My brother who lives in Oxnard, CA has the motorcycle bug for the first time in his (59 YO) life. He is physically fit and admired my Speedmaster the last time he was out to visit. The other night, he called to ask me what I thought of the HD Sportster as an alternative to the Triumph SM/AM. I told him that I'd never ridden a Sportster, but all that I'd heard was that it was a 'starter' bike for the rest of the HD line, but if he was considering one, he should look at the 1200 over the 883. I also told him that I had heard that anyone who bought a Sportster usually was looking to sell it within a few months of ownership, and that Triumph owners seemed to have a stronger loyalty to their bikes (as evidenced here). I didn't want to bash HD or the poseurs who ride them (there are certainly decent things to say about both HD and many who ride them as well), but the final decision is his, if he decides to get into riding. My primary concern is not with which bike he decides on, it's more that I'm not certain he knows the risks of riding these days.
Okay, in civil terms (no HD bashing, please) what are YOUR thoughts? (Duh!) Did I do good in my mild assessments?
