Don't go picking on any SV650's either; even if they are a tiny little 650cc twin. Those will run high 11's in the right hands. Basically, if you want to win races stick to racing Honda Civics or Geezer Glides. Either that, or open your wallet wide and start buying hop-up parts. Then you might be able to run w/ the 20-30yr old Jap bikes (although my 20yr old GSXR will toast about 99% of the street ridden Sporty's out there)

The XR1200 is a naked sport not a race replica ("RR")- there is a BIG difference. Some people would also consider the XR a standard as well. The XL Sportster is sort of a std./cruiser hybrid. It's kinda hard to classify. I tend to think of them more as a sport cruiser myself.


Performance specs, Here you go:
http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/articles/2010JanIndex.pdf

 

I agree there is nothing like a Harley and most people on other bikes wish they had one also..Harley is the way to go for a Motorcycle to Cruise around on...you will get more attention on one then any other ricer for sure...and they all would like to be loud and be a Harley also.

 

Just keep telling yourself that Harley is the envy of the motorcycling world. Truth is, there is quite a bit of resentment out there for Harley. The sportbike riders especially have a distaste for them. They hear those loud pipes and shake their heads and laugh. All that noise and nothing to show for it. I struggle with it often times myself. When I'm in the mood to just "cruise" my Harley is a great bike (a flawed bike but a great ride in spite of it) but as a power junkie it leaves me SERIOUSLY dissappointed in power output. Sure it makes all the right noises but my GSXR is in a different world as far as power output and I have yet to see any reliability advantage to the Harley. My "crotch rocket" has over 20k hard miles on it (and nearly 20yrs) and it performs flawlessly. Starts first try EVERY time (can't say the same for my Sporty), doesn't use a drop of oil (once again, can't say the same for the sporty) and has been VERY reliable (no complaints about the sporty there). I firmly believe the only reason you don't see high mi. sportbikes (50k mi+) is because they are either crashed or stolen long before they can reach that point.

As far as the "attention" goes, I couldn't care less how much attention I get on my bike. I'm not looking to impress anyone and if they are only giving me attention because of my bike I don't really care to talk to them anyway. Funny, most of the "attention" I get on the Harley is from the uneducated masses that know nothing about motorcycles. The attention I get on the GSXR is generally from "riding enthusiasts" who can generally hold an intelligent motorcycle discussion w/ me (yes, there is the ocassional "squid" who's only in it for the image/ ego boost).

Anyway, I'm rambling. I suppose this discussion is for another thread anyway. Statements like the post I quoted tend to get under my skin.

 

And it's still slower than those bikes. My point was it was made to look like a sport bike (naked, standard, whatever not so much a RR bike, but a sporty bike), and made to look like it was a performer, but in the end it's just another 1200 Sportster thats made to look fast, but isn't.

And Captain Chaos, I completely agree with your post. I have never met a bigger group of bike snobs than Harley riders. Don't get me wrong Harley's are great bikes for the right person, and they are what they are, but a lot of Harley riders like to take the image too far and think that everyone wants to ride a Harley and those who don't just can't afford it. But whatever, Harley's do appeal to that crowd. For most it's all about the image; the pirate costume and the large geezer glide with lots of chrome.

 

How totally arrogant? Most people on other bikes wish they had a Harley? Not.

It's attitudes like this that kept me away from Harleys for decades. Sure I like my Harley, but not so much to even think that everyone wants one. Harleys are good for what Harleys do, be loud and showy. They are great to idle around on and have people look at you (and not always in a good way). So maybe some Harley riders need to pull their heads out of their butts and realize that they ride motorcycles like everyone else, they just choose to ride a different type.

 

You guys all make great points.

They way I look at is that time will get them, meaning as they get older, they will probably slow down and/or change their riding habits. I live in SoCal where motorcycles are plenty, and rarely do I see a sport bike rider over 50 years old. And when I do see them, it's because they own several bikes and happen to be on the sport bike that day for a quick jaunt through the canyons. I'm not saying they don't exist, but from what I see most sport bike riders are the younger crowd. When I was "younger" I rode a KZ1000 LTD, a ZX900 Ninja and a ZX1100 Ninja. Now I ride an Ultra. My other bike is a KZ1000 Police Bike.

Oh I still like the feel, speed, handling and all that comes with a sport bike, but I just don't like being cramped up on a skinny saddle while my wrists, neck, shoulders, legs, lowerback and EVERYTHING else is discomforted.

I like to tour and on the road I see a lot of touring bikes. HDs, Goldwings and BMWs. I don't see too many Hayabusas loaded with saddlebags, tourpacks and passangers out on I-40. I do see sport bikes on the track and in the canyons though.

I've always felt that the sport motorcycles are just that, motorcycles. Quite a bit different for application than a touring motorcycle, but still a motorcycle. To compare a Top Of The Line CVO HD to a Hayabusa and expecting to run or keep up with it is like entering a Cadillac Sedan DeVille (or any large American luxury car) in a competition against a Toyota Supra or Nissan 300zx.

So when I told that sport bike rider that I would "Race him to Florida", all I was doing was acknowledging the different applications of our two machines.

 

is it suffice to say yet, 150+ posts later, that harley owners would like to see a little more hp/tq squeezed out of their large engines to justify the "look" and "noise" that everyone seems to go back to.

and for all the losers sitting outside places on their harleys, starbucks haha or wherever else, enjoy your vanity i think that's absolutely pathetic.

i love my sporty and ride it like hell, will continue to do so, just wouldn't object to HD making some upgrades to their 1970's engines...

going to go look at myself in the mirror for a while now

 

I ride a Sportster and know sport bikes are faster, they are also slower when asking if I need any help while parked along side a country road. Harley riders rarely. Is it just me, or maybe the area? Sport bikers seem to be more considerate and don't have a biker attitude.

I ride CA - Lake Berryessa, Pope Valley, Napa County, Lake County.

PS - not dissing Harley riders, me included.

 

Why dont the sportbike guys "roll up" on you anymore?
And what is the mutual understanding?

 

Damn there has not been a CBR750 made in a long time. I had a 2000 CBR600F4 and there is no way in hell that eaither of my Sportys would come close to keeping up with that bike. Ok my old CBR was like 450 lbs and made 110hp at the crank was geared down and had full race exhause and K&N. Size does not alway matter. There are alot fo 4cyl cars out there that smoke v8 cars. I mean my 09 Optima has a 2.4L 4 cyl 175hp and my 97 T-bird has a 3.8 v6 140hp and the Optima will smoke the T-brid in every way. V-twin engines do not make as much HP stock a inline 4cyl engines.

Yeah last month I traded in my 08 kaw Z1000 for the 1200 C since I'm not into the whole sport bike thing and the wifie did not like riding on the back of it any longer. I don't like using my XL50 for 2 up all the time so it was time to get something else. I love the 1200 C and gald I got it, but I sure do miss the awesome power of the sport bike. Sorry, but I can't stand the XR1200 and don't even see a place for it in the cycle world. There is no way that it would do anything better than my Z1000 and it was in the same class and cost about $2500 more or so. Infact if I were to get another sport bike I would get a super biek this time and not a naked. I would get a newer GSXR1000 or a ZX10R.

Not everyone likes HD's and it took me many years to like and enjoy them, took me being around them alot and getting a bit older to clam down on my riding. I still ride hard at time on the sportys, but they are not near as fast so it's keep s me out of trouble more.