Has anyone had a go on one of those Polaris Victory bikes? They look pretty cool, the finish on them looks quite good, might be worth considering one of them instead of HD or Jap clone.
I feel a Fatboy coming on...
- Thread starter WindyChuffer
- Start date
My local Victory dealer holds an open weekend every year at the Arrow Mill at Alcester. In the last two years I have taken out the Victory Vision and a Kingpin for a test ride. Great sytling and the finish and detail on them is superior to HD IMHO. Much better fasteners, beautiful paintwork and metalwork, the bar clamps have a lovely brushed finish and no exposed allen bolt heads to collect water like HD, the machine work on items such as the footpeg hangers puts the HD stuff to shame and it never ceases to amaze me how HD get away with charging £12k for bike that has tatty rubber footpegs that look like they come off a BSA Bantam. The engine is a peach and they come with good brakes and suspension - some have USD forks - all in all a much better proposition than a HD and if I was in the market a Victory would be my choice.
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HArleys are a really nice bike at cruising and nothing else which is no bad thing. I recon the worst thong by far about Harley ownership is the image
With the strength of the £ against the $ I recon they will go up in price soon despite the recssion so buy one sooner rather than later
AndyT
With the strength of the £ against the $ I recon they will go up in price soon despite the recssion so buy one sooner rather than later
AndyT
JohnnyOldBoy
Registered user
Try it for yourself
I traded my FatBoy that I had for 6 years (20k miles) for a new GS. I like the GS a lot and enjoy riding it but would easliy go back to a FatBoy or Road King.
As for the usual Harley Davidson gripes of grounding foot plates and poor brakes. What a lot of bollocks. You could ground the footplates on my FatBoy, but if you wanted they folded up to improve clearance. As for the brakes they are no better or worse than the GS. You just change your riding style. I was given a tip to use the back brake more on the Harley than I would on other bikes and that works well. The engine on my GS vibrates worse that the FatBoy, so much so that my teeth and wrists are numb after a long ride. Something I never experienced on the Harley. My Harley was completely reliable, cheaper to service and more economical on fuel. Oil, WTF …… I never had to put any oil in the Harley. Yet in my ‘modern’, BMW I have to keep topping up the oil.
Watch out for poor quality after market parts. The OEM ones are OK. You will need to keep it clean. But I have got rust on the frame of my 18 month old GS.
No one ever came up to me on the GS and said, ‘Nice Bike’. This was a common occurrence on the FatBoy.
I traded my FatBoy that I had for 6 years (20k miles) for a new GS. I like the GS a lot and enjoy riding it but would easliy go back to a FatBoy or Road King.
As for the usual Harley Davidson gripes of grounding foot plates and poor brakes. What a lot of bollocks. You could ground the footplates on my FatBoy, but if you wanted they folded up to improve clearance. As for the brakes they are no better or worse than the GS. You just change your riding style. I was given a tip to use the back brake more on the Harley than I would on other bikes and that works well. The engine on my GS vibrates worse that the FatBoy, so much so that my teeth and wrists are numb after a long ride. Something I never experienced on the Harley. My Harley was completely reliable, cheaper to service and more economical on fuel. Oil, WTF …… I never had to put any oil in the Harley. Yet in my ‘modern’, BMW I have to keep topping up the oil.
Watch out for poor quality after market parts. The OEM ones are OK. You will need to keep it clean. But I have got rust on the frame of my 18 month old GS.
No one ever came up to me on the GS and said, ‘Nice Bike’. This was a common occurrence on the FatBoy.
Loved my Tour Glide - cracking bike - but got to agree on build quality. HD just don't have any. The alloy on the Glide would fur if you left it out overnight without cleaning it after a wet-weather ride. And I ride all year round, so not much use to me.
But the engines are great fun - great lumps of torque that make everything effortless. Yum.
Now, if I could find a tatty Road King that I didn't have to worry about cleaning, with a decent set of ally panniers - THAT would be a bike!
But the engines are great fun - great lumps of torque that make everything effortless. Yum.
Now, if I could find a tatty Road King that I didn't have to worry about cleaning, with a decent set of ally panniers - THAT would be a bike!
