| Author | Message | ||
     Mp3 |
I'm sure many of you received the same email I did regarding a new Victory bike to be unveiled next week at the NY Motorcycle Show(Jan 20). Curious if anyone has any insight on the bike. I've always assumed that an adventure bike would be a natural fit for Polaris/Victory. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Nope, not an adventure bike at all. It's okay, but not what I was hoping for. Minimalist street rod. Around town / bar hoper muscle bike. Would rather go with a liquid cooled Vrod. http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/victory/vic tory-prototype-unveiled-at-new-york-ims-87839.html | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
I think that article was from last year...however the talk on the Victory boards is something along the line of a bobber using the core as the template for the design.. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Hell two years ago. My Bad! But a bobber using the core? Real stretch they are taking at victory... | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
Victory has been known to "stretch" it or take a chance I like to say in the cruiser segment. Personally I'd like to see them make an adventure bike. I'd think they would at least have some idea on how to make an offroad capable motorcycle with all the other offroad vehicles they manufacture... They do have a parallel twin in the RZR... just saying.. | ||
| Tootal |
The CORE is what they call their cast aluminum hollow frame that also serves as an air box for the intake. Buell puts fuel there, they put air. Different strokes I guess. This is the basis for their Crossroads and Cross Country models. I have seen a Victory engine apart and I was impressed. They are overhead cam and the primary is all gear drive. No chains to adjust! As soon as they get rid of that overdrive 6 speed I might replace my Road Glide. They are still too much form over function, ie: the rear fender sticks out way past the rear tire. Try dropping off a curb or a steep driveway and see if you can keep from wrinkling the fender! They're getting closer! It would be cool if they did a dual sport though. As long as they kept the Ness family away from the design studio!! | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Polaris and can-am both have engines they could put in an adventure bike. Problem being, that the market is being flooded by new adventure bikes. | ||
| Crusty |
I'm not impressed with the engine design of the Victory. What good are overhead cams, when piston speed is the limiting factor in rev limits? All they do is make the heads taller, which raises the center of gravity and the cams require chains to turn them. Also, though my experience is limited, every Victory I've ridden has had really poor shifting transmissions. All show, and no go. | ||
| Tootal |
Crusty, they were supposed to have fixed that tranny in 2011. I still don't like overdrives but they won't listen to me!!! As far as the overhead cams, you do get rid of a lot of weight in the valve train. No tappets, push rods and rockers to deal with. Should help with cam life and rev quicker. As with most things mechanical, it's a compromise!  | ||
| Whisperstealth |
It's the parallel twin from the rzr 900, that might make a good adventure bike. Doesn't have the hp or torque of the uly. But does compete with the bmw gs f800, and the new triumph bike. | ||
| Conchop |
I was once a Vic dealer and still have a chip that I sell and do a little tuning. I will tell you this: If Vic comes out with any new bike, it will certainly be worth a look. They aren't perfect but what bike is? Just like any bike, you need to work them up, adjust them to fit, tune them with the good stuff, and ride them like your ass is on fire. The Vic;s can take some serious, hard, fast, and abusive treatment. Just keep the service up and its a 100K mile bike with no real hassle. I think Polaris is missing the boat in a big way, They are already in the 4 wheeler - side by side - sled business. Off road is a short walk across the hall in the engineering building for these cats. The bikes are rugged, the off road rides are rugged. They generally have better suspension, brakes, power to weight, reliability, and simplicity than any of their competitors. Can Am is close. What I'm getting at is simply this If Vic would build a bike like the Uly, it would be ROCK AND ROLL on 2 wheels/ fast - innovative - smooth - easy to work on - easy to customize- rugged as a rock wall - comfortable - well sorted - and worthy. I'd venture to say that even the BMW crowd would be impressed with a Vic Adventure Touring machine and we all know how the Beemer people can be! Polaris is a good name. I'm not too fond of the name " Victory"/ Seems like every other little roadside church around here is named Victory "this" church or Victory "that" church. Hard to imagine a Honda this church or a Ducati that church. Another thing is the fact that Polaris is a ruthlessly efficient business and they will do whatever they see they can make money with and cut that which doesn't make it. Straight up business. No TARP for them like HD had. Polaris never ever gave in to the temptation to do sub prime financing. Chances are they are going to survive the shake down the recession has caused the motorcycle business. We just need to see how many dealers are going to survive. Hide and watch - If Polaris does it, it will be an eye opener! | ||
| Wesman |
