Dan,
I think you are right to an extent about the "motorcycle" image. Their two high end bikes are designed to look like larger bikes. I think their marketing department has this idea that Americans will only buy something that looks like a Harley or a crotch rocket. Top tanks aren't popular in Europe because they look "American"...
I don't care myself.. a moped is a moped, and I would ride the Revival and be proud to do so.
Its all in the marketing any more. They gotta make what sells, and with most people that aren't hard core about it like us, the faster it looks or the more bad-ass it looks, the better it sells.