tacoma, Washington, where over 300 motorcycles and scooters were showcased on the Haub Family Field at LeMay. The event drew pre-1981 motorcycles and scooters from the U.S.
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