Click above for more shots of the Harley-Davidson XR1200
Last year, the collective hearts of dirt track Harley lovers all across the United States dropped when The Motor Company announced that its XR1200 model was destined only for markets outside the states. It's not that a dirt track Harley couldn't be done, it's that the conversion was priced way out of the market for many riders. One company which offered just such a conversion is Storz Performance. According to Motorcycle.com, Harley-Davidson has just purchased the rights from Storz to the XR1200 name in America, which offers more than a glimmer of hope to the HD faithful.
Of course, no announcement has been made by Harley regarding a new Sportster model, but why else would the company go to the trouble of securing the name? As for us, we're pretty hip to the idea of bringing the sportiest Sporty to the market where the Harley XR originally made its name in racing.
[Source: Motorcycle.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eek @ Jun 21st 2008 12:19PM
Didn't the States get the Nightster while they got the XR1200 across the pond? I still prefer the Nightster but it's always cool to be given a new option.
pwr @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:03PM
Apples and oranges, eek. These bikes don't share anything other than the H-D nameplate. The Nightster is a pathetic styling hackjob designed to appeal to beginning riders or non-riders, Harley's chief markets. The XR1200 is a rider's motorcycle--quick, agile, and capable. Other than Buells, nothing Harley has ever produced outside their purpose-built road racers (RIP) has handled so well.
ZeitgeistXIII @ Jun 21st 2008 12:32PM
HD has a way of buying things just to keep them for themselves and cut down on trade infringement. That bike is quick for a Harley but it still will get smoked by just about anything else in a street bike class of half the displacement. Before the flames start and people go on about how they had one that so fast and...... this all from a stock standpoint. If you lean on the HD and a comparitive other brand spending the same amounts of cash you would still have the same thing happen. You do not buy HDs to go fast. I worked for an HD shop for many years and I like them for what they are not what they are not. Yes this is a cool retro bike it will sell well to the retro loud and proud crowd. Then they will spend there time with some straight pipes and roll around neighborhoods and city streets setting off car alarms. I for one would lover to see them use these and create a Spec class for racing like was done with the 883s a few years ago it was good racing and produced some good riders.
racer-1 @ Jun 21st 2008 12:58PM
You have some great points but as with any objective numbers be it bikes or cars - a few extra tenths mean nothing on the street in real world driving / riding. I own a 05 Springer Classic now - Ducs / rockets in the past. Looking for a good used last gen. ZX-7 to go in the collection - It wasn't the fastest but the one I like so who cares?
Avinash machado @ Jun 21st 2008 12:36PM
Harley seems to be the only American automotive brand that is making a profit.
Lynn Reid @ Jun 21st 2008 3:02PM
Just another ploy to sell air cooled engines and rob the bank. If all this is true why are they laying off people at York. Because Harley sales are way off.
Carzzi @ Jun 21st 2008 12:59PM
The latest Cycle World magazine has a review of the latest XR1200, which is according to HD, for the Euro market only. CW laments that such a fine handler would not be sold in the USA.
Alex @ Jun 21st 2008 1:14PM
can we please add some water cooling! I want to like HDs i really do...
ZeitgeistXIII @ Jun 21st 2008 1:27PM
The new Buells are water cooled and quite fast although the one I rode the brakes were a little vague/spongy. That was a trackday and not really a street test as it was after lunch so it couldof just been air in the lines from heat.
Zanardi1782 @ Jun 23rd 2008 9:27AM
@ Alex:
Harley's VRSC line has water-cooled engines. They are on the pricey end of things, but they do hold their value pretty well.
joystick @ Jun 21st 2008 1:27PM
if they put in the new v-rod engine into this instead of the pre-historic crap they have been running on for millenia, this could actually be interesting. i dont understand why they atleast dont let buell have the new engine...
pwr @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:03PM
Too heavy, too big of an engine.
Jesse @ Jun 21st 2008 11:13PM
Give me a bike styled like that and a Buell engine and it's a concept that's just full of win in my book.