Liberty Editions Helped Restore Landmark Statue

Restoration Edition

With help from Harley-Davidson, the Statue of Liberty got a face lift for her centennial anniversary in 1986. In support of the restoration project, the Motor Company released a limited number of Liberty Edition bikes. CEO Vaughn Beals and wife Eleanore then raised awareness of the endeavor with a trip across America on their own FLHTC Liberty Edition.

Undisclosed Feature

The special Electra Glide's charitable involvement was not over. In 2004, the Beals donated the bike to the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Black-N-Blue Ball annual auction. Then CEO Geoffrey Bernstein bought the FLHTC Liberty Edition for an undisclosed amount and donated it to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was recently featured in the museum's Off the Shelf video series.

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Touring Category

The Liberty Edition treatment was not confined to the Electra Glide, but applied to a range of bikes in the Motor Company lineup. The Harley-Davidson Historical Department retains a list of 1986 production numbers for the Liberty Edition bikes. In the touring category, 810 FLHTC Electra Glide models received the patriotic treatment, along with 160 FLTC Tour Glides.

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Proper Name

A reported 744 FXRS Low Riders also got the commemorative decals and minor design changes. Restoration of the Statue of Liberty began in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan appointed Lee Iacocca to head the fundraising efforts. Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue's proper name, had only received one other restoration effort, for her fiftieth anniversary in 1936.

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Information Check

The Liberty Edition touch was applied to 954 XLH 1100 Sportster models. For an extra $300, prospective buyers got a two-tone paint and graphic scheme, nine-spoke aluminum cast wheels, and a Statue of Liberty decal on the tank and front fender. Current owners of Liberty Editions can verify the authenticity of their bikes through the Harley-Davidson Service Information Portal, using the VIN checker.

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Committee Format

There is little documentation available, but the Liberty Editions were available in a variety of colors. The most common was a 'Blueberry' blue and Silver. Other choices included black, dark purple, and red—all released in a two-tone format. Replacement decals were available through local dealerships and were issued by the Harley-Davidson Liberty Committee, chaired by Hank R.N. Tugoe.

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Displacement Variants

The Liberty Edition touring models, along with the FXRS, were powered by the 1340cc Evolution engine. The single-cam motor was first offered in the Big Twin format in 1984. The unit construction version of the Evolution engine was fitted to the Sportster in 1986, with 1100cc of displacement, until it was replaced in 1988, by the 883cc and 1200cc variants.

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Foundation Check

Out of the approximate 2,600 Liberty Editions produced, $100 from each sale went to the Statue of Liberty's restoration fund. When Eleanore and Vaughn Beals arrived in New York, they presented the Ellis Island Foundation with a check for over a quarter-million dollars. Off the Shelf: 1986 FLHTC Liberty Edition is available on the Harley-Davidson Museum's Facebook page.

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