Victory Vision first ride

[bryan52577]

Well here I was walking around looking at all the bikes waiting for my RSV to be serviced at RJ Performance in Ottumwa Iowa. I have been taking my bikes there for years and they do a good job for me. I was on my phone talking to a friend and laughing about this (George Jetson) looking type of bike "Victory Vision" with bags , trunk, radio cool windshield that adjusts as you want. When the owner came by and ask if he could help me. I said I was waiting for my bike to get done and was just looking at this odd looking bike, he said OK, get on. He said he gets that a lot but the best way to tell me is for me to ride it. That was about all he said. I was like well........But decided what the heck I had nothing to loose other than someone seeing me. LOL

Well I took off and WOW, 870 plus pounds and you would think it was a 250 trials bike. It looked long and I thought "OK corner coming up in a 100 feet better start turning". LOL This thing is so easy to turn, perfect balance and POWER at all ranges! I came back after 30 miles and was very impressed! (I swear, I think I could do about anything with it first time out.) The gas tank is in two 3 gal pods between the forks and the frame along with the battery. Must be what gives it such a low center of balance? The seat looked hard compared to my pillow top RSV but not so....After the first 15 minuets I thought "this is comfy" and talk about a smooooth ride (air). It handles VERY, VERY good. Dealer showed me the DINO it said 92hp and 72hp at the wheel and 106 foot pounds of torque "if I remember right". The wind shield,, oh yah I like the windshield! I started the ride with it all the way down as far as it would go then as riding found the perfect spot for me!

All in all not bad,,,,,,not bad at all. You just got to get over that "jettson" image and of course you got to be old enough to know what the Jettsons were! LOL

[SilvrT]

well, this is about as far as I got...mebbe I should ride one eh? But, I sure wasn't impressed with the limited space in the "space-like" side bags...

[FJR Rider]

Did on 25 mile demo ride on the Vision today at BBB in Fayetteville AR...ride included surface streets, back road twisties, and freeway.

 

Impressions?

 

What I liked: The fit and finish; power (but don't really think it has anything on the RSV); I liked the smoothness .... you could only tell it was V-twin when it had to pull hard on a hill or hard acceleration on the freeway on ramp ... otherwise no vibration; the handling was fantastic; and I liked the seating position for me.

 

What I didn't like, and more importantly what Cathy didn't like: The gearbox...sounded like a hammer on steel with every gear change up and down (I compared notes with two other Vision demo riders and their comments on the gearbox where the same); no heal/toe shifter, but likely an option; the heat under the seat made my a** pretty hot over such a short ride; Cathy calves touched the front of the saddlebags which made her legs hot; Cathy said it was extremely windy and turbulent for her, even when I had the windscreen all the way up; and while I had lots of room, she felt cramped behind me as compared to the RSV.

 

Overall though I liked it. Would I consider one? Yes.

 

Curt

[dr_bar]

I honestly can't get past the looks of it...

 

 

To me, it's got to be one of the ugliest things I've ever seen on two wheels...http://bestsmileys.com/puking/3.gif

[Rich99]

I honestly can't get past the looks of it...

 

 

To me, it's got to be one of the ugliest things I've ever seen on two wheels...http://bestsmileys.com/puking/3.gif

Diddo! I mean after all, when you bring out a new bike, it's suppose to look like a Harley, that's the way everybody else does it! :rotf:

[Lone Eagle]

I've always mentioned I liked the bike - interesting the two comments on the ride. The only major issue I ever had were the saddlebags - there is no room in those bags. Starting to see a few of them on a daily basis around here.

