>>Is it the riders are too ignorant, or the importers are only willing to bring in the bikes they can sell in large numbers? I also wonder what part the US moto-media plays, since they seem to dedicate their coverage primarily to the two extreme ends of the street bike spectrum.<<
I think that unfortunately these two reciprocate between each other on this matter. The American mentality fuels the press to concentrate on sports and cruisers and then it bounces back to the consumer mindset. They never think outside of the box.
Americans are obsessed with big bikes too. Sure, Europeans like big bikes too, but you'll see plenty of smaller bikes in Europe. In Asia 400cc and under are standard fare, hence bikes like the GSR 400. What are the chances of ever seeing something like THAT here? Right.
Generally there's a shortage of true streetbikes in the US. You have a small handful, like the SV650, Honda 599/919, Breva 750/1100 and such, but compare them to the sheer number of cruisers and sportbikes. Even bikes like the FZ6 and Ninja 650 are rehashed sportbikes. A good number of STs are also rehashed sportbikes.
Now, there's nothing wrong per se to rehashing bikes as such, but there's something about the simplicity of a good day to day bike that is comfortable (for instance) in a long run in the country if you like, and can get you through daily city traffic without sore wrists and/or excessive weight and (literally) excessive baggage that to me is missing from the American motorcycle landscape.
