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Harley-Davidson Finally Equals Performance

Monday, February 23, 2009

For sport-oriented motorcyclists, there’s always been something to be desired in terms of performance in regards to the Harley-Davidson brand. While the technology it employs hasn’t exactly been known as cutting-edge, elements such as the engine’s inimitable shake, rattle and roll, not to mention the sound of its two huge pistons going thud-thud-thud are all guarantees of a passionate ride.

With Harley-Davidson's limited-edition XR1200 you get a high level of performance without sacrificing classic Harley character.

But good ol’ H-D has finally raised the ante on what we as motorcyclists have come to expect from them. Although the new XR1200 looks, feels, and sounds every bit Harley; when mashing the front brake through a tight corner it performs much like, dare I say, a sporty European or Japanese bike. As you begin to stand the bike up, wrap on the throttle and you can feel the Dunlop tire squirm as you scoot forward, hands gripped firmly as you prepare for the next bend, ready to do it all over again.

This, in a few words, is the essence of the limited-edition Harley-Davidson XR1200. It’s sporty enough to get the blood pumping for a self-confessed adrenaline junky like myself, yet in a straight-line it provides all the qualities that Harley-Davidson’s known for. With the XR1200, Harley finally has a machine in its stable that has some real performance.

Post Tags: harley-davidson, xr1200, harley-davidson xr1200

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Comments

Jimbolaya - sorry, more... February 26, 2009 03:59 PM
I visited the Ogden UT H-D dealer while my Mazda was being serviced. Also had the good luck to sit in the all-brand-new '09 Mazda 3 & hear some of the sales seminar info. Estimated base MSRP for the 3 is about $15k. Without knowing the specifics I feel very safe in estimating that the new 3 is the best family compact car currently offered. Now...I walk over to the H-D dealer a few hundred yards across the street. I am staring at some H-D contraption that looks OK....& has a sticker of $17k! What the F is that? $2k more than a state of the art family sedan? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea of the technology, R&D & thousands of hours of work going into the 3 compared to that H-D? Absoloutely, completely ridiculous. I don't care if the traffic will bear it or how much the competition is charging. How on earth do H-D justify such an insanely high price vs. the car? The H-D weighs about 675 lbs, the car about 2900 lbs. Think of the difference in raw materials alone.

Racer1 - Brand loyalty February 26, 2009 08:46 AM
No brand seems to inspire such strong emotions - on both sides - as Harley Davidson. It's supposedly the most tattooed logo in the world - that kind of says it all. I have never had any brand loyalty - unless someone gives me a factory ride anyway! Motorcycles are simply products made by corporations that exist purely to make money. By that token we should choose the best product irrespective of brand, and in that kind of market this bike would not survive - pure and simple. It's whole existence is based on nostalgia and on being not quite as bad as might be expected! There are scores of bikes that do everything better than this - MUCH better. However, for many people motorcycles are not about the riding experience, they are about fitting in, a lifestyle and supporting this particular brand (many Harley owners would not ride a bike at all if they couldn't have a Harley - clearly not motorcyclists, who will ride ANYTHING on two wheels and have a blast!) for the people that like that kind of thing, this is the kind of thing they'd like.

Jimbolaya - Apology for triple post..... February 25, 2009 06:23 PM
This thing weighs more than a glass-smooth-motored Honda CBX S-I-X cylinder from exactly T-H-I-R-T-Y years ago (1979). Yech (to the XR, not the CBX).

Jimbolaya - BMW Lo-Rider February 25, 2009 12:43 PM
When/if (we can only pray) BMW decides to make the Lo-Rider shown at last EICMA in Italy...I would dare any XR1200R owner to ride the Lo-Rider & keep their piggish farm-implement-powered XR1200R for another year. Every moment riding the XR the pilot will muse: "If only this had the Beemer's performance". The shaft-drive Lo-Rider should come in about 100 lbs lower in weight, it (especially the motor) will last almost forever & its balanced overall performance (handling, braking, visceral riding experience) will just bury the HD in every conceivable metric. The Lo-Rider may force me out of early retirement to purchase one.

