Before we can truly appreciate Harley’s ageless wonder and its half-century of winning and losing, we must hit the way-back button all the way to 1968 and the annual meeting of the American Motorcyclist Association’s competition committee.

They had a problem. For 30-plus years, the AMA’s national championship had been contested by bikes powered by side-valve 750s or OHV 500s. The rivals were roughly equal in performance, were the sporting models of their day, and were what Harley-Davidson, Indian, and the English importers had to sell. The world’s economy was in ruins and the sport was nearly dead; and anyway, this equivalency formula had provided years of close and fair racing.

But that was then. Now—in 1968, that is—the 750 side valves and OHV 500s no longer duked it out at the top of the heap.

Therefore, the committee voted for production bikes, made in fleets of 200 or more, limited in modifications suitable for racing.

The English were ready, with a variety of sporting 650 twins.

The Americans, that is Harley- Davidson were not. Their challenge to the Brits’ 650s was the 883cc Sportster, and anyway, the Motor Company was in financial trouble.

By lucky chance, that 1934 formula had an exception: an open class for TT, which was supposed to attract the big twin back then. In 1968, H-D had a stripped Sportster, the XLR.