Faults:

Rocker cover leaks at 15K and 30K (covered under warranty/extended warranty); oil pressure LED died (covered - extended warranty); clutch inner springs came apart inside clutch basket at 25K (replaced fiber plates and removed scoring on clutch basket).

OTOH, burns no oil, never left me stranded, gets 50 MPG taking it easy, and 40+ when hammering on it.

General Comments:

Bought the specific model for its dual disc brake, tach, and higher ground clearance. If you accept it as an old design, and don't expect it to be sporty in the modern way, it's a wonderful bike. I've taken it for 650-mile days. It sounds great, and handles OK. At 70 it's smooth as glass.

It has a place in the family forever, even though I have also acquired a Concours 14 that is different (not better, different).

Faults:

Leaky valve cover gasket.

General Comments:

Very quick bike, and a lot of fun to ride!

Also handles very well, and gets great gas mileage.

Not a comfortable bike to ride 500 miles in one day, but definitely a fun bike to blast around on.

Faults:

Front cylinder rocker cover gasket oil leak. Replaced twice under warranty in the first year, with the leak resuming each time, before H-D released a revised rocker cover gasket. No problems after the new rocket cover gasket was used.

Front brake master cylinder stuck. Replaced under warranty, shortly before the factory issued a recall and free replacement of the front brake master cylinder. No problems after the warranty replacement.

General Comments:

The XL1200R Roadster is a straightforward, honest standard-style motorcycle.

In 2003 I was looking for a new bike after several years away from riding (school and work), and having previously owned and loved airhead boxer BMWs, was looking for a midsize, general-purpose bike with a standard riding position. I was considering the Triumph Bonneville and Thunderbird, Honda CB750 Nighthawk, and H-D Sportster.

I looked at the 2003 Sportster Sport, but the vibration levels and other aspects of the design turned me off. I was close to buying a Triumph (a good deal on a leftover 2003 Thunderbird in red was very tempting) when the 2004 rubber mount redesign was announced, and after seeing a demo bike at a dealer, I placed an order immediately.

I picked it up in February 2004 and have pleased with it over the past four years. It has good power, handles and brakes well, and has been reliable and low maintenance.

As purchased, the bike was very stable and handled corners in smooth roads well, but it handled anything with bumps badly. The front and rear suspension setups were too soft, and both rode harshly over rough pavement and felt unstable in bumpy corners. I replaced the stock front fork springs and oil with Progressive springs and heavier fork oil, and the rear shocks with the H-D factory remote reservoir shocks from the pre-2004 Sportster Sport model (they fit perfectly). They transformed both handling and ride comfort over bumps. This setup should be standard in the 1200R.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I have not had backfiring problems with the stock carburetor jetting. I considered the usual muffler replacement, but have decided to retain the stock exhaust and jetting. I have been satisfied with the engine's power and do not want a louder exhaust.

Range with the 3.5 gallon tank is limited. With only 2.5 gallons before needing to go to reserve, I refill every 100 miles. If I find a 4.5 gallon tank from a Custom in the right color cheap on eBay, I may purchase and install it. This would require replacing the seat, which I have considered doing anyway. The seat is OK on short rides but is too mushy to be comfortable on rides over 4 hours.

Maintenance requirements are very low. Change the oil and filter at regular intervals, check tire pressures, winterize properly. That's it. Belt rather than chain drive is a great advantage over the other bikes that I considered. I had two "first year of a new model" problems in the first two years of ownership, but both were remedied after the factory figured them out, and neither has recurred since.

I have used my Roadster for urban commuting, weekend rides on country roads, and Skyline Drive rides, and it has handled all of these situations well. I don't do long-distance tours, but with a windshield, hard bags and highway pegs it would probably handle those situations fine as well. Overall, it's a solid machine that would be a good choice for anyone looking for a basic motorcycle with a standard, upright riding position, rather than a specialized sportbike, cruiser, or full-dress tourer.

Faults:

The front brake master cylinder would stick on occasion when I first got the bike, but that was repaired by the dealer.

The bike was jetted so lean, that it would pop back thru the carb when down shifting and at stop lights upon acceleration. (Cured with a Yost Power Tube and re-jetting).

General Comments:

First off, let me say that if you have not ridden a Sportster since the engine was rubber mounted in 2004, you are in for a treat. The "paint mixer effect", is gone and the bike no longer sheds parts going down the road.

Shortly after delivery, I replaced the stock fork springs and rear shocks with after market parts. The bike is very heavy and will never be a road-racer, however the change was dramatic. I spent a week in the mountains of North Carolina and had a blast (I even managed to show a couple of guys on crotch rockets that torque and decent handling are a great combination). I wish you could have seen their faces when we stopped after a brisk ride! Priceless.

The changes I made include:

Yost power tube and re-jetting. (jets come with kit)

Screamin Eagle high flow air filter, slip on mufflers, ignition module and 8mm plug wires.

To sum it up, the Sportster 1200R with these changes feels and sounds like a mid 60's big block Corvette convertible. Keep the revs between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm to take advantage of the torque, and let the fun begin.