Harley K Model: Technical: Colors

Technical: Colors
Dave Hennessey, with help from Harley-Davidson.

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Here are the colors which were available for the various years and models. The same colors were offered on all models except in 1961 and 1969, where the XLH and XLCH differed. In the mid-1950's, Harley offered a dazzling array of colors and combinations. By 1960, this had been reduced to only a few choices.

Harley-Davidson offered “Spring Specials” in many years. These offered special equipment packages, or special prices, and sometimes special colors. We have not unearthed any of these documents for Ks or Sportsters so far.

The Legend Begins is a wonderful coffee-table book which has a wealth of information about the 1903 through 1969 models, and the color information presented below has been gleaned from it. You can purchase a copy at your local Harley-Davidson dealer - it's Part# 99403-93 and the MSRP is only $45.

Here are some sources for paint and paint information:

PaintRef.com Scott Lange found this - they list modern paint for some Harley-Davidson colors.
John Pierce Color-Write John sells paint for most Harley colors. Contact John at [email protected] or call (603)942-5610 days between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Paint Chips Here are a number of paint chips from Antique Cycle Supply (no longer in business). These were sent to and posted by the Harley Hummer Club.

Abbreviations used below

TLB - The Legend Begins, Finish description
SOB - Season Order Blank, found in TLB
GES - General Engineering Standard 30143, available here, is full of errors, and is only used for corrobration of other sources.
Others as noted

1952 – Model K

Standard	Black Sources: 1952 K Brochure Persian Red Sources: 1952 K Brochure Rio Blue Sources: 1952 K Brochure
Special Order	(Metallic) Bronco Bronze Sources: 1952 K Brochure, GES

1953 – Model K and KK

Standard	Pepper Red Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure Glacier Blue Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure Forest Green Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure Brilliant Black Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure
Optional Extra Charge	(Metallic) Cavalier Brown Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure, GES Glamour Green Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure White Sources: SOB, 1953 K Brochure

1954 – Model KH

Standard

Pepper Red Sources: TLB, SOB
Glacier Blue Sources: TLB, SOB
Forest Green Sources: TLB, SOB
Daytona Ivory Sources: TLB, SOB
Anniversary Yellow Sources: TLB, SOB
Black Sources: TLB, SOB
Pepper Red Tank[s] with Daytona Ivory fenders Sources: TLB, SOB
Glacier Blue Tank[s] with Daytona Ivory fenders Sources: TLB, SOB
Forest Green Tank[s] with Daytona Ivory fenders Sources: TLB, SOB
Daytona Ivory Tank[s] with Pepper Red fenders Sources: TLB, SOB
Daytona Ivory Tank[s] with Glacier Blue fenders Sources: TLB, SOB
Daytona Ivory Tank[s] with Forest Green fenders Sources: TLB, SOB

Spring
Special

Tanks are Brilliant Black with a three inch wide Daytona Ivory panel encircling the tanks. Fenders are ivory. Sources: FTD

1955 – Model KH & KHK

Standard	Pepper Red Sources: SOB, 1955 KH Brochure Atomic Blue Sources: SOB, 1955 KH Brochure Aztec Brown Sources: SOB, 1955 KH Brochure Anniversary Yellow Sources: SOB, 1955 KH Brochure Black Sources: SOB, 1955 KH Brochure
---	“See your Harley-Davidson dealer about other available colors and color combinations” Sources: 1955 KH Brochure
Optional No Charge	Any combination of tanks in one color and fenders in another using our standard colors, except Hollywood Green will be supplied at no extra charge. Sources: SOB
Optional Extra Charge	Hollywood Green The Season Order Blank shows the following, which appears to relate only to the Hollywood Green option. [...] on KH, the toolbox, oil tank and spark coil cover are enamelled to match tank[s] and fenders Sources: SOB

