XR 1200 - Thoughts from the masses?

[texscottyd]

@betoney& @dazzler24 - The FJ is still the ‘go-to’ if I have miles to cover, or the need to carry anything with me.   It was about a 150 mile roundtrip to my friend’s shop to finalize the deal on the XR, and the FJ was the obvious choice.

My prior test ride on the XR was brief, so I wanted to log some more miles to make sure it was really right for me… about 60 miles today on some nice winding backroads convinced me.  So, I’ll still need to go pick it up at some point later this week, but the deal is done.  I’m happy.  

The timing was a bit awkward, since I just bought the new Triumph in July.   But this XR is just too nice to pass up, and knowing its history from day one is really compelling.  I know I would end up regretting it later if I let this one get away, and my friend is happy that it’s going to a new owner who will appreciate it… win-win.  

[knyte]

@texscottydCongrats - that is a beautiful looking machine

[2and3cylinders]

Yes!  Sharp! Fastest Red! 

It's direct predecessor and also Fastest Red and too small tank but lighter?

https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2001models/2001models-Harley-Davidson-XL1200SSportster1200Sport

Isn't the FTR fuel tank under the saddle? How'd they fit a bigger one?  15k for a sport is reasonable IMO.

https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2023/2023-indian-ftr-sport

 

[dazzler24]

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Isn't the FTR fuel tank under the saddle? How'd they fit a bigger one?  15k for a sport is reasonable IMO.

https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2023/2023-indian-ftr-sport

 

Yes, you're right 2&3 about the location of the fuel tank and for the life of me I can't find the reference to where I thought there was some discussion about a custom (larger) tank being made or proposed to be made.  I'll keep looking but in the meantime here is a bespoke one from France that has been modded with a larger tank. An extra 5 Litres!

[2and3cylinders]

5 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Yes, you're right 2&3 about the location of the fuel tank and for the life of me I can't find the reference to where I thought there was some discussion about a custom (larger) tank being made or proposed to be made.  I'll keep looking but in the meantime here is a bespoke one from France that has been modded with a larger tank. An extra 5 Litres!

Interesting but not practical for even that above average consumer. 

I'm not so sure I think the anesthetics improve on oem.

If I had the discretionary funds I get an FTR and try to shed 25 pounds off both of us.  Looks like a hoot to ride.

But first I've GOT to get rid of the. XL and a VTR (my newer 44k also fastestred98), and get my 77 RD400 back on the road!!!

[roadrash83]

Congratulations on the your new XR @texscottyd. Let me know when you have a small fortune to piss away on parts and I well point you in the right direction😁

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, roadrash83 said:

Congratulations on the your new XR @texscottyd. Let me know when you have a small fortune to piss away on parts and I well point you in the right direction😁

I went with ‘Thanks’ as a reaction, but Like, Thumbsup, Haha, Confused, and Sad also seem to apply…  

I’ve already started down that rabbit hole, and I can see where you can throw an obscene amount of money at these.   I basically bought this for the cost of the upgrades that have already been done!  😳  My wife didn’t fall for the pitch that the bike was effectively free, but she’s pretty good-natured about my moto-spending.  

[roadrash83]

24 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

I went with ‘Thanks’ as a reaction, but Like, Thumbsup, Haha, Confused, and Sad also seem to apply…  

I’ve already started down that rabbit hole, and I can see where you can throw an obscene amount of money at these.   I basically bought this for the cost of the upgrades that have already been done!  😳  My wife didn’t fall for the pitch that the bike was effectively free, but she’s pretty good-natured about my moto-spending.  

 Now that you have the wife on board with your Fast Orange build🤣  You need to speak to Dan at Hammer Performance for the go fast parts for motor build. We also need to get you a set of 17" Carbon Fiber wheels and other bits from Twin Motorcycles in Belgium. Don't  worry about the shipping, the wheels are really light. 

[dazzler24]

57 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

I went with ‘Thanks’ as a reaction, but Like, Thumbsup, Haha, Confused, and Sad also seem to apply…  

I’ve already started down that rabbit hole, and I can see where you can throw an obscene amount of money at these.   I basically bought this for the cost of the upgrades that have already been done!  😳  My wife didn’t fall for the pitch that the bike was effectively free, but she’s pretty good-natured about my moto-spending.  

9 minutes ago, roadrash83 said:

 Now that you have the wife on board with your Fast Orange build🤣  You need to speak to Dan at Hammer Performance for the go fast parts for motor build. We also need to get you a set of 17" Carbon Fiber wheels and other bits from Twin Motorcycles in Belgium. Don't  worry about the shipping, the wheels are really light. 

