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Cruiser
Posts: 65
Halifax, NS | I copied this from a Harley forum... ******************************************************************************************************************************* This is somewhat of a review of Victory Motorcycles. I have visited the Victory stores numerous times, and this is my personal opinion and evaluation of the brand. Please to not be offended, if I offend you, this is just my opinion. Regardless if you agree or disagree, post your opinions as well.
Now, to the review:
Lately, I've been hearing a lot of people raving about Victory Motorcycles. Say what? Yeah, you heard right...many people are now considering Victory to be the American cruiser over Harley Davidson. I have issues with this myself. Why? Well, let's just look at a Victory from a glance.
First, off, they do have a rather substantially sized engine. Yes, they say 106ci on the side, etc, but the styling of the engine looks like any metric bike out there. The engine simply does not have the American flavour. It is not something I can exactly put a finger on, but any time I see one, I always swear it is a metric bike.
Secondly, the styling they have to offer is gaudy and looks cheap. No offense to anybody out there, but it looks to me that Victory has gone so far out of there way to make something "different" that they lost sight of what they were doing. Some people may like it, but if I'm going to buy a cruiser, I want it to look something traditional. The best company that accomplishes this is Harley-Davidson. Can't deny it. And, simply put, any other company I am aware of makes motorcycles look like motorcycles. Sometimes I feel that Victorys look a little more like giant scooters. By the way, has anyone seen the new Honda DN-01?
Going into more detail. Victorys seem to have a TON of plastic accessories. The last time I went to a Victory dealership, the Hondas and Yamahas had more metal components than did any Victory there. Plastic is NOT American. Plastic is cheap and disgusting. I don't ride anything that has plastic fenders.
It seems to me that Victory markets themselves to compete with Harley-Davidson because they are American; but in reality, they compete with more what they are: Yamaha and Honda. Most of their marketing hinges on big rear tires and "beefy" engines. Anybody that loves American iron is either going to buy a Harley, Big Dog, or one from any of the various custom bike makers on the market. Plus, with the price that some of these Victorys get up to, why not go with a Big Dog, or a good Harley?
Again, this is just my two cents. I will be sticking with my Harley, thank you very much. ******************************************************************************************************************************* I have to say that the posts were very civalized. I do agree with one statement made - Victorys engine is very much like any other Japanese engine. - That statement is very true ... The double overhead cam - cam chain arangement ect is the same. 1 oil lubs all -
Japanese motors dont use a gear between the crank and the clutch like Vic does. Ever wonder what makes that whinny noise at idle or when you rev the bike a bit... That is the gear between the clutch and the crank in the primary... Harley uses a chain between the crank and the clutch on there 96-103 and 110 motors. It is thought that a chain is used because the runout on the crank makes it impossable to use a gear !!!! Most if not all Japanese bikes run a small pinon gear on the crank that drives a gear on the clutch basket - no gear in between....... no need for it.... So why does Vic put this gear in between the crank and clutch.... I am not sure - all I can think of is .....Its more American to say you have a Primary ??????? There is a statement that Victorys look cheap... I dont seee that in any of Victorys bikes. I also cant find all the plastic... The last statement that cought my eye was one I was thinking about on a ride last Saturday.......................
I was traveling down a nice twisty road when I found myself behind a group of Cruiser riders. I noticed a Harley and a Vulcan and what looked like a LC or C90. This made me feel like I was riding something different - NOT a cruiser - Any of you feel like you are not on a cruiser when you ride your Vic????
It seemed to me these look a like cruisers were vintage looking and I was the only one on a new bike.... Wierd but - what can I say......
Even though the bikes in front of me were all different brands from a distance or from behind they looked a like !!!! And there was one more issue ...... I had to get around these guys because my XCTSC (Cross Country Tour Sport Tourer) was biteing at the bit to get the show going... LOL So what do you guys think
No Harley bashing.... I love the look of the Electra Glide..... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 185
Nebraska | Anyone needing validation on their choice of rides probably should be riding a HD. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | No favor done, friend. We can read on the Harley forum all day long this stuff. Doesn't mean a thing except you took up space here. As maddog said, go buy a Harley. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1109
| It seems to me whoever wrote the original article is a koolaid drinking Harley fan. Nothing wrong with that but he hardly brings an objective viewpoint. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 19
Harbor Springs Michigan | It is sorta funny that a HD rider bashes an american made bike. Just because he can't see the difference between a jap bike and a vic is a sure sign of lacking in VISION! Frankly, I like the fact that this guy can't tell the difference as it clearly indicates he has no vision and I would hope he stays away from them. I have yet to find a single Vision rider that I would not want to take few hundred mile ride with. This tool, not so much..I'm just saying... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 73
Sullivan, IN United States | Went riding this past weekend with bunch of Harleys. they are nice bikes, even the one who's tail pipe fell off and had to use wire to hold it in place. nice bikes. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | one of the Main points behind plastic is to reduce Weight! Reduction in weight gives you a better power to weight ratio. Also if your plastic fender got chipped it wouldnt rust.. |
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Tourer
Posts: 446
East TN | One thing that always gets me, reading on HD forums is that they whine that Victory is a metric bike, but that COPIED the HD look! Really? SO a CCT or a VIsion looks like a HD....I don't think so... |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | Ya'll all know I still have a RoadGlide too and though it's not My #1 bike any more I still like it. When I look at the engines side by side I'm sure glad I don't see pushrod tubes on the side of the Vision engine............ |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | I'd like to know how old and how much MC experience the first poster had. I can see an old timer who's grown up riding panheads, shovelheads, evos and now twincams just being brand loyal and just too entrenched to change, but when these statements come from someone on their first Harley and a lot of leather & tassels I just laugh. I've owned 9 Harleys and I won't buy another one until a new modern engine replaces the current twincam design. Does any one remember The Nova project ?? HD already made a 60 degree DOHC watercooled V-4 AND V-6 engine. I saw them at the museum just three weeks ago. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 219
Pittsburgh, PA | I've never been one to go with the "in crowd". So I don't care what they ride, nor do I care about what they think when I ride by them. Sp many H-D guys are brand loyal no matter how good the other stuff is or how bad their stuff is. They pay for the right to be in that club. How many times have you heard a H-D guy say if you aint riding a harley then you arent riding a motorcycle. How stupid. Just ride what you bought and be proud of it. I'm not ashamed of my decision. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 134
, MO | Whatever is said, one fact remains...Harley is a clothing and novelty store that sells motorcycles... |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | And does a great job at it.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | Well said varyder: Victory could make tons more money if they'd step up their aftermarket "stuff". This would eventually bring more sales of bikes too....... HD is the best at this. Now how about a modern engine HD ?? 
