Period Incorrect: A Harley Sportster XLCH beach racer

One of the greatest spectacles in motorcycling is The Race Of Gentlemen, held every summer on the Jersey shore. It’s a recreation of the beach sprints of the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the cars and bikes are modified to match—chopped, bobbed and hopped up, designed to look just like racers from the first half of the twentieth century. As you can imagine, it’s an expensive pastime: entrants have to be pre-approved by the TROG organizers, who are looking for ‘period correct.’ But there’s more than one way to get that delightful vintage beach racer vibe, as British bike...