Looking Back at the FXR2 and FXR3
Back in 1999, Harley-Davidson gave their original performance cruiser an encore, and created CVO in the process.
We’re taking a short break from our H-D Forums Marketplace Bike of the Week posts. We’d like to re-visit one of the bikes we featured previously, a beautiful purple 1999 FXR2.
From 1982 to 1995, the Harley-Davidson FXR paved the way for the Dyna, and, more recently, the sportier Softail models. In fact, the 2020 Low Rider S can trace its lineage back to the FXR, right down to its steep 28 degree front rake.
Initially, the FXR was seen as a major departure for Harley-Davidson. It was squarely aimed at contemporary Japanese cruiser-style bikes from the likes of Yamaha and Kawasaki. When it was first released, many members of the Harley-Davidson faithful outright hated the bike.
That hate gradually gave way to begrudging acceptance, and, eventually, a genuine affection for the bike as customizers had their way with this new, nimbler Harley. By the time the bike was discontinued in 1995, there were a legion of disappointed FXR die-hards who were angry at The Motor Company for an entirely different reason.
In the same way that Dyna fans balked when it was discontinued in favor of the new Softail, FXR fans were disappointed that the Dyna had killed their favorite bike. However, in the late 1990s, a perfect storm brewed that allowed the FXR to return on a very limited basis.
Thankfully, Cycle World has made a contemporary article they published back in early 1999 available online. For fans of the FXR, it’s important reading.
The end of the MT 500 program – another interesting historical footnote that we’ll be sure to cover soon – meant that Harley-Davidson had plenty of extra space and capacity at their York, Pennsylvania factory, in Building 42.
In addition, Harley-Davidson wanted to test the viability of selling highly customized, limited-edition bikes. That’s right: the FXR2/FXR3 program was the pilot for what we now know as CVO.
The FXR2 and FXR3 utilized the Evolution engine, despite the fact that the lineup had moved on to the Twin Cam engine. New frames were produced, as well as some FXR-specific parts that weren’t widely available.
Most importantly, Harley-Davidson threw their sizable parts & accessories catalog at the new project. The result was a bike that truly resembled a factory custom, with tons of chrome and trick accessories right from the showroom floor. The final piece of the puzzle was the amazing, elaborate paint jobs that adorned the FXR2 and FXR3.
In the end, just 900 FXR2s and 900 FXR3s were produced. In 2000, an FXR4 would be produced as well, in similar numbers. They’re all sought-after collectibles now, the last in a long line of beloved bikes that showed the world that Harley-Davidson could make a bike that performed as good as it looked.
Photos: Cycle World
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