For those who love the power of a Harley V-twin but crave a sportier ride, the Sportster XR1200X is the perfect bike. This sporty model features a high-compression engine that delivers over 90 hp and Showa 'big piston' forks for a supple ride. Though rare, this model was sold in Europe for a couple of years before making its way to the US where it won praise from both riders and road testers.

Cohn Racers, a three-man motorcycle garage in Miami, recently got their hands on a Sportster XR1200X and transformed it for better performance on both asphalt and hard pack dirt roads. Run by Chester P-Ilzarbe, who left Apple to start his own shop, Cohn Racers pays meticulous attention to detail and aims to cater to high-profile, millionaire clients who crave the newest and most exclusive products.

The team behind Cohn Racers shared a love of bikes since they were children, and their different ages bring both old and new school style to their builds. When a client asked for a large American V-twin with knobby tires, Cohn Racers looked at the Dyna and the Sportster but ultimately chose the XR1200X for its flat tracker vibe.

Cohn Racers' vision for the bike, dubbed 'Muscle R,' was to create a mean and athletic stance that captured the essence of modern muscle cars. They located a clean XR1200X with low mileage at a Suzuki dealership 175 miles up the coast in Melbourne. After stripping it down, they welded a flatter rear frame and new tank mounts.

Although the Showa suspension on the XR1200X is pretty good, Cohn Racers gave this one a complete front-end conversion with Öhlins forks, a Brembo racing master cylinder, 320mm rotors, and eight-piston calipers, all connected via custom triple trees and stainless brake and clutch lines. The stock three-spoke cast aluminum wheels were replaced by a custom-built set of wire wheels, while Shinko 805 tires provide exceptional road grip.

To improve engine response and smoothness, the ECU was retuned and the huge stock mufflers were removed. The most noticeable change, however, was the new bodywork fashioned out of carbon fiber, including the tank, front fender, side covers, and rear plate holder. The tank features leather hood straps reminiscent of 1950s race cars, and the Alcantara-upholstered seat pan adds a touch of luxury. LED turn signals and a brake light integrated into the license plate frame were added to the stock XR1200X harness, as well as a custom-faced speedo.

'Muscle R' looks like it would be a lot of fun to ride, and Cohn Racers claims that it is a genuine dynamic improvement on the original. They managed to remove 67 pounds (30 kilos) from the original weight, bringing the Sportster's dry weight down to approximately 484 pounds, making it faster, better handling, and better looking than the original. The bike is now capable of handling some off-road terrain while still providing a smooth ride.

Chete and his crew are proud of their creation, which they believe looks like something Harley-Davidson's Custom Vehicle Operations could have built. They strive to avoid being tacky or over-the-top with their builds, and they have created a bike that is both stylish and high-performing.

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