I'm 5'10", about 290 ish.  

Currently riding an SV650 but have always wanted a Harley.  Should I go with a 1200 Sportster or save a couple more bucks and get an older Dyna or Softail Standard?

Whichever you choose, make sure to get loud pipes. They save lives.

When I ride my 1200cc sporty, I look like a circus bear on a minibike but who gives a shit?

You should be good.

If you have to come here to ask that question, then you already know the answer is NO!

Well if I'd look like an idiot on the 1200 I can only assume I look like one now on my Suzuki right?  

Get the softail standard - you'll thank me later.

Get an FXR or dyna.  If you buy the sporty for anything more than bar hopping, you'll want to upgrade eventually.

I'd go with a dyna myself.

if you do go for a Sportster, try and find an 883 and make your own 1200+

it's cheaper, and while your engine's apart, you can do performance mods to it at the same time

One of my employees has one.  She is about 5,8 and 120.  About right on her.

Perhaps if you painted "My Little Sportster" on the gas tank?

Dyna has a better ride quality than a softtail, due to the rear suspension.  If you don't care about looks, the Dyna's have the rear shocks on either side, the softtail has them close together underneath the frame.  

Frankly, I'd limit a 1200 Sportster to about 180-200 lbs. from a performance perspective, not from the way you'd look on it.

For comfort, a softtail is good for about 250 miles per day, then you'll be ready to get off if you are like most of my friends that ride softtails.

A Dyna is good for 400-500, but I've done several 600+ mile days on two different Dyna WideGlides.

Get something that fits you and you are comfortable on, even if you have to change seats, 'bars, and peg locations to get it right for you.  You won't regret it.

I've had 'em all, I've been riding since '65, on everything from all the metric crotch rockets and metric cruisers, to one of every one in the Harley family at one time or another.  Currently riding a '05 WideGlide and an '11 CVO Limited Electra Glide.  Between the two of them I ride about 12,000 miles per year.  

Ride Safe!!

like most of the guys here are saying. probably should get the dyna if you want to spend more time riding. softails are fine and I rode one for almost ten years but they don't ride as nice as a dyna.

 

Don't worry too much about how you look...Worry more about the 2.3 inches of suspension travel, the cramped frame, and the excessive vibrations.
















 

Take a look at either a Buell or an XR1200 Sportster.  They are sportier than a Sportster and will give you the performance you are used to with your SV650.  I am 6'3"/340# and ride a Buell XB12S Lightning.  I do feel like a circus bear on a tricycle, but I love it.

Get a Road King or FLH-T.  You will make a dyna or softail look small.

The motor should be fine, but the frame might make the bike look small on you  I am currently in the process of building a bike with a Buell drivetrain (basically a Sportster motor on steroids).  I am a large guy myself and will be designing a frame to fit my body and riding style.  I am doing some performance mods to the engine, and should be around 140-150hp when it's done which is more than most bigger HD engines.  



That being said, my dad is 6'2" 250 and rides a Dyna Super Glide with a 95" kit, race cams, performance exhaust etc.  He absolutely loves that bike, and it is a beast.



My brother is 6'6" 290 and rides either his panhead or his knucklehead.  When it comes down to it, it all depends on personal preference and what you are comfortable with.

This is 6'4", on a sportster.



What kind of riding do you plan on doing OP?  I ran 15K miles a year on that bike, with a couple 500+ mile days.   Is touring possible?  Yes.  Are there better bikes for touring?  Definately.

I am 6' last time I got weighed I was up to about 270 I ride a Sportster. I got it used, so I'm not entirely sure it is still an 883, but it has a Screamin Eagle air cleaner and straight through slip ons (no baffles). I put taller bars on it and converted it to mid controls (I know, most people will tell you that you NEED forwards, forwardsare not for performance. I rode dirt bikes before and really like the mids) My bike will haul ass up any hill and I live in mountain country, the Pacific Northwest. I ride 40 miles one way to town, it can get uncomfortable, but I have back problems anyways. You can also drop in Road King air shocks pretty cheap, I got a set for like $50, but I went back to stock because I like the low look, I have tail dragger fenders.

The only reason I can see to get a "bigger" bike is if I get a lady friend rideing on the back and even then I will never sell this sporty. I see road kings for $8,000 occassionally, that is probably what I would buy, but I also like the Dynas and FXR. I like the few Dynas that come with mids, most notably the Super Glide Custom, not sure if they are offering that this year?

I got my bike used three years~ ago for $4000, it's an '04, so it was about 7 years old with 10,000 miles and looked brand new. You can't find deals like that on big twins. For me, financially, there was no other option. If I was buying new today, if I had the money, or stupidly didn't mind payments, I'd buy a Dyna for about $2500 more. IMO new sportsters are not worth the $10K.