Can't speak for Scowherd but I will choose the best SAFE option for me; not just the safest tire. Mileage, handling, price, looks etc can all be traded off to varying degrees but safety should be a non negotiable criterion regardless of riding style. Is such a super sticky tire even available and if so is it a road-legal option? If not, its hypothetical existance adds nothing to this discussion.
Triumph really f***ed up when it decided on the 16" wheel as it is that decision that has so limited our options as to force many to consider CTs. Then there's the other matter of whether MTs can really cope with the weight and torque levels of big cruisers. I could tow a caravan with my bike now yet it leaves a footprint of about 3 inches of rubber on the road. No wonder we rip through the MTs.
I would add one thing, Pete. This has been one of the most controvercial and enjoyable threads on this site and I'm really glad you started it off. I hope at the end we don't all just pick the bits from the article we like as its the objective findings that are most relevant. As I've said before, personal opinions are good but not a sound basis for such an important decision.
The best outcome will not be whether CTs are OK or better or worse, but that the discussion and the article provide a catalist for some sensible consideration by bike and tire manufacturers of the real needs of this large and apparently growing segment of the motorcycle market.