The Sportster 1200 Roadster was Harley-Davidson’s Roadster-branded 1200cc Sportster variant for the mid-2000s, positioned as a more aggressive, performance-leaning member of the XL family. It appeared for the 2004 model year as part of a broader Sportster update that refreshed the line with revised styling and chassis improvements, then remained in the catalog through 2008. This version used the familiar Sportster Evolution 1200 V-twin and carried the Roadster name to emphasize a sportier, more assertive character than the more comfort- or custom-oriented Sportster variants of the era. In Harley-Davidson’s model listings, the Sportster 1200 Roadster is identified as XL1200R for 2004 through 2008. After that run ended, Harley-Davidson later reused the Roadster name on a different Sportster derivative, but the Sportster 1200 Roadster itself did not continue as a separate production period.
MODEL HISTORY