[slickvic]

Agree with all the above. Heard it first hand at the wigwam. Even the older sales guys don’t want to see the classics go away. Either do I. The Springfield is a beauty and needs to remain as their iconic classic bike. The Challenger was made to compete against HD’s number 1 seller the RG and because it has a great motor and similar frame and handling it was supposed to appeal to the Victory guys in hopes they would trade. Yeah uh no ! If I wanted a Road Glide I’d buy the real one.

Today the Road Glide is a much better looking bike than the Challenger. They included the more powerful 117 liquid cooled head motor compared to last years 114 but still isn’t as good as the PP108. Fully liquid cooled motor. Now let’s see some styling changes from Indian built around this 108 / 112 and let’s go kick some Harley Ass the way Victory used to do it.
Boring comes quick these days. Change comes fast too. It’s a battle of the American baggers and now it’s more than displacement. It has to be the total package for this price tag. Brakes, suspension, and handling. Not just infotainment and gimmicky ride modes.

 

[VSprocket]

It has to be the total package for this price tag. Brakes, suspension, and handling.

That is where I'm at now. NAV is nice but "I" want to figure out to get there....maybe even get lost in the process. Isn't that how stories are told regardless of the brand? I have some great memories riding my Suzuki C50!

 

[slickvic]

Absolutely getting lost was 1/2 the fun. We don’t need all that stuff on our dash. The new bikes adjust the suspension for you too as weight is added to the bike. Controls your lean angle. Gives you riding modes for rain, sport , and city driving. All this extra gear adds weight , confusion and distraction. Nope not me. I want to keep my eyes on the road my power control at my hand and my bike simple so in the event there’s an issue I can likely correct it myself. Yeah like a Victory.
Now a PP112 in a Chieftain? Base model please …… I’m atleast looking.

 

[Bikesofbrads]

I haven’t dug into the process but I wonder how different it is to service those electronic suspensions. Changing fork oil on a Victory is relatively straightforward and easy but add in a few sensors & all the other extra what knots plus with 30k mile intervals, it sounds like preventative maintenance will quickly get expensive or, will not get done. When people have a $400-$600 monthly payment plus insurance & $100 oil changes, I bet will be lots of bikes with piss poor maintenance history’s

 

[slickvic]

I haven’t dug into the process but I wonder how different it is to service those electronic suspensions. Changing fork oil on a Victory is relatively straightforward and easy but add in a few sensors & all the other extra what knots plus with 30k mile intervals, it sounds like preventative maintenance will quickly get expensive or, will not get done. When people have a $400-$600 monthly payment plus insurance & $100 oil changes, I bet will be lots of bikes with piss poor maintenance history’s

I never looked at it that way, but I agree. There are bikes now for sale. That may look good, but have not had the proper scheduled maintenance which is usually backed up by documentation which is why it is important to keep said documentation for a future buyer. Now the cost on these new bikes to maintain? Well, we all know how the Harley enthusiast/weekend rider complains about the cost of maintenance most of the older Harley riders on older bikes, take care of their own. For me being a motorcycle owner/rider it is Essential that I know and understand my bike completely. To have the ability to perform maintenance and repairs is part of the experience of ownership in my book. Otherwise, a fat wallet is needed in order to enjoy this favorite pastime of ours.

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

Yup, no better way to know your bike than to maintain it yourself. It's also one of the best ways I know of to have confidence in your bike. If you know what end of a wrench to use and don't think a torque wrench is a requirement for an oil change etc etc etc.

 

[MagVic CCT]

I know it's not sour grapes for anyone here, so I will try not to make it sound that way, but as riders and bikers I think we are always interested in the next new thing if for no other reason than we want to compare and Oooh and Aaahhh over the latest technology. We're men, it's what we do. And not just bikes but guns, trucks, boats, all the manly gadgets. But, after we have wiped the saliva off our chins and let our hard on relax over the newest iteration of the latest toy, we start to consider just what does all of that mean to me? And do I really need it?

