Thanks John, I also write for a living and I'm considering an article on this very topic. It helps me to weigh both sides of the equation. In point of fact, the Sportster model is/was Harley-Davidson's only racing bike, 90 mph, 3 mile oval, flat track, usually dirt. As I happened on an '08 FXD with a REV LIMITER- I drew back and went to the EVO years, as I only could. OEM TRADITIONAL motorcycles are abandoned in this rubbermount, digital everything craze. It is my stance that motorcycles are practical, efficient, quick, and lastly, wonderful forms of transportation. It is how I choose to commute, daily. I feel that after my FXD experience failed to the tune of $10,000 that Harley in general is missing the mark and I am beginning to become concerned that once I have outlived the evo, that I'm not going to be able to replace it with a QUALITY, OEM, NEW product. So, I believe that the Evo is the last "Good" years of Harley, unless. . .Harley comes out with a couple new bikes: A sport 1200 and a tour full size- WITH MECHANICAL PARTS AGAIN. Called the "Tradition" line of bikes- rather than this gentrified, Cadillac, smooth dealership crap they are ramming down our throats. After all, Motorcycles are about the Freedom to choose, the passion to embrace, and the spirit of Liberty- currently, unless I get all tinker toy with it, or pay an obscene amount for an abortion bike to be built, I can't call to mind ANY bike offering a NEW, Vintage/Resto-Mod motorcycle the way they should be. I guess I could always buy a piece of crap china made Rev-Tech and put it in the chassis. . .maybe then the topic might not be so boring for you John?

 

Maybe they found an old 80 inch to run against. An old Tour Glide with an 80 ain't all that fast, couple hundred more lbs than a 1200, less hp. Unless it's mine, with an S&S 96" in it. That'd open their eyes a little. How do I know it's faster than a 1200? I have a 1200C, too. Love em both, and don't care that there's faster bikes. Might even be a couple faster scooters soon, way they're going...

 

I'll probably get a BMW after the Sporty, just because HD has gone so overboard- my 08' FXD came with a factory REV LIMITER- who the hell are they to tell me when to shift? I fell back to the EVO cause at least there was some real-ness to it

 

Not trying to be a smarta$$, but is what you see from sitting in your favorite lazyboy with the laptop in your lap as you type on this forum? Or is it as you sit in the saddle on the freeway?

Now on the freeway in crowded traffic the sporty gets around cages way more easily. Even though a geezer glide can go 100 all day I never see it. Maybe 80 tops for about 20 miles before something makes the operator of the geezer glide slow down.

In heavy highway traffic they maneuver better, and will run at higher sustained speeds in lighter traffic.

Several of us here have obviously made the same observation as we seem to be saying the same thing. There is only one way you observe stuff, i bet them observations were made with a 2 cylinder engine thumping between their knees.

It may not seem possible but the reality of it looks to be different from what even I would think if I looked at the two parked next to one another.

My other theory is the geezer glide crowds tend to run in large packs and there is always them slow riders slowing everyone down. If I run in a crowd like that I jist go solo and take off, I cant stand running that slow. Most sportster or sportster like bikes tend to run in smaller packs of 3 at the most and get at it. Then pass huge packs of geezer glides.

Just observations, nothing more but reality tends to point to an earlier ETA on a sportster than them 900# bikes will have.

 

I can assure you that your '77 or '78 xlcr would have packed in ANY FX or FL from the same years. Apples to apples.
I haven't owned a Sporty for a long, long time but I spend alot of time at the drag strip and Sportsters still rule. No myth about that.

 

I think he is riding a victory and he likes the goldwings now

 

I like Sportsters. I don't see any need to justify them. The posts that go on and on get kinda sad, bitching about "Geezers".
Ride your own ride, and don't worry about gossip.

 

thats why i spent so much on my motor so i could sit in my chair and talk about it. LOL. what have you done to improve the performance of your sportster? how many geezer glides have you driven on the freeway? the gearing alone will guarantee that my 883 gearing is not keeping up in a straight line race with a 6 speed big twin. maybe for the first 1/4 mile but then it is over. now if your comparing the people driving the bikes thats a different story. There is a difference between loving your bike and being unrealistic. maybe the 1200 gearing is a better match for the race, but i can tell you that the 883 gearing is not staying ahead of my friends 2012 street glide on the highway. It is not even close.

 

You must forgive his ignorance. With one whole month on the forum me thinks he has no idea of your amount of knowledge. I for one respect what you have done with your Sporty.

 

Terminalhip....What year is your sporty?