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AMA Pro Racing Adds XR1200 Series

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Harley Davidson XR1200 AMA Pro Racer
Harley Davidson XR1200 AMA Pro Racer

AMA Pro Racing will have a new series of races for the Harley Davidson XR1200. The XR1200 is the only Harley with any pretensions of being a race bike so putting this series together makes sense. It could be interesting and might spur sales of the XR1200. Good idea.

Press release follows:

Daytona Beach, FL – March 4, 2010 – AMA Pro Racing and Vance & Hines are pleased to announce the launch of the new AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series, a spec-bike five race championship featuring specially modified Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles.

This exciting new series will provide loyal Harley-Davidson owners, dealers and enthusiasts a chance to join the action at selected AMA Pro Road Racing weekends throughout the country.

As the presenting sponsor, Vance & Hines will also serve as the official race kit supplier for the class. The kit will consist of a Vance & Hines XR1200 exhaust system, a Fuelpak fuel management system, race bodywork including number plate, single seat tail section and belly pan, 17-inch front wheel with matching front fender, steering damper, oil cooler relocator and race decal package. The cost for the complete kit will be $3500.

“We have racing in our DNA, Harley-Davidson has racing in their DNA and we are truly thrilled to bring Vance & Hines and Harley-Davidson back into AMA Pro Racing,” Terry Vance, a prolific champion as both rider and team owner, said of the new series. “The XR1200 has proven to be an exciting platform for spec racing in Europe and this class will be a perfect cost-effective platform to showcase new talent on a national stage. Many of the finest motorcycle racers all over the world got their start in the AMA Supertwins class of the 1990s.”

As in all AMA Pro Road Racing series, Dunlop will provide the spec tire for the class and Sunoco will fuel the racers with their Sunoco 260 GTX fuel. In addition to the Vance & Hines supplied kit parts, teams will be allowed to upgrade their suspension, hand and foot controls, brake components and instrumentation.

AMA Pro Racing Chief Operating Officer David Atlas welcomed the new series, “Adding another element to our events with a series of this caliber will be a great benefit to our sport. The specification of the XR1200 package will put the premium on the rider’s ability and will provide a great new class of racing that has ties to the past.”

Vance & Hines is also pleased to announce that the XR1200 Series will feature a $5,000 purse payout at each of the five rounds, $2,500 going to the race winner, $1,000 to the runner-up and $750 for third. Fourth and fifth place finishers will receive $500 and $250 respectively.

For the 2010 season, the AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 Series will race at five rounds of the AMA Pro Road Racing Championship. The first race will be just north of Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee headquarters at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. Next up will be the classic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, moving on to Virginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park. The season finale will be at Barber Motorsports Park.

Comments

  1. That’s great news! Some of the most exciting racing I used to watch was the 883 class, which saw some great talent already apparent from many riders that went on to become talented Superbike racers.

  2. I’m wondering if the availability of bikes is at the whim of H-D. Is Harley backing this in any way despite all the free publicity it will be getting? If they did, would this, somehow, interfere with a non-compete agreement with Buell (Buell won’t creat street bikes and H-D won’t create race bikes)? IS there such an agreement?

    Spec racing, to me, is only fun for the riders. I like to see variation and innovation.

    -todd

  3. @todd: “wondering if the availability of bikes is at the whim of H-D”

    If you can just buy a bike and add the Vance and Hines kit, how would HD control the availability? And why would they?

  4. “teams will be allowed to upgrade their suspension, hand and foot controls, brake components and instrumentation”
    XR1200 with clip-ons or clubmans? Yes Please!

  5. Given that the cost of the bikes are relatively low, I wonder if you’ll see many privateers having a go.

  6. Paul, I’m trying to think of some models that have been discontinued without much notice. Can you help me out with that? Is it sure that the XR1200 will be available (new) next year, the year after? Does this really matter for the series since a racer could just pick one up second hand? It would need to be gone through regardless.

    Harley has made it clear that they are not into supporting race efforts or “performance” type motorcycles since it does not reflect their core brand strategy. If they see that this bike begins to detract from that strategy they may decide to discontinue the model. It happened with Buell and that didn’t make much sense either.

