It’s not all about the CCs for Harley-Davidson, with the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer regularly celebrating the culture and heritage of the sport itself. Adding to its Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection, Harley-Davidson has released a limited-edition trio of motorcycles that pay homage to muscle cars of the1960s and ’70s.
The Fast Johnnie collection comprises the Low Rider ST, the Street Glide ST, and the Road Glide ST motorcycles, with production limited to 2000 examples of each model globally. Each model comes factory-standard with a striking celestial blue colour scheme, complete with distinct graphic treatments.
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Models within the Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection are inspired by the stories and legacy of Harley-Davidson riders, with the Fast Johnnie paint scheme drawing from design themes featured on high-performance muscle cars and pony cars of the 1960s and ’70s. Namely, a contrasting racing strip over a bold base colour, complemented by a logo or character incorporated into the graphics package. The resultant effect was a marked visual difference between the high-performance version of a car and its standard counterpart.
The Fast Johnnie character that appears on the left side of the fuel tank is a nod to the story of a piglet named Johnnie adopted in 1920 by Harley-Davidson racer and member of the infamous ‘Wrecking Crew’, Ray Weishaar. The piglet became a team mascot and was often perched on a motorcycle fuel tank for a post-race victory lap.
“The striping graphic effect is a powerful signal to the generation that came of age during this era, and is still impactful today,” says Brad Richards, vice president of design and creative director at Harley-Davidson. “The Celestial Blue base colour selected for Fast Johnnie recalls a popular tone from the muscle car era. For the graphic striping, we created a custom white colour formulated to authentically reflect the era, executed in a classic thin-wide-thin pattern on the sides and top of the motorcycle bodywork. The look is a nod to pure Americana.”
Harley-Davidson also adds to its Icons Motorcycle Collection lineup with the Electra Glide Highway King. A masterclass in unbridled nostalgia, the Electra Glide Highway King is replete with old-school-cool details, with laced wheels, wide-whitewall tyres, a two-tone windshield, solo suspension, and a thoughtful colour palette all inspired by the 1968 FLH Electra Glide; a veritable Harley-Davidson icon.
The Icons Motorcycle Collection is an annual program which sees a limited-edition release of a new model that offers a fresh take on an iconic style. As such, global production of the Electra Glide Highway King is limited to 1750 models.
Released in the late 1960s, the FLH Electra Glide quickly became a fast favourite amongst the Harley-Davidson lineup, with those desirous of extra touring comfort able to add mod cons in the form of added fiberglass saddlebags, a windshield, a luggage rack over the rear fender, and engine guards.
“In its day this was a really deluxe motorcycle,” Richards proclaims. “The colours we’ve selected for the Highway King model are reminiscent of the original colour options offered in 1968. We carefully matched each colour in the lower section of the windshield. In 1968, the accessory fiberglass saddlebags were only offered in white, so we’ve done the same in 2023. The result is a thoroughly modern motorcycle that looks unapologetically old school.”
The Electra Glide Highway King will be offered in two colourways, Hi-Fi Orange and Hi-Fi Magenta, limited to production runs of 1000 and 750, respectively.
Explore the new models via the Harley-Davidson website.
Words by AR Staff
