I was at the harley dealer a few days ago with my brother and dad, and we were looking around and a salesman came up and started talking to us. He started talking about the xr1200. He kept saying how fast it was, how much power it had, how people are taking it to the track and winning, went on and on. So my dad told him we have a buell 1125. And he said it would beat the 1125. I just started laughing at him. Once i stopped laughing I said that xr doesn't even have 100hp, my buell has 140hp, not to even mention that the xr1200 weighs 100 pounds more. Its no wonder buell went under with salesman like that.
I reckon if all you have to sell is what you have to sell, you gotta try...besides he is used to dealing with people that are dazzled by chrome and deafened by straight pipes.
I never once suggested that. IF someone were to set a xr 1200 up for flat track it would fall into the unlimited class where the xr 750 would fall into the 750 class unless the owner chose to run it in the unlimited class
A little over a year ago I went to the local H-D to see about getting a CR only to discover they had just barely stopped carrying Buell. The sales guy showed me the then new XR1200. I kindly told him I had already made up my mind on the buell. He then told me it was probably a good move to ride the CR for a while then step up to the XR1200 as it might overwhelm me because "it was built for speed." A 146 horsepower bike as training for a 90 horsepower bike.LOL
A salesman's job is to sell, so they will polish the turd as much as possible. Today I was at my local dealer just killing time, and asked about the new 883 ultra low. That was my mistake, the salesman was trying to get me to buy it, I kept comparing it to my blast and started positive like "Wow this is really low like my Blast", then he said "It is really light", I said, "Sure as hell feels twice as heavy as my Blast, and just as ugly too!"
Back in 08 I went to Ft. Lauderdale HD to buy a XB12. When I asked the sales guy about the price he said "I think its around 9 or 10 k) I then asked him some more specific questions about the engine, features and horsepower. He told me to go to the counter and get an info pamphlet or look it up online. Of course I left, and bought a Triumph Speed Triple instead.
A couple of days later, I received a call from that stores follow up customer service rep. I told them the whole story, and shortly later the manager called to opologize.
I was in a Harley dealership....actually a very good Harley/Buell dealership. A customer was picking up his customized Harley. He had apparently dropped a couple grand in engine upgrades. They were telling him that he was really going to have to hang on with that additional 15 horsepower, that he would have to really try to keep that front wheel on the ground. I had my 1125R in for the first servicing. I just turned around and went the other way because, while I wanted to laugh, I kind of felt sorry for him. I figured that he was happy and it wasn't my job to burst his bubble.
I'm lucky in that the local H-D guys are straight-shooters and have never tried to BS me. My dyno runs for a slightly modded 1125 at their shop top the 100 hp club "glory board". I didn't ask to be on the board - no need to rub it in ... They know.
...forgive for they know not what they are doing! My local HD shop is Ok they are making an effort to stay tuned...they know Feb 2011 is coming quickly!
"You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the old Lone ranger and you don't mess around with Slim."
They should add "You don't go looking for performance at a hardley ableson dealer."
Really, the XR1200 is nothing but a cruel joke as far as a performance machine goes. My 2002 Suzuki Bandit 1200 is actually a superior machine. It has about the same horsepower (but revs out a lot more), better brakes, better handling and weighs less than the XR1200. Mind you this is from a sport STANDARD bike too. If the XR1200 is an attempt to lure Buell riders away from their machines, hardley ableson really has to do more homework.
It doesn't have to be blazing fast, its a sporty cruiser not a super sport.
The 1125R is 90% race bike, 10% street
It is geared way too tall for urban riding and anything over 3rd gear in the power band is a go to jail offense,
I love mine but i dont race and not really interested in riding in excess of 100mph on the street.
An XR1200X is a 100% usable street bike. It only goes 100mph but the power band is low and usable and if you like the old hardly dirt bikes it can be made to look the part.
Me id love to make a wanna be dirt tracker for just tooling around back roads on weekends and daily commuting.
That being i own an 1125r which i use to tool around back roads on weekends and for daily commuting
XR1200 is probably the only HD I'd consider throwing a leg over. Not that I hate harley's just that I might fall asleep riding them, hohum.
The sales guy you describe sounds like every car sales guy I've ever met - the vehicle industry is interesting that way, it's an industry where those who sell the products are the least knowledgeable about them, IMO.
"It doesn't have to be blazing fast, its a sporty cruiser not a super sport."
Oh, but hardley ableson is marketing the xr1200 as a sportbike. They even have their own racing series (as they can't compete with anything else). So pardon me if I DO consider it a sport bike and not a "cruiser". It is an overweight, under streamilned, POS.
As far as practical is concerned, why would we want any machine that can go 100mph? Because we are AMERICANS damn it! We want the fastest cars, the hottest women, and the biggest guns! I for one wouldn't be satisfied with a bike that "only" goes 100. Even if the speed limit is only 65 we, as Americans, want faster!
As far as competing with the xr750, the Japanese have shown that it doesn't take much to compete with the XR750. EVERY TIME THE JAPANESE HAVE TRIED TO COMPETE, THEY'VE WON. Starting with Yamaha in the '70s and finishing with Honda in the early '80s. Dirt track became too mundane for them.
I smoked an xr1200 so bad a couple weeks ago it wasn't even funny. I was on a spirited ride with the Jersey guys my fuel light came on I says you guys loop I will meet you at such and such point ok they roll. I fuel up and roll down 650 a very very nice twistie fast road in sussex county NJ. I come off a side road and here comes the xr12oo slows down and looks at my Buell as I make the right onto 650. He actually revved the xr up and started jumping the the clutch. I am thinking I got no time for this I gotta meet the boyz so blamo I crack the CR and the xr1200 fades back. I now get pinched in behind a few cars here he comes again he try's to run in the twisties with me now I am pissed and I blew him up so bad I actually felt bad but it was a nice looking bike from the rearview mirror
Geared crazy high but i still love the bike, but come next Sept when the warranty is gone... she likely is as well. Unless i win the loto.
Course HD could completely change how they are servicing Buell parts in the meantime but i doubt it,
Sad part is i have been to a few dealers just looking at bikes and all have said they will not take her on a trade which will most likely send me to a HD dealer so seems HD wins
I hear you but I pretty much am figuring I am out of warranty now this way I aint disappointed I actually found a great Buell /Harley mech in PA the dealer is fantastic but H-D factory is actually been the problem lately NO PARTS so I do it myself