[Sunman]

yeah, I really like the look of that bike too. I am serious! And it is a good value as well. The bike I always wanted to get to, was the Gold Wing, but if the Vision keeps up, with the GPS, ABS and SRS Airbags in the future, then that might be the way I go. Another feature that I really liked on the vision, was demonstrated by the Victory dealer at Port Dover this year. He was standing beside a brand new vision talking to me about it, and out of nowhere, he says "watch this" and proceeded to push the bike completely over on it's side. I thought he was nuts. Then I realised, that they designed it to sit on 3 pivot points, and nothing at all touched the ground. Now I have never dropped any bike in my life, but that is a fantastic feature in my opinion. Takes the $500 sting out of the Opps factor on most bikes. I agree that it has a "unique" look, but let's face it, as motorcyclists, anything that gets em looking at us, is a good thing. We spend thousands on extra chrome and other pieces to make our machines stand out from the rest, this bike does it all on its own. Even if it is people standing around laughing at it, they are still looking. And to be honest, I would buy a bike for me, not for what others will think. If they don't like it, oh well

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or_JhhwCYrQ]YouTube - Victory Vision, Tip Over Protection, Victory Motorcycles[/ame][/url]

[Dragonslayer]

I was on my phone talking to a friend and laughing about this (George Jetson) looking type of bike "Victory Vision"

Hey thats exactly what I thought, If George Jetson rode a motorcycle it would be the Victory Vision.

It would have to be be a performer to be that ugly. I can appreciate performance but I don't know if I could get used to people laughing at my bike every where I rode.

[MAINEAC]

I've been a big fan or Arlen Ness since I was a kid and he never made a bike I didn't like... I think the Vision looks cool as hell... especially for a factory produced bike... I've included a few pics of this man's other bikes cuz it's obvious some of you have no idea of what cool is...

[Dragonslayer]

I've been a big fan or Arlen Ness since I was a kid and he never made a bike I didn't like... I think the Vision looks cool as hell... especially for a factory produced bike... I've included a few pics of this man's other bikes cuz it's obvious some of you have no idea of what cool is...

I'll defend to the death your constitutional right to voice your opinion, nomatter if I agree with it or not.

[Freebird]

I admire his talent but am not really a fan of his designs. I will just have to be un-cool.

[RoadKill]

I admire his talent but am not really a fan of his designs. I will just have to be un-cool.

Don't think I want to be cool either:whistling:, though the Vision is slowly, very slowly growing on me. I have stopped at 2 Victory dealers and have been unable to see one in person. That will be the real test. Hands on, butt in the seat.

[Snarley Bill]

it is an awesome looking bike accept i can't get past that growth on the back end, i mean the trunk. never rode one but did sit on it. things i noticed were the windshield is way out there in front. longest running boards on any bike. and very low capacity saddle bags. would i buy one? no, reason being i know everyone would be laughing behind my back. i do like the styling except for the trunk mount.

[AKRefugee]

While I have not had a chance to actually ride one yet I did get to sit one.

For me when I sat in the seat the front end felt so far away from me that I felt so disconnected with the bike that it unnerved me.

[Condor]

I stopped by a local Victory dealer a couple of days ago because of an ad in the paper stating all 2006,07, and '08's at cost plus fees. Thought I'd see what they were giving away. Well I walked in and looked at just about every bike... OK every bike....Victory, Triumph, Aprilla in the joint, for over 20 minutes, and not once did an employee walk up and ask if he could be of service. Since I was in the neighborhood I thought I might as well check what's new at the Kawi-Suzuki down the street. Same thing. Had a couple of parts to pick up at the Yamaha dealer and while I was in the place 2 different employee's came over to lend a hand as I kicked tires. I'f I had anything to do with the help at the Kawi or Vic dealer I'da fired their a$$es.... No wonder their sales are lacking....

[Lone Eagle]

Condor - - you shouldn't have worn your 1st GENS RULE, Jacket.

[eazyduzzit]

Another vote for ugly... I think they look more like a scooter than a motorcycle from the front.

My dad always said "opinions are like a--holes, everybody has one".

[sarges46]

There is one in town....I see it almost everyday. One day I will catch up to him when I am riding and we could have a chat.

 

One thing I noticed about the bike......its the rider...he has the biggest grin I've seen since I got my RSV...so he must like the thing.

[FJR Rider]

Got a ride in today on a new HD Ultra....and Cathy said that one could go in the garage!

