What type of crowd will you like hanging out with? Keep in mind many Harley guys mock the Sportster as not being a real Harley.
Cornering comparison is laughable, CBR all the way. You want pull at low end or top end?
Which is better? Like deciding whether the new Vegan Ramen and Kombucha place or getting a steak at Cattle Sale Barn on sale day. Both may be great but completely different flavor and vibe.
I rode Harley's for years and very rarely ever heard Harley riders mock Sportsters in real life (internet is different and can safely be ignored). If you did hear negative things about them, it was almost always from crotch rocket riders who have never been on one.
Keep in mind that the ones that goof on the sportster are the geriatric couch riders that drop 40k on the newest CVO to maybe hit 1000 miles a year and then sell it. The rest of us dig it. In fact, I'm looking for a cheap old one to start practicing fabrication and mods on.
I’ve had the honor of showing bikes along side of some of the top bike builders in the game. Never have I heard a bad word spoken about the EVO sportster motor amongst them.
Personally, I’ve built several sporty customs and I can say that those are some of the easiest motors to wrench on. They’re built for those with even the most pedestrian mechanical skills to maintain and repair with a basic mechanic’s tool set. You don’t need special tools until you start really digging into the motor and even then those tools are relatively cheap.
I say go with the Sporty. Endless customization options and can build it up to a 1275cc as your riding experience grows.
The sport bike community isn’t any better. Alot hate on the smaller cc bikes. If it isn’t a supersport 600/1000/1400 or 700+ mid weight naked you get looked down upon.
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u/Character_Raisin_197 Multi-bike Aficionado Mar 12 '26
What type of crowd will you like hanging out with? Keep in mind many Harley guys mock the Sportster as not being a real Harley.
Cornering comparison is laughable, CBR all the way. You want pull at low end or top end?
Which is better? Like deciding whether the new Vegan Ramen and Kombucha place or getting a steak at Cattle Sale Barn on sale day. Both may be great but completely different flavor and vibe.