Victory...Is there a Victory Rider in the House?

[King_O_Road]

Well since the get off I had on Good Friday, I have been looking at bikes.
All sorts of bikes... even lined up a test ride at CenTex-HD...
Then I was told about Victory...
looks nice...
has a high rateing at JD Powers...
and comes with alot of "custom" options...
they will let you ride anytime you come in if you have a all your papers.
But I don't know anyone that has one... let me hear what you know.

[kurt]

:brainsnap

[Janet]

:brainsnap

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

My buddy that does my Iron Butt rides with me rides a Kingpin. He seems to like it.

Janet

[King_O_Road]

:brainsnap

Hey! I can see what your saying...

[jhansen]

I did some serious looking at Victory before I bought my HD. I wasn't real impressed with the QC on the bikes I looked at. And it was way out of my price range. Maybe they have improved. Good luck in your search. :rider:

[MagnaMan]

They look nice and that's about all I know about them.

Well I do know more... in that I've ridden with a Victory 1500. And well, like most 1500cc cruisers it could not keep up with my little ol' 750cc Magna. It had about 16 less HP and a hundred or more pounds. But then the VTX 1300 is the same way. I love my bike. :rider:

Seriously though, I'd really see what you think of the test ride and then also look for a Victory specific forum if you don't find anyone here.

Good luck!

[txskins]

The new Victory Vision looks pretty sweet!

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/Victory/Vision/Experience/

[Red Brown]

The new Victory Vision looks pretty sweet!

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/Victory/Vision/Experience/

Wow! I really like the design, even though I am not a cruiser person.

It looks nouveau, retro-progressive to mash words together!

Red

[Jack Giesecke]

I agree with txmedic...:rofl:

For the kind of money they get for one of those Harley poseurs, I can have 3 Weestroms! No thanks. I guess if you don't like Hogs and want an American cruiser, it's your option. If I wanted an American cruiser, I could save money and just buy a Hog, though.

[DaveC]

Nothing like a guy with to much time on his hands!
:lol2:
While your pricing and drooling don't for get the Uly (http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/ulysses/xb12x/features.asp), the only affordable American machine.

[Dub]

I ride an 01 Victory V92C as daily transportation for an 80 mile round trip commute, it's been bullet proof. You turn the key, it starts everytime.
Were I 'poser' i'd have bought the other american made brand, but then again i've never had the "sheep" mentality.
Have friends that ride Vega's, 8-ball's, Jackpot's, and Kingpin's. As you are probably seeing, you get a lot more bike for your $$$$. They all love riding circles around the other bikes in their class. Regardless of what you buy, give the Victory's a serious consideration prior to buying anything.

Regards,

[MagnaMan]

I guess if you don't like Hogs and want an American cruiser, it's your option. If I wanted an American cruiser, I could save money and just buy a Hog, though.

The term "American Cruiser" should be used loosely. Harley has quite a bit of components that are made elsewhere. The suspension is supposedly made by Showa (Japanese) and I believe several engine components are made elsewhere as well. I can't remember the web link that talks about this, but I'll look for it. So "Assembled in America" is more accurate.

For that matter, since Honda actually has a motorcycle plant here in the US it may be possible that they're just about as "American assembled" as you can get too.

I don't know about Victory.

[Jack Giesecke]

Well, "American marque", then.

Were I 'poser' i'd have bought the other american made brand, but then again i've never had the "sheep" mentality.

Yeah, well, I've never owned and "American Marque" and I've been riding 40 years. Even my GoldWing is pre-US manufacture, a GL1100. But, if I wanted an American MARQUED cruiser, I'd get a Harley and save a lot of money. I rode the SC (Victory's short lived sport cruiser) a few years ago and liked how it worked. My only gripe with 'em is the price. I'm not a cruiser kinda guy, though, but may well wind up getting a Sportster in the future. I've always liked Sporties and they're rubber mounted now making them that much more desirable. I see the Sportster more as a good old standard, though, than a cruiser. It's sort of a breed apart from about anything else, hard to categorize.

[MagnaMan]

Well, "American marque", then.
He he. Yeah. That's a good way to put it. I wasn't arguing with you on the "American made", I just recently read this information and found it interesting so I thought I'd pass it on. :mrgreen:

[Jack Giesecke]

He he. Yeah. That's a good way to put it. I wasn't arguing with you on the "American made", I just recently read this information and found it interesting so I thought I'd pass it on. :mrgreen:

The world economy has affected HD for a while. I remember reading in the late 70s that 70 percent of the Sportster, at that time, was sourced from other countries, primarily Japan. And, they went on to list some of the parts. :mrgreen: But, though I use the term loosely, at least American motorcycles DO have a few American made parts, mostly in the engines. I THINK the Japanese bikes, Hondas, that are built here are mostly just assembled here. I don't know that many of their parts are actually SOURCED from the US, but I could be wrong on that. Not something I dwell on much. I really couldn't care less where the bike is built so long as it offers more for less money or at least a good value. Victory really doesn't impress me as more motorcycle than, say, a Suzuki 1200 bandit or an FZ1, yet I could buy 2.5 1200 Bandits or two FZ1s for the price of one of the Victories, or nearly so anyway. MSRP on the Victory stuff I've seen is between 15 and 20K.