I have always been interested in the look and loved the innovative Victory line. If they came out with a nice "standard" motorcycle I would have to seriously consider it. I'm not a cruiser type but always enjoy my visits to the Victory dealers. I can't say the same about the HD dealers, my local HD dealer (Liberty in Rahway, NJ) is a fantastic Buell supporter but to stay profitable they have to cater to the HD folks, I just have no need for an orange ashtray. | ||
| Conchop |
The CORE was a fast styling exercise - based on the Vision frame - which couples as an air box like the VIncent. You should see that hunk of aluminum! The bike market is nuts for now. The chopper world is suffering. Adventure bikes have a chance as they are practical. If gas goes up to 5 $$$ per gallon, all motorcycles suddenly get practical. | ||
| Tootal |
The bike market is nuts for now. The chopper world is suffering. Adventure bikes have a chance as they are practical. If gas goes up to 5 $$$ per gallon, all motorcycles suddenly get practical. If gas gets to $5.00 a gallon I'm going to be looking for a Yamaha SR 500! I had a 78 model and got 75 mpg with that thing. Pulled great wheelies too!!  | ||
| Discochris |
Agree with conchop... I've always thought it to be a bit strange that when Polaris decided to enter the motorcycle world, that they did so with heavyweight cruisers, when their bread and butter has been with recreational vehicles, like snowmobiles and ATV's. Especially since Indian and Excelsior-Henderson tanked. (granted, they didn't have the weight of a successful company behind them). If Victory comes out with a dual sport or ADV bike, they'll definitely get a look from me at some point. I really like their bikes, but I've never been in the market for a cruiser. The only issue I see with them, is their dealer network is still kind of scattershot. Because they started as a snowmobile company, a lot of the dealers are still small implement and lawn and garden kind of places. And while Polaris never took TARP money or anything like it, a big reason they're doing so well is that they got a huge defense department contract for side-by-sides. The snowmobile business has been in the pits for quite a while. | ||
| Arcticktm |
If you want to understand why Polaris/Victory is only cruisers, simply look at the sales breakdown in the US by bike category. Cruisers sell more than all other on-road categories combined, in most years. | ||
| Conchop |
BINGO - the corporate heads at the very top view all these polaris rides as "widgets". Question - does this make the shareholders money and exactly how is this widget affecting my quarterly bonus??? Stock options??? Nonetheless, there are some really cool people working there and their products are hardy. I am quite sure Vic is missing the boat on ADV bikes. I am quite sure that a conservatively styled, American dual sport hot rod bike would sell. The dealer network is needing help. Out of all the original dealers [ 300 or so ] rumor has it there is less than a dozen left. The current batch [ rumored to be 300 or so ] is struggling through this wretched recession. Want to do something for the American economy??? Go buy a new Victory or Polaris product from your local dealer. There is a higher "domestic content" in their product than in any other rec. vehicle. That money you spend might make its way back to you and your job! | ||
| Mp3 |
The dealer here in Memphis used to look like a lawn mower repair shop. They have since built a very nice facility across the street from Bumpus of Memphis. Large Victory, Triumph and Can Am inventory. | ||
| Hughlysses |
BTW- here's the new bike; the Victory "High-Ball":  Not quite the adventure bike we were hoping for. More info here: http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes /victory-launches-2012-high-ball/16813.html | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Not quite the adventure bike we were hoping for. Not even close. Oh well, there's always the Multistrada or Ural. As for picking between the two it just depends on which side of the bed I wake up on. They're completely different and appeal to different aspects of my personality. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
The new Victory is a cool bike. I'd ride it. But it is just another cruiser with mild ape's. Probably is a great ride, and runs well, but it does not inspire anything in me. In other words... Meh..  | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
Not what I was hoping for... | ||
| Tootal |
Another TT racer!! | ||
| Conchop |
I want to take a Kingpin or Vegas and strip it. Put the tour cruiser TC triple tree on it. Find a set of moto cross forks to fit - spring and damper it to match weight. The trick is the rear suspension - drag links need to be shortened to get longer travel - again - find the shock to work - Use the spools from a TC front and rear wheel - get the custom Akront style wheels and lace it to a 19 or 21 front and a 18 rear. Rocket ROGERS - Biggest Michelins I can find. 2 in 1 Bassani - Lloydz for the intake and computer - Corbin for the seat - Home made aluminum fenders - Light weight lighting - The bars and risers would be a trick. The foot controls and pegs would all have to be custom. This bike would split the difference between a bobber and an ADV, a split between pure American style and Universal Brit bike. I call it a SUB - sport utility bike. Maybe some wood grain paneling like the jeep grand wagoneer -LOL I've been thinking of a similar project with the Vision frame - it really is an engineering masterpiece. Changing the rear wheel on the new Vics is an engineering nightmare. | ||
| Datsaxman |
More parts bin bikes...yawn. $0.02 |
