Or DX's grandfather? XLCR!
Harley Cafe Racer
morvegil
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363 Posts
Oh Yeah, not good!
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44,126 Posts
Rid it of the Awful FAiring and Rear Fender set up and you have something. The Wheels are an Early incarnation of what I and Many people consider the Best VRSC offered wheels that appeared on the last model D and now reside on the F series. I love the Exhaust.
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Funny though How this Willie G idea was Also "Shot Down In Flames"
1977 H-D XLCR
Willie G’s styling masterpiece, sales disaster
“Only One Man Could Have Done This.”
That’s the advertising slogan Harley-Davidson used when it unveiled a radically different motorcycle in 1977.
![Image]()
The man was Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the company’s founders and Harley’s vice president of styling. “This” was the XLCR cafe racer, a bike that Harley noted, “couldn’t have been built by a committee.”
![Image]()
The sleek, race-inspired cafe racers of the ’70s were the predecessors of modern sportbikes. Most of these machines were built by enthusiasts, although Norton and Ducati tapped into the movement with their John Player Special and 750SS models.
Harley’s own Sportster line had started life in a similar performance-oriented role when it was introduced with the XLCH in 1957. But by the mid-’70s, the company’s hot-rod image had taken a beating from the likes of Honda’s CB750 and Kawasaki’s Z1.
So Willie G decided to take the Sportster in a new, cafe-racer direction.
“In 1974, I had an idea to build a Sportster motorcycle in a racerly mode,” Willie G says in his new book, “100 Years of Harley-Davidson.”
The result was the 1977 XLCR. Based on the 1,000cc Sportster motor, the bike had an all-black look that is remarkable even today.
The styling is highlighted by the long, angular tank and tail section, along with the quarter-fairing. But it’s also notable for the “siamesed” exhaust pipes and cast alloy wheels, the first ever used on a Harley.
There’s no doubt that the XLCR is one of the most distinctive examples of Willie G’s work, but it was also one of the few that failed in the marketplace. Despite the attention the bike got at shows and in the press, only 3,123 XLCRs were made during two years of production.
One of those belongs to Tom McKee of Terra Alta, West Virginia, who bought it after his dealer told him in the late ’70s that the bike “won’t sell well and will be collectible.”
He was right on both counts, and now, McKee’s perfect, original XLCR can be enjoyed by visitors to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at AMA Headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio
Funny though How this Willie G idea was Also "Shot Down In Flames"
1977 H-D XLCR
Willie G’s styling masterpiece, sales disaster
“Only One Man Could Have Done This.”
That’s the advertising slogan Harley-Davidson used when it unveiled a radically different motorcycle in 1977.
The man was Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the company’s founders and Harley’s vice president of styling. “This” was the XLCR cafe racer, a bike that Harley noted, “couldn’t have been built by a committee.”
The sleek, race-inspired cafe racers of the ’70s were the predecessors of modern sportbikes. Most of these machines were built by enthusiasts, although Norton and Ducati tapped into the movement with their John Player Special and 750SS models.
Harley’s own Sportster line had started life in a similar performance-oriented role when it was introduced with the XLCH in 1957. But by the mid-’70s, the company’s hot-rod image had taken a beating from the likes of Honda’s CB750 and Kawasaki’s Z1.
So Willie G decided to take the Sportster in a new, cafe-racer direction.
“In 1974, I had an idea to build a Sportster motorcycle in a racerly mode,” Willie G says in his new book, “100 Years of Harley-Davidson.”
The result was the 1977 XLCR. Based on the 1,000cc Sportster motor, the bike had an all-black look that is remarkable even today.
The styling is highlighted by the long, angular tank and tail section, along with the quarter-fairing. But it’s also notable for the “siamesed” exhaust pipes and cast alloy wheels, the first ever used on a Harley.
There’s no doubt that the XLCR is one of the most distinctive examples of Willie G’s work, but it was also one of the few that failed in the marketplace. Despite the attention the bike got at shows and in the press, only 3,123 XLCRs were made during two years of production.
One of those belongs to Tom McKee of Terra Alta, West Virginia, who bought it after his dealer told him in the late ’70s that the bike “won’t sell well and will be collectible.”
