A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing or Vice Versa?

[IMFASTTOO]

I have some good friends that ride Victories so they will probably hang me. I have sat on Victories and looked at them very closely. My overall thoughts on these bikes is they seem so "plastic" made. However my friends have not had any phenomenal break downs in which amazes me. I guess by me sitting on a "hard" well built motorcycle all of the time makes me see and feel other things differently.

Somewhere I was reading that Victory has been accused of basically coping the Indian Scout so much that they almost look like twins.

YES INDIAN AND VICTORY are part of the same company so yes they are the same but different thats what the INDIAN dealer told me

 

[Rick Morris]

I have some good friends that ride Victories so they will probably hang me. I have sat on Victories and looked at them very closely. My overall thoughts on these bikes is they seem so "plastic" made. However my friends have not had any phenomenal break downs in which amazes me. I guess by me sitting on a "hard" well built motorcycle all of the time makes me see and feel other things differently.

Somewhere I was reading that Victory has been accused of basically coping the Indian Scout so much that they almost look like twins.

I rented an Indian in February and had the same impression. Lots of plastic. And a lot of rattles. The Victory is a good looking bike but is also a plastic bike. Polaris Industries is making Indian and Victory so its no wonder the Scout and the Octane are the same bike. Like a Camaro and a FireBird thing. At least these two smaller bikes are liquid cooled and I am sure there will be plenty of performance items for them in the future.

 

[TriumPhil]

Harleys are sooooo cool! They are also grossly overpriced, under performing, generally uncomfortable to ride, antiques thinly disguised by bling, bravado and bloviating marketing, But, hey, they are cool and they also make super keen t-shirts and bandannas, too.

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I think the brakes are fine, there are no recalls as far as I know.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Well, Polaris industries/Victory Motorcycles unveiled the newest addition to their lineup and to me it appears to substantially be the Indian Scout dressed up in a Victory package. Is Polaris doing what our old Big Three automaker's have done for years, i.e., package the same car with slightly differentiated cosmetics and trimmings and sell them under quasi-independent, competing lines? Think Pontiac LeMans, Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu and Oldsmobile Cutlass back in the sixties and seventies. They all had other lower end and high performance end variants, such as in the GTO, Buick's Gran Sport, the Chevy Malibu SS and Olds' 442, to boot.

Zzz, zzz, zzz; Here's their big reveal... 2017 Victory Octane Motorcycle : Features

... and a preliminary critical assessment: Victory Octane - EXCLUSIVE FIRST RIDE

For my money, at first blush and after test-riding the Scout last weekend (decent motor but underwhelming overall execution), I'm inclined to lean toward either of Triumph's new offerings in this range, i.e., the Thruxtons or Bonnevilles look to be the potential winners in this class, though that remains to be seen. I'll be more certain on a more personal level after having a chance to exercise either one or both of the new Trumpets, though.

WENT to the NORTON festival at WASHINTONS CROSSING PARK on the DELAWARE RIVER today and the place was packed lots of BRIT bikes of all makes PHILLY TRIUMPH was there with the full lineup of the new 1200CC twins all are very nice and the THRUXTONS are outstanding they are very nice and I dont see why anyone would the 931CC NORTONS when you can buy the 1200 CC THRUXTON and other models for less than 1/2 the price Forget about the OCTANE and SCOUT Id buy one of the TRIUMPHS all who rode the new 1200s raved about them

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Harleys are sooooo cool! They are also grossly overpriced, under performing, generally uncomfortable to ride, antiques thinly disguised by bling, bravado and bloviating marketing, But, hey, they are cool and they also make super keen t-shirts and bandannas too.

YES the HARLEY fans think nothing of paying $80 for a T shirt

 

[Jag]

YES the HARLEY fans think nothing of paying $80 for a T shirt

You left out. Made in Bangladesh and shrinks the first time you wash it.

 

[TriumPhil]

I think the brakes are fine, there are no recalls as far as I know.

We tolerate you, Dave, just (only) because of the Fear Factor.

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

Phil, I am not the kind who cares who or if someone tolerates me. I'm just another dude with an opinion on the internet. I looked up the Harley brake recall and what it said was they were recalling about 6000 bikes or maybe 66000 bikes to see if a brake line might possibly be pinched between the tank and the frame which could cause the brake to lock up. There were 6 incidents total and no injury. Art makes it sound like many have died and many more are about to or will soon. I don't give a rats a-- about Harley but to be fair they they are not unsafe POS at least in my mind. Thousands of them or maybe millions are being ridden every day with no problems. I don't know where the eighty dollar tee shirts are but every dealer is trying to cash in on the tee shirt sales craze. Even fast food places try to sell you tee shirts with their add on it. If some fool pays eighty dollars for a tee shirt it don't mean the fast food is no good or the bike brand is no good it just means that a fool has entered that business. I wonder if Carpenter Racing has tee shirts. In my opinion anyone who buys a shirt to advertise someone else business is a fool, but I've done it and so has most everyone but Art done it.

 

[sonny]

Harley T- shirts usually only run about $30.00 to $40.00 dollars not $80.00. Yes Dave back in 2011 Harley Davidson had a recall on a brake switch located on left side of bike directly under muffler. Switch was made of plastic and some were melting causing rear brake failure. Harley Davidson did send out recall notices ( I received One) to bring the bike in and replace switch with a metal one. Not sure how many bikes this affected or what years but mine was on the list. Most after market exhaust systems relieved this problem. Not sure if this is the recall he is referring too.