This site is dedicated to the 1977 Harley-Davidson XLT - The Touring Sportster, sometimes called a "Baby Dresser."  It is apparently one of the rarest modern Harley-Davidson models, with only 1,099 having been built in one year of production.  The pictured bikes in the gallery are three of four examples known to exist in original configuration, or a reasonable facsimile. (Scroll over and click for larger view of each thumbnail.)

The origins and the official history of this model are lost.  Harley Davidson occasionally produced a touring Sportster into the 70s.   These earlier tourers were reportedly special orders from the factory, as was the XLT.  However, none carried a unique model designation like the XLT does. 

The differences between the XLT and its sister models included a larger fuel tank (originally from Harley's Sprint 350 model), a larger, more-padded saddle, touring handlebars, and a higher geared final drive.  A "Compact" windshield and saddlebags were standard equipment.  The XLT sales brochure (Link)  mentions such features as a "calibrated carburator", scavenging 2-into-1 exhaust system, and 3-way adjustable shocks. Due to slow sales, dealers stripped many of these bikes of their bags and windshield by dealers and sold as Sportsters at deep discount prices. 

It appears from the many ride review articles in European publications that the XLT may have been primarily targeted to the overseas market.  There is no mention of the model in any of the Motor Company's 1977 sales brochures, nor any apparent formal announcement of its availability at dealers.  The only known sales brochure was published by the company's international sales organization - which, I believe was separate from the American firm - essentially a resale agent.  Harley Davidson's archives are bare, containing nothing about the model, its origin, or any approvals for its production run as a separate model.

According to Harley-Davidson company archivist Tom Bolfert, "The 1977 XLT was not a standard production model.  Consequently, we have virtually no information on it.  It does not appear in the literature or even on the retail price list."

One of the few contemporary descriptions of the bike is found in an article in Motor Cycle Mechanic (Link), a British enthusiast magazine, dated June 1977.  It concludes,  "In terms of performance alone the XLT could never be worth two and a quarter thousand pounds (about $4,500), and yet this living legend has an indefinable magic that no other bike possesses."  (BTW, a 1977 Honda Goldwing sold for 1600 pounds, about $3,200.)

Thanks to Terry Blair, we also have a May 1977 Road Rider magazine (Link) ride review of the XLT.  (See link  below.)  It reads like most Harley reviews of the time - looking for something nice to say, often damning with faint praise.  From experience, most of the observations ring true.  Unlike today's riders, those of even a few years ago needed to have some facility with hand tools for regular owner maintenance, if not roadside service.  NOBODY took their machines to dealers for oil changes and chain adjustments!  When it broke, you fixed it.

At time of purchase, December, 1978, I was told by the dealer, Wayne Haupt, that mine was originally used by the factory as a police demonstrator before released for sale to Suburban Motors, Grafton, Wisconsin.   It was indeed painted Birch White before hastily repainted Chevy Chevelle green.  It has no tank decals, and carried a luggage rack in addition to the stock saddlebags.  One XLT is known to have been put in actual law enforcement service, having been demo-ed by the Pittsburgh PD and later purchased by the Upper St. Claire (PA) PD.  It saw service into the 1980s.  Thirty years later Harley Davidson offers a police version of the Sportster (Link) still in Birch White. 

I bought the bike in Wisconsin, although I was living in New Mexico at the time.  I had the bike shipped down and ran it out in the "Land of Enchantment"...driving 80 miles each way for a Sunday brunch at Chef Dan's in Deming was a weekly ritual.  However, the bike soon went into storage when I took a job in Germany, and stayed dormant for almost 20 years after I returned.

The impetus for getting it roadworthy again was the Harley 100th Anniversary celebration.  I needed an adventure, and seized the opportunity.  Restoration parts were available after searching.  The most difficult to find were H-D authentic Compact Windshield parts.  These clear plastic parts had largely yellowed and become brittle over the years.  Several dealers, notably Doug's H-D (Florence, SC), Zepka H-D (Johnstown, PA), and Lancaster H-D (Willow Street, PA), proved helpful.  Other suppliers who helped me: J&P Cycles, Iron Eagle, and MotorcycleUSA.com.  E-bay proved a fair source of odd parts - and this model carries a few.

Tires were an issue as the 1977s used an odd bead to join tires to the rims.  I have read various accounts of whether or not using conventional tires on the rims is safe.  The majority had no problems running them over the years.  I went with the majority, and have not had any problems to date.  I installed Pirelli  MT66 Route skins to replace the original Yokohamas.   They retain the classic look.