Living with a Harley XR1200

cliffa

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I believe a few folks on here have XR1200's. I've always like them and have seen an orange one at a decent price.

Any gothcha's to look out for ?

What are they like to own / ride / service ?


Cheers,

cliffa.
 
The biggest problem with these is that the tank is plastic and resides underneath a plastic skin. The ethanol gasoline can cause it to swell and then the plastic cover won't go on. This does not happen to all of them. Mine is an early '09, one of the first to be sold in the US, and the tank does not swell.
I love it and find it to be a lot like the Norton, except that it will easily go 135 mph. A lot of them have been modded up poorly. The bike is too heavy for me to move around anymore so I'll be selling it on. The orange ones are the fastest. :)
Good luck if you decide to take the plunge.
 
I bought one about a month ago and I love it.

Reliable, sounds REAL good with V&H exhaust, looks good, stops good, goes good. A bit on the heavy side. Not the fastest but fast enough, feels great with the throttle open, like a Commando.
Engine can get hot in traffic. Parts are scarce. You will need to replace the seat, Corbin makes an excellent replacement.

Service is easy, if you can service your Norton you can manage an XR. Both bikes provide a similar thrill.
 
I rode a friend's XR12. Good suspension and brakes, nice, neutral handling, but seemed to run out of breath. I may be spoiled by bikes with high horsepower. Numbers on my last 3 main riders; 132, 170, 155. I believe the XR has Buell-spec heads and cams, so there may be some unlocked potential therein.
 
Is the frame double loop all the way around the motor and gearbox , with wide pivot mounting points and decent bracing at the steering head ?
 
I rode a friend's XR12. Good suspension and brakes, nice, neutral handling, but seemed to run out of breath. I may be spoiled by bikes with high horsepower. Numbers on my last 3 main riders; 132, 170, 155. I believe the XR has Buell-spec heads and cams, so there may be some unlocked potential therein.
With under-powered bikes, a close box is more important.
 
Newer Sportster-based Harleys have a very rigid frame due to the engine no longer being used as a stressed member as with older ones. Not sure what the cutoff year was, whenever they added rubber mounts to quell the vibes. They are a bit heavier than older models.
 
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