And I think this pause is one of the things that separates the Vic boys from the I gotta have that now boys. We pause and weigh our options. So what I hear and what I myself do, is ask myself......suspension, on my bike it's great, do I need more? Motor (cammed admititly) , also great, what more could I want? Comfort, terrific and if not quite there, then a new seat is much cheaper that a new bike to cure one small issue. And so it goes with the list of features and capabilities of my current bike. The answer is always, "I don't need that (new thing) as what I have performs perfectly fine or even better than.

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

Typically the most expensive three word phrase is: ‘might as well’.

Being thankful, grateful, appreciative and content is priceless.

 

[Bikesofbrads]

if for no other reason than we want to compare and Oooh and Aaahhh over the latest technology. We're men, it's what we do

True dat, oh, and btw, you had me @ hard on

 

[MagVic CCT]

True dat, oh, and btw, you had me @ hard on

 

[slickvic]

I know it's not sour grapes for anyone here, so I will try not to make it sound that way, but as riders and bikers I think we are always interested in the next new thing if for no other reason than we want to compare and Oooh and Aaahhh over the latest technology. We're men, it's what we do. And not just bikes but guns, trucks, boats, all the manly gadgets. But, after we have wiped the saliva off our chins and let our hard on relax over the newest iteration of the latest toy, we start to consider just what does all of that mean to me? And do I really need it?

And I think this pause is one of the things that separates the Vic boys from the I gotta have that now boys. We pause and weigh our options. So what I hear and what I myself do, is ask myself......suspension, on my bike it's great, do I need more? Motor (cammed admititly) , also great, what more could I want? Comfort, terrific and if not quite there, then a new seat is much cheaper that a new bike to cure one small issue. And so it goes with the list of features and capabilities of my current bike. The answer is always, "I don't need that (new thing) as what I have performs perfectly fine or even better than.

I couldn’t have said it better. When it comes to bikes I like them all. Appreciate them all. When the new BMW 1800 cruisers and baggers then tourers came out I got excited. Different is an understatement. They’re flipping cool. There’s now a custom Bagger version …. A magnum type if you will. Even the All blacked out Goldwing got my attention. The new Rocket 3. This list goes on and as cool as these bikes are I’m still on my Vic’s.

I dont have blinders on like so many Harley owners I see. Some of them are truly lost….. pathetic ….. that they can’t see the engineering and the beauty of other brands. Honda had its time to shine back when the VTX series bikes was developed and then they go and create the Rune …..Kicking Harley ass with modern styling and power. Victory and Arlen Ness created the best custom cruisers on the road. The chopper scene was also in full bloom including TV shows for us to watch.

yes sir …… we lived in the best era of the motorcycle world….watching the culture and the development of generations of different riders and different style bikes all for one common cause. Freedom and getting g in the wind ! Ride on !

 

[KeepRidin!]

IMO, Indian shouldn't be doing away with the big fenders, fringe, and push rods. With the PowerPlus engine and the Scout motors, they might as well revive Victory or slap on a new name.

 

[MagVic CCT]

I couldn’t have said it better. When it comes to bikes I like them all. Appreciate them all. When the new BMW 1800 cruisers and baggers then tourers came out I got excited. Different is an understatement. They’re flipping cool. There’s now a custom Bagger version …. A magnum type if you will. Even the All blacked out Goldwing got my attention. The new Rocket 3. This list goes on and as cool as these bikes are I’m still on my Vic’s.

I dont have blinders on like so many Harley owners I see. Some of them are truly lost….. pathetic ….. that they can’t see the engineering and the beauty of other brands. Honda had its time to shine back when the VTX series bikes was developed and then they go and create the Rune …..Kicking Harley ass with modern styling and power. Victory and Arlen Ness created the best custom cruisers on the road. The chopper scene was also in full bloom including TV shows for us to watch.

yes sir …… we lived in the best era of the motorcycle world….watching the culture and the development of generations of different riders and different style bikes all for one common cause. Freedom and getting g in the wind ! Ride on !

