[theshank]

100,000 in 5 years. And victory made 148,000 bikes in 18 years? Hmmmm I still see more Vic's than Indians here in CA.

 

[WHITE_VIC]

Look at those nicely foreign cast scout cases

 

[poptop]

Just where did you get the statistics of 148000 bike made by Vic?
An interesting nunber but I was always under the impression that they never released those numbers. Seems I giess about right!

 

[slickvic]

You can only go by how many registered still many somewhere in crates and overseas.
We own a legend now.

 

[sdranger]

I don't believe that 148K at all. Back in the early days we were trying to figure out how many were produced every year and we came up with about 14K per year. Take that for 18 years puts it around 250K. Still well short of a national brand being profitable at the price range Vics were at. That just might put a little glimmer of light to some that Polarass could make the same amount of Indians as they did Vics and basically double their profits. So increasing production/sales is a big boon to them.

 

[theshank]

I

Just where did you get the statistics of 148000 bike made by Vic?
An interesting nunber but I was always under the impression that they never released those numbers. Seems I giess about right!

I got the number from the Vic history book.

 

[vindex1963]

You can only go by how many registered still many somewhere in crates and overseas.
We own a legend now.

That's what they said about my old Shovelhead when the Evo's came out.

Wish I still had that bike.

 

[iabob]

Well if we’re going to impress with the number 100,000 engines produced by Polaris for Indian motorcycles...should we talk about Harley doing almost double that in one year? Nah, let’s be honest about the implication made above that Victory only made 148k and therefore not nearly as successful as Indian. For the sake of argument let’s say that 148k is true. Polaris has been making their version of Indians for right about six years now. They’ve had a 111 ci cruiser and a bagger for all six. They added the Touring bike and the Scout a year later. Victory went it’s first NINE years only offering large displacement cruisers. No true baggers, no true tours, no entry level bike. The first four years of which were the much poorer selling C bikes. Victory didn’t get a true bagger until it’s 12th year, and Polaris held off the Octane until Victory’s last. During that time they also held back the tech from Victory that riders had been asking for and put it in Indian. It’s hardly an apples to apples comparison. In light of that I find Victory’s 148k not bad. In fact I bet Victory cruisers have outsold Indian cruisers in almost every year of production.

 

[theshank]

I still see more Vic’s. The Indians must be in garages. You can get a Vic bagger for less than half the price of an India also.

 

[HenryT]

Cool video. Good to see it. Did they build the engines for the Victorys in this Wisconsin plant also? I know the Victory bikes where assembled in Spirit Lake IA.

I wonder if they are counting the engine used in the Octane as a Indian engine?

 

[iabob]

Cool video. Good to see it. Did they build the engines for the Victorys in this Wisconsin plant also? I know the Victory bikes where assembled in Spirit Lake IA.

I wonder if they are counting the engine used in the Octane as a Indian engine?

Yes and yes. Osceola was the engine plant for Victory's entire existence. And while we know the Octane/Scout motor was developed by Swiss Auto the video sure makes it look like they are being assembled in WI. That plant was scheduled to be shut down when they opened a plant in Monterrey Mexico. Ranger engine's got moved there, and Victory engines were going to be assembled in Spirit Lake. After the Indian purchase they decided to keep the Wisconsin plant open. But, given new conditions and the tax climate we are in, it wouldn't surprise me to see this plant again be on the chopping block. You know how companies like to say, "we're moving SOME production..." Well, Scott Wine, known douchebag CEO of Polaris, could save the company millions of dollars avoiding tariffs if he moved engine and frame production to Mexico. He's already discussed moving motorcycle assembly to Poland for the euro market. He could then move what's left of domestic assembly to Huntsville AL and shut down Spirit Lake. So he can avoid US tariffs on steel and aluminum, avoid EU tariffs on motorcycles, shut down two factories, lay off about 1000 workers while still maintaining current production levels. Yeah, tell me he isn't thinking about doing that!

 

[Trvlnkid]

My previous employer always had to have a plan to be able to move the assembly plant in a few weeks. Last assembly off the line to first off the line. Definitely wouldn't doubt they have that kind of plan.

 

[vision_nut]

Vic history book. Like how much is made up.

The Osceola plant is where Polaris made the 4 wheelers and snowmobiles. The reason they went to Mexico was for cheap labor and they cut there coast getting the product on ships going to foreign countries. Polaris used to ship by semi witch could only hold a small amount to NY to pust on ships going overseas where they buy more 4 wheelers and snowmobiles then the US

All motorcycles manufacturers have plants in foreign countries because there government makes them. That's the only way then can sell them over there. Give people jobs so they have money to buy the bikes.