From: carlp@frigg.isc-br.com (Carl Paukstis)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.harley
Subject: Re: FXR Opinions
Keywords: Harley, FXR
Date: 26 Aug 92 17:32:04 GMT
Organization: ISC-Bunker Ramo, An Olivetti Company

In article <1992Aug25.211956.16835@access.usask.ca> speiser@skorpio.usask.ca (SED's Russ Speiser) writes:
>
>  I've got a '77 Sportser 1000 and have been dreaming about owning one of the
>newer big twins for a while now.
>
>  I'm wondering what FXR owners (FXRT, FXRS, FXRC, etc.) think of these 
>bikes.  My local Harley dealer swears by them and has never personally owned
>anything else since they came out.  Others have shrugged them off as looking
>Un-Harleylike (??!?).

Looks pretty Harleyesque to me.  Not old-timey; for that you want FXST (and 
don't get me wrong, I love the look of the Fat Boy and Heritage).
>
>  Personally, I love the lack of vibration, and the handling seems better
>too (at least in the FXRS).
>
>  Opinions??

I'm pretty convinced I made the right choice with my FXRS-CONV.  It's not a
tourer, and sometimes I'd like a tourer, but it suits my primary purposes
quite well.  For my riding style, physical size, and typical two-up
configuration, I needed to replace the rear shocks and springs with
something longer and stiffer.  I'm still working this out; I got the
Progressive stuff and ordered the max-stiff springs.  These are too
stiff; I need to back down.  I expect I also need to replace the front
fork oil and springs (Progressive again, I anticipate).  People who
don't reach my magnificent 280lb 5'11" stature and who don't carry
a large passenger may not absolutely require drastic suspension changes.

For any but the most minimal two-up riding, you'll also need to replace
the stock rear seat.  I got the FXRT rear seat/backrest combo, and Rhonda 
my first wife likes it quite well.

Handling on the FXRS-SP and FXRS-CON is the best among the Big Twins.  I have
no real data on Sportster handling; possibly better - but you were asking
about Big Twins.  I can't keep up with the real rice-rockets, but pretty
much any "standard" imported bike has to work pretty hard to leave me behind
in the twisties.  YMMV.  Straight stretches are another matter - stock
Big Twin acceleration and top speed just aren't on par with any Japanese
bike over 500cc (and most serious 400's).  Sorry, them's the facts.  But
you can, of course, add power in direct proportion to dollars spent, with
zero difficulty finding parts options.

Braking is excellent, IMHO, with the two-disc front.  Again, you can't stop
as quick as a rice-rocket, but more than adequate for my riding (and quite
surprising to my import-riding friends).  I've not had a problem with
fade with the stock setup, but I don't ride on racetracks - just mountains.

The -CON is the same bike as the -SP, except for a different (higher) handlebar
and the quick-detach windshield and saddlebags.  These are avaialable as 
accessories, but much cheaper if you just buy the -CON to start with.

--
Carl Paukstis, RRR&RSG           | "Good men must not obey the laws too well"
 ISC-Bunker Ramo / Spokane, WA   |    -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 Phone: +1 509 927-5439          |  
 Mail: carlp@frigg.isc-br.com    |  My employer accepts no responsibility...
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.harley