1956 – Model KH & KHK

Standard	Pepper Red with White tank flash Sources: TLB, SOB Atomic Blue with Champion Yellow tank flash Sources: TLB, SOB Champion Yellow with Black tank flash Sources: TLB, SOB Black with Champion Yellow tank flash Sources: TLB, SOB
Optional Extra Charge	Flamboyant Metallic Green with White tank flash Sources: TLB, SOB

1957 – Model XL

Standard	Skyline Blue with Birch White tank panels Sources: TLB, SOB Pepper Red with Black tank panels Sources: TLB, SOB Birch White with Black tank panels Sources: TLB, SOB Black with Pepper Red tank panels Sources: TLB, SOB
---	“See your Harley-Davidson dealer about other available colors and color combinations” Sources: TLB
Optional No Charge	Fenders to match tank panel when panel is a standard color Sources: SOB Birch White - Indicate Either - Solid or with Black Panels Sources: SOB Any Standard Color Without Tank Panels Sources: SOB
Optional Extra Charge	Metallic Midnight Blue with Birch White tank panels Sources: SOB
Spring Special	Nugget Gold Sources: FTD

1958 – Model XL, XLH, XLC, XLCH

Standard	Skyline Blue - tank top Blue, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Calypso Red - tank top Red, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Sabre Gray Metallic - tank top Gray, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Black - tank top Black, sides Birch White Sources: TLB
Optional No Charge	Any standard Solid Color Sources: TLB

1959 – Model XL, XLH, XLCH

Standard	Skyline Blue - tank top Blue, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Calypso Red - tank top Red, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Black - tank top Black, sides Birch White Sources: TLB
Optional No Charge	Any standard Solid Color Sources: TLB
Optional Extra Charge	Hi-Fi Turquoise - Tank top Turquoise, sides Birch White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red - Tank top Hi-Fi Red, sides Birch White Sources: TLB
Spring Special	Hi-Fi Coral and White Sources: FTD

1960 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Skyline Blue and White Sources: TLB Black and White Sources: TLB
Optional No Charge	Any standard Solid Color Sources: TLB
Optional Extra Charge	Hi-Fi Blue and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Green and White Sources: TLB

1961 – Model XLH

Standard	Pepper Red Sources: TLB Black Sources: TLB Note: No tank panels Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Green Sources: TLB Note: No tank panels Sources: TLB

1961 – Model XLCH

Standard	Pepper Red and White Sources: TLB Black and White Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Green and White Sources: TLB

1962 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black and White Sources: TLB Tango Red and White Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Purple and White Sources: TLB

1963 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black and White Sources: TLB Tango Red and White Sources: TLB Horizon Metallic Blue and White Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Turquoise and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Purple and White Sources: TLB

1964 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black and White Sources: TLB Fiesta Red and White Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB

1965 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black and White Sources: TLB Holiday Red and White Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue and White Sources: TLB Hi-Fi Red and White Sources: TLB

1966 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB Indigo Metallic with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB Sparkling Burgundy with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB

1967 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB Crystal Blue with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB
Optional	Hi-Fi Blue with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB Sparkling Burgundy with White Tank Panels Sources: TLB

1968 – Model XLH, XLCH

Standard	Black with Black Wrinkle* tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB *On black bikes, the tank panel was most likely plain black, not wrinkle Sources: Scott Lange Jet Fire Orange with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB
Optional	Sparkling Burgundy with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB Sparkling Blue with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB

1969 – Model XLH

Standard	Black with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB Jet Fire Orange with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB Birch White with Black Wrinkle tank panels Sources: TLB
Optional	Sparkling Burgundy with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB Sparkling Blue with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB Sparkling Gold with Black Wrinkle tank panels and White Strip Sources: TLB

1969 – Model XLCH

Standard	Black with White Strip on tank Sources: TLB Jet Fire Orange with White Strip on tank Sources: TLB Birch White
Optional	Sparkling Burgundy with White Strip on tank Sources: TLB Sparkling Blue with White Strip on tank Sources: TLB Sparkling Gold with White Strip on tank Sources: TLB