My reply
919, my reply to you was based on your, as of your previous post, total of 8 posts on this site. If you think you hit a "nerve" then you are right, you did, I for one am 54 years old, I am old in body but not in spirit. Some of us have been riding for years, it appears, way beyond your experience or at least as the way you put it. I've ridden for over 37 years, I've personally owned 11 different types of motorcycles, some great, some good, some...just okay(and have ridden a multitude of others), but I have enjoyed them all for the types of riding I was able to do on them, no regrets.
A lot of them I "flogged" into the type of riding you mention that you seem to only think can be done on a "sportbike". Maybe the things that a "sportbike" can do well can be done faster and quicker than other types of bikes that's fine, but your condenscending tone is what got my dandruff (well since I am mostly bald, that might not be the best term to use) up as well as Sidecar Flip's comments into gear.
A lot of guys on here have a pretty good variety of riding styles and experiences under their belt. A lot us may think that your "narrow" focus on "sportbikes" is infantile, dangerous, or immature, or just coming from an inexperienced perspective...you probably don't, as you should, as only you can judge your type of riding experience. But to come here and make a blanket statement that we are just a bunch of "old rubes" (my emphasis) who can't ride anything else other than an "old man's" bike is doing us all a big disservice.
I have a gentleman over on the Gold Wing site known as Yellow Wolf who can ride your butt into the ground on the "Dragon" on a Gold Wing, but elsewhere you may be a better rider than him on a different layout. You appear to have racetrack experience, great, but a lot of us could give a rat's butt about riding around a race track...ho hum, in my personal experience, but to you it may be the greatest thing since sliced bread.
My point is on this site there is a wealth of knowledge concerning the Rocket, use it as such and don't belittle us because we don't come up to your expectations as riders, and we, more than likely, don't think you measure up to ours. Most of us are just happy that someone else is enjoying what we like to do...ride motorcycles.
Another note, leave the Hardley riders alone, they are in their own world and could care less that we ride Rockets, so we can pass Harley's with ease, I could do that on my Honda 305 Super Hawk in 1970...so what, I find myself pretty much leaving them alone as they are nothing to brag about. If they want to ride with me, fine, just keep up and don't slow me down.
Dennis