| Author | Message | ||
     Debueller |
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/4/1801/Motorcycle-Ar ticle/Harley-Davidson-XR1200-Coming-to-America.asp x http://www.motorcycledaily.com/24november08_hd_xr1200.htm (Message edited by debueller on December 01, 2008) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
And in all the pre excitement about this thing... I think I can build it, lighter, leaner, meaner, more aggressive and more dirt XR. I have the technology, I know where the bike is... The 6000.00 Dollar XR750 | ||
| Froggy |
Wheres my welcome to last week emote?  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I thought it was cool when it first came out..... and called it an M2! (yeah I went there ) | ||
| Nguzzi |
We have a couple coming in. I will have to wait until the snows gone to ride it. I am sure the collectors will buy them up. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Don't get me wrong. I was a big fanboy of this and also the soprtster sport. I just resent the motor company manipulating the US market for no apparent reason. (I know that there must be a reason but it is not apparent to me at least.) | ||
| Court |
How are they manipulating the market? Harley has their corporate tits in the wringer. This bike, intended for the 100th, is out in Europe and can bring a premium (which means MSRP these days) in the USA, so they homologated them and as selling them. The number they are selling will make no impact on their financials. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
They chose not to sell it the US at first. Why? Why not sell it everywhere that a human can buy a sportster? I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I actually would like to know why. Think about it. they would have to ship those bikes across american soil just to export them. Not one of them to be dropped off along the way. It's just weird and illogical to me. | ||
| Glitch |
That's not manipulation, that's Marketing 101. Tell a group of people they can't have that prototype, and suddenly everyone wants one. Dodge Viper ring a bell? It's just a variant of that technique. | ||
| Aeholton |
They chose not to sell it the US at first. Why? Maybe it is something to do with the fact that Storz owned the rights to XR1200 here in the USA until this past summer. | ||
| Trojan |
They chose not to sell it the US at first. Because the model was conceived and designed in conjunction with the European marketing team specifically to appeal to European riders and sold in European markets. The bike has been such a success and demand so high in Europe that they probably couldn't have launched them in the US any sooner even if they wanted to. Now that it is being launched in the US you really should try it. Just don't go with any preconceptions about it being 'just a sportster', coz it ain't any such thang (unless you know of any Sportsters that rev to 7500, handle pretty well adn have great brakes of course). At least when it is launched over there you will have the benefit of almost 12 months development, so will get the upgraded parst straight away that we had to wait for, such as sprung footrests. | ||
| Boney95 |
I've seen one in Brookfield, WI 2-3 times during the summer. I figured he works for HD. Every time I saw it, it was near the HD plant on Capitol Dr. | ||
| Aeholton |
Now that it is being launched in the US you really should try it. I really would like to. Just will have to wait until next year when larger production numbers will not demand premium price. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
even in these tough economic times, Harley has managed to garner intense interest, and resultant sales, here in America for the new XR. i don't know their specific reasoning for the Europe-first launch, but it seems to have gained H-D a LOT of free publicity and exposure here in the States, much of it positive, and perhaps taken what might have been a "ho-hum" motorcycle sales-wise ("Aw, heck, it's 'just' another Sportster") and escalated it, for some, anyway, into "must have" status. there are a lot of reasons to like Harley-Davidson as a company, including the fact that they own Buell. put another way, if Harley's finances stay black thru the present economic situation, it seems to me it increases the odds of Buell's future being bright, too. yeah, i know, that's a pretty simplistic and perhaps naïve way of looking at it. so sue me. :-) props to Harley, and Buell, for continuing to offer up such an amazing array of high-quality motorcycles to choose from. the new XR doesn't "do it" for me on several levels, but most of the things i don't like could be easily fixed, and i bet this bike can, and will, embarrass many a "real" sportbike on a tight, technical road. FB (Message edited by jerry_haughton on December 02, 2008) | ||
| Dbird29 |
Isn't Harley just doing the same deal as the Japanese manufacturers? How many Cycle magazine articles have started with "they won't bring it here"? And then the later article that says "they listened to your pleas and are bringing it". It's part of the strip tease. | ||
| Reepicheep |
