Hardly a Harley

Sportsbike riders find it difficult to appreciate Harley-Davidson (HD) bikes, and vice-versa.

There is one exception though, the new XR1200 Sportster (RM123,000). This is something that some sportsbikers can appreciate, and in fact, buy.

Though HD places it under the Sportster family, the XR is completely different from its other siblings.

The engine gains a higher ratio, thanks to the crankshaft it shares with the Buell Thuderstorm.

This gives the Evolution ESPFI (electronic sequential port fuel injection) more power, from 60hp to 90hp with torque rated at 100.2Nm.

The XR was first introduced to the European market, before it headed back to its homeland.

It was designed from day one to attract the non-HD believers, and of course to make a few of them cry in anger when this XR overtakes them on the zig-zagging black ribbons.

If you have ridden a Harley before, you will understand that corners are things which the Americans hate. Their cars too are mostly straight-line performers but that is a different story.

This Harley is a different animal; it takes corners like a duck to water. At first, the 263kg (kerb) will surprise you, and even pull a few knots in your tummy.

Then you realise that in order to make the XR go around the corner, you need to get it up to speed and push your body, along with the bike, to follow your cornering line. Once you do that, the XR flows through the bend like magic.

The XR still vibrates like a true Harley, but the exhaust note is somehow quieter.

That side panniers are actually semi-hard shells, and are good for a few T-shirts and some documents. The optional front windscreen helps when speed goes beyond 170km/h (but stops right before 180km/h).

Overall, we enjoyed this HD.

It still has the bar and shield logo on the tank, and so it does gain respect wherever we park.

Thanks to its cornering ability, it still gains respect after a riding trip with a bunch of sportsbikers.

If you want a Harley that does not putter around at a lorry's pace, try this one.

By Hezeri Samsuri