Old Man Yam's 'Dark Side' !

In a weaker moment I was tempted by evil (& a modest price tag) to indulge the 'Dark Side' !



This is my recently acquired XR1200x (as purchased from the original owner). It is a genuine 'American' model (As indicated on the chassis number code) & has been through single vehicle type approval when it was imported into the UK in early 2014. It is a 2011 model and has had a few bits changed, including those V&H 'race-rep' pipes. I have some mods I want to do on the bike to tailor it to my needs, so I've started to strip parts of the bike - due to limited spare time (Heavy work commitments) it will take some time to do these relatively simple jobs, so I do not intend putting the bike on the road till March or April (I can always go out on the 'VX' if I need a 'bike fix') 

   Yam    

Nice!!! Can I have a go???     hang on to it Yam, they're gaining in value all the time 

Spotted one up at Squires today Yam, Nice looking bike in the flesh   Is that the pillion foot rest on the stock exhaust? 

Hi Sim,
Yes - that is a stock rear end with the foot-peg hanger just in front of the rear shocker. As you say the bike you photo'd is on stock pipes.
If you look at my 'XR' there are currently no foot-peg hangers and a new bracket is located there which then acts as the upper pick-up point for the rear shocker - this effectively jacks up the rear end (Said to assist handling) - but also raises seat height
I actually want to retain the jacked up look as it makes it look whacky - especially with the tail tidy, which exposes a fair chunk of the rear tyre .... the look from the rear really throws you - you'd never guess it was from the dark side (except for the noise  ).  But I also want pillion foot-pegs (Which I managed to source second hand). I have got a set of race spec rear shocks, which are longer than stock & pick up in the standard top mount on the chassis. They have a small amount of height adjustment at the lower eye, & I intend setting it up on the shortest shock length, so it will be sat slightly squatter than it is at the moment.

The bike you photo'd has the same rear rack as I acquired - but I've also got the small backrest pad for the pillion for when Les feels the urge to feel the dark side !

I like the pillion seat tail pack on the bike you saw ! - I could tour with that on ! .... but there's only a small tank on the XR (Like it is on all sportsters). But I'm sure you could get by. (In reality I would bungee one bag to the tail-rack & the other on the pillion if I was solo tour riding on the XR).

Did you chat with the 'XR' owner ? ... When I have done, I've never found one that was significantly disappointed with the XR ..... but I suppose they are that marmitey that if you took the plunge to buy one, then you're half sold on the concept anyway.

Glad you got chance to see an 'XR', there aren't that many about.

Cheers      Yam

Yeh - that looks good - matt black really suits that model & those pipes work really with the look

Must be honest, never seen one before. Very unusual, I like that.

Very nice yam. Imagine going to all the trouble of importing it only a year ago, then selling it on!

Ps... You and sim should be ashamed of yourselves!!! You'll be starting your own sub group of the forum!