Jimbolaya - Not sporty February 25, 2009 12:32 PM
An almost 600 lb curb weight sporty bike? No thanks. Years ago I perceived my almost-identical-weight '00 BMW R1150GS as being sporty; in the right venues it goes pretty darn well (I'd estimate the Beemer would easily run from the XR1200R w/ equally-skilled pilots). Now when I think "sporty" street bike, I'm thinking something closer to the weight of the current Triumph Street Triple 675R, Ducati Hypermotard or Monster 1100, etc. (Am almost certain I'd most prefer the 675R because of its lower reciprocating mass.) All the above are well under 400 lbs dry weight. XR1200R: "Sport" syle & image, maybe, depending on the observer. The less the observer knows about bikes, the more likely they'd perceive it sporty. Sporty by modern purely objective measure, absolutely not. Lastly, any motor vibrating like this will tend to premature self-destruction. Measure the vibration looking at the MOTOR itself, not the rest of the bike.

Yep Truth does matter... - So we agree then February 24, 2009 08:28 PM
"Lose 30lbs, add 20hp" That's exactly what I said! "Too heavy, underpowered" Join the naysayers....

Vale - The naysayers here obviously have not ridden the bike February 24, 2009 05:11 PM
The naysayers here obviously have not ridden the bike. I demoed it at the bike show and was really impressed with it's quick neutral handling, great FI, smooth belt drive, nice suspension and great brakes. But hey, it's fun to bag on a Harley so I guess actual seat time matters little to those people. How would I improve it? Lose 30lbs, add 20hp.

Yep Truth does matter... - Hmmm February 24, 2009 11:21 AM
On the right road a Ninja 250 feels like a bullet. TheTruthMatters is right - this is a warmed over, cosmetic exercise. Too heavy, underpowered, marginally saved by a decent torque curve. On your own in a set of tight twisties, I'm sure it's quite fun (as would the Ninja 250). Go out in the company of some 600cc race reps, a Speed Triple or anything sporty and current and all of a sudden you're back on the slow shaky underbraked Harley. A stylish one with some cues to a Golden Era, but a fat old Harley all the same. As to Harley "finally" having some real performance... The water cooled V Twins have had a boat load more performance for years "in the stable" - this is one more pretty old nag that should be on a diet in the end stall.

Doug, from Northern CA - XR1200R February 24, 2009 08:31 AM
I see Sportsters, with Clip-Ons and Rear-Sets (on the Web) and wonder why Harley never built a Cafe bike. I think this is a great idea (and I rent HD 2-4 times a year), but if I want a Cafe bike, I'll buy either a Monster, a Brutale or a Thruxton. Harley will sell these, but it's not why I walk into an HD dealer.

David - Great Bike February 24, 2009 08:13 AM
30 years behind, come on. Harley is 105 years old and a great bike. Sure it isn't as light as some tin bikes but who wants to ride one of them anyway let along die on one. I'll take the Harley anytime. Oh and when is the last time you seen a 40 year old Guzzi on the road.

TheTruthMatters - XR1200R February 24, 2009 06:36 AM
What a joke, it is far too heavy and is only competitive against other Harleys. I guess if you live in a world that is 30 years behind the times, you could consider that a performance bike. For example, the new MotoGuzzi Griso 8V, another 1200cc air cooled VTwin, leaves it for dead! Why Harley could not slim it down, add 4 valve heads and at least tune it to make some real power is beyond me. Profits before performance maybe?

Beavis - XR1200 February 23, 2009 01:21 PM
Adam is right. I too had a chance to demo this bike and was very impressed. I the riding position wasn't for me though and I can't wait for someone to make a cafe racer or XRTT conversion kit for this bike.

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