Seventy-Two: 1970s Chopper Style Meets Modern Sportster Power
The 2014 Harley-Davidson XL1200V Sportster Seventy-Two was Harley’s full-throated nod to the long-fork, peanut-tank choppers of the early 1970s. Tall mini-ape handlebars, whitewall tires on laced wheels, a compact 2.1-gallon peanut tank, and a side-mounted license plate gave it an unmistakable old-school silhouette that stood out even among other factory customs.
Power comes from the air-cooled Evolution 1200: 1,202cc of 45-degree V-twin, 88.9 mm bore by 96.8 mm stroke, and a 10.0:1 compression ratio. Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection feeds it, and the engine delivers a claimed 70.8 ft-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm through a five-speed gearbox and belt final drive. At 540 pounds as shipped and 26.6 inches of laden seat height, the Seventy-Two kept the approachable Sportster proportions while leaning hard into its retro attitude.
Chrome staggered shorty dual exhaust, contrast-cut finishes, and those classic whitewall tires completed the period-correct look without sacrificing the reliability of modern fuel injection and braking updates. The result was a bike that felt equally at home rolling through a Saturday night cruise or parked as the centerpiece of a custom bike night.
Retro, bold, and pure Sportster underneath the chrome, the Seventy-Two rewards owners who keep it sharp. This factory service manual supplies the exact procedures, torque specifications, wiring diagrams, and diagnostic steps needed to maintain a 2014 XL1200V the way it was meant to be ridden.
