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Thanks for the welcome back, folks. Nice to be back again - despite the rain, fuel prices, rocketing cost of living etc etc . At least I'm on a Sportster again, which makes up for it all. Must confess though, still haven't got much mileage in yet, as I've just arrived back from a family holiday up in the Lake District here in the UK. Hope the weather for Sportzilla down in Wales (great biking country) was better than ours! This weekend coming I'm at our Aire Valley 'Ridings Rally' so I'm looking forward to the ride-out up into the Dales on Saturday, then at the end of the month it's a thousand-mile round trip up to the 'Thunder In The Glens' rally in Scotland at Aviemore, so all being well I should have more to tell you about the bike by then. For the moment here's a picture of the right flank of the bike to explain the title.

Now I'm really pleased they decided to make the XR1200 part of the Sportster family; I think the bike does manage to capture some aspects of the original 'performance' Sportster feel from its introduction back at the end of the Fifties. But I was talking to my dealer (Leeds Harley) when I picked up the bike, and he was adamant that the bike should be put in a separate class of its own, as he reckoned it was too different to the rest of the Sportster family . Well, I hope not. Sticking my neck out, I'd say that within the rest of the Harley product line there are enough differences in the individual groups - the Dynas, for example - for the XR to justify being called a Sportster. If, as rumoured, Harley are going to bring out several derivatives on the XR theme, then maybe the Sportster's could develop along two branch lines; the raw-boned, lean custom style bikes (love the Nightster particularly), and the sports orientated XR series. That's what I'd like to see anyway. Finger's crossed...

Ride safe,
Ian

P.S. notice pride of place to the SON sticker on the front mudguard

Hi Ian
as far as I am concerned it is a Sportster
I do remember when the first evo engines came out and everyone said that weren't real Harleys.
You can't stop progression...................

Whether people like it or not is a different question.
They are starting to grow on me.
I saw a thread on the XL forum where someone had taken all the body work off and I think there is potential to make it more like a "real" XR.

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Hey Ian,
i do read SPORTSTER on the engine
so it's truly a very beautifull sporty
I almost lived and worked in the lake district (Carlisle)
but unfortunately the firm (E.W.S.Railways) had a major reorganisation and is bought by Railion,
so it did't work out for me (sad,but true)
BEAUTIFULL Countryside that is anyway!!!!
Schotland also and Carlisle in the middle of it all!
See you at SON-city 2009!!

grtz.Arjen

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Born on a mountain,raised in a cave,bikin' and fuckin' is all I crave

Thanks again, quadcam and arjensil, wouldn't want to be thrown out of Sportster Owners! Good point about some people being upset about the original XL's too. Very interesting thought about bodywork removal. To be honest, a lot of the finish on the bike is, well, crap (the magazines were right about that) and I don't like the black plastic that makes up so much of the trim. Getting rid of it to leave naked frame/engine/fuel tank setup - could work wonders - though I think I'd better get some miles in first ! Not sure I'd want to go down the whole Storz route though - except for some decent pipes maybe. Still, it's nice to think about...
SON meeting 2009 - intend to make it over if I have to put floats on the bike

Ian

Is a Sportster!!! A stock one, but that will be changed easy..................
And yes, the welsh sun was tanning !

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Sportzilla; Tanoshii-style. 楽しい !

G'day Ian,

Any chance of you coming to the 2008 Ace Cafe Reunion in september?

Greets,

Dennis883

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MC.

Dennis883,

Many thanks for the heads-up on this one, buddy, I've kinda lost touch a bit with being away for a while - ought to have checked stuff out more! Yes is the short answer, barring my engine dropping out on the Dunedin rally. I've just checked out the Ace website; may only be able to make the Saturday and Sunday but I'll see what I can get sorted and take it as it comes. I'm going to post another entry or two at least, with pics of the Ridings Rally (TONIGHT!) and Thunder In The Glens (end of this month), so I'll post a picture of my handsome self (NOT! ) so anybody seeing can recognize me - I'm fairly unmistakable . Looking forward to it,

Thanks again and ride safe,
Ian