1963 Harley XLB Sportster Ironhead
Marcus from Berlin, Germany sent us these photographs of his 1963 Harley XLB Sportster Ironhead which is an ex Police export Harley.
Marcus: "It has the 50bhp Ironhead engine, battery ignition, linkert DC carb, 1963 engine and frame, everything is original, also the accessories, bubble bags, guide, police lamps and sirene, everyting came with the bike, no after market parts except the wiring and bearings.
I bought the bike 5 years ago from first owner here in Germany. Before I bought it it was sleeping on a farm in East Germany, the spokes and rear chain were rusted but everyting was complete. I changed the gas tank to a 1959 gas tank, kept the original one.
I changed all necessary parts like all seals, chains, front spokes, wiring and bearings and later painted it black. Before that it was grey but it seemed that it was overpainted some time though it was a 1960s lacquer. Bike is registered and I drive it very often."
Marcus: "Actually it looks identical to the XLA Sportster with the original turtle gas tank. People told me that the XLB sporties were mostly export models. I would like to have more info about those XLB bikes concerning amount of production etc., maybe someone mentions them sometime in some historical Harley Davidson books, could not find anything concerning their existence."
Note how the name "Sportster" is cast into the aluminum primary cover of this 1962 Ironhead engine.
That's pretty cool!
(October 2008)
