I posted the link to this on another forum (non-Victory) and here's a response from one of the members that I found very interesting.....
Thanks Silv!! My problem is and always has been, that I happen to be In-Love with motorcycles (all motorcycles), they are my passion and my love (only seconded by xxxx) and have been since the very beginning of life in my case. I have owned, ridden, made my living off them, built em from scratch, crashed em, had bike shops, seen design work, spun wrenches on them, walked hand in hand with 1 percenters, fixed Cannon Ball riders old bikes, fought the good fight of understanding them both their mechanicals and their emotions (ok, I am a sic man,, have actually felt the soul of many Honda's, Harley's, Yamaha's, Suzuki's, Penton's, Kawi's, Husky's, Greeves, Maico's, Sach's, Victory's, Indians - list goes on).. So PLEASE, anyone who reads this dont kill the messenger - I only speak the truth of my opinon as I understand it and,,, keep in mind, I still am at just the beginning of understanding bikes..
The writer (who I will refer to as HE from now on) talks about Harley's involvement in racing that no body cares about.. Fact is, Harley's history in racing matters to everyone who has ever owned a Harley (and, more importantly, anyone who has ever owned a V-Twin). It is thru competition that the modern day motorcycle's, ALL OF THEM, have become what they are today. Without Harley's involvement in racing and the idea's that sprung from competition, our world - all motorcycles, would be less than they are now.
HE talked about the 1 percenters and their drive to stay clear of anything non-American and that there was no other choice until Honda came out with the wing. I take issue with both parts of this. Back in the day of the true 1 percenter times, Norton - Triumph - BSA - BMW - GUZZI and an amazing list of awesome bikes were here in plenty, there was lots of choices of wayyyy cool - good bikes.. Also, many of the "real" Harley riding fools back in that time that he refers to, took the early Honda 750 motors and did their own thing in creating metric motor powered AWESOME Chops that they chose to ride long distances on instead of the Harley's they had sitting in the garage. Company's like Amen, Santee, Denver and many many other American companys cranked out frames/forks and stuff to supplement this need and those business's were HUGE within these groups that he states only allowed Harley. These guys were not "Harley Only Clubs" as he suggested.. They were some of the most unbelievable, master gear heads known to man..
HE speaks of Indians early failure in 99/03 as just another bike with a "clone" Harley motor in it. Ok, I concede that they did use an S&S EVO motor in some of them BUT, that beautiful Bottle Cap motor was no S&S but a valiant attempt at adding something to the V-Twin world. It was a gorgeous display of an attempt to make a true "Indian" motor and I happen to LOVE it (I love the S&S EVO too).
HE continues in building up Polaris but forgets to mention what Polaris did to over 2 years worth of customers at the beginning of their Victory days.. It seems like most people, including this fellow biker who claims to have lived thru all this, have completely forgotten those days.. I was in the bike business back than and had a very good friend who had chosen to franchise with Polaris at his shop.. Polaris was so unreasonable about solving early problems and not honoring legally binding warranties (those first 3 years were HORRIBLE) that he ended up tossing Polaris out on their ear!! To this very day (that I know of - it could probably be proven easily with a quick internet search) Polaris STILL owes thousands of dollars to closed business's and their owners and to thousands of bike owners who got hit with the Polaris culture rip off guys and they have still NEVER recieved so much as a "sorry".. Its not just Harley who has taken advantage of people..
Than HE starts on "resale" values and, to my shock,, dares to touch on