XLCH Sportster

1961 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 1961 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster custom - cruiser motorcycle, Harley-Davidson pairs a 883 cc (53.9 cu in) air-cooled v2, four-stroke architecture with road-focused gearing. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 50 HP (36.5 kW) at 6,300 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through chain final drive. With a specific output of 56.6 HP per liter, the engine character is prioritizing low-RPM tractability, mechanical longevity and relaxed throttle response over peak redline numbers.

On the scales, the XLCH Sportster measures 205 kg (452 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.24 HP/kg (4.1 kg per horsepower).

Within MotoLibrary's Harley-Davidson archive, this model family spans 13 indexed model years from 1957 to 1969, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.