Flat tracker replica is Harleyʼs nod to European sports bikes
T
hanks to our good friends at Harley
Davidson UK, we were lucky enough to get to ride a Harley Davidson XR1200X last month and jolly good fun it was too. The XR1200 is, of course a replica of the flat tracker bikes that were built around
Harley’s in the US in the 60s and 70s. Famously, they would race at very quick speeds around a dirt track – a little like our speedway riders. These bikes always used to look
fantastic and the orange and black bikes really were
iconic. It was a little bit disappointing then that the
replica we received is painted in black! The black is very good of course – a mixture of gloss, matt and ‘carbon fibre’effect – but it would have been nice to have had an orange and black horse!
Based on the 2009 XR1200,
the XR1200X has vastly improved,
multi-adjustable suspension that makes a difference when riding 187kg of American muscle on our roads. Engine spec remains the same as the XR1200 but this sports bike performance is nothing like a 600- 1000cc sports machine produced in the past 20 years.
There is a lot of torque available
with this bike but then it is based on the 1200 Sportster with higher compression and upswept, high volume 2:1:2 exhausts (see XR1200 review for full details). The addition of Showa pig piston forks and piggyback shocks puts the
70 August 2011 Bad points and there are very few...
I don’t like the way the bike moves forwards once it is placed on the sidestand – just for a second it feels like it is going to roll off – this is accentuated on slight inclines or on dodgy ground. This is, of course, the action of the patented Harley Davidson locking sidestand - I’m assured they never fail - but don’t want to take the chance! The indicators are always a bind on these bikes – they are self-cancelling – but the problem is that very occasionally they don’t – that seed of doubt then leads one in to the turn
accomplished XR1200 onto another rung of the handling ladder. There’s a lot more feedback from front and rear wheels and the front end feels considerably more settled on the brakes. At the same time it is supple enough to rubbish the Queen’s crumbling highways. This means you can actually wring every last drop of performance from the XR1200X and make use of it. Or simply enjoy the slow revving nature of the bike with an improved, polished even, ride quality.
signal cancel conundrum. When not sure that the indicator has cancelled you press it again to cancel it – this activates the signal again.... and on and on! Traditional indicators please. Oil filler cap – plastic and trashy – surely a metal one wouldn’t be too much to ask – they had them in the 60s after all. Riding the XR1200 is wonderful fun. Around town the bike never gets out of first or occasionally, second – but it is manageable for all that – low down power means it will pull away slowly in control with minimal clucth slippage. Once on to the A roads, it’s hang
on to your hat time! Acceleration in second and third is trainpulling fast and the bike gets past obstacles with ease. The noise from the two into one into two exhaust is angelic – although the bike has to be going some to get the beat just right. Once on the dual carriageway be carfeul not to accelerate too hard for you will be breaking the speed limit extremely quickly. If you get the chance take the bike out to a disused airfield and whack open the throttle through the gears – it’s a thrilling experience. Sitting fairly high on the bike with feet back in a ‘rear set’ style position and high handlebars feels very comfortable. It just
lends itsekto throwing the bike low into corners – which is very easy – the tyres are sticky and ‘getting a knee down’ would be very easy, if your knees weren’t quite so high up! There’s something of the ‘wild west’ about this Harley Davidson and if you could have just one bike for riding around town – this would be it! At just under £10,000 this machine
isn’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination – but it turns heads, goes fast, stops very well, sounds fantastic and has Harley Davidson on the tank – who could ask for more?
n
Four Shires MOTORING
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