Classic 1966 XLCH Sportster is a Factory Hot Rod

By Cameron Vanderhorst - August 1, 2019

Far from a beginner bike or a small cruiser, Harley’s Sportster started life as a high-performance sport bike.

What do you picture when you think of a sport bike? A Kawasaki Ninja? A Suzuki GSX-R? A Honda CBR? Years before it occurred to anyone to cover the interesting bits with aerodynamic plastic fairings, a motorcycle needed only to be small and powerful to be considered a sport bike.

In those days, the Japanese weren’t even the major threat – it was the British. In 1957, Harley-Davidson released the first XL Sportster. This bike followed in the footsteps of the Model K, competing with bikes from Triumph, Norton, and BSA.

Initially, the Sportster was powered by the Ironhead engine, an overhead valve design. It displaced a now-familiar 883 cubic centimeters, advertised as 900. It was a major upgrade from the side-valve engine seen in the preceding Model K.

In 1958, the XLCH was added to the Sportster lineup. Depending on who you ask, the “CH” stands for either “Competition/High Compression” or “Competition Hot.” Either way, the XLCH was an even more potent Sportster, and laid the foundation for many race bike, including, arguably, the XR750.

We found this 1966 XLCH on Craigslist in Akron, Ohio for the reasonable price of $5,000. It certainly needs work – most of us do after half a century of operation – but it appears complete.

According to the ad, it starts and runs, and can be ridden up and down the road. The odometer shows just 15,000 miles. However, the seller advises that the bike will need tires and brakes, and they also list the condition as “fair.”

Given our understanding of Craigslist pricing, that means that this bike will likely change hands in the $4,000 range. That’s a more than fair price for a piece of rideable history such as this. With all of the parts being present, it should be a relatively easy restoration, with most of the required maintenance components still readily available. Famous last words, right?

Regardless, for someone who wants to own a classic Sportster, this is a great way to dive in head first. This bike is dripping with history, and like any classic Harley-Davidson, it;s sure to turn heads wherever it goes.