H-D finally has a new, modern stock 107" engine and larger bores available with certain models. Indian is banking on selling... nostalgia. Nostalgia that goes back to 1953 and further seems a slim chance of attracting interested bikers in future. How long will the current engine design last until a modern Victory-type engine makes it into the frame?
1stVictory
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6,863 Posts
I did! I took the trunk off my Kingpin Tour and mounted it on my XC. I'ts the perfect blend of usability and form w/out the weight. It's lockable and it'll hold a full face, my leather jack and my chaps/gloves if I choose to put them all in there together. Combine that with the storage in the saddle bags and I have plenty.
http://www.thevog.net/gallery/photos/53153/
http://www.thevog.net/data/photos/l/53/53425-1504007912-aca7e3439f5c5bc7e47fc564e1b2d263.jpg
Screw it.. I was trying to just POST the damn pic.. sometimes this site pisses me off...
http://www.thevog.net/gallery/photos/53153/
http://www.thevog.net/data/photos/l/53/53425-1504007912-aca7e3439f5c5bc7e47fc564e1b2d263.jpg
Screw it.. I was trying to just POST the damn pic.. sometimes this site pisses me off...
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6,863 Posts
Well, the guy I bought the bike from had already drilled out the luggage rack to fit the trunk I had... he liked the trunk so well he took it off the bike and I put the one from my KPT on it.
I believe someone at some point had a rack with a set of slots in it that you could then easily slide the trunk to suit w/out having to drill.. can't remember where I saw that now. I've thought about slotting mine out so I can slide the mount point back a bit. It looks good where its at but if it were back an inch or so it would make for a lot more room for the passenger.
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6,863 Posts
I've sat on but not ridden both M8 and TS111 bikes.. and from just sitting on them I feel like I'd be taking a VERY expensive step backwards to trade my 14 XC for either. Both have whizbang electronics.. but neither sits better for me, nor (by dyno) do either outperform mine. I can clamp my too-expensive cell phone to the handlebars and have all the whiz-bang I need on my bike. To be perfectly honest I like the looks of my bike better too. The only big twin bike I like better than the XC is the Magnum.. but mostly only because I like the big front wheel look. I dislike having less shock travel and I don't want to give up storage in the saddlebags for speakers. Soo.. until someone actually makes a better bike for ME.. I'm happy.
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6,863 Posts
I still wonder if Indian is going to do anything with the octane/Scout powerplant in a bigger format.. maybe a sport touring bike or something. Victory would have been the PERFECT platform to launch a new series of bikes that were more performance oriented but we all know how that turned out...
I can't see how it would interfere with the 'legacy' they bought with the name.. back in the day Indian was into performance bikes and new tech. I've also wondered if they would ever try to leverage the Freedom Vic motor in anything going forward.. although that one I seriously doubt. I do think that if they don't do something different they are going to end up a very short run niche bike, the Thuderstroke is a nice engine for what it is but it's not going to bring in 'new' riders or other segments.
I can't see how it would interfere with the 'legacy' they bought with the name.. back in the day Indian was into performance bikes and new tech. I've also wondered if they would ever try to leverage the Freedom Vic motor in anything going forward.. although that one I seriously doubt. I do think that if they don't do something different they are going to end up a very short run niche bike, the Thuderstroke is a nice engine for what it is but it's not going to bring in 'new' riders or other segments.
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6,863 Posts
I always wanted easy-on / easy-off for the steel frame bikes.. windscreen... bags, sissy bar and/or trunk.. that stuff should have been snap-on simple. That woulda brought in some new users too....go from a solo bike to ready to go touring in a couple minutes.. not to mention easy to clean and do maintenance. Hell, they coulda even done up a slogan campaign that woulda brought the masses flocking similar to what the original Saturn's had.. 'we guarantee the power train for 100K'. It still astonishes me how many motorcycle riders still don't even know what a Victory is. I still say one of the things I liked the MOST about the original 99's was the american flag stamped on the engine. Victory coulda gone a lot of ways and all of them UP.. but you can't beat stupidity with a bat, especially when he's in charge of the company.
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6,863 Posts
I think if I'd stumbled on an EH I woulda bought one at the time. They REALLY remind me of the V92C bikes and I really really liked mine... I wonder if I'd still be riding it if a deer hadn't suicided on me. It had it's quirks but it was a gas to ride. I heard there is a pretty devoted circle of guys riding the EH's.. and that they have their own underground parts network for common parts that need replacing. I figure Vic will end up the same way.
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