In 2003, Harley-Davidson had 28 different models in their lineup. That year was H-D’s 100th Anniversary, and they celebrated with special variants of their most popular models, adorning them in Sterling Silver and Vivid Black as well as “100” branding all over the bike. Here’s an example of the 883 Sportster which has never left the factory crate.
Fun fact – Harley celebrated their 100th anniversary with parties all around the world, but of course the big one was in Milwaukee. It was a weeklong celebration that culminated with a free concert that featured Billy Idol, Joan Jett, Poison, and REO Speedwagon. H-D also had a secret guest to close out the night and fans got excited/hopeful for someone like the Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen. It ended up being Elton John, and the crowd quickly dissipated.
““Harley threw a fantastic bash. It was fun, it was peaceful, it came off with surprisingly few mishaps and serious crashes, and it showcased and enriched Milwaukee,” Stingl wrote.
“But final impressions count, and Elton John belting out his pop hits for a Harley crowd Sunday night was like mixing engine oil and water. … His music … speaks not at all to the rugged, rebellious, road-hardened rockers who ride Harley motorcycles, and those who pretend on weekends to be those things.””
Mechanically, the bike was no different than the non-anniversary model – 48 horsepower and 49 lb-ft of torque out of a carb’d 883cc V-Twin paired with a 5-speed transmission. Per the seller, this example is still in the factory crate and it’s been kept in dry storage.
Find this crated Harley-Davidson for sale in Troy, Illinois with a Buy It Now of $9,999 here on eBay.