BegesRus
Registered user
Mutley
Registered user
Other cruisers
I'm well aware of the build quality issues that HD are supposed to suffer from. All I can say is that mine is in nearly showroom condition and it is 5 years old
I realise I only ride it in the summer on dry days but even so it does seem fine to me, never missed a beat either
As far as buying something else is concerned, there is always one issue: they might be better finished, faster, handle better and be cheaper but they ain't a Harley. If you want a Harley then buy one, if you buy something else you will still be looking at Harleys and wishing
I'm well aware of the build quality issues that HD are supposed to suffer from. All I can say is that mine is in nearly showroom condition and it is 5 years old
I realise I only ride it in the summer on dry days but even so it does seem fine to me, never missed a beat either As far as buying something else is concerned, there is always one issue: they might be better finished, faster, handle better and be cheaper but they ain't a Harley. If you want a Harley then buy one, if you buy something else you will still be looking at Harleys and wishing
Image....
How does the image thing develop - Harley riders have a leather waistcoat, tassels and bandana image (very) peculiar to them, with BMW riders it's matching riding kit for rider/pillion and a sort of frustrated police rider thing, Gold Wing folk seem to be in between those two and usually fit below the windscreen height.....
What's your image? Of yourself!
How does the image thing develop - Harley riders have a leather waistcoat, tassels and bandana image (very) peculiar to them, with BMW riders it's matching riding kit for rider/pillion and a sort of frustrated police rider thing, Gold Wing folk seem to be in between those two and usually fit below the windscreen height.....
What's your image? Of yourself!
sfarson
Registered user
Go for it. The H-D is a nice complement to the BMW. I ride H-D in spite of the lifestyle oft associated it. Their bikes are sweet. There's something about being-in-the-bike, rumbling along. Have had far more reliability issues with the BMW's versus H-D. Not even close.
I would go for a fatboy or roadking. I have ridden a couple of HDs and enjoyed riding them.
As had been said, it's a different feeling sitting in the bike rather than on it like a GS.
As had been said, it's a different feeling sitting in the bike rather than on it like a GS.
Do it!
I'd say do it!
My wife rides an 883 Sportster Low which she loves. The whole relaxing feel that they have is really easy to catch on to.
I've just ordered a new Triumph Bonneville America for precisely that reason - To get into the whole scene of getting to your destination more relaxed and feeling better than when you started.
I will of course be keeping the 1200RT for touring duties but I'm really looking forward to getting into the whole cruiser riding scene. What's the worst that can happen? I find that I like it more then the other types of machine I ride...
As for what others think (Read image) one can't go through life worrying about that too much...
I'd say do it!
My wife rides an 883 Sportster Low which she loves. The whole relaxing feel that they have is really easy to catch on to.
I've just ordered a new Triumph Bonneville America for precisely that reason - To get into the whole scene of getting to your destination more relaxed and feeling better than when you started.
I will of course be keeping the 1200RT for touring duties but I'm really looking forward to getting into the whole cruiser riding scene. What's the worst that can happen? I find that I like it more then the other types of machine I ride...
As for what others think (Read image) one can't go through life worrying about that too much...
WindyChuffer
Registered user
Looks nice. Why did you sell it? If you dont mid me asking, can you recall how much you paid for it, how much you sold it for and how long you had it? Just want to guage depreciation... Ta.
now yer asking
paid around £10,000 for it from a BMW dealer in oxford, pxed a K1200R and money. had it about 2 or 3 months, sold it for around £9500, think buying dealer sold it for around £11,000. milage was below 3,000. and bike was about 18 months old...and looking at the photo...think i want another...in fact..at a harley dealers on saturday.. just looking..
paid around £10,000 for it from a BMW dealer in oxford, pxed a K1200R and money. had it about 2 or 3 months, sold it for around £9500, think buying dealer sold it for around £11,000. milage was below 3,000. and bike was about 18 months old...and looking at the photo...think i want another...in fact..at a harley dealers on saturday.. just looking..
Ah - it WAS you lurking at Wooton then 
don't worry you aint gay
its just another aspect of riding, just as fun but different. I still have my GS but i also have this for when the weathers fine and i've no need to hurry
its just another aspect of riding, just as fun but different. I still have my GS but i also have this for when the weathers fine and i've no need to hurry
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its just another aspect of riding, just as fun but different. I still have my GS but i also have this for when the weathers fine and i've no need to hurry
Fantastic-pink chrome !!
But I think your lad has fallen in the built-in comode.
bought a heritage softtail yesterday, its getting on but low miles for its age and shines like a new one
been promising myself one of these for years and after the 50 mile spin home i am glad i did
totally different to gs (which i am keeping)but fun at a more sadate pace go for it whats the difference in being told you are a poser copying ewan and charlie or a poser copying arnie in the terminator (just dont buy chaps
been promising myself one of these for years and after the 50 mile spin home i am glad i did
totally different to gs (which i am keeping)but fun at a more sadate pace go for it whats the difference in being told you are a poser copying ewan and charlie or a poser copying arnie in the terminator (just dont buy chaps
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