Seattle Motorcycle Show (no XR1200)

[jharback]

Originally Posted by Quay

I was just at Wild Horse H-D in Bend, Oregon. A very well stocked line of bikes - but not one XR1200.
Does anyone happen to have 2011 XR1200 sales numbers for the U.S.?

I think it's too early yet to get good sales numbers on the XR1200 for 2011 but, everything I have heard is that they are not very good. Although, I'm not real sure that the XR1200 is really designed to compete in the Sport Bike market. I think Harley just thought that it could find a niche in the market where they could sell some bikes that would pay some respect to the legendary XR750. After all, Harley is about nostalgia.

I think the real problem Harley has with a sport bike is that they seem to refuse to build one from scratch. I just don't think you can take a Sportster frame and engine and make it into a true sport bike that can compete against the foreign sport bikes. It'll get its lunch eaten each and every time. Why they dumped Buell I'll never understand.

My recommendation is that, if you want a true sport bike, look elsewhere.

[DF-SLICK]

Yeah the majority opinion here seems to bear out. However I have enclosed a link from the XR1200 Forum where one rider who put Ohlins on his XR1200 taught a few pretty precise canyon carvers a lesson....in the Pyrenees of Spain yet. To be fair he is a good rider who can really exploit the capabilities of the bikes he rides.

http://www.xr1200ownersgroup.com/sit...d-with-pics%29

Slick.......

[Loner]

Looking at the Big Picture that is HD as a whole and who their current and potential market is, it's all about cruisers, and baggers.

The XR1200 is popular in Europe they sold it there first before bringing it to the USA.

I think the problem is HD does not really know how to market it, if you try to sell it to the sportbike crowd they'll see a heavy and slow motorcycle compared to what an inline 4 600 or 1000cc has to offer
For the money spent on a XR you can get a 600cc and all the riding gear to go with it.

Most of those who would buy an XR are just like those who buy XL's because we like them.

I was looking at getting a Ducati Monster,but I don't want monthly payments right now.

[MadDogXR]

Originally Posted by jharback

My recommendation is that, if you want a true sport bike, look elsewhere.

If you want a touring bike look elsewhere too. If you want a bagger look elsewhere too. If you want a cruiser look elsewhere too.

The XR1200 in all reality is a Standard, designed to look like a streettracker.

If you want a rideable streettracker, get an XR1200. If you want the best Standard made (according to Cycleworld's 10 Best), get an XR1200. If you want a bike that everyone comments on when they see it, get an XR1200.

If you get tired of people bugging you about your bike everytime you stop for gas, don't get an XR1200.

Originally Posted by DF-SLICK

Yeah the majority opinion here seems to bear out. However I have enclosed a link from the XR1200 Forum where one rider who put Ohlins on his XR1200 taught a few pretty precise canyon carvers a lesson....in the Pyrenees of Spain yet. To be fair he is a good rider who can really exploit the capabilities of the bikes he rides.
http://www.xr1200ownersgroup.com/sit...d-with-pics%29
Slick.......

Showing 'average' sport bike riders the fast way through the twisties on an XR1200 is not that big of a deal. In fact it is fairly common with a good rider on an XR1200. The man in your link above is a good rider and probably shows other 'sport bike' riders the fast way around every day.

Don't be fooled by the numbers that say the XR1200 is heavy and underpowered. I'm heavy and underpowered too, but can still show most riders the fast way through a twisty canyon on my XR1200.

[southtexas]

+1 MadDogXR. Good post. I notice you also have a ZG1000. Comparison?

[MadDogXR]

Originally Posted by southtexas

+1 MadDogXR. Good post. I notice you also have a ZG1000. Comparison?

Night and day, black and white, ying and yang. I love them both.

Warm weather - XR1200
Cold weather - ZG1000

solo - ZR
2-up - ZG

Short distance - XR
Long distance - ZG

Having a blast - XR
Utilitarian - ZG

The ZG is faster and handles great, but the XR feels like it is faster and easier to go fast in the twisties. In all reality, the ZG is about 1/2 second quicker in the 1/4 mile. Probably not fast enough to make up for the superior handling of the XR1200 on windy roads.