Perhaps the best compliment we can give the Sportster S is that we didnt walk away from the test missing the old Sportster. There will always be comparisons to that platform, sure, but HarleyDavidson has done well to make the Sportster S excel in ways the old bike never could. This Sportster has the potential to work for more people of different riding skill and experience, as the performance potential is so much higher than any Sportster that came before it. Those who are willing to sacrifice a little comfort for a traditional cruiser stance will be rewarded with a fully modern bike thats a balance between style and performance. But that person must place more value on power and technology, because that is what defines the modern Sportster.