Good Hell… If I had a dollar for every time I heard that.  Sport Bikes and Sport Touring Bikes are no less safe than any other motorcycle. 
I humbly submit though, that the fact of the matter is that the opposite is true.  Sport type bikes are more agile and stable at speed.  Sport Bike Riders wear more protective gear.  Sport Bike Riders are more attentive and strive for continual riding improvement.
As evidence of this theory, look at the news reports of the fatal accidents in Utah this year.  Following the reports on KSL.com, I believe damn near all of them were on Cruisers. Loud Saves Lives, they say.  Maybe… But the lack of gear kills.  I thought about this because the other day I saw a guy on a Harley… and he was actually wearing a helmet.  This stood out in my mind, because it was the first one I had seen all year. 
Now, my buddy Fenris wears a lid… But he’s been the only cruiser jockey that I know that will wear one regularly.  No one else does.  Actual motorcycle jackets are few and far between.  The uniform for cruising is a Dew Rag and a Vest.  I’m not aware of any dew rags earning a Snell 2010 rating.  And that vest might look cool… But where is the CE rated Armor?
No. I’m not going to kill myself on my machine… I’m not suicidal.  Which is why I wear my gear and ride a bike that has better technology for avoiding danger.
You Harley guys… You gentlemen, are going to kill yourselves.