| Author | Message | ||
     Billybob |
anybody got a xr1200 i am thinking of getting one i now have a buell xb9cityx or may be a lighting long what do you think of the xr1200 | ||
| Trojan |
Brilliant! Try one but don't try to compare it to your Buell as it is heavier and less powerful. Treat it as a completely different bike and have fun on it. | ||
| Oddball |
It's the most sporting sportster. On my list of possibles right along with an xb and 1125. | ||
| Madduck |
I have an XR and ULY. My nephew has a Xb12ss. The XR is pretty much a cross between the two buells. It is suprisingly comfortable as are all buells but the performance envelope is exactly like the ULY with the XB9 primary. Gearing on both puts you at about 4,000 RPM at 70mph. There is no passenger comfort on the sporty rides but the XR handles much like the heavier, taller ULY. My take is that it is the best standard motorcycle you can buy today. SS is much more sporty and the ULY has all day comfort. The XR can be counted on for a good time always. I have two nephews who are considering real motorcycle training sa the XR can embarass the unwary, less skilled nephew and his new R1. That R1 is really something but my license wouldn't last a week if I had one. | ||
| V11goose |
The posts above cover things pretty well but I'd like to add the XR1200 has much slower steering then the only XBs I've ridden (both versions of the Ulysses). I'll leave it to you to decide if that is a good or bad thing but I found it to be one of the clear differences. When I rode the the XR I felt like I had to think about and plan a corner. When I rode the XB12XT on a favorite tight 'n twisty road it dawned on me about 10 corners in I could change my line with only slightly more effort then a thought. The odd thing is both bikes feel dead stable. I have no idea how Buell manages to turn that quickly and not feel "edgy". Goose | ||
| Trojan |
The XR suffers from poor (cheap) suspension units at the back and is set up pretty low at the rear too. A change of suspension units is a must if you want a relatively sporting ride and if you drop the forks through the triple trees and raise the rear it will handle very well indeed  The new XR1200X suspension is much better and is available to buy separately in those markets (USA) that do not have the XR1200X available yet. | ||
| Lori_k |
The XR1200 is a nice bike, good torquey power, and a lot of fun to ride. Definitely a head-turner at the gas stations. The rear suspension...well...sucks. I like my XR, but am ready to trade it in on an XB12R. I rode my husband's Uly and I'm now hooked on the Buell motor, suspension and light weight. | ||
| Court |
>>>>I like my XR, but am ready to trade it in on an XB12R You are not alone. If you want to have some real fun do some digging and see if you can get your dealer to tell you the total number of XR1200 Sportster than have been sold. Fun bike to look at but most folks either go base version Sportster or Buell. This fact has not gone unnoticed at Harley-Davidson, nor has the fact that the XR program is a major contributor to some of the current woes. For bonus points . . . ask your dealer why it took two years to bring the bike to market after we started getting the "any day now" promises . . . Yeah . . must write another book. . this is GOOD stuff. | ||
| Court |
By the way . . . as an old Sportster fan (I bought 3 in one day once to add to my XR1000 and XLCR) I REALLY like the XR. But I seem to be the "typical" buyer . . . I look at it, really like it and then start thinking "well, if I am going to do that . . why not go ahead and make the jump to a Storz or get an XB"? If I were inclined to spend the $11,000 I'd either go ahead and get the Storz of have Matt build the XR. A Sportster makes sense at $7,000 and at $15,000. You have to either doing it "light" or do it "right". The XR1200, as it sits in a showroom, and as all the comments above indicate, is little more than a collection of compromises painted black and orange. It was designed by a dysfunctional committee (several of whom have been "released to pursue other interests") and it looks like it. | ||
| 4cammer |
Lusted after the XR1200 the day the news broke that it would be sold in Europe. Anticipated the arrival here, and rode one at a demo day at my local HD/Buell shop. I have been to The Mile maybe 20 times, and hoped that HD would allow some of the XR750 DNA to bleed into production. Not a chance. Too heavy, the gauges make no sense and look out of place, the brackets look like they came off of an old bridge, the exhaust already was furry, two up riding should be an option, and on and on...the power was okay, the handling was good, and the acceleration (could not really go nuts as I was demoing with a bunch of baggers and noobs...never again) was fun though I missed the wind-up of my XB9R. When it was time to leave, and I got back onto my XB9R, "Little Red", I actually said sorry to her as I was positive she was going and an XR1200 would be coming home. Again, not a chance. When I got home I told the Mrs "HD really has no clue". Boy, was I right. A little too right it seems. | ||