Exactly. My CCT is the only bike I own not because it's the only bike in the world , but because of financial constraints. Should I come into a lottery win there are at least six other bikes I'd love to have available to ride on occasion, including some old classics. But, being limited, the CCT does everything perfectly for me. I've considered a Wing on a number of occasions, but I just can't get used to the one seating position. Yeah, you can add highway pegs but my vic lets me stretch out infinaty on those big boards. Little things like that.

 

[slickvic]

IMO, Indian shouldn't be doing away with the big fenders, fringe, and push rods. With the PowerPlus engine and the Scout motors, they might as well revive Victory or slap on a new name.

If Victory was to return then the PowerPlus motor would be in the bikes. Should fit right in. Somewhere there are photos of the future Victory with the PP motor in it. I may have them to post. So what would the new Victory look like ? Certainly not the RG mimicked Challenger ? That would have been a great name for the future Victory. The Victory Challenger edition. Like Dodge ….. Challenger, Charger, Magnum ( already used).
someone in Polaris apparently likes using
Dodge names in their Branding.
While I feel Victory is gone forever I get the feeling it’s coming back ( think Cross Country styling ) in the Chieftain. It is the closet thing to a cross bike that Indian builds and with a PP motor and some restyling of the fairing and bags …. ( the tank is fine dash got to go ) we could have our Victory hopefully without the Chieftain name. Thinking more along the lines of it being called the Indian SPIRIT 112.
Choosing the Spirit name to honor the spirit of the Cross Country and magnum bikes. I’m not crazy about the name either but would love to hear anyone’s ideas of a new name for the handle bar fairing baggers with PP motors that are coming out in the near future. I think this is the most exciting news coming from Polaris / Indian in a long time. Still want them to FUK off but at my age I welcome excitement.

Have to say I got a little excited when me and a few buddies got the tour of the Local HD shop the day the new 2024 ( 12 of them ) SG, RG, and CVO’s were being assembled for the floor. Comparing them in the shop next to last years models and some of the 2 yr old bikes that hadn’t sold yet …. You could see the improvements all around. Sitting on the new SG felt the same though. Feeling like I was on top of the bike rather than in it. Never understood all the hipe of the SG !
The Road Glide was just right and until now with the 2024 models I never cared for the shark nose fairing. Especially sitting on the bike from that view. The new 2024 feels right. High bars giving you the feeling you are sitting in the bike. The fairing more sleek with the gauge package behind a dark tinted screen giving a super clean look. The handle bar controls on both bikes are all new. Lifting the bike off the stand ….like a victory or even an Indian ….. it picks up quite easily and my feet were better planted. The bike didn’t feel heavy at all. Some new paint colors, restyled wheels that actually mimic the Challengers more than any HD …..and mostly the 117 motor now available on a base HD is sure to keep these bikes rolling odd the floor. The price is less than last years models and you get CVO styling and power for less than $30k. Boy last years buyers are gonna be pissed !

 

[slickvic]

Exactly. My CCT is the only bike I own not because it's the only bike in the world , but because of financial constraints. Should I come into a lottery win there are at least six other bikes I'd love to have available to ride on occasion, including some old classics. But, being limited, the CCT does everything perfectly for me. I've considered a Wing on a number of occasions, but I just can't get used to the one seating position. Yeah, you can add highway pegs but my vic lets me stretch out infinaty on those big boards. Little things like that.

Yes ….. all the reasons why we still have ours. I’ll throw in that I also never get tired of looking at them. They don’t look like bikes of yesteryear and certainly not like Japanese knock offs of HD. People flip out when I tell them my bike is 13 yrs old. Some have never seen a Vic before. Can’t say anyone has ever said anything negative in my time of ownership except for a few HD Street Glide blinder wearing posers that seem to think their bikes are the only ones that should exist. You can’t even talk to these people. Their so dumbfounded fixiated on Harley Davidson and their t shirts, chains, and tattoos that they won’t even ride with anyone unless their on a HD. Like they have their own little looser club of 25yr old to mid 30’s riders that live for one cause. Every weekend they show up at the same place drinking and showing off how they spent their whole paycheck on a cam or new suspension, handle bars or 2 into 1 exhaust.
We stopped riding to these places as they seemed to have taken over the parking lot with their next generation of we rule and you old bastards need to go home …… disrespectful little schitts they are.

