I used to go to the IX Center in Cleveland every year for this show. I haven't gone now for several years because frankly, I can just go visit different dealerships and see the same things for free. The show used to be very interesting and entertaining, now it's boring and not worth the gas, parking, and ticket prices. JMHO

 

I stopped going to IMS when they abandoned the SF Bay Area (San Mateo fairgrounds) a few years ago.

 

I was there thinking for some reason I was going to get to see all of the new bikes Harley announced last summer. I haven't kept up with Indian but stumbled on the FTR1200 in its various form. Holy smokes, that's something Harley should have done.

 

They kinda did........the XR1200.........didn't sell......

 

I noticed that too. But over the last 2 years, the local dealers have stepped up. I was hoping that maybe the HD 'electric' bike might be displayed. I did see Yamaha, but not Ducati or Ktm or Triumph there. I like seeing all the new bikes even though I'm not in the market for their msrp's. Cabin Fever has hit home.

 

 

The XR1200 didn't sell but it's a collector bike now.

 

That was mostly due to timing. Not to mention it is simply a glorified Sportster that shares very little with the legendary XR750. They made the same mistake with the late to the market XR1000. Had they actually engineered it with more horsepower and a forward thinking design it might have sold much better. They really put it out for the European market, but it didn't take over there either. Heavy, slow, poor suspension and only race bike badging just won't sell by any manufacturer as a performance based machine.

Some History:Street XR[edit]

As with the KR, customers began asking for a street-legal XR from its debut. Harley-Davidson was slow to capitalize on this demand, finally introducing the Sportster XR-1000 street bike 13 years after the XR-750 racer. The XR-1000 used XR-750 heads, but kept the Sportster engine, frame and other equipment.[10] Costing nearly twice the price of a base model Sportster XL, the XR-1000 sold poorly and many performance enthusiasts simply bought an XL and upgraded the heads, carburetors and exhaust themselves at significantly less total cost.[10] The XR-1000 was discontinued after only two years, and after another 13 years the Harley-Davidson XR1200 was introduced in 2008 in Europe and 2009 in the US.[13] The XR1200 has less in common with the XR-750 than the XR-1000 did, but has so far found a warmer reception.[13]
[14]

 

 

its always struck me as kind of odd who does and doesn't show up at IMS. This year in Cleveland Ducati and BMW decided not to show up.