Edited by XRsteve 2012-09-10 10:51 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 249
Phenix City AL. | Great review, have they seen the V- rod lol. |
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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | Yeah those Victory marketing guys are really missing out.... they should have come out with the Victory Toilet seat already! |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | As long as I like to sit in the saddle, that would be a bad idea, if they came out with "in-ride refueling". |
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Cruiser
Posts: 188
| The HD thing is really just a mystery to me. It wasn't long ago that people would turn their backs on the domestic auto makers because of the crappy 1984 Whatever Shitbox they had wasn't worth damn, so they started buying import cars, but on the weekends would hop are their HD and bitch about people riding "Jap crap"
Meanwhile they ride one for lowest value, lowest quality, lowest reliability bikes (HD) on the road.
Still to this day the giant HD sticker, and American flag sticker on the back of a Toyota SUV makes me shake my head. It really shows a special level of ignorance when it comes to knowledge of the manufacturing in the US. I am no expert but I at least pay attention to stuff like "Domestic Index" and finally assembly locations.
I personally don't buy in to the "classic" styling of HDs, don't like they way their motors rattle the bike apart, and the last few I rode handled like crap. But then again most bikes handle like crap when compared to the Vision. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 46
Western Wyoming | After almost 1/4 million enjoyable miles on Harleys,the last their flagship tourer (excl. the CVO Ultra). I'd have to say the 2010 Limited was the 2nd best motorcycle I've owned to date.Compared to my VV, a distant 2nd.
Edited by DTWOR 2012-09-10 5:55 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| Hey..Give the HD evaluator his due....Opinions are like "ass-holes" we all have one and if he likes his Harley more power to him...I would be willing to bet he has never ridden a Vision and or any Vic...If he did he would buy one!!! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | There is only one thing that I do not like about the design of Vic's, baggers excluded. I never understood why in the world they put the drive train on the same side as the exhaust. On baggers you don't notice. But on all the other rides it leaves the bike looking unbalanced ....... to me. And then there's the access issue. Having the drive belt behind the exhaust sure can't make maintenence easier.
Just my 2 cents. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | On the Vision, the entire exhaust, minus the front head pipe, has to be removed, just to get to the primary pulley to take the belt off. But all this is what it is. I would rather change the belt on my Vision, 3 times now, than to change the air filter on a Gold Wing. Other than the Toyota Corolla that we bought new, there has ALWAYS been an American made care in my driveway. I'm not getting in to the % of parts stuff, I'm talking about the brand, Ford or Chrysler. Funny thing is the Toyota Corolla that we owned was EXACTLY the same as the Chevrolet same class car except for the headlight/tail light clips. But I digress, unless we all become engineers and design and create for ourselves, we will never be totally satisfied with stuff we buy....except for my Vision... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 188
Tifton, GA | While parked on Main St. in Daytona during bike week I talked with a guy parked next to me on a CVO Ultra Classic. He told me that a good friend of his owned a Victory dealership and talked about how the Victorys stock were faster than his bike. He also talked about how they rode and handled better. I ask why he did get one and his reply was I just am a Harley rider and always will be. At least he is a honest Harley rider. |
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Tourer
Posts: 457
Green Bay, WI United States | Sorry but the look I get with throttle rollons on the freeway from any bike but a well sized crotch rocket is worth the price of admission, especially in the review mirror. Ride on and keep your mind in the windshield and the rear view mirror after you blow them off. At least they are riding hard..... |
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Tourer
Posts: 457
Green Bay, WI United States | varyder - 2012-09-10 11:21 AM
As long as I like to sit in the saddle, that would not be a bad idea, if they came out with "in-ride refueling".  Just showed your Military background - God Bless, Thank You for your service and go for it Bother!!!!! I would love to be re-fueled at low altitude flight on my Vision (95-100 mph across NM) can you see the tail dropping down and waiting to connect to the gas tank (really bad angle of the dangle to pull this off with the current gas tank design). Me and Rollin could break new records if we had an aerial re-fuel station and a Piss sucker at the same time ;-) LOL VARYDER you are the best, Ride on..... and God Bless our Military.....known and un known
God Bless the USA and as always,,,,,,,
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From a Harley Forum
