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The standard definition of a avenue tracker is a motorbike that has all the trimmings of a flat tracker, with the addition of lights, street-biased tires, and a entrance brake. However what for those who took the idea a step additional, and sprinkled some supermoto substances into the combo? You’d most likely find yourself with one thing like this spicy {custom} Sportster 1200.
The bike belongs to and was constructed by Xavi Garcia—a Barcelona-based fanatic who loves café racers, streetfighters, and supermotos in equal measure. With a few {custom} builds already beneath his belt and a KTM 990 SMR within the storage, the will to create a avenue tracker with supermoto underpinnings started to buzz round in Xavi’s head. So when he stumbled throughout a 2003-model Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 in good nick, he figured that it could be the right bike to do it with.
“Once I purchased my first huge bike, a BMW R65, I personalized it right into a café racer,” Xavi tells us, “however deep down I wished to do it with a Sportster, to duplicate the Harley-Davidson XLCR 1000. Since then, I’ve all the time had a sure love for the Sportster.”
With assist from his good good friend, Franc, Xavi tore into his recently-acquired Sportster 1200 till all that remained was its rigid-mount engine, body, and swingarm. The blokes then constructed it again up with a laundry record of well-judged mods and elements.
Getting the bike’s stance proper was paramount. Xavi looked for forks and shocks that may not solely elevate the general trip top, but in addition create a visible steadiness between the back and front. In the long run, elements from two unlikely (and really totally different) sources ended up becoming the invoice.
The forks come from a 2001-model Harley-Davidson Softail Evening Prepare, whereas the piggyback shocks are Showa items lifted off a Suzuki ATV. Xavi swapped the inventory 19F/16R wheels for a pair of 17” laced hoops, fitted with a 120-wide Bridgestone Battlax tire up entrance and 160-wide Dunlop Sportmax rubber out again. A series drive conversion and a Tokico entrance brake caliper spherical out the working gear.
Subsequent, it was time to finesse the Sportster 1200’s bodywork. Xavi changed the gas tank with a slimmer aftermarket unit that he describes as “much less Harley,” then hunted down a basic Harley XR750-style tail part. A custom-made seat pad sits up high.
The Sportster has been liberated of its rear fender struts, and the tailpiece is mounted on a bespoke subframe. Xavi blocked the world across the shock mounts off to maintain issues tidy, and added a hand-crafted interior fender. Additional again, an OEM-style bracket holds the taillight, rear flip alerts, and license plate.
Xavi outfitted the Sportster with quantity boards too, attaching the entrance plate to the forks through a set of simply detachable clamps. A small headlight pokes out decrease down. Xavi additionally fitted fork guards, a neat entrance fender, and an aftermarket stomach spoiler.
Shifting to the motor, Xavi and co. swapped the inventory air filter out for an outsized forward-facing setup. A home made two-into-one exhaust system snakes its approach across the engine, earlier than terminating in a rowdy Arrow muffler.
The cockpit wears a set of LSL enduro bars, with LSL rear-set controls doing obligation decrease down. Xavi saved the Sportster’s authentic switchgear, controls, and speedo, however swapped the grips for Sparkly blue objects from Dock66.
Manu Martin dealt with the slick paint job, wrapping Xavi’s {custom} Sportster 1200 in gloss black with white accents and scrumptious throwback AMF Harley Davidson graphics. Numerous onerous elements, just like the forks and yokes, had been completed in shades of black.
It’s a crying disgrace that we don’t see extra Sportsters get the road tracker-slash-supermoto therapy. Xavi’s {custom} Sportster 1200 is proof that the idea works—and it reportedly rides pretty much as good because it seems to be, too.
Extra of this, please.
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