After yesterday’s Harley wise crack, I was compelled to to a review of the new Harley XR1200X. This is Harley Davidson’s latest attempt at making a bike to cross over into sport bike territory, since they stop making the Buell. I have not ridden this bike, but fully intend to check it out. I have ridden the naked 1200 Sportster and was pleasantly surprised by the flickable nature of the bike, the wonderful powerband and the easy handling. It was a special treat after riding the Road KIng, which to me was like riding on a float in a parade, all glam, work and no fun, but wave and smile.

According to Alan Tecchio, at Untimate Motorcycling, “this new machine based on the design of the winning XR-750 flat track race bike that experienced its heyday back in the 1970’s, is an extremely capable street bike that breaks from your typical Harley-Davidson design on a number of levels. He states it is actually “flickable”, corners extremely well, has wide flat-track inspired handlebars that are comfortable to grab, overall rider positioning was much like your standard motorcycle-not too sporty, not too laid back and has has fantastic engine braking, Plus the power delivery, which is a throaty, torque-filled explosion in the lower rpm range though not as much top-end as some other sport bikes but down low, it is a mighty threatening beast. The motorcycle’s lower rpm strength was thrilling each and every time I got on the gas.” That personally had me interested enough to ride one and let myself go on it a bit. He mentions repeatedly that the bike, “loves to cruise” once it gets past the classic American V-twin rumble and shake while idling.

I am certain that unfortunately the weight of the bike is more like the other Harley machines, in that it needs to lose a few LBs to be a real sporty type machine, but this is a bold attempt on the part of an American Cruiser company and the Harley XR1200X is one sexy beast in this girls opinion! The fully blacked-out version of this bike-the XR1200X is only available overseas. Now come on Harley, what’s with that?

Well, I’m not necessarily color biased so I’ll have to see what options there are at my local Harley Davidson dealership and see about testing out this fine looking and sounding machine, especially after reading this blurb in November’s Motorcyclist Magazine.

“Imperfect though it may be, the lanky XR talked to me like a Stearman’s stick. It made me use technique over horsepower, engage body mechanics instead of depending on highly optimized chassis dynamics. The bike and I, we made each other sweat. The girl and I, we riffed harder on the laws of physics then we bent the rules of the road. By the time we burst of of those sundappled curves feeding one-land bridges between disordered ranks of salmonberries and coastal pine, my riding boots were evenly beveled and that fine girl wore a high flush in her cheeks that had shag-all to do with sunburn.
That’s the kind of dance I can appreciate.” Jack Lewis