 

[slickvic]

Forgot to mention …… Im not a Harley hater. It’s the mentality of some / many of the owners I hate. What led to me to Victory years ago and saved me.
Saved me from possibly becoming a Harley owner hater. Reason I say this is because I will tell you like it is. I don’t have blinders. Tell you how bad the bikes were years ago and have been up until now.
Money thrown away to correct them. Not counting accessories that’s fun. How the Moco changed year after year and preyed on the poor hypnotized koolaid drinkers to keep trading in while taking a loss for the membership of the “ Lifestyle “ …….

Here’s the part I forgot to mention. When visiting the local shop and viewing the new models. I couldn’t help but over hear not only some customers but a few of the sales guys complaining about the direction HD is taking. Calling the whole ordeal that battle between the Indians and HD is like the Hatfield’s and the McCoys all the while raising prices way beyond what the average working man was used to be able to afford back when he wanted a new Harley. “These new bikes are for the fools and the non HD type. Weekend posers and retired rich folk that have never ridden before.” One said.
I figure …..Gone is the real biker and left standing are many of us only a few years away from hanging up the helmet.

The used trade in bikes out in the
while still high priced are for us and the working man. Those lots are full of bikes all years and styles. Eventually they will have to give them away but HD has progressed so much more like it’s competition that no one wants the old vibrating TC motors, 1st year M8’s with there many issues and most of all all that chrome to polish !
Seems all the inventory or most of it is being ordered in with the black treatment.
Gone is the classic looks of a Harley just like Indian is slowly doing. It’s gonna be interesting to see these 2 brands end up looking like a Victory one day. Today it’s
Funny to see that some of the HD guys are actually hating on their own brand now.

 

[Bikesofbrads]

I have a Victory because it’s the best machine for our current riding needs, when our needs change, I’ll get the best machine for those needs. We seldomly ride with anyone, we rarely stop anywhere that has a parking lot full of bikes and we’ve never given two $hits about what anyone else thinks of our motorcycling choice. There’s bike people and than there’s people with bikes, we most often find ourselves quietly enjoying the company of other bike people. It’s asshats like slick describes whom makes it very easy to tell the difference.

 

[slickvic]

I have a Victory because it’s the best machine for our current riding needs, when our needs change, I’ll get the best machine for those needs. We seldomly ride with anyone, we rarely stop anywhere that has a parking lot full of bikes and we’ve never given two $hits about what anyone else thinks of our motorcycling choice. There’s bike people and than there’s people with bikes, we most often find ourselves quietly enjoying the company of other bike people. It’s asshats like slick describes whom makes it very easy to tell the difference.

There is a serious side to you ……… 😉

I’m slowly enjoying solo riding more and more. Meaning just my bike whether my wife is on or not. It’s the itinerary thing I dislike the most. When the one in the group who always wants to leave a stop too soon and the rest follow like puppies that irritates me most. Spend hours getting to someplace and then bam …. Outa here.
Not me. I’ll be the one to leave when I’m good and ready. “Catch up later “ !

Solo riding for me is freedom. Freedom to choose when to go and when to stop. When to change my mind and direction. Sometimes alone with my own thoughts or my music and the rumble of my bike is all I need to fulfill a day.

Luckily for me also dont care what others say about my MC choice either. With my Vic’s it’s never anything negative. I can sense from members of the herd the jealousy that I Havnt succumb to the peer pressure of what I should be riding. Lord knows that those who know me know better to spew that crap …… Ive earned the I get for my choice and owning the bike I want to ride. After 13 years on the same scoot ? Yeah speaks loads !

 

[Gorski]

Traded my XC in on a Big Beautiful 2016 Chief Vintage. Bought another XC ran both for awhile but in the end I sold the Indian. XC they just got right.

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

Traded my XC in on a Big Beautiful 2016 Chief Vintage. Bought another XC ran both for awhile but in the end I sold the Indian. XC they just got right.

Do tell.