 

For me the bike felt smaller (it is...), but I was comfortable riding it, except for banging my toe into the lower everytime I needed to downshift. I liked the controls, and the fit and finish for the bike was topnotch. Cathy liked the passenger area, but did say it was "closer" to me than the RSV and with the stock windscreen she said the wind and turbulence were equal to our RSV which as a ShowChrome shorter windscreen on it. Cathy also liked the rear audio controls and the headset hookup much better than the RSV. It shook pretty good at idle, but was just as smooth as the RSV under acceleration and at speed. Transmission was clunky like the Vision, but not quite as bad, and it did have a heel/toe shifter.

 

Compared to the Vision, we both liked the HD much much more. Compared to the RSV, honestly I could see an Ultra taking the place of the RSV in our garage (if that time should ever come).

 

Curt

[SilvrT]

Got a ride in today on a new HD Ultra....and Cathy said that one could go in the garage!

 

For me the bike felt smaller (it is...), but I was comfortable riding it, except for banging my toe into the lower everytime I needed to downshift. I liked the controls, and the fit and finish for the bike was topnotch. Cathy liked the passenger area, but did say it was "closer" to me than the RSV and with the stock windscreen she said the wind and turbulence were equal to our RSV which as a ShowChrome shorter windscreen on it. Cathy also liked the rear audio controls and the headset hookup much better than the RSV. It shook pretty good at idle, but was just as smooth as the RSV under acceleration and at speed. Transmission was clunky like the Vision, but not quite as bad, and it did have a heel/toe shifter.

 

Compared to the Vision, we both liked the HD much much more. Compared to the RSV, honestly I could see an Ultra taking the place of the RSV in our garage (if that time should ever come).

 

Curt

 

I had been thinking RSV ... around 2002 to replace my '87 but wife and I decided to go for new and that leaves out an RSV because the new ones just don't have anything "NEW" to offer so we're looking hard at the '09 Ultra and now also, the new '09 Voyager.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience on the HD.

[Lone Eagle]

Hey, Rick - what's this and a new bike????????? You can still ride your bike to VW V - don't need a new one!! I like the Vision - those front lights on that fairing are somewhat cool when you see that bike coming at ya. Still can't deal with the saddlebags, though.

[SilvrT]

Hey, Rick - what's this and a new bike????????? You can still ride your bike to VW V - don't need a new one!! I like the Vision - those front lights on that fairing are somewhat cool when you see that bike coming at ya. Still can't deal with the saddlebags, though.

Vic... there will definately not be a Vision in our future... but, there's a very good chance we'll be riding either a new Ultra or one of them Voyagers next summer. Worst case scenario, we'll be on an 02 (or thereabouts) RSV or even worse case scenario to that, our current scoot. Don't get me wrong, we love this '87 but we want to move into a much newer bike and get it paid off before we retire so that we have something fairly new, low mileage that will last us the rest of our days.

[steppenwolf]

Too much bike for me.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-42lt1__qw]YouTube - Victory Vision Walkaround[/ame][/url]

 

[SilvrT]

Too much bike for me.

 

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Awrite....posting this vid...do you realize what it caused???

 

I just spent the last hour and a half (mebbe more) watching Victory Vision vids on youtube!!!

 

[SilvrT]

I stopped by a local Victory dealer a couple of days ago because of an ad in the paper stating all 2006,07, and '08's at cost plus fees. Thought I'd see what they were giving away. Well I walked in and looked at just about every bike... OK every bike....Victory, Triumph, Aprilla in the joint, for over 20 minutes, and not once did an employee walk up and ask if he could be of service. Since I was in the neighborhood I thought I might as well check what's new at the Kawi-Suzuki down the street. Same thing. Had a couple of parts to pick up at the Yamaha dealer and while I was in the place 2 different employee's came over to lend a hand as I kicked tires. I'f I had anything to do with the help at the Kawi or Vic dealer I'da fired their a$$es.... No wonder their sales are lacking....

 

ROFL... the folks at those 2 shops had you pegged as a "tire kicker" before you walked thru their doors!