My first bike was a 1200 sportster which I bought purely because someone at work knew someone who was selling it. I knew absolutely nothing about bikes or harleys or the image of harleys, I was buying it purely as a means of transport and the lad I knew said it was a great deal. My brother, a proper biker, was horrified. I rode it happily for three years, all weathers commuting and it was completely reliable and I liked it a lot. Sold it when I saw a 1098 on a French film. It's a grand bike and was cheap to buy, run and insure.
I might just add, I also have a super blackbird and a honda f6c Valkyrie which I bought really only because it looks like Judge Dredds bike. They are both absolutely brilliant bikes but I reckon the F6c would do what you want. And it is properly fast.
