Harley-Davidson XR1200
 

So I swung by my nearets HD/Buell dealer yesterday to score some free loot. What do they have on the sales floor...but an orange XR1200. Now, I love this bike. But seeing it in person...what a gorgeous machine. I want one NOW. Just wish I had the cash.

Couldn't buy the bike, so I got my free Buell tire pressure gauge and bought a Buell hat.

Stock photo of bike:
http://astonishingbikes.com/wp-conte...00-450x317.jpg

Fugly

ehh, I see much room for improvement. but I'm not a harley fan anyhow, so lets start with the motor. ahh yes, an RC51 shall suffice nicely.

Haters.

IMHO this is the best looking bike they make

dittos

If I had the jack I woulda layed it down on that bike on the spot.

Saw one at my Buell dealer about a month ago. Pretty cool, and reasonably comfy too.

Meh..
Looks like a Harley interpretation of the Honda Nighthawk 750.
If it works for ya, go for it. :idk:

The bike is uber fuckin howt!!! I sat on one of those and the 1125 the other day. BOTH FUCKIN BOMB

but what the fuck do I know... I ride cruisers...

Probably more than a lot of these jabrones.

I gave it another look on Harley's webpage.
I guess I can see the charm of it... like the old racers.
Can't say I'd take it over a new VMax, but then again there's the matter of the nearly 7k price difference.

Yeah...I thought this thing was reasonably priced for something that says Harley Davidson on the tank.

Agreed.
Perhaps the average Harley buyer isn't going to suffer with the current economic situation, but adding a lower cost line can't hurt.

Motorcycle Consumer News tested the XR1200 in their March, 2009 issue. Here's some of their good comments: "...vastly more sporty in concept than any previous Sportster..., 22 HP more than the XL1200 Nightster tested in 2007, ...our best stop was an impressive 109.5', a 40% stiffer and 3.3 pound lighter swingarm, pulls strongly from 1,500 rpm and power continues strongly to redline (7,000) without tapering off, and we were very impressed with the bike's handling and suspension compliance."

And the bad: "finding neutral at a stop can take forever, 580 pounds fully fueled, we weren't fond of the optional anti-theft system, the footpegs place the rider's feet considerably rearward, and cornering clearance could be improved."

And they summed it up: "It stops shorter than any Buell we tested", and "it sticks like glue on fast sweepers so you can close on unsuspecting sportbikes", and "The XR1200 is a fun bike to ride on twisty roads, and in the hands of a fast rider will give a good account of itself in the company of other sportbikes."

Sounds like a Harley that I would actually like to own.

I snapped a pic of this bad boy while at the dealer this week.

OK I ride a cruiser (V92C) I personally believe that the Sportster is the best looking best looking of all of HD's air cooled machines. the XR looks rather like a sport bike for an old guy.. Oh wait I a, an old guy

The April 09 issue of Playboy compares the XR1200 to the Aprilia Tuono. I wrote the editor an email saying that they should stay away from the motorcycle commentary business and concentrate on porns.

Probably a good move.

I sat on one in Daytona and I'm totally sold. Not sure if I'll ever own one, but it sure is a cool bike.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y27...X/IMG_0954.jpg

I prefer the orange.

Pure SEX!!!

Me too. They had the black b/c they already sold the orange.

I'm still on the fence about it. I did see one last fall (yes before they were sold here but I work in Milw) come up behind me and then pass. Looks very nice on the road and seemed to handle the curves we were on very nicely. BTW at that time I was riding the CBR600.
Harley must pay their fines if they get 'em (probably not) because I wasn't going slow and he was out of sight in no time.
Seen one the other day in the dealer and it didn't call out to me to be sat on. Maybe next time I'm there I'll grab a seat just to check it out.

