Harley Davidson Confederate Edition

The Harley-Davidson Confederate Edition was a cross-range limited edition motorcycle made by Harley-Davidson in 1977. It was released following the successful manufacture of the Liberty Edition to commemorate the United States Bicentennial in 1976. The Confederate Edition consisted of a special commemorative paint scheme of metallic gray paint and 'rebel' flag decals on the fuel tank and an army general's sleeve braid decal on the front fender and which was applied to the Harley-Davidson Super Glide, FLH Electra Glide, Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH, XLCH and XLT models.

The Confederate Editions sold in small numbers, thought to be due to a combination of lack of significant promotion (it was overshadowed by the FXS Low Rider and XLCR Café Racer released the same year) and the controversy over the use of the Confederate flag.

The Confederate Edition is not on display in the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, but is stored in the company's corporate archives in a connected building on the museum's grounds; official statements from Harley-Davidson representatives Annie Tynion (Vice President of Marketing) and Kenneth G. Schmidt (Director, Communications) were later released regarding the company's decision to cease use of the Confederate flag on its bikes. Harley-Davidson later changed this decision and announced that local dealerships could decide for themselves whether to use the emblems.

Gene Perryman, a Harley-Davidson archivist, described the original model unit numbers that numbered the Confederate Editions (and which had been recently published in Old Bike Journal, Feb '95). The issue also described the rare promotional material for the Harley-Davidson Sportster Confederate Edition featuring a model in a cowboy hat with a Confederate flag.

Because of the low production numbers it is considered one of the rarest Harley-Davidson models.