Sunday, February 8, 2015
2011 Harley Davidson XR1200X – Motorbike Bicycle
Challenged, also, because I had fun riding the XR1200X . . . on a race track no less! Let’s first look at the history of this bike. The bike went on sale—only in Europe—in 2008, much to the dismay of U.S. riders craving a sport-oriented Harley. A cast-aluminum swingarm holds a cast wheel, and inverted Showa forks locate the front 18-inch wheel. Dunlop Qualifier radials grip the road, and when it’s time to stop, four-piston calipers and 292mm rotors offer modern braking performance.
Gone are the chrome accents, old-fashioned peanut-style tank, sissy bars, chrome fender supports and all the other 1950s styling cues that grace the XR’s brother Sportsters. The bodywork is now sleek plastic, designed to recall the XR750 flat-track racer. Footpegs are rearset, the seat is higher than most H-Ds, and there’s even a digital speedometer. What’s not high-tech is the XR’s porcine ready-to-ride wet weight of 573 pounds and lengthy 60-inch wheelbase.
It’s the sportiest bike in H-D’s stable, so no better place to introduce it than the twisty and technical Road America racetrack, just an hour’s drive from Milwaukee in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. No pre-ride butterflies in my tum-tum this time, though: I’ve ridden the XR1200, and I know it’s a pussycat, despite its hefty weight and physical size.
Out on track, the bike takes effort to turn, despite the wide bars. But the bike’s low seat (29.2 inches) and narrow waist make it easy to handle and even easier to get a knee down. The motor is busty for a Sportster, but just adequate for a track bike, especially with so much weight to hustle around. Nobody was babying their bike. That meant footpeg feelers worn down to molten nubbins, as cornering clearance is the XR’s Achilles heel. Luckily, the good suspenders keep the bike from bottoming on mid-corner bumps and possibly highsiding. There, the big XR is a handful, but manageable as long as the speeds are kept sane. Ironically, it nicely fills the stereotypical role of the classic ’70s Italian Twin, happiest in long, high-speed sweepers.
Around town, the XR is as civilized as any other Sportster, with an easy clutch pull and light controls.
General information | |
| Model: | Harley-Davidson XR 1200X |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Custom / cruiser |
| Rating: | 69.2 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes |
| Price as new (MSRP): | Euro 9795. UK £ 9300. Prices depend on country, taxes, accessories, etc. |
Engine and transmission | |
| Displacement: | 1201.25 ccm (73.30 cubic inches) |
| Engine type: | V2, four-stroke |
| Engine details: | Air-cooled Evolution engine. Pushrod-operated, overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters. |
| Torque: | 100.00 Nm (10.2 kgf-m or 73.8 ft.lbs) @ 4000 RPM |
| Compression: | 10.0:1 |
| Bore x stroke: | 88.9 x 96.8 mm (3.5 x 3.8 inches) |
| Valves per cylinder: | 2 |
| Fuel system: | Injection. Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) |
| Fuel control: | OHV |
| Lubrication system: | Dry-sump |
| Cooling system: | Air |
| Gearbox: | 5-speed |
| Transmission type, final drive: | Belt |
| Clutch: | Multi-plate, wet |
| Driveline: | Primary Drive Chain, 57/38 ratio. Final Drive Belt, 68/29 ratio. |
| Fuel consumption: | 5.17 litres/100 km (19.3 km/l or 45.50 mpg) |
| Greenhouse gases: | 119.9 CO2 g/km. (CO2 – Carbon dioxide emission) |
| Exhaust system: | Black, upswept, straight-shot, high-performance exhaust with dual mufflers |
Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels | |
| Frame type: | Mild steel tubular frame, circular sections; cast junctions |
| Rake (fork angle): | 29.0° |
| Trail: | 132 mm (5.2 inches) |
| Front suspension: | 43 mm Inverted Showa fork |
| Front suspensiontravel: | 125 mm (4.9 inches) |
| Rear suspension: | Fully-adjustable |
| Rear suspension travel: | 89 mm (3.5 inches) |
| Front tyre dimensions: | 120/70-ZR18 |
| Rear tyre dimensions: | 180/55-ZR17 |
| Front brakes: | Double disc. 4-piston. |
| Front brakes diameter: | 292 mm (11.5 inches) |
| Rear brakes: | Single disc. Single-piston. |
| Rear brakes diameter: | 260 mm (10.2 inches) |
| Wheels: | Black, 3-spoke Cast Aluminum |
Physical measures and capacities | |
| Dry weight: | 249.9 kg (551.0 pounds) |
| Weight incl. oil, gas, etc: | 259.9 kg (573.0 pounds) |
| Seat height: | 742 mm (29.2 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting. |
| Overall height: | 1,161 mm (45.7 inches) |
| Overall length: | 2,225 mm (87.6 inches) |
| Overall width: | 930 mm (36.6 inches) |
| Ground clearance: | 150 mm (5.9 inches) |
| Wheelbase: | 1,524 mm (60.0 inches) |
| Fuel capacity: | 13.25 litres (3.50 gallons) |
| Oil capacity: | 2.80 litres (0.18 quarts) |
Other specifications | |
| Starter: | Electric |
| Instruments: | Handlebar-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, time-of-day clock on odometer, dual tripmeter, low fuel warning light, low oil pressure light, engine diagnostics readout, LED indicator lightsHandlebar-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, |
| Light: | 55-watt low beam, 60-watt high beam |
| Electrical: | Sealed lead acid, maintenance-free batery, 12V, 12 amp/hour, 200 cca. 30-amp, permanent magnet, single-phase alternator with solid-state regulator. |
| Factory warranty: | 24 months with unlimited mileage. (US) |
| Color options: | Black Denim, White Hot Denim |
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