It appears to be a great naked standard. It's a little pricey for a standard, but on the other hand you get a great aesthetic and great build quality for the $$. In the era of $8000 dirt bikes being "normal", a $10,000 naked standard seems reasonable. Not for me, but not unreasonable. A $10,000 naked standard seems to make a lot more sense then a $20,000 gold wing, or a $20,000 chopper, or even (dare I say it) a $20,000 Italian sportbike. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"I've seen one in Brookfield, WI 2-3 times during the summer. I figured he works for HD. Every time I saw it, it was near the HD plant on Capitol Dr." The PDC had 2 and the Menomonee Falls Motor Plant had 2. I rode one of the 4 in October, just before they needed to be turned in. I will say this. Its not an XB, but you will not be disapointed in handling or power. It rides alot lighter than 500 lbs. | ||
| Jaimec |
Nah, at least you can ride a $20,000 GoldWing all day and not require traction at the end of the ride...  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Why did they not bring it to the US?  The MoCo has a long memory of hyped bikes that niche slice and didnt sell well at the time. So you cant really blame them for creating a domestic angst and lust for the machine, and for them limiting the number to really about one per dealer. (btw, the collectors still love that bike) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Somebody local has one of those with lots of engine work... lots of titanium and an interesting adaptation of a car carb. He says he used to drag race it. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The XR1200 is pretty cool and I hope it's successful. I'd like to see Honda update their "poor man's XR750", the VT500FT Ascot:  I figure with a ~750 cc engine, modern tires and suspension, it'd still cost ~$7500 or so and would be a "poor man's XR1200". (Message edited by Hughlysses on December 02, 2008) | ||
| Boliver |
Here is my question: Why is Eric Buell holding hands with H/D? I mean look how long it took him to finally get through to them before we saw his idea into production?Now H/D's two best motors are both import products?(Porche and Rotax) Come on H/d let's take a deep breath and look at what others are doing. I own a Buell (2005 XB12scg I love the bike but I will get a jap bike next time. Atleast then I'll get appreciation from the service dept as well as sales. The Xr1200 is nothing more than what H/D should have done 25 freakin years ago. Give me a break.And besides that xr is nothing compared to a Buell. Maybe someday Eric will be able to buy H/D then we as Americans can be proud of our bikes.That is if they ever do away with those pushrods. How many more years before Harley can make a bike last as many miles as the Japanese. Hello? is this mike on? | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Why is Eric Buell holding hands with H/D?" Because he doesn't own Buell anymore and works for HD | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Heres the real question. What does it take to get an AMA XR750? | ||
| Koz5150 |
Think we are close to the end of the pushrod motor??? I think we are getting close. Read this http://www.aimag.com/forums/harley-twin-cams/1160- leaky-cvo-110s.html Interesting article on how HD is having issues keeping up in the air cooled classic engine horspower race while balancing durability, not to mention meeting EPA standards. | ||
| Hughlysses |
From the sound of that, they need a cooling fan on the rear cylinder...  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Thats like saying the flat torque on the 454 long block is the reason they quit building the 351 C. The XL motor/trans is a different beast from the 110 C.I. CVO items. The list of shared parts(if any) has gotta be minimal. People have be claiming the death knell of air cooled since water thumpers foreign bikes have shown up. The world is ending, horde your aircooled classics now. BTW if anybody is looking 'donate' their antiquated technology, my garage always has openings. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Just got the parts catalogue for the bike. Gawd they want to dress this lil porker up. Windshields, hard small side bags, tank bag, tail bag, back rest, luggage rack; lets just add a stereo to it already  | ||
| Madduck |
Yep, sport windshield and tailbag and I'm all set for touring. Should have room to tie on a couple of gas tanks as saddlebags too. | ||
| Trojan |
Just got the parts catalogue for the bike. Gawd they want to dress this lil porker up. Windshields, hard small side bags, tank bag, tail bag, back rest, luggage rack; lets just add a stereo to it already I had to laugh when I first saw the European XR1200 parts catalogue. Harley go to the trouble of building a 'sports' Sportster. This is a scratcher, not a tourer! The gearing is much too low to go touring all day, but is perfect for bend swinging and embarrassing sports bikes with. I don't think that the parts designers were given the full specs or design brief for this bike, so just did what they normally do for H-D and designed screen and bags. It wouldn't surprise me to see tassles and Chaps offered next. One thing is for sure....You won't tour far on the stock seat Where are the performance parts? Where is the decent rear suspension that you will ALL be looking for? Oh that's right....we sell them |