They do some minor mods to them and race them in a cup series in Europe, they run alongside a Superduke cup, BOTH of which must absolutely kick ass and makes "Daytona Superbike" look like a fucking joke. If I was going to get a hog it'd be that one, and I'd need to have enough money to buy the race kit so I could do trackdays on it. It's one of Harleys better bikes, I am also surprisingly impressed by the V-Rod, I rode one for the first time last week.

http://www.bbqseries.com/fondos/full...1024x768_6.jpg

http://www.bbqseries.com/fondos/full...1024x768_5.jpg

Looks like a bike from 1965... :panic:

I want to hear that bitch with Termi's.

marko you should trade your bike for the XR. i bet you'd forget ever owning your buell after riding that thing.

I'm not gonna go that far. I'd get it as a 2nd bike....but I wouldn't trade the Buell.

I love this bike. My brother is seriously considering one. I saw one in a a magazine with high mounted termi's on it. Looked great.

2nd to the VROD/Night Rod in my opinion

I rode one yesterday. Albeit around a parking lot...but man, what a bike. I want one.

And shit, I would trade the Buell...but I do LOVE my Buell. My how my tune has changed in a few months.

Still looks and feels cheap to me. If it had a lot less plastic- like a steal fuel tank- and dropped 100lbs I maybe could get into it. It's HDs sad try to make a real sportbike.

I'm not likely to ever own one, but I would ride it. It is the only Harley that I would really consider owning.

Not really man. It's not even close to an attempt at a sportbike. I'm sure they are very sorry that every bike pales in comparison to your Ninja.

True! These hail back to when I owned a Harley. My friend had the cafe' bike Harley, an XLCR something I think, when I had my Sportster. That was a cool bike! Too bad they had so many problems with it. I may have gotten that instead of my V-Max.

The salesman I was working with on Saturday just called me. His boss gave him the OK to let me take it out on the road. :rockwoot:

I like this bike... I wonder if the dealership would let me ride one for shits.

Can't hurt to ask. I don't see why they wouldn't.

I bet they would. After all, you did just buy two bikes from them.

saw one in person a few months ago, swingarm on a harley tripped me out. :Lol: still a cool bike though, if i had a bunch of extra cash, and i was stuck in iraq next to the hd dealer hut id prob go talk to them :lol:

Yeah but you see how that is working out for them now...

Well, true.

My bud Buzz Kanter just rode one of these for 150 miles from Millwalkie to Iowa and back (300 total). Said it was great, besides the seat.

He buy one or rode it some other way?

He's got connections... just borrowed one from Willie G and rode it the J&P open house. I shit you not.

No shit. Wow.

Helps when he's owner/chief editor of American Iron and Roadbike....

Damn, I guess so.

Will he be my friend too? I'll help him ride those bikes if he needs help.

No shit. I need to get in better with him. Right now we are just "e-friends" and I'm working on doing some writing for him.

Hell yeah. Get to it.

Looks good, but I don't get the fuel tank......Yeah it looks classic and everything, but how do you grip that bike with your thighs? Yeah I know you don't always have to, but it'd be nice to have a fuel tank that is actually shaped to accomodate getting squeezed by your thighs, like the tanks on most sportbikes.

gripping the tank with your knee is not needed.
http://www.motorrevu.hu/img/galery/H...n_XR_750_1.jpg

I didn't mean racing or body position or anything like that.......I'm just talking basic street riding. It helps you absorb the bumps and take the weight off your back........As well as brace yourself during accel/decel :shrug:

it kinda makes sense that it wouldnt have them being as how its more of a flat tracker rep

I rode with a guy who has one of these yesterday.

I consider myself a decent rider...not super fast, but not slow. I'm in the intermediate on the track, and don't want to consider EVER being in advanced....because those guys are fuggin NUTS!!!

Anyway....the guy yesterday was doing VERY well on this. I had to slow only a LITTLE when behind him in the tight stuff....and when he was behind me he was always in my mirrors.

I was VERY impressed with the bike....VERY.


However, the pipes were scraped all to hell because of the crappy clearance.

Other than that.....WOW

time for a termi swap