    -todd

  7. todd the Xr1200 was made to meet customer demand, H-D may pull it out of the USA but its been there European darling, I doubt it is in any danger, and the race class started across the pond, and as I understand it was supported by dealerships, not Harley.

  8. @ Todd

    Harley doesn’t like racing only when they’re not winning. Thus, a spec series is something they’ll rally ’round-between the ‘always a Harley’ podiums, and the increased sales, they’re winning, baby. I’d be surprised if they’re not totally involved with this-the AMA, when they’re not busy ruining motorcycle racing for the fans, will occasionally take some time to bend over backwards for The Motor Company.

    Not that this doesn’t have the potential to be good, fun racing. Just not particularly high tech.

  9. Spec racing is very much about setup, little tricks, and rider talent vs. big dollars. I think it’s great to have an inexpensive platform to work from, and I’m sure the top riders will be plenty innovative in getting the last bit out of their XR.

  11. Isnt there some thing similar going on with the triumph Thruxton? they should open up racing for bikes like the Triumph and the harley to go head to head. This would be epic.

  12. I agree with danny,the Harleys and the Triumph Thruxtons goin at it.Allow the Triumphs to up thier displacement, then the Harleys to drop some wieght and get it on.

  13. HD aborted its racing DNA when it killed Buell. Which should have gotten its own AMA series since it had only half the power of a real bike. Might as well go back to racing motorized bicycles on the boardwalk.

  14. I want 1600cc Triumph triple (Trident?) as a V-Max killer (or at least equivalent), Harley won’t maybe Hinckley will. I like the idea of two 1600s in the Triumph range a cruiser and a screamer.

    Rob

  16. I always thought racing was made interesting by the differant brands of bikes competing against each other.Like one brand car racing,one brand bike racing will be as boring as hell.

  17. While some of you might not find this type of racing very interesting, others might like it a lot. Harley would be smart to get behind this series. It could generate a lot of interest in the XR and stimulate sales, something Harley, and every other manufacturer, could really use. Parts sales could also rise for the XR and the halo of a racing machine might spread to the Sportster line overall. It could attract a younger demographic to the Motor Company, too. If you attract a lot of privateers, due to the relatively low price of a competitive bike, you could see a training ground for another generation of racers who will have good feelings toward Harley as the bike that gave them a start. This is a win all around. I hope this takes off.

    @Pierre, … ever hear of flat track or much earlier, board track?

  18. What a very nice roadbike this should.be.

    Enough space. Torque from low down.
    Easthetics are spot on.
    Stabile roadmanners. Not too nervous. Most important, a real life bloke does not look completely out of proportion as with many japanese bikes.

    Truly a Harley I lust after.

  19. Grate idea AMA and H.D. the series will make for some exciting racing . Much to
    the surprise of rookie riders that post on this site . I’ve rode 200,000+ mi. on m/c’s
    not counting my race miles. The xr 1200 will put forth rider talent , that’s what
    racing is all about in the first place . The next time your out riding your newest and bluest techno rocket ship that will go 95 in second gear and some dude wearing colors
    with a chick sitting on a pillion pad passes you don’t get pissed . It’s the rider not the
    bike. Some how some where the motorcycle comunity has come to a fork in the road
    Racing should be fun ,exciting and affordable the xr 1200 series is a step in the right
    direction. Real bikes for real riders could be there slogan. hey Harley or ama, if you
    want to use that quote send me a bike and I’ll show you a real winner. In the end
    it all comes down to. If you want to make a small fortune racing start with a big one
    The xr makes that big one seem small to the rest. The next time you come to a fork in the road take it . F.E.

  20. How long can it go on? With a spec racer series built around a production motorcycle, it seems there is a limited life span for the series. At some point, interest wanes because the machines are seen as “old news”. I love the idea of spec racing from the cost-control and the close racing/showcasing the rider talent standpoints. I love WSB and MotoGP because of the variety of machines and advancing technology. I hope there is always room for both spec racing and no-limits formulas.

  21. Spec racing is good for the participant, can be entertaining, but it does little to advance MC technology. What bothers me as a spectator, is that this is another one brand class, that’s what I find boring.

