Shortly after I got my Sportster, I started thinking that I should have gotten a bigger bike. However, the more I ride it and learn about Sportsters, the more I like it. First, Sportsters are harder to ride than the bigger bikes. They are more subject to the wind and have more vibration so it takes more skill to control than a heavier machine. Expert Sportster riders have skills! Also, Sportsters are really café racers. They were Harley's answer to the Triumphs that got popular in the 60's. Sportsters were designed to be race bikes and, back in the day, they did well at the track. It is a fallacy that Sportsters are entry level bikes. They were not designed for that purpose.

 

My experience has been the opposite: I find them easier to control than the bigger machines, and that's why I bought another one.

 

You're right, they're not entry level bikes. But most sales persons at the dealerships consider them entry level Harleys. They see a lot of customers come back a year later to trade them in on big twins.

 

I just bought my 48, I prefer the smaller bikes. I like the stripped down old bobber look versus the big bikes.

 

In the eye's of the dealership's they are considered "entry level" only because they see them as the "gateway drug" to BT's. They are in no way shape or form an entry level bike for people that have never ridden a bike before. That's what the metric 250's are for......well, and the new Street's coming out soon.

 

Dealer : schmealer, Sportsters are mid-sized bikes but are the best of the bunch from HD. They tear around just fine, they cruse all day, going all day and when you get off your not sore as hell.
Big twins!?
I believe the power to weight ratio is lower than the "Big Twins", also where are these twins anyway? are they cute?

Varrroooommmm!

Oh baby, oh baby! I'd buy that for a dollar!

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Your justification and self-reassurance are noted

 

I did that, then came back because the Sportsters are more stable and easier to control.

 

Yep, Me too.
I'm owned a lot of different bikes and could have bought just about anything I wanted (within reason). I was looking for an older sportster that I could bob or cafe and then I saw the 48 and had to have it. My wife doesnt ride with me, doesnt care what I bought. I knew all I was going to do is ride around town, 6 miles to work and a nice 1-2 hr ride on weekends. The 48 fits that bill perfectly. And its a great platform for mods

 

I totally agree. All bikers not riding sportsters are non-skilled, slow moving dumb asses.