Don't know what you're coming off of so it difficult to judge.

Stock Sportsters are never going to bust any ***** and the cost of pulling really
big ponies out of them is large.

Imagine for a moment that you dropped a whole lot of coin and managed to pull 100 horses
out of your Sporty. You'd still be about a dozen shy of most Japanese 600 Supersport scooters
and you'd still get your *** whipped because of a weight handicap.

My KTM 625 SMC is a one lunger and produces about the same hp as a stock sporty.
It also motivates a bike that is more than 200 pounds lighter so the performance is... predictably... smokin'.

I'm crazy about my Sporty. It's a classic piece of American Iron with nice low end grunt and decent handling.
It's been hot rodded up the wazu and it still will not run with serious sportbikes. Nor would i expect it to.
Love it for what it is.

If, however, what you're looking for is flat out thrills without owning a 'sportbike', get yourself one of these.

It's the most fun you're ever going to have on two wheels. I promise.

 

No regrets. I'm ready, and have been, for a bigger bike, but for around town the sporty is great. people tell me to get rid of the sporty when I get the UG, but I'll keep it for a while, at least.
I got to learn on the sporty, and am happy I wasn't riding a big bike, like electraglide, in some of the situations I've been in.
My main 'complaint' with my sportster is that it's a 01 and it vibrates way more than I wanted,BUT I didn't know that till I rode a rubber mounted Dyna I like long rides.

 

Lovely looking Sporty the Terrytori.

I've recently bought my first Harley an 883, I love the sound of the bike and it handles quite well,but it is quite a harsh ride though...I did a 200 odd mile round trip today and I must admit the comfort of the bike was terrible...my lower back was killing me by the end of the trip[&o]I love the sound and the look of the machine but I'm sorry to say for big miles I'll be keeping my CB1000 Bigone.

 

Same here, wish I had bought one twenty years ago.

 

No regrets at all driving around at my own speed and shift point. The 1200 is all I really need and is small enough to fit into tight places.

One regret when driving with a pack of glides. The gearing is so different I want to climb up their asses off the line, slow down to accomodate and then lag at their power band. This just makes it hard to stay tight. Since most of the guys I ride with have a glide of some sort, I guess I will have to get one to avoid this hassle.

Or not.

I like the EVO Sportster just as much as my second Harley, a kick start magneto pan head Sportster in the late sixties.

Oops. Just traded it for a Fatboy. That's what the edit is about.

 

Bought my first HD a month ago today - a CEM 883 Hugger 03 Anniversary, straight stock, vivid black. Will keep it stock as a collector's bike. No regrets - great ride.

[IMG]local://upfiles/33601/420F1F47766540899BDCE0A7AB867A74.jpg[/IMG]

 

no regrets. love my sportster. i just got new pipes and it's like a second honeymoon

 

Same here,I am 185 andDawn is 125-130 and my 883C runs up the Mountains here just fine with both of us on it. The only other Harley I would really want is a Softail Custom & maybe a V-Rod. But I cannont justify the $10,000 difference in price between my Sportster Custom. But honestly I think the Sportster is the best looking Harley simply for the fact of the many different things and looks you can have with them.To me 1 bagger looks like another,maybe rims or something but generally they look the same. I have had my 06' since Feb. and changed the look 3 times IMO. You guys with these sweet looking R's & nightstersare making me jealous[8D]My bike was suppose to turn into asolo machine until Dawn decided she didn't want to ride her ownI may have to make my 89' into an R clone if I end up keeping it.I like the Custom for the biggertank and forward controls are a must for me. Also add me in the category of wishing I would have done this many years ago[&:]

 

i think the only regrets i have is i am old school at heart, and really miss the cafe racer from the 70's i sold to get the harley. I really really dig one of a kind bikes, sportsters and harleys in general are a dime a dozen where i come from, everyone and his brother is riding one. The bike is nice, the sound is good, but i really miss the individuality of owning something not many people had. But on hte other hand, i couldnt take the dam thing breaking down every other day, ive had no problems with my sportster, so you have to give a little sometimes. I think id really like to get an old ironhead, possibly with a suicide clutch but then id be stuck with a piece of **** that broke down alot.....so in the long run ill take the bike that will get me home at the end of the day.

 

No regrets here.I always knew I wanted a Sportster.I already had plans in my head onwhat I would do to it.I couldn't be happier!