The Milwaukee giant offers a new, sportier edition of the XR1200. Who would have thought that you could have this much fun in corners – to the point of almost grinding the road with your knee – on a Sportster frame?

The Milwaukee giant offers a new, sportier edition of the XR1200. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Moto123.com)

Introducing the XR1200X, an otherworldly Harley-Davidson featuring a 43-mm inverted front fork and rear shocks with piggyback reservoir (all fully adjustable courtesy of Showa) as well as a floating disc braking system.

This model comes in Black Denim or White Hot Denim, while the previous model's brushed aluminum finish gives way to matte black with polished cooling fins. A wide handlebar, small fuel tank and minimized instrument panel combine to make a genuinely-sporty Harley.

Time to rock!
The rocker-equipped, air-cooled, twin-cylinder engine of the new 2011 XR1200X is 26-percent more powerful than its parent powerplant, unleashing 91 horses at 7,000 rpm. Revised cylinder heads with optimized oil flow are linked to a radiator, while the dry-sump lubrication system's external oil pan (underneath the seat, on the right side) has been redesigned to increase capacity.

A large, electronically-controlled airbox, lighter crankshaft derived from the Buell XB12 and more free-flowing exhaust complete the upgrades to the cruiser engine. Thankfully, this application of the V-twin manages to preserve the typical Harley character and sounds.

A Sportster frame?
The Harley-Davidson XR1200X is built on the XL1200 frame, whose modified rear loop enhances overall rigidity. The improved steering boasts a tighter rake and puts more weight on the front wheel, making the bike livelier and sharper in corners. The increased trail and 18-inch aluminum wheel wrapped in grippier rubber maximize directional stability.

The rocker-equipped, air-cooled, twin-cylinder engine of the new 2011 XR1200X is 26-percent more powerful than its parent powerplant, unleashing 91 horses at 7,000 rpm. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Moto123.com)