Thank you cvaria. I don't expect many to agree but I'm glad someone understands where I'm coming from. I love sportsters I still think it's Harleys best all around bike. Its just the competition will only get tougher and the sporty must try and compare.

 

So we are Hillbillys and say stupid **** because we like our sportsters. Damn, Who knew. LOL

 

You beat that straw man up exceptionally well.

 

I totally said the same thing a while back. Got the same sort of responses, just not as biased:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/off-t...ging-feet.html

 

You're not a hillbilly. The point is there will always be people who don't want a product to change. It suprises me that this thread is about 8 valves, more power, and a 6 speed. The victory did all that but it still isn't a harley... So the logic is it can never be as good as one because the name on the tank. I just know the sportster can be so much more. The mentality of sticking to tradition is great but moving forward is a necessity. The xr1200 was a joke that cost 2 grand more than a buell yet made less power than the buell. Why harley? Harleys new customer base wants performance like the old guard never did.

 

Some folks that say the Sportsters and Dyna's ride like they always have must have never ridden a XR1200, 2016 Roadster or a 2016 Low Rider S. Their suspensions are nothing like the past. Or their performance.

The times are a'changing.

 

My dad has a 09 fxdc, I have a 96 fxd, they feel like they are from different centuries... Wait they are hahahaha

 

Times are obviously changing. Getting back to the topic of the thread, the market demand for increased horsepower hasn't yet reached down into the lower market level of bikes like the sportster like it has the far more expensive bikes. One reason the sportster has a bit of immunity (if/when it does reach) is the readily available products to vastly improve engine performance.

Like has already been pointed out Harley makes the bikes people buy. They have a huge market advantage in being able to offer FIVE different Sportsters in any given year then judging if the market is asking for a better performing bike. As it stands, they are selling a ton of Iron 883's with 1.6" of rear suspension travel to guys who traded in sportbikes.

 

No sir, i actually get that from locals and randoms...

Local: What kinda bike is that? (They had no idea what th bike was)
Me: [name of whatever i was on]
Local: a what? (No idea, waitingfor keywords )
Me: harley...
Local: oh, isssa real bike... if it ain't a harley....
Me: ... thanks.... ... ...

 

I've never met one harley rider who didn't want more power. Or a rider of anything. I had a friend trade an r6 in on an iron and had it 4 days before trading it for a triumph. Which is still underpowered according to him. Irons are underpowered for the money you pay for it. Young people want value. And more importantly POWER.