XR1200 question
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 933
Likes: 10
From: St Louis, MO
My friend Mickey used an XR1200X for his 3rd & 4th Hoka Hey Challenges...
http://www.thunderroadsmo.com/issues/2012-7.pdf (see page 60)
http://www.thunderroadsmo.com/issues/2012-7.pdf (see page 60)
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 946
Likes: 8
From: USA/CA
The XR1200 was going to be my first pick, if it wasn't for the tank swelling issue.
No, it was not a vent problem, and no, it was never fixed.
Like it was never fixed the Ducati (and other manufacturers as well), which had a Class Action Lawsuit with the US.
They both used tanks made by the Italian Acerbis, and they did swell. Badly, is some conditions.
I have a Ducati 1098 was tank swell a little, but remained under control, so I never went with the aluminum tank option.
In the never (but not newest, with which Ducati went back to aluminum tanks) Monsters, Ducati went with split fuel cell, and skins which are free shift on top of it, such that the swell of the fuel cell does not create any issue.
My Monster 1100 EVO has that configuration.
Previous (post 2006) Ducati had tanks swelling pretty bad, similarly to the XR1200.
Issue is lethanol fuel combined with the polymer the tank is made from.
Europe (where the XR1200 landed first) never had that issue, because Europe had no corn lobby.
No, it was not a vent problem, and no, it was never fixed.
Like it was never fixed the Ducati (and other manufacturers as well), which had a Class Action Lawsuit with the US.
They both used tanks made by the Italian Acerbis, and they did swell. Badly, is some conditions.
I have a Ducati 1098 was tank swell a little, but remained under control, so I never went with the aluminum tank option.
In the never (but not newest, with which Ducati went back to aluminum tanks) Monsters, Ducati went with split fuel cell, and skins which are free shift on top of it, such that the swell of the fuel cell does not create any issue.
My Monster 1100 EVO has that configuration.
Previous (post 2006) Ducati had tanks swelling pretty bad, similarly to the XR1200.
Issue is lethanol fuel combined with the polymer the tank is made from.
Europe (where the XR1200 landed first) never had that issue, because Europe had no corn lobby.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 153
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton
The XR1200 is a pretty neat bike. IMO you missed the heyday of it in this country when people were tooling up some pretty nice upgrades for it prior to finding out it didn't sell very well here but it also means you can get the bikes for really good prices.
The '09 had forks adjustable for preload only. The shocks were also only adjustable for preload only. The later X model had fully adjustable forks and shocks which most feel are an improvement. I put X model forks on mine and feel they are an improvement. I put lower end Ohlins on the rear and they were most definitely an improvement.
Its a pretty different feeling bike compared to a stock Sportster. The power hits at higher rpm and hangs on to higher rpm. I added a Vance and Hines stainless pipe to mine and with some tuning got a bit of improvement, particularly in the lower rpm range.
Its a fun bike and I think they will at some point hold their own in value, especially if people keep racing them and crashing them. Its certainly not the bike for everyone, not especially comfortable, not super fast by metric standards but it gives you a feeling nothing else is likely too.
Oh, and to tank swelling. I've never had a problem with it. I've heard of it but not seen it. Maybe too cold in Oregon or something.
The '09 had forks adjustable for preload only. The shocks were also only adjustable for preload only. The later X model had fully adjustable forks and shocks which most feel are an improvement. I put X model forks on mine and feel they are an improvement. I put lower end Ohlins on the rear and they were most definitely an improvement.
Its a pretty different feeling bike compared to a stock Sportster. The power hits at higher rpm and hangs on to higher rpm. I added a Vance and Hines stainless pipe to mine and with some tuning got a bit of improvement, particularly in the lower rpm range.
Its a fun bike and I think they will at some point hold their own in value, especially if people keep racing them and crashing them. Its certainly not the bike for everyone, not especially comfortable, not super fast by metric standards but it gives you a feeling nothing else is likely too.
Oh, and to tank swelling. I've never had a problem with it. I've heard of it but not seen it. Maybe too cold in Oregon or something.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
We don't grow corn in the industrial quantities that you chaps do, so we don't have it available to use as a fuel additive!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 5,120
From: SW Ohio
The XR1200 was going to be my first pick, if it wasn't for the tank swelling issue.
No, it was not a vent problem, and no, it was never fixed.
Like it was never fixed the Ducati (and other manufacturers as well), which had a Class Action Lawsuit with the US.
They both used tanks made by the Italian Acerbis, and they did swell. Badly, is some conditions.
I have a Ducati 1098 was tank swell a little, but remained under control, so I never went with the aluminum tank option.
In the never (but not newest, with which Ducati went back to aluminum tanks) Monsters, Ducati went with split fuel cell, and skins which are free shift on top of it, such that the swell of the fuel cell does not create any issue.
My Monster 1100 EVO has that configuration.
Previous (post 2006) Ducati had tanks swelling pretty bad, similarly to the XR1200.
Issue is lethanol fuel combined with the polymer the tank is made from.
Europe (where the XR1200 landed first) never had that issue, because Europe had no corn lobby.
No, it was not a vent problem, and no, it was never fixed.
Like it was never fixed the Ducati (and other manufacturers as well), which had a Class Action Lawsuit with the US.
They both used tanks made by the Italian Acerbis, and they did swell. Badly, is some conditions.
I have a Ducati 1098 was tank swell a little, but remained under control, so I never went with the aluminum tank option.
In the never (but not newest, with which Ducati went back to aluminum tanks) Monsters, Ducati went with split fuel cell, and skins which are free shift on top of it, such that the swell of the fuel cell does not create any issue.
My Monster 1100 EVO has that configuration.
Previous (post 2006) Ducati had tanks swelling pretty bad, similarly to the XR1200.
Issue is lethanol fuel combined with the polymer the tank is made from.
Europe (where the XR1200 landed first) never had that issue, because Europe had no corn lobby.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 946
Likes: 8
From: USA/CA
I remember actually one of the videos of a guy in UK owning an XR1200, which was posting his issues with it:
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I haven't heard of lethanol, I have to admit, however there is a wide variety of additives for fuels. For many years we didn't allow the use of anything other than steel or aluminium alloys for gas tanks. The reason is that glass-fibre tanks got a bad name for splitting and causing fires, way back. I only recently 'discovered' that non-metal tanks had made a come back.
I'm looking at a 2009 now.. Just curious since USA has more than canada. The xr1200 was only sold 2009-2011 here and then discontinued. It's really a rare bike here..How difficult are parts availability for repairs ? Don't want to purchase bike and then get clipped on service due to lack of parts.. Any issues ? Dealers says don't go for it.