Xtra Rowdy: STG Tracker’s custom Harley XR1200
Released in 2008, the Harley-Davidson XR1200 should have been a big hit for The Motor Co.; an athletic Sportster fashioned after the iconic XR750 flat tracker. But it never quite stuck.
One theory is that it was too sporty for dyed-in-the-wool Harley fans, and not sporty enough to entice new riders. But you could also argue that the styling was a flop. Like the current Sportster S, the XR1200 pulled ideas from too many sources, making it aesthetically muddled.
At least the XR1200’s story has a happy ending. Like a 90s B-movie, it’s found a cult following in recent years. And, as this rowdy XR1200 from Argentina’s STG Tracker so deftly proves, it has oodles of potential if you know how to massage it just right.
?This client brought us his bike complaining that not only was it ugly, but he was also struggling with the handling and those chunky H-D levers,? says Marcelo Obarrio, who runs STG Tracker along with Germán Karp. ?He has a few sport bikes and likes to ride fast, but, like any Harley, it didn’t brake well or turn fast?it could just accelerate in a straight line.?
The idea was to customize the 2010-model Harley-Davidson XR1200 along the lines of the rowdy big twins that compete in the AMA Super Hooligans race series, but keep it street-legal. STG’s list included a handful of key performance improvements, plus a judicious weight loss plan. Refining the XR1200’s slightly awkward style was a top priority too.
?We searched for a h...
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