Harley XR1200 Cafe Racer by Shaw Speed & Custom

Harley XR1200 Cafe Racer

Shaw Speed & Custom continues to turn out amazing Harley customs, well over 100 to date. The ones that light our fire are the kick ass Sportster builds, like the CRXR.

Shaw Harley-Davidson has been an award winning H-D dealer since 2003. When Harley put the Buell out to pasture, SS&C was born to fill the gap for high performance street and adventure bikes. Owner Steve Willis created an independent studio and assembled a collection of dedicated craftsmen, whose creations have drawn worldwide attention, resulting in collaborative builds with the likes of Bell & Ross, Ralph Lauren, and Gibson Guitars.

CRXR:  XR1200 Sportster Cafe Racer

Sportster XR1200 Cafe Racer

The emphasis of the CRXR is performance. While it harkens back to the café racers of the fifties with its style and Norton-influenced paint job, the major work was on the bike’s engine. Starting with a stock XR1200 Sportster, the folks at SS&C tore the engine completely down, upgrading the heads, pistons and cams, then remapped the fueling system from the XR1200 Cup racers. After reworking the induction system, they completed the package with a custom exhaust from Torque Hammer. The result is well over 100 bhp at the rear wheel, effectively doubling the stock output.

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To harness this ground pounding power, SS&C swapped the belt drive for a heavy duty chain and sprockets. Melding power with beauty, SS&C custom-built the seat unit, incorporating the requisite bum stop, as well as side covers. The stock handlebars were replaced with clip-ons to provide the traditional racing position. This is carried on through custom rear sets. A larger headlight and dual clocks complete the look, lending an aviation theme. The engine, cases, and swingarm are polished or chromed, while the tank is brushed aluminum, adding to the eye candy effect.

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The Motto of SS&C is “Rideable Customs“–that is, bikes that perform and ride as good as they look. With this kind of power, effectively putting the rubber to the road required substantial upgrades to the suspension and braking systems.

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Ohlins shocks grace the rear while Ohlins internals fortify the front forks. An Ohlins steering dampers eliminates any wobble issues when the front wheel eventually returns to earth. Ditching the stock wheels in favor of wire wheels on Morad alloy rims completes the look.

This is one “Rideable Custom” we are jonesing to ride.

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One Comment

  1. Péter Bárány

    I can’t see the oil cooler. I don’t think it’s a good idea to take it out.
    Double power is not true, the factory value is 90 horsepower.

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