[1747]

Also there is a shedload of guys out there who bought cruisers and might be getting tired of them, wanting something a little sportier but non-intimidating. I am not a HD guy but i like it. I would rather ride around on this thing than a V-Rod.

 

[43169]

Re: Question?

That pretty much covers my thoughts as well.

 

[Neal]

The 2007 XL1200 R goes for 8695 in black and 8955 in colors. The XL1200C goes for9695 in black and 9995 in colors. I cant see this new bike going for less than 9500 and more likely for over 10K. its performance will probably be compareable to the Ninja 750 or SV650 .

By the way my local dealer has 06 Sporties in the floor at 1000 below MSRP(7100 bucks for an XR1200R). For 3000 bucks (if you do your own work) you could roll your own street tracker.

 

[Neal]

I agree with you ...I like it and would prefer it over a VROD. But do you prefer it over a Monster or a Buell? If it comes out in 08 will you buy one? I really like the bike and hopes HD takes the chance,but I dont think it will draw many folk from other brands into Harleys.Hope i'm wrong.

 

[longride]

I think they aren't bringing it stateside for a reason. If it sells in Europe, they might bring it here. I don't see the market for it here, and I don't think Harley sees it either.

 

[longride]

But I'd bet my bottom dollar you would buy something else rather than this bike.

 

[KLRer]

I like it stylingwise. Clean lines. Somewhat like the 883 Sportster in appearance.

 

[Buzglyd]

No kidding. Check H-D's stock price over the last six months or so.



I'll bet the Grape Prohylactic sold his at $40.

 

[seruzawa]

I'd test one first. It's easy to hang around motorcycle sites and develop the dreaded "horespower envy" but then I go out and jump on my Zrex with a "mere" 96Hp and soon remind myself that 90hp is still enough to get anyone in serious trouble pretty danged quick. JB might be right in thinking that there are middlesized cruiser owners who'd like a bit more oomph and flickability.



'Course he'll change his mind now that I'm agreeing.

 

[36284]

Why wouldn't any bike with sporting pretensions come with 17 inch wheels, front and rear? Pretty much all the good sport/sport touring tires come in 17 inch sizes only.

 

[Neal]

I hope you're right;but remember the original Sportster(more so the second year XLCH) WAS a sportbike by 1950's standards. It was competitive with the fastest street bikes of the day and Harley was still king of American race tracks(remember dirt track was the big thing then). This bike will NOT be competitive with current sport bikes and Harley isnt a factor in big time road racing. I totally agree with you that its just as good (better?) for real world riding but that aint what tingles the dingles of the 20 something crowd. I dont see a lot of 40m plus folk buying a Sporty so that leaves the 30 something crowd....will they buy it? Hope so, but i dont thik so. I think it will mostly sell to folk who woulda bought a Sporty any way or maybe a Buell

 

[amper]

Umm...the V-Rods are *still* overpriced and overweight.

 

[amper]

I think the XR1200 will do very poorly. It's not Harley enough for the H-D guys, and not not-Harley enough for the non-N-D guys.



I believe there is a large market out there for a non-cruiser American motorcycle. Harley-Davidson needs to take a long, hard look at what motorcycle riders actually want, rather than looking at only what current H-D owners want.



If H-D could produce something like the Ducati GT1000, the Amercan Cafe Racers Supermanx, or even the Ecosse bikes at a more reasonable cost, I'd be interested in buying one.



Buell's are cool, but far too radical for my tastes. Not to mention the fact that for the same price or less, I can get a better motorcycle.

 

[Neal]

Agree.....anything with more than 90 HP is way more than I need for my riding style. But HD doesnt need to get me. They need to get my power crazed 25 year old son. His GSX 6ooR wasnt enough so he got a 1000. I wnt out with him the other day on the 600 while he rode the 1000 on some back roads. He's a better rider and stupider but I could almost keep up with him(well almost almost"). I dont think he was any quicker on the 1000 than on th 600. And the 600 was WAY more than I needed to ride at my comfort level. I cant see him or any of his crazy friends buying this bike until the HP addiction is cured (if they live that long).

 

[Fenton]

I think it looks great.....but.....on my way to the dealership to get one, I'd pick up a ZRX1200R used for $4,500.

 

[cruiz-euro]

Re: Question?

Otherwise half believeable but when anybody says "Bonneville Scrambler" without a hint of irony its time to take out the Kalasnikov

- cruiz-euro

 

[23063]

Re: Question?

The idea behind the XR was to make a street version of HDs flat track bike, which were built to compete against Triumph 650, 750 and Norton flat trackers. The street version of the Triumphs were the stock 750s and for the Norton it was the Commando.

A few of us (very few, the proud, the Norton riders) are still looking for the updated Norton Commando. Kenny Dreer was on track, but failed - so far. HD should've made an EVO rubber-mounted Sportster with the XR styling. What they built was far less and no one wanted to ride those old paint shakers. Even Nortons ride better and they were built 30 years ago.

So, who still wants an XR - me! Because I'm still looking for the upgraded Norton and why I want one of those will take another 1000 words or less.

 

[23063]

...or a Norton

 

[23063]

There's a market for this bike, but it might be small. Whats the ratio of the R Sportsters to C Sportsters sold? Cut that by one-third and you might have the upper limit of XRs sold.

 

[hysteresis]

I think it's a great looking bike, but I owned a 84 Honda vt500 ascot, a bike that looks almost exactly like this bike and people stayed away from. Made for the europeans, and will probably sell good there.