Cohn Racing’s R2 Custom is Much More than Just a Sportster
Muscle R2 starts with a new Sportster 1200 or 883 and a few of Harley Davidson’s ‘minor components.’
Sportster lovers are a particular type of Harley Davidson owner. They don’t necessarily have to have the biggest, or even the loudest, bike around.
But, we do like ’em cool-looking. That’s why this new take on the iconic model, the Muscle R2 by Cohn Racing of Miami, Florida, is going to turn more than a few heads in sportster world. In fact, when I first got a glimpse of it, my eyes popped like Scarlet Johansson had just slipped into the house.
Look at that mean, manly stance, the knobby tires, the carbon fiber everywhere you look. Check out the throwback bench seat covered with imported leather.
Adjustable Swingarm
There’s also a five-piece swingarm that can be welded and adjusted to the buyer’s height, as well as custom, aluminum handlebars that light up blue with a flick of the switch, for easy night-viewing
The builders start with a new Sportster 1200 or 883 and a few of Harley Davidson’s “minor components.” And that’s pretty much where the similarity with the traditional sportster ends.
They install the motor into a frame that is either a three-piece chrome alloy or titanium. The rest of the motorcycle is built with the company’s own custom pieces combined with various parts from well-known, premium manufacturers, like Brembo brakes, Akrapovic exhaust systems and Ohlins suspension.
Sleek & Muscular
All of this is done in close consultation with the owner. The outcome manages to look both sleek and muscular, with nods to both tradition and the future.
And, as it happily turns out, the Muscle R2 is more than just a looker. Much more. It’s powerful, it has great brakes and it turns on a dime. It also has six speeds, great for those sportster owners like me who have complained in the past about the lack of a sixth gear.
The bike was designed by a man named Chet Perez, a life-time motorcycle junkie originally from Spain. These are the same people who built the XR1200 Muscle, and they have expanded on that.
‘Something Really Different’
“We wanted to do something that was really different,” Perez told hdforums.
They have certainly done that. For example, the power. The R2 still has an air-cooled V-twin engine, but this one delivers nearly 100 horsepower on 93 octane gas. That’s quite a big of get-up-and-go for a small-framed bike like the sportster. Dry weight for the machine is 446 pounds.
And for those of you worried about the typically rough, sportster ride, you’ll be happy to note that Ohlens suspension, which is the norm for Cohn designs. The seat height is adjustable according to the owner’s preference.
Ultimate Sportster Design?
The Motor Company likes to come out with its “special” designations, but this new Cohn Racing treatment could very well be the ultimate special sportster design, until somebody comes up with something better, and that would take some doing.
You’re probably thinking this limited production model – Cohn Racing says “limited to 99 units” – doesn’t come cheap, and you would be correct. Pricing starts at a little more than $45,000.
Photos: Pepper Yandell
Join the HD Forums now!
