Models
FXLR Low Rider Custom
The custom-styled FXR, with a skinny 21 inch front wheel, solid rear wheel and blacked-out engine.
Overview
The FXLR Low Rider Custom debuted for 1987 with a 21 inch laced front wheel and a solid rear wheel (Hot Bike, "Separating the Men From the Boys"; Cycle World, Jan 1987).
Rider lists its details: sport front fender, small XL-type headlight, two-piece high bars with two cross braces, speedometer between the bars, a single-filler tank with no center console, black cylinders and cases with chrome covers, highway pegs, belt final drive and single front and rear brakes (Rider, Sep 2017).
Cycle World tested it in January 1987 and ran a 13.95 second quarter mile (Cycle World, Jan 1987). Rider notes it weighed around 575 lb (Rider, Sep 2017).
The FXLR stayed through 1994. With the FXR Super Glide it was among the last regular-production FXRs, per Wikipedia (that line is marked citation needed) and Moto Gallery (Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide"; Moto Gallery FXR overview).
Years made
1987 to 1994.
| Model year | Units built | Notes | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 to 1994 | unverified | Debut 1987 | Needs source | None yet |
Identifying features
- 21 inch laced front wheel, solid disc rear wheel (Rider, Sep 2017; Cycle World, Jan 1987)
- Two-piece high bars with two cross braces, speedometer between the bars (Rider, Sep 2017)
- Single-filler tank with no console (Rider, Sep 2017)
- Black cylinders and crankcases with chrome covers (Rider, Sep 2017)
- VIN model code EL (Rider, Sep 2017)
Specs
Period road tests: 2 magazine tests with measured figures. See the Period Road Tests →
1987 FXLR as tested by Cycle World, January 1987. Harley's own figures are in the second table and differ from the test bike: 26.5 in seat height against 27.5 in, 5.25 in ground clearance against 4.5 in, a 63.2 in wheelbase against 63.9 in, and a 3.8 gal tank for 1987 against 4.5 gal Conflict.
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Evolution overhead-valve V-twin, hydraulic lifters | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Displacement | 1340cc | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Bore × stroke | 88.8 × 108.0 mm | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Compression | 8.5:1 | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Carburetion | 34mm Keihin (as printed in the spec box) | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Claimed output | 72 bhp at 5200 rpm; 82 lb-ft at 3600 rpm | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Primary / clutch | Double-row chain / wet multi-plate | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Final drive | Belt, 32/70 | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Front fork | Showa, 6.0 in travel. Spec box says 35mm, article text says 39mm Conflict | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Rear travel | 3.5 in | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Wheelbase | 63.9 in | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Rake / trail | 29.0° / 4.2 in | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Seat height | 27.5 in | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Ground clearance | 4.5 in | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Weight | 570 lb with tank empty; 597 lb full | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Fuel / oil | 4.5 gal / 3.0 qt | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Wheels | MT2.15×21 laced front, MT3.00×16 solid rear | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Tires | Dunlop, MH90-21 front, MT90S16 rear | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Brakes | Single 11.3 in disc front and rear | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Tested performance | Quarter mile 13.95 s at 91.72 mph; top speed 107 mph; 60 to 0 mph in 125 ft; 45 mpg | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
| Period list price | $9,099 | Cycle World, Jan 1987 |
1987 and 1990 FXLR, factory figures from Harley's owner's manuals
Known issues
Common problems across the FXR family, by model year: Known Issues →
Rubber mounts and stabilizer links
The whole design depends on three elastomer mounts and two adjustable stabilizer links (Rider, Sep 2017). Buyer's guides suggest checking them on any used FXR (Moto Gallery FXR overview). Typical wear symptoms and replacement intervals unverified.
1992 to 1994: caged cam bearing
Rider notes that 1992 Evos switched to a caged needle bearing for the camshaft and calls a full-complement bearing a required swap when changing cams (Rider, Sep 2017).
Photos
No FXLR photos here yet. We only publish photos that are free to use or that owners send us with permission. Have one?
Related models
FXRS
The dressier twin of the first FXR. It later became the Low Glide, then the Low Rider, and was the most common FXR of the early years.
FXR
The original FXR: the base model of the family, launched as the Super Glide II and later sold simply as the Super Glide.
FXRS-CONV
An FXRS with a quick-detach windshield and soft saddlebags, so one bike could tour and cruise.
Sources
- Cycle World, "Harley-Davidson Low Rider Custom FXLR" road test, January 1987. Link
- Harley-Davidson Motor Co., 1987 All Models Owner's Manual (FXRT specifications page 12, FXR, FXRS, FXRS Sport Edition and FXLR specifications page 34, tire pressures pages 14 and 36). Scanned copy hosted by Ratbike Service. Link
- Harley-Davidson Motor Co., 1990 All Models Owner's Manual (FXRT specifications page 18, FXR, FXRS, FXRS-SP, FXRS-CON and FXLR specifications pages 50 to 51, tire pressures page 52). Scanned copy hosted by Ratbike Service. Link
- Hot Bike, "Separating the Men From the Boys: The History of the FXR" (photos from the Harley-Davidson Archives; interviews Bob LeRoy). Link
- Kip Woodring, "Motorhead Memo: The Gentleman's Express", Rider Magazine, September 20, 2017 (year-by-year FXR history and VIN model codes). Link
- Wikipedia, "Harley-Davidson Super Glide" (FXR section), and the sources it cites, including Andy Hornsby, "A Potted History of Harley-Davidson", American-V. Link
- Moto Gallery, "1982-2000 Harley-Davidson FXR" resource guide (secondary buyer's guide). Link
About the unverified flag: it marks a detail we have not yet been able to confirm in a published source, such as a factory document, owner's or service manual, or period magazine test. Where a table cell shows only the flag, we have not found a reliable figure. We keep these details visible so they can be checked. If you have a source, please tell us.
Full bibliography and image credits: Sources & Credits. Magazine pages are linked, never copied or hosted here. Spot an error? Tell us.