Harley-Davidson introduced the FX Super Glide, its first factory-custom motorcycle, in 1971.
The Super Glide combined the front end of a touring FL model with the lighter frame and rear section of the Sportster-derived FX chassis. This hybrid approach created a factory motorcycle with the long, low appearance associated with custom machines, while avoiding the need for an owner to build the combination independently.
The model was designed during a period when custom motorcycle styling was becoming increasingly influential in American motorcycling. Its introduction helped establish the factory-custom category within Harley-Davidson’s range and influenced later families such as the Dyna line.
The FX Super Glide is often confused with the FXR Super Glide II, introduced in 1982, or with the 1977 XLCR café racer. Those were separate models with different chassis and design purposes. The original FX Super Glide’s significance is its status as Harley-Davidson’s first factory-custom motorcycle.