| Theironmaiden22 |
I've test rode a an XR1200 with some Vance and Hines...Loud. Shakes about as bad as my xb12scg, and the sitting position? Dont even get me started, pegs could use some lowering and the bars could be extended out a bit more. In all honestly if it wasnt for the shaking and loud exhaust, I could've swore I was on a Ducati super motard with a different seat. Besides, I heard XR1200s were showing up at dealers with some horrible rust on them. | ||
| Newxb12ss |
The Triumph Speed Triple is far, far more bike than the XR1200. The three-cylinder growl has a nice note as well. | ||
| Danger_dave |
I just handed back a XR1200X test bike. I disagree with most. It vibrated less than my XB12X, had piggy back showa shocks, sounded great and was to me, a very desirable standard motorcycle that I enjoyed riding a lot. It's also about 15-20% cheaper than a Speed Triple (also a great bike) here. | ||
| Guell |
Well here in the states, a speed triple lists for 11,299 A xr1200 "starts" at 10,799. Thats the base xr1200, not the x | ||
| Vittorioh2 |
I should like you to visit the italian Xr 1200 Trophy at: www.thelegendontour.com Also you can find some videos at www.youtube.com looking for xr 1200 trophy... I run like challenger and I can say: reallY funny to drive but really different like a Buell (I also have an Xb and a X1). Good bike but need kit trophy for more power. | ||
| Gater |
I'm not happy that HD dumped Buell. I hate to say it but if I were to buy a HD it would be the XR1200. | ||
| Trojan |
There are XR1200's.....and then there are XR1200's.............................. Our XR1200 has shed its skin over the winter hibernation and is currently growing some nice new plumage in our shop Hopefully by the time the snow is gone it will be fully fitted and painted in some nice retro Cal Rayborn XR750TT colours..............     Having already shaved more than 40kg (88lbs approx) off the stock weight it is getting more 'Sporty' by the month.... | ||
| Patches |
Looks good too me. http://thekneeslider.com/   | ||
| Gater |
Now that is BAD A$$ and chain drive. SWEET! | ||
| Trojan |
Here is our latest XR1200 'Cal Rayborn' cafe racer now that the paintwork has been completed I've always like the old H-D corporate paintwork ever since seeing Cal Rayborn at Brands Hatch in 1973, and this bike seemed the ideal bike to use it on Just a few minor jobs to do but it is almost there The fairing houses a projector headlamp in the bottom with a cool air vent above it that is ducted to a new airfilter replacing the standard airbox.       | ||
| Gater |
I want one! | ||
| Gaesati |
How did you lose 40kgs? Did it cost bulk dollars to do so.? Does it substantially affect the performance? Beautiful customising job. | ||
| Trojan |
How did you lose 40kgs? Did it cost bulk dollars to do so.? Biggest loser was with the exhaust system (as usual). The system we use weighs just 4.5kg for the entire system, which is less than half the weight of the stock mufflers alone! Triple trees and rearsets also save weight and we have also stripped out a lot of unnecesary stock parts wherever possible. Almost every stock part is needlessly heavy and has been replaced where possible. We could go further and dump the heavy stock wheels for Braking or Dymag items, but I think we have spent enough now! Did it cost bulk dollars to do? Yes unfortunately it did  But then it always does it seems. I would consider selling it but the price would have to be around £13000 (US$19500) which shows how much has gone into it. Performance is great (for a Harley) and power is now 91bhp at the rear wheel. Handling is far better than any H-D I have ever ridden, and is totally planted if a little slow in turning compared to the XB. Brakes are superb. No fade, no overheating, just good old Honda RC51 design calipers on Braking discs. | ||
| Buell2001b |
lol, billybob are you from WV!. you really even thought of getting one of those piles of junk. I guess HD maybe is right. if you sell crap to people that expect little then they will buy it. but since you say you own a buell, why would you but something of less quality, engineering and design!! I bet you voted for obama banana too | ||
| Tik |
Killing the Buell brand was, I believe, more of a personal dispute than a rational one. Because Erik spent tons of us$ on 1125 line and races, H-D sent to garbage the XB's. Harley is these days more about t-shirts, leather jackets and tattoos than for pleasure of riding and XR1200 is no exception for this. | ||