And it begins......

[betoney]

1 hour ago, roadrash83 said:

 Now that you have the wife on board with your Fast Orange build🤣  You need to speak to Dan at Hammer Performance for the go fast parts for motor build. We also need to get you a set of 17" Carbon Fiber wheels and other bits from Twin Motorcycles in Belgium. Don't  worry about the shipping, the wheels are really light. 

So many devils on his shoulder... 😈

[Larz]

3 hours ago, texscottyd said:

I went with ‘Thanks’ as a reaction, but Like, Thumbsup, Haha, Confused, and Sad also seem to apply…  

I’ve already started down that rabbit hole, and I can see where you can throw an obscene amount of money at these.   I basically bought this for the cost of the upgrades that have already been done!  😳  My wife didn’t fall for the pitch that the bike was effectively free, but she’s pretty good-natured about my moto-spending.  

Welcome to the "club" bro. You'll love the bike like some exotic, hard to please Iron Mistress who always seems to need a new "trinket"😁. Just kidding, sure it's fine just as is; but there is no end to the $$s one can dump into a Harley....( carbon fiber everything, always a better suspension setup just "around the corner" and of course- the pro shop built blue printed engine, for starters...)

Edited December 8, 2022 by Larz

[roadrash83]

 All joking aside, ride her and enjoy. I would recommend some braided brake lines, can't tell by the pic's if that's been done. Also pull the fuel tank so you can look down the throttle body and check the two screws that hold butterfly to the throttle shaft and make sure they are not loose or cracked. If ok, put some penetrating Loctite on them. More than a few XR top end were wasted when they fell out.

[OZVFR]

This one I could do. 

[gerrychuck]

Congratulations!  Looking at the pics, I can see that, aside from the awesome looking and sounding exhaust, that it also has Ohlins rears (which are also longer and therefore lift the back end of the bike, which hugely improves turn-in, really sharpening the steering/handling). I am assuming that if that coin was put into the rear suspension that there has been some kind of upgrade to the front as well. I did the rear before the front, which served to accentuate the shortcomings of the front forks. Probably made them worse, actually, as lifting the back puts a bit more weight onto the front. My solution was the least expensive; sent the forks off for a rebuild with Racetech gold valves, higher rate springs, and heavier oil. World of difference. Others have upgraded to the 2010-2011 "X" forks, or put in cartridges. Again, not sure what option has been done here, but assuming it has been looked after. Looks like a new handlebar has been put on as well; the stocker is very wide with a lot of pullback. I ended up with the bar from a Sporty 48; narrower, less rise, less pullback, which produced a much sportier riding position at the expense of slightly higher steering effort.  Looks like your bike has something very similar. I'm guessing yours also has some kind of engine management/tune in place as well. They do tend to be too lean stock, made worse by breathing mods like the Free Spirits "Blackhorn" intake and aftermarket exhaust. I see your bike doesn't have an aftermarket intake; they cost a bit, but adding one made a bigger difference to the power of my bike than anything else; a genuine seat of the pants difference, particularly higher in the rev range. Plus it makes air filter maintenance incredibly simple.

Have fun!

[texscottyd]

On 12/15/2022 at 1:30 PM, gerrychuck said:

I am assuming that if that coin was put into the rear suspension that there has been some kind of upgrade to the front as well.

Thanks @gerrychuck, and to everyone else who has shared XR knowledge with me in this thread… lots of great information, and it reinforces what I assumed about the XR owner demographic not being the typical Harley Guy.  

So yes, part of what really attracted me to this bike are the upgrades that have already been done.  It has the long Ohlins piggyback reservoir shocks you spotted, plus the upgraded X Model forks with Andreani cartridges.   That exhaust, of course, and tons of little stuff:  Galfer brake rotors and stainless lines, Sato racing shifter, some sort of target tune fueling thing (haven’t investigated yet), almost new Michelin Pilot Roads, etc.    It does still have the stock wheels for now, but that was next on the mod list before the prior owner reconsidered the overall project.   It has less than 6K miles on the odometer, and runs perfectly.  I couldn’t be happier.  

I bought the bike from a good friend who intended to keep it as a long-term retirement bike.  But, after all the suspension modifications, it’s just a little too tall for him to ride comfortably, and he went back to riding his R1200 BMW instead.   I mentioned I would be interested in the XR if he ever decided to sell it, and a few weeks later we put the deal together.   Great bike for me, and he’s happy that it’s going to a good home (where he has full visitation rights). Just one of those ‘meant to be’ situations…