| From the beginning of their very first motorcycle, | | | | 1964 after which the waste-spark setup returned. |
| Harley Davidson has continued to deliver some terrific | | | | This motorcycle was a fairly stripped example of the |
| motorcycles that have continued to fascinate and | | | | big FL, as most were fitted with saddlebags and |
| thrill consumers for many, many years. | | | | two-passenger buddy seat and the addition to the |
| After the introduction of the Harley's XL Sportster in | | | | windshield, which were all being requisites of the |
| 1957, Harley Davidson developed a more sporting | | | | well-dressed touring motorcycle. The chrome trim on |
| version known as the XLCH in 1959. The "CH" was | | | | the fenders added a new classy touch to the |
| supposedly standing for competition hot. These | | | | Harley-Davidson FL Duo-Glide. |
| motorcycles were stripped-down models that were | | | | The 1963 Harley-Davidson Topper motorcycle was |
| oriented toward on-road and off-road work with | | | | among the casualties when the very short lived |
| magneto ignition, high exhaust pipes, solo seat, | | | | scooter craze subsided and the Japanese brands |
| smaller "peanut" tank, and lighter overall weight. It | | | | began to take an ever-growing share of the |
| also featured the now-famous "eyebrow" headlight | | | | American motorcycle market. It had a 165-cc |
| cover that remains a Sportster trademark. | | | | two-stroke single that started with a recoil starter, |
| Harley-Davidson also offered the XLH, which was a | | | | which is like one on a lawn mower, this caused them |
| dressed-up and touring influenced version that was | | | | to capitalize on the late-1950s popularity of scooters, |
| outsold by its sportier sibling. Power rose steadily | | | | which drove through a variable-ratio automatic |
| over the next few years, which earned the fleet | | | | transmission called Scootaway Drive. Up front was a |
| Sportster the nickname of "King of the Drags," which | | | | simple leading-link fork, and there were small drum |
| is an unofficial title it would hold until the late 1960s. | | | | brakes on both wheels while beneath the hinged seat |
| Of course, this was at a time when most of their | | | | was a large storage space, but if that was not |
| competitors were British 650-cc twins, which spotted | | | | enough a luggage rack was available. |
| considerable displacement to the 883-cc Sportster | | | | For those not content with carrying only two people |
| and in drag racing, size does matter a great deal. | | | | and luggage, a sidecar was offered on the fully |
| Aside from a new tank badge and paint scheme, the | | | | loaded models with the rig proving to be agonizingly |
| 1963 Harley-Davidson FL Duo-Glide did not offer | | | | slow. Other accessories included a passenger's |
| many changes, which the successful formula of | | | | backrest and windshield, but despite carrying the |
| previous FL models did. However, Harley Davidson | | | | revered Harley-Davidson name, the Topper did not |
| had tried something different for the 1961 models, | | | | sell particularly well in a market and quickly become |
| when the age-old "waste spark" ignition was traded | | | | dominated by Japanese machines. It was not long |
| for a more modern ignition, but more complicated | | | | before the scooter craze subsided, taking the |
| system employing two sets of points and coils. | | | | Topper as one of its early casualties. |
| Unfortunately, the experiment only lasted through | | | | |