But, the flip side of that is that if you're shopping for an American Cruiser, you ain't lookin' at Bandits. :lol2:

[VTXCRZR]

Well since the get off I had on Good Friday, I have been looking at bikes.
All sorts of bikes... even lined up a test ride at CenTex-HD...
Then I was told about Victory...
looks nice...
has a high rateing at JD Powers...
and comes with alot of "custom" options...
they will let you ride anytime you come in if you have a all your papers.
But I don't know anyone that has one... let me hear what you know.

If your thinking about that kind of bike you might also consider the Honda VTX 1800. If this is your first entry into this catagory bike you can easily pick up a used VTX 1800 with relatively low miles for under $10K and even cheaper. Then if you find that a power cruiser is not what your looking for then you can unload it with minimal depreciation.

Oh yea, "AIA" (Assembled in America)
http://corporate.honda.com/press/article.aspx?id=200704023919

Not sure of the exact proportion but many, if not most, of the parts are manufactured in America. Note able exceptions include the shocks, spark plugs and feul injection system.

I've been riding the snot out of mine for the last 24K miles without a single complaint. That is until I ran into the back of a Suburban. But the bike even stood up to that and is back on the road with the help of those friendly Americans down at Joe Harrison Motor Sports.

http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=182130&highlight=vtxcrzr+goes+hard

[GregH]

But, the flip side of that is that if you're shopping for an American Cruiser, you ain't lookin' at Bandits. :lol2:
That's true.
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL865/4143694/16192738/247726744.jpg

[pdef]

Guys. He was asking about Victory motorcycles. Try to keep it somewhat on topic.

[GregH]

Sorry, it's just that I picked up the new Bandit only last Friday. :giveup:
Here's a pic to get us back on topic:
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL865/4143694/16192738/248801036.jpg

[whoa]

The shop I bought my Thruxton from in Waco handles Victory. If you get ready to buy, check with Euro Shop of Waco.

I believe Scott bluedogok has dealt with the Victory dealer on FM620 and thinks good of them.

Have fun shopping.

[txskins]

I was in the shop on 620. I didn't buy there, but the people were excellent and I would recommend them due to their friendliness. I bought a Yamaha instead.

[King_O_Road]

OK... So I went on the HD demo ride...

Rode the Heritage Softail all decked out ... saddlebags, windshield, and floorboards... nice seat not great but ok, this was the 07 model and had in what I describe as a louder set of pipes... I had to get used to the forward controls and the floor board, the heel shift is not for me, and the gears were loud in shifting... All in all I don't think I liked it.

Also the guy riding with me had the V-Rod, I kind of decided that it wasn't for me either before I rode it,

but then we switched over for the return ride, man I loved it... smooth gears, great arm position, forward controls were right where I needed them, like it was designed with me in mind... no wind screen, but I am used to that on the "F"er... anyway it felt like a much better ride, maybe this is coming from riding the standard position of the "F"er, to that of the V-Rod... but I liked it allot more than the Softail. Also the Softail was weighted differently, balance wise. They even had a used V-Rod that was set up for touring had bags and an after market seat with a back rest for the passenger.

Still have not gone by the Victory dealer yet, Ii will though, I got until Christmas, so I plan on testing as many different bikes out there as I can.

And you can look forward to lots of questions posted here too...:lol2:

[budzrex]

Woods Cycle Country has an Orange Victory that is
just outstanding looking, the color and the polished
parts work very well together, good looking bikes

[bluedogok]

The V-Rod was never really intended for the H-D traditionalists, it was developed to try and attract the non Harley rider. It was really developed for the rider who wanted a "sport cruiser" instead of a traditional cruiser. At least that is what the marketing and magazine articles stated when it first was introduced.

I bought my Sprint at Austin Sport Cycles, I would buy from them again. I would also buy from The Euro Shop in Waco as well.

[Toxic_Tommie]

I have been looking at the Victory Hammer S for a while now...I did a demo ride at Woods in NB two weeks ago..and I must say I was impressed..that was the first V-twin I have ever ridden..it was a Vegas that I rode, had a pipe and stage-1 mapping...smooth ride, didnt vibrate my hands numbs at lights and the shifting was excellant...now maybe they can do something about the price!

[Quick-Silver]

Before you decide on a V, think GoldWing. Unless you are into knobby tires the GW1800 will do what 99.99% of all other bikes out there will do plus it can be so comfortable on the long haul.

[1TallTXn]

Before you decide on a V, think GoldWing. Unless you are into knobby tires the GW1800 will do what 99.99% of all other bikes out there will do plus it can be so comfortable on the long haul.
+1
The only drawback I saw in the wing was the price tag and its parking lot heft.

[Hairsmith]

This is not a Victory, but it is a V-twin and way cool !

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/Kommer/HarleyMX.jpg

If ridden correctly you might have a Victory on it!:rider:

[1TallTXn]

What is that thing? Looks like a conglomeration of a few different machines