I ride and have owned both and there is beauty in both style of bikes,when i owned a sport bike it was fast and thrilling i was in my 20"s and had a blast with it..then the need for speed calmed down and i sold it paid 1 about $10000 for it cbr600.then sold it after 3 years for $6000. now i am in my 30's and bought a fatboy 2 years ago paid $28000 sold it in sept for... ready $28300,the beauty about harleys is the most expensive one is your first one,i did nothing to the bike just basically rode it for free for 2 years and loved it just as much as the rice rocket..now this summer going to buy another one my brother has a 100th aniversery road king thats a beautifull bike, and think i am going to stick with harley. plus everyone i ride with has cruising bikes will look a little funny on a rice rocket..lol,but my point is i have had both and they are both great in diffrent ways but there is no need to knock one over the other it is just a matter of personal prefrence thats all.. ride what you like,what you can handle and i guess what you can afford,But Just ride something in the summer even if it's a vespa....lol oh by the way i have no beard no hairy balls no gut and am kinda clean cut so there goes the myth on harley bikers...lol