Harley 72 retro model spearheads 110 years

The new-yet-old Sportster Seventy-Two features a large 21-inch spoked front wheel, giving it that hippie chopper look from Fonda's 1969 cult movie, Easy Rider.

It gets its name from Route 72, the Los Angeles thoroughfare where riders, inspired by the movie, cruised on their customised choppers with candy-coloured metal flake paint jobs, highly polished chrome, white-walled tyres, chopped fenders, ape-hanger bars and laid-back riding style with forward-mounted foot controls.

The anniversary models will feature exclusive paintwork and commemorative solid bronze fuel tank badges plated in black nickel and distressed to highlight the bronze, plus a gold-tone Bar and Shield logo, in the main body of the "single wing" badge and serial numbers.

Add $500 for the anniversary Sportser, Softail and Dyna models and an extra $600 for Touring and CVO models when they arrive about November. If the previous 100th and 105th anniversary models are any guide, they should retain higher values at resale.

The anniversary line-up includes the Tri Glide Ultra Classic trike, Sportster 1200 Customer, Super Glide Custom, Fat Boy Lo, Heritage Softail Classic, Road King and the CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide, Road King and Road Glide Custom.

The Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary celebration will climax in Milwaukee, from August 29 to September 1 next year with concerts and a massive rally and thunder run. Next month Harley adds the new Easy Rider-style Sportster Seventy-Two at $17,995 rideaway and a restyled Dyna Street Bob with ABS at $21,495.

Harley has cosmetically updated its Street Bob with blacked-out triple clamps and engine and a chopped rear fender with rear-mounted license plate and stop/turn/tail lights. It has a solo seat and mini-ape handlebars mounted on new risers to make it easier to customise. Late this year Harley adds two new Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) models to its range. 

They are the high-performance Softail Breakout at $42,995 and Road King at $47,095 with a vented windshield and high-output audio system. The Breakout has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any CVO model with a stripped-down, lean look. With all the power and torque of the 110 engine and the lightweight chassis, they've added a slipper clutch to prevent rear wheel lock-up under downshifts.

The touring CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide ($49,995) and shark-nose CVO Road Glide Custom bagger (47,495) also return with new features for 2013. The Electra Glide gets heated hand grips, rider and passenger footboard inserts, brake lever pad, shifter and highway pegs and windshield trim.

Among the extras on the Road Glide is a bright "Daymaker" LED headlamp and a more powerful audio system with extra speakers and 8GB Apple iPod nano. Harley has also added a cosmetic styling option called Hard Candy Custom which has a 1960s Easy Rider theme of dazzling metal flake paint and chrome in accessories, gear and apparel. The three Hard Candy Custom big flake paint finishes will be available on five models.