He was right on both counts, and now, McKee’s perfect, original XLCR can be enjoyed by visitors to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at AMA Headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio
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44,126 Posts
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150 Posts
They brought it back because Europe wanted it. Does anybody have any numbers on how well the XR1200 has sold both in the U.S. and/or in Europe? I don't believe it has done well here but has had more success across the pond.
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1,529 Posts
I was speaking to a HD Canada rep at a show a few weeks ago and he was telling me that it has sold really poorly in North America. They released it here because the outcry that it was Europe only was huge in the US and when it was available, NO ONE bought it. They regret bringing it here ...
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44,126 Posts
I can only Assume that its doing fine in Europe as the After MArket part available for it from Real Co's (Not just Chrome bolt on garbage from Arlen Ness or Kuryakyn etc..) like Termingoni etc... is quite plentiful.
Its a Shame that it didnt do beter here as we will never see the New and Excellent X version.
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Its a Shame that it didnt do beter here as we will never see the New and Excellent X version.
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9,301 Posts
Very lame that they don't sell here. The XR is one of the "coolest" bikes HD has ever made. I did park next to one in The Woodlands back in October. Even tracked the guy down in the restaurant who had it and complimented him on his good taste. Unusual for me. I've parked next to several DXs and never ended up figuring out who was riding them.
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44,126 Posts
Well I remember in the Beginning when there was few VRSC's around there used to be Threads started asking "Who was it I saw in Highway ------ at 6pm saturday..." etc... as most people felt a Bond due to the small community of mostly Individuals with original ideas etc... Weird, people Used to wish for the bikes acceptance, now it has it and when you talk to people on them that you dont already know they usually turn out to be "Harley Guys" so now I never do look people up if I see other Revo bikes somewhere That I happen to be.Very lame that they don't sell here. The XR is one of the "coolest" bikes HD has ever made. I did park next to one in The Woodlands back in October. Even tracked the guy down in the restaurant who had it and complimented him on his good taste. Unusual for me. I've parked next to several DXs and never ended up figuring out who was riding them.
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2,601 Posts
Dude, look at your bike then look at that plasticy thing with jr high shop class welds to its left again. No contest.Very lame that they don't sell here. The XR is one of the "coolest" bikes HD has ever made. I did park next to one in The Woodlands back in October. Even tracked the guy down in the restaurant who had it and complimented him on his good taste. Unusual for me. I've parked next to several DXs and never ended up figuring out who was riding them.
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There are quite a few better bikes I'd choose ahead of the XR and for less cash.
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5,715 Posts
Arlen Ness
Bunch of vrodders are planning to meetup at the show ....
I'm guessing this may not be a good time to put a plug in for the "ARLEN NESS SHOW" in April 2010....I can only Assume that its doing fine in Europe as the After MArket part available for it from Real Co's (Not just Chrome bolt on garbage from Arlen Ness or Kuryakyn etc..) like Termingoni etc... is quite plentiful.
Its a Shame that it didnt do beter here as we will never see the New and Excellent X version.
![Image]()
Bunch of vrodders are planning to meetup at the show ....
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9,301 Posts
I wouldn't for a second consider one over a V-Rod. But as far as "cool" factor goes, which doesn't always mean the best, fastest, most practical, most cost effective etc, etc. I think it's hard to beat an XR1200. I bet it's a blast to ride.
Hell AMC Javelins are "cool" and they're complete pieces of shite.
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44,126 Posts
well thats too bad, that Dinosaur and his Out Of Date products. Loom at those Nightmares He has "Created" for Victory. Clown Bikes.
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2,601 Posts
Is this better than the Street Rod? Maybe, its less top heavy. Is it better than an el cheapo SV650? Doubtful.
If they'd have rolled it out for $8k they'd have been flying out of dealerships. For $10.8k I expect better.
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9,301 Posts
That we can agree on, even $9500-$10,000 would have made more sense. Hell a Thruxton starts at $8799. The last time I priced an XR it was $12.5K. ridiculous.
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44,126 Posts
All Good 1200 Sporties are in this price range (Nightser, XL), the 883 are the only bikes under 10k.
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2,601 Posts
Having the Victory design studios just up the road from me I feel compelled to make a statement here on their behalf.
I'll let you know if I come up with something.
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