I own an '03 883 and I've had a '77 IronHead. Two different animals all together. The FE marked its territory and was raw boned and nasty, just the way God and Willie G. intended.
The newer "Evos" (aka Beer Cans) are good reliable bikes. They are fuel efficient (mine gets 50 MPG around town, and 60+ MPG highway), easy to maintain, and nimble.
Sportsters get a lot of bad press 'cause bonehead wannbees throw "performance parts" and money at 'em tryin' to make 'em into something they're not. Drag pipes, lowering kits, fancy-schmancy carbs, "hyper-flappy thingies," the list goes on...
By the same token, I've worked on and ridden metric bikes that were similarly afflicted with an ignoramus for an owner.
For me the bottom line is, it ain't the machine's fault.