Sporty Sportster
When the Harley-Davidson XR1200 arrived on American shores last year, the motorcycle was meet with much enthusiasm, mostly because of its non-Harley like features, such as sportbike-like suspension and looks.
Plus, this uncharacteristic Harley was based on the iconic XR750, which won more flat track championships than any other machine.
With these characteristics combined, Harley began speaking to a new crowd, so what to do now? Make it better…and that’s just what they did with the XR1200X set to be released stateside in 2011.
The biggest refinements to the new XR1200X over last year’s XR1200 are fully-adjustable Showa suspension, Nissin full-floating front brakes and, playing on its darker series such as the Iron 883 and the Nightster, a more basic appearance, especially regarding color choices.
H-D says the new Showa front and rear suspension “can be dialed in to match rider height, riding style and road conditions.” This is possible due to rebound, compression damping and spring preload being adjustable on the Showa Big Piston Front Fork and Showa rear shocks.
The power plant is the same reliable Evo 1200cc V-Twin found on other Sportster models, featuring downdraft Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), 10:1 compression ratio and high-performance camshafts to help produce 74 ft-lbs of torque at 4000 rpm. Stopping the speeds from this torque-gurgling motor are Nissin dual front brakes, featuring 292mm full-floating rotors and four-piston calipers.
And for looks, as mentioned before, Harley is going for that subtle style, offering the XR1200X in one of two colors: Black Denim or White Hot Denim. They’ve also blacked out the powertrain and exhaust, added new tank graphics and an orange rim pinstripe to the three-spoke black wheels. When it arrives next year, the XR1200X is expected to have an MSRP $10,799.
2011 XR1200X Features
• Showa Big Piston Front fork (BPF) eliminates many of the internal components used in a cartridge-type fork, resulting in lighter overall fork weight. The large-diameter of the BPF internal piston allows a reduction in damping pressure for outstanding feedback and smooth action. Rebound and compression damping may be fine tuned with adjuster screws located on top of the fork bolts. The spring pre-load is adjusted with a M5 hex screw on the axle holders.
• Showa rear shocks feature 36mm pistons with piggy-back nitrogen charged reservoirs. The compression damping may be adjusted with a knob on top of the reservoir. Rebound is adjusted with a thumb wheel on the lower clevis. Rear spring pre-load is also adjustable.
• Nissin dual front brakes feature 292mm full-floating rotors and four-piston calipers.
• Isolation-mounted XL Evolution 1200 cc V-Twin engine with black powdercoat finish features downdraft Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), high-performance camshafts, precision oil-cooled cylinder heads and a large-capacity oil cooler. Compression ratio is 10:1. The engine is rated at 74 ft. lbs. peak torque @ 4000 rpm (per SAE J1349).
• Upswept, high-volume 2-1-2 straight-shot exhaust system with satin black finish offers extra cornering clearance.
• Chassis features a high-performance designed tubular mild steel frame. The rigid, cast-aluminum swingarm is engineered to enhance handling.
• Dunlop® Qualifier D209 tires were designed specifically for the XR1200X.
• Three-spoke lightweight cast-aluminum wheels, 18-inch front / 17-inch rear, are finished in gloss black with an orange pinstripe on the rim.
• Wide, black dirt-track handlebar for enhanced steering leverage and comfort.
• Rearset foot pegs for additional cornering clearance.
• Compact instrument display with white-faced analog tachometer, digital speedometer, dual trip meter and clock.
• 3.5-gallon fuel tank with aircraft-style aluminum alloy fuel filler.
• 29.2-inch seat height with standard passenger pillion and foot pegs.
• Optional Harley-Davidson Smart Security System.