| Windrider |
The XR1200 looks good from a distance but when you get closer you see that it is just a fat, bad copy of the XR that HD should have built for the last 20 years. Real suspension would have been a nice start.... Good for "Leisure Riding" I suppose to borrow a line from the HD website. | ||
| Trojan |
Real suspension would have been a nice start.... The XR1200X gets 'real suspension' at a cost, and has probably got much better forks than any of the Buell models were ever graced with. Unfortunately the extra cost for the X model is hard to justify over the basic XR1200 model and aftermarket suspension is widely available at less cost to bring the basic bike up to decent spec. I find that most people who criticise the XR1200 are the same who slag off KTM & Triumph, yet have never ridden any of them. Don't be too quick to make a decision until you try one. It ain't no XB in terms of handling but it certainly isn't a bad bike | ||
| Court |
>>>I find that most people who criticise the XR1200 are the same who slag off KTM & Triumph, yet have never ridden any of them I've owned 7 Sportsters and a couple KTMs and think the XR1200 is a joke. That being said . . I think the one you guys did is a stellar job of turning one into a really neat bike. I confess that much of my opinion is simply based on how screwed up (you recall it was delayed 2 years as engineers attempted to make a couple simple things work) the entire engineering project was as HD folks pushed aside Buell help and decided to "show them how to do it". The XR1200 was one of the most expensive engineering projects ever undertaken and it vying for one of the greatest "looser" Harley-Davidson has ever sent out the door. The last time I heard less than 500 units had been sold at retail. My guess. . . as a guy who REALLY likes Sportsters and would quickly but another . . is that folks look at the bike, admire it and then, like I have, go through a process of "as long as I'm going to put that much in it I might as well make it like I want". Case in point . . you likely, given the tasteful and well thought out mods you did, would have ended up in the same place had you started with an base 883 Sportster. | ||
| Trojan |
The last time I heard less than 500 units had been sold at retail. I have more than 500 Xr1200 customers on my own database so I'm pretty sure they have sold a few more than that We now sell as many parts to Xr1200 owners as we do to Buell owners worldwide. The trouble is that people are comparing it to a Buell, which (apart from the motor) it isn't. As a 'sporty' Sportster it works really well in its own right, and that is how it should be viewed. It is really a problem of image rather than being a bad bike. If you ride an Xr1200 and a Ducati Monster 1100 back to back you'd be surprised by how similar they are to ride. I also think that it should never have been called an XR as it raises images in peoples mind that it could never fulfil. Some people are immediately turned off because it isn't a 'real' XR when in fact it has no relation to the 'proper' XR at all. It would have been better for H-D to call it a XLR or even XLCR (although I'm sure people would have moaned about that as well). I don't think it was engineering problems that delayed the launch of the bike (although you may know more insider info than me of course). I get the impression that the bike that we eventually got was not the same bike that Scott Parker and jeremy McWilliams apparently helped develop. I tend to think that the extra time was spent by accountants stripping decent suspension and other parts off the bike to reduce price and increase profits for the MoCo. The bike developed by racers would be closer to the XR1200X and not the base model. Lastly, the XR1200 is primarily designed to attract non harley riders into the brand, and it does that far better than many of the other slightly odd creations that the MoCo keep coming out with such as the 48 or Nightster models (which non Harley riders tend to view with some hilarity) and which they keep saying are to attract younger riders. if H-D want younger riders then an XR883 (with budget suspension and lower price) would do that far better than the other custom models. | ||
| Patches |
I agree 100% small displacement so the Insurance Co. don’t go crazy. A little more power than a stock 883 you can always add more size and power later with after market as long as they don’t go overboard on Price. More of a flat track look (storz type) with better brakes and suspension would be way better than the Dark Customs there marketing now. They could just bring back the XR750 with the same spec’s as before. |
