While there’s absolutely no denying their immense popularity, Harley-Davidson cruisers tend to be somewhat lackluster in terms of performance, with even the Milwaukee marque’s new bikes looking fairly long in the tooth compared to most other contemporary makes and models. Wanting to bestow the MoCo’s two-wheeled wares with the performance capabilities that these iconic motorcycles deserve, Florida’s Cohn Racers has opted to treat the latest Sportster to an uncompromising transformation that sees the Harley stripped down and built back up with a slew of GP-worthy custom and aftermarket components.
Known as the “Muscle R2,” Cohn’s latest endeavor is a spare-no-expense, limited build series that’s constructed around a proprietary frame design. The high-performance Harley has been treated to more than 20 custom pre-impregnated carbon fiber parts such as the bike’s tank, side covers, oil bag, heel guards, chain guard, and stator cover — all of which were meticulously produced by the same individual who makes carbon fiber parts for Koenigsegg and various F1 teams. The MR2 also boasts an equally generous slew of custom-machined aluminum billet items including the build’s intake manifold, triple clamps, pulley tensioner, and its adjustable custom five-piece swing-arm design.
Now tuned to put down over 100hp, the rubber-mounted air-cooled 1.2-liter Evolution V-Twin at the heart of the converted cruiser bike has also received a revised ECU, an all-new downdraft air intake system, a set of one-off intake scoops, and a fully-custom two-into-two titanium exhaust culminating in a pair of Akrapovič titanium mufflers. The Muscle R2 also rides on 18” spoked wheels with titanium axles, and features a slew of track-ready, GP-grade parts such as an Ohlins FGRT fork and matching twin rear shocks, titanium fasteners and hardware, and Brembo Performance calipers and master cylinders paired with custom-designed rotors and lines. The Sportster has also been gifted custom handlebars with internally-routed cables, bar-end LED indicators, backlit custom switchgear, and a custom multi-functional display that sits in a bespoke carbon fiber housing that’s been decorated via a 24K gold Cohn’s Racers badge that’s been cast, machined, and polished by an artisan workshop in Geneva, Switzerland.
Cohn Racers will be producing a total of 99 units of its Harley-Davidson XL Sportster 1200-based Muscle R2 series, each of which will be custom built to order and tuned specifically to suit the height, weight, and riding style of each client. Pricing for the MR2 starts from $45,100.