  22. Spec racing is Good for all of us. Not only does it focus on skill over money, but it forces teams to inovate in small low cost ways, Just the kind of thing that can be transfered to the street if so desired. If racing becomes Tech orientated it generates 3 million dollar drive tranes and Oval pistons of questionable use in the real world. There is room for both types of race series, but seriously 200HP is way beyond what is usefull on the streets, And can only be controled by a small fraction of professional riders antway.

  23. Very neat formula, completely affordable and great fun.

    Now, good thing that the kit is provided by Vance&Hines and not by HD themselves, bc it’d more likely cost $35,000 and not $3,500 for a few plastic parts and a pipe … 😉

  25. Umm d allread, the XR1200 has 95 hp, and something like 85 lbs of torque. Even the Sportster 883 has over 50 horsepower. Sure, it’s fun to rag on HD, but it helps to get your facts straight. That said, the race series should be a lot of fun, it won’t be a contest of who dumped the most money into their superbike, it’ll be a contest of rider skill. And it’ll be done on a bike that more than a small handful of people can actually ride.

    And if this encourages HD to improve their bikes, so much the better.

  26. this has been tried before…the 883 Twin Sport series….the Buell lightneing series….some things in history just are not worth repeating…..

  27. @ Fast Eddie

    Though I’m remiss in that I haven’t kept meticulous count of my Total Life Motorcycle Miles, I’m far from a “rookie”-and I have yet to ever be passed by “some dude wearing colors with a chick sitting on a pillion pad”, or for that matter by the color-wearing dude alone, sans chick. That’s ever, as in never. I have, however, spent much time getting around the annoying, concussive blast of some ‘Loud Pipes Save Lives’ proponent winding his slow, meandering way through the twisty section, wherein I praise the God Of My Choice for a bike with great power, brakes, and handling. Quite a concept, isn’t it?

  28. Paul,
    Please don’t take this as a negative post, but I have built racing bikes, race Karts, etc. for these kinds of series for years, here’s what happens everytime. For the first 6 months or so, it will be pretty even, then riders who ride for big important dealers will start making calls to Milwaukee. They will talk to the engineering dept., who will see that the camshafts have a timing tolerance within the print spec, and get a few cams made to one side or the other. ALL LEGAL BY THE RULES. This applies to heads, pistons, whatever. By the end of the second season, all the podium riders at every race will be CONNECTED. Give everyone a range of cam timing, compression ratio, valve seat width that they all must comply with, regardless of the parts, and you may be able to make the series work. Everyone in the 883 series that was fast, had Milwaukee back door parts, they just don’t want to admit it.
    Brian

  29. It’s actually quite easy to keep everyone honest. All participants are subject to
    a dyno test(s) before and or after a heat or main event. Any machine over the series
    allowable HP or torque is disqualified ~ end of story, pack your rig up and come back
    next race ! ! ! As far as displacement goes the AMA has a device that can check for
    that. It basically pumps air into a cylinder ~ the amount of air can be translated into
    cubic capacity of said cylinder.

  30. Richard, I don’t know about that. I’ve seen dyno results from the US EPA on the 883. It peaked at 41 hp @ 6000 RPM… The EPA has no reason to fudge results. This doesn’t matter since people don’t buy Sportsters for out-right performance.

    Fast Eddie, I find it hard to imagine “some dude wearing colors with a chick sitting on a pillion pad” passing anyone at 95 mph. That’s pretty much top speed for a big twin. Again, this doesn’t matter much since people don’t buy big twins for out-right performance. I understood your point though. I’ve experienced a time when I could not keep up on my XR650 super moto with a woman on a Ninja 250. She was obviously a much better rider. I was too worried about skidding off the side of the cliff.

    Really, if it all comes down to rider ability, then what’s the point of trying to extract more power from the motor or better handling from the chassis? I think more practice is what’s called for in most cases.

    -todd

  33. davidabl, The people competing in the Special Olympics are doing the best they can with Physical Disabilitys, As opposed to Stupidity that can be overcome if you really try. Give it a Shot!

  34. Tin Man 2 … good one.

    Ill just take this opportunity to say that the AMA has been declining into a “nascar” like state. While this may(or may not) make it a little more interesting, im just not that excited by it.

  35. Seriously, the attitude many of you have towards anything Harley Davidson, or anything other than Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, or Kawasaki for that matter, is appalling.

    There is room for all the variations of racing around the world and at the track.

  36. For those that dont think a spec class is exciting or will work – look to car road racing – spec E30 bmw, spec miata, spec rx7 etc etc etc
    Spec racing is cheap(er) and really does come down more to seat time and skill VS building a bad motor and being done.

    And as far as HDs topping out around 95 – go to a AHDRA drag race event. All harleys. You’ll see some larger cubic inch motors in street classes running 140s

    As others said, some of you all need to get your facts in order

  38. Wow there’s a lot of Harley haters! While my HD may not be everyone’s cup of tea they are great machines. Heck even on my 883C I have riden well over 110 mph! As far as a big twin’s top speed being 95….uh my stock FXDC has done well above that as well. Anything that pits a person versus another is good competition. The XR racing will be worthwhile and good competition. If you’re a HOG Hater….don’t watch! I’ll watch all of them.

  39. Todd – I have seem them run, yes. I’ve seen everything from buell blasts, stock baggers, stock anything to full on race bikes. The organization doesnt discriminate…..some of you could learn a thing or two from them

  40. to powermatic sounds like you don’t like harley’s sounds like you don’t ride where I ride . Last fall when on a ride into the birkshires from ma. into ny. Of all the groups
    of riders I passed the harley riders were the safest. Just because you have all that power and all those brakes it sounds that your thinking is somewhat limited. I don’t like loud pipes either . But my Harley Davidson has straight pipes on it . with rider ability
    I can ride it sanely. It’s a very safe ride. My rc 51 is quite it’s not so safe because
    just riding it makes you want to go fast [ Over your head } You missed the point of my
    posting . It’s rider ability that people will want to see. A one way mind is just going to get you hurt. Good luck and ride safe F.E.

  42. Lots of people on here making comments that don’t know much. The spec 883’s were pushing around 65 hp. there are things that are allowed even in spec racing. At Daytona the 883 ran in the 120’s on top end so the 1200 will run pretty well. While it may not seem exciting because the bikes are’t running 185 the difference is if there are 30 bikes entered you can cover 20 of them with a blanket. I am not sure what killed the 883 classes but I do know the riders loved it. The bikes are slower but heavier and that is what they liked. Learn to wrestle that heavy bike and then when you go to a faster class/lighter class it is much easier to adjust. You need to learn to race first and this is a low cost way to learn.

  43. You’re all missing the point. A field full of XRs with race pipes is going to sound glorious. I want to be right there at T1 of Road America. Maybe turn seven, where they have to screw it on and get up the hill.

  44. I’m in a motel right now and there are a couple of big 4 race-bikes in the back of a pick-up truck 30 ft from my room. One of the bikes is smashed up with lots of 100 mph road-rash. I haven’t seen the rider, but I could bet he or she is going over some financials right now.

    The Harley above looks great (and will certainly sound….angry). If it costs less for the teams and guarrenties close groupings for the spectators then it seems like a winning formula to me.

  45. Except for the handlebars, fuel tank, the seat and the back half of the exhaust system, it looks like a decent motorbike. Why do you need 1200cc to ride down the “freeway” at 55 MPH. If it’s fun you’re after, go to Germany, rent a Ducati 650cc and take it down the AutoBahn at 200kmh +.
    @Tin Man 2 AND kneeslider
    “davidabl, The people competing in the Special Olympics are doing the best they can with Physical Disabilitys, As opposed to Stupidity that can be overcome if you really try. Give it a Shot!”
    @ kneeslider:
    “Personal attacks, personal grievances and profanity will be removed”
    Calling somone stupid IS personal???

  46. Jeez Bob, obsess much do you? Why would someone need to go all the way to Germany to have fun doing 200kmh+ down the autobahn when we can have the same fun for thousands less, doing 35mph on a moped through rush hour traffic in Rapid City, South Dakota? If you don’t like the bike or the idea of people racing this bike, move on to the next page bud, save yourself the stress. S&!t, I could have fun with a big wheel and hill with a slight grade to it. Are you going to tell me to travel to the freaking Himalaya’s with a Monster truck because you don’t see why I would enjoy such a simple activity? God forbid somebody does something different every once in a while without someone trying to #@!$ all over it.

  48. @ Dielectric

    I agree! A field of XRs going into Turn 5 at Road America will be fantastic – from the fastest part of the track and down to 2nd gear for the corner, then up the hill through the gears into Turn 6. It’s going to sound just awesome. Looking forward to that this summer!

    Dielectric 03.07.10 at 9:08 pm
    You’re all missing the point. A field full of XRs with race pipes is going to sound glorious. I want to be right there at T1 of Road America. Maybe turn seven, where they have to screw it on and get up the hill.

  49. Lets see, I still have lots of different footage from 883 roadracing. I think I’ll go put it in the VCR and crank it UP. Practice days were neat. You can get right up to the track and personal.

  50. It’s really sad to see the narrow minded and myopic view some of you folks
    seem to have. There have been support classes at AMA road races for years.
    There’s more to racing than the latest and greatest sport models. What the
    heck is wrong with the close competition a spec class offers. To those who
    said the old 883 class was boring ~ you obviously weren’t watching very closely.
    I travelled to Laguna from BC three years in a row and the 883 class was easily
    as entertaining as anything else on the program. Springsteen, the Bostroms,
    Scott Zampach, Nigel Gale and many more fighting all the way around the track
    lap after lap was anything but boring. This new XR1200 spec class I’m sure
    will offer more of the same.

  51. Why would it be less interesting just because the riders on the same brand? If you see Trey Canard and Davey Millsaps fighting it out in AMA Supercross, is it boring just because they are both on Hondas? NO ! Ditto Haga/Fabrizio on Ducatis in WSBK or Rossi/Lorenzo on Yamahas in MotoGP. A battle is a battle is a battle.

    To me, close racing is more important than the top speed of the bikes, and I think this series will have lots of action at the front. The single-make/equal machinery concept will see to that.

    Don’t poopoo the slower (and cheaper) racing classes, they are great places to hone one’s skills.

    And one more thing… Who declared the fatwa against HD and why?

  52. Harley definitely has racing DNA but it hasn’t honored it in a long time. They tried with the VR but IMO lacked both the dedication and skill to produce a significant challenge.

    This could be the start of Harley once again returning to racing. A spec series will help them in the publicity/public relations department but what it won’t do is help Harley innovate which is what they need to gain a slice of the younger market demographic.

  53. Tin Man, SpecialOlympics contestants are all competing with diabilities of one sort or another. You should know it’s not just limited to s”stupidiity!” Racing motorcyles with
    40-50 yr. old technology is also racing against disabilities, unless it’s actual vintage
    racing. On that note, perhaps new Harleys and other ‘retros” should be competing against the bikes of yesteryear, under regulations that allow a fairly level playing field.
    So that trick vintage machinery doesn’t win all the events!

  54. Steve W, the 883 class was supposed to be cheap, but running an XL motor at racing speeds, especially Roadracing, eats motors for breakfast. It was NOT cheap and the costs kept escalating for the fast guys to stay competitive. Then like Brian Sheridan said, you see the same guys on the podium week after week.

    I think what the XR1200 needs is a class where people have a lot of freedom to improvise which would help develop the bike bike further. Not a bunch of rules to choke it out and turn it into NASCAR.

    I’m glad Harley is getting involved again, but it appears that you have to already own a bike and then the improvement money to race goes to Vance and Hines.

  56. If you want a spec racer thats fun and cheap it is NOT harley. I think harley is sucking up to the ama/dmg.
    when the boomer brigade riding harleys rapidly fades into the sunset the motor company will have to find new customers and the motor company see’s cooperation with this ‘entity’ as a way to spur sales.
    problem is most young people are not as affected by ‘easy rider’ as their fathers or grandfathers were. to them a harley is not only uncool, it is real expensive. and they still dont stop and they still dont go. .
    who wants to get beat by a lighter cheaper faster bike from japan? My old rd 350 lc would eat these tanks for breakfast. or lunch ,doesnt matter.
    lets make a list of bikes that are cheaper and go faster stop better ect ect.
    you know what my pick would be. please feel free to add others.