The Harley-Davidson Confederate Edition was a cross-range limited edition
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
made by
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
in 1977. It was released following the successful manufacture of the Liberty Edition to commemorate the
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...
in 1976. The Confederate Edition consisted of a special commemorative paint scheme of metallic gray paint and 'rebel' flag decals on the fuel tank and an army general's sleeve braid decal on the front fender and which was applied to the
Harley-Davidson Super Glide, FLH Electra Glide,
Harley-Davidson Sportster
The Harley-Davidson Sportster is a line of motorcycles produced continuously since 1957 by Harley-Davidson. Sportster models are designated in Harley-Davidson's product code by beginning with "XL". In 1952, the predecessors to the Sportster, the ...
XLH, XLCH and XLT models.
The Confederate Editions sold in small numbers, Chris MacMahan of
Motorcycle Classics thinks to be due to a combination of lack of significant promotion (it was overshadowed by the FXS Low Rider and XLCR Café Racer released the same year), boring paint work compared to emerging trends in brighter
metallic paint
Metallic paint, also called metal flake or polychromatic, is a type of paint that is most common on new automobiles, but is also used for other purposes. Metallic paint can reveal the contours of bodywork more than non-metallic, or "solid" pain ...
and limited market.
The Confederate Edition is stored in the company's corporate archives in a connected building on the museum's grounds. Gene Perryman, a Harley-Davidson archivist, described the original model unit numbers that numbered the Confederate Editions (and which had been recently published in ''Old Bike Journal'', Feb '95). The issue also described the rare promotional material for the Harley-Davidson Sportster Confederate Edition featuring a model in a cowboy hat with a Confederate flag.
Because of the low production numbers it may be the most collectible of all Harley-Davidson models.
Confederate Edition unit production
Production of the Confederate Edition was as follows:
* FLH Electra Glide = 44
* Super Glide = 228
* XLH Sportster = 299
* XLCH Sportster = 45
* XLT Sportster = 15
* FLHS =15
See also
*
List of Harley-Davidson motorcycles
A list of motorcycles produced under the Harley-Davidson brand.
Pre-war
Hummer/American Lightweight
Aermacchis sold as Harley-Davidsons
Aermacchi
Aermacchi was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Formerly known as Aeronautica Macchi, the ...
References
External links
Harley-Davidson Confederate Edition Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harley-Davidson
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
Confederate States of America
Flag controversies in the United States