I wish I could buy one like this off the show room floor.

 

that is awesome!!!

 

You could get a Buell Ulysses. That is what they were intended for.

http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2...B12XT-97523940

Or this model that doesn't have bags installed.



http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2...XB12X-97523972

If your interested in them you can read up on them here. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgib....cgi?pg=topics or over on Adventure Rider.

 

The XR1200 is alot closer to that than the XL models.

 

Um no! IMO that bike is not cool at all. If you want a dirt bike get one, not an HD.

 

this would be my choice . . .

http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2010/07/0...ne-motorcycle/

 

Harley was the 'Dirt Bike' bac n Day. . . My first bike was a 1961 TR6-C and this was what we rode in the dirt and the road to get to the dirt . .

Jst sayn.

 

I do like the buells but they don't make them anymore so even if I bought a used one the service and parts are going to be hard to come by. I've had two kawasaki dual sports and really just want something American made. I'm a veteran and union construction worker and believe whole heartedly in buying American. The thing is, no American company's make adventur/dual sport bikes. I really like Harley and want one real bad. Love the XR'sand think it and the vrod have been great steps for HD. Right now I can only afford one bike (can't even afford it really) and I'm really wanting another dual sport. If I decide to get a street bike it will definitely be a HD. If its a dual sport it will most likely be European.

As far as the bike in the pic goes I think its awesome! A guy on advrider made it and did a heck of a job I think. I guess buying a used sporty and converting it to a dual sport is a possibility for me too. Like I said though, I wish I could buy it off the show room floor. I really think if Harley made something similar to the one in the pic, focusing on competing withe the European dual sport manufacturers, they would have a winner. A lot of people think other wise and point to buells poor sales. But the bike in the pic (and European adventure bikes) are drastically different then the buell. The buell ulysses was basically a naked sport bike with a little longer suspension travel.

 

I like the concept and would like to ride one of these just to get a feel for it. The Sportie is light enough on the road that I wonder what it would handle like reconfigured for the dirt...

(images from Google)

 

So, you can buy a Sportie and do all of the custom work to convert it to a dual sport but you can't handle tracking down parts for a Buell (which isn't very difficult, btw, I have one) or doing your own work on it (you specifcally mentioned "service")? Buells are a piece of cake to work on and not too hard to get parts for. Don't be so quick to rule them out as they are FANTASTIC bikes.

I agree though, I would love to see Harley branch out a little bit from the "cruiser only" corner they've painted themselves into. The Sportster could make a fine dual sport and it's not really that big of a stretch to make it one. It sucks not having an American option for a bike because the only 2 mfg's in town (HD and Victory) have a very limited scope. Maybe EBR (Erik Buells new company) will take off or be picked up by a bigger company (with some vision and decent managment, NOT HD) and offer some affordable bikes. EBR's new 1190RS pushes ALL of the right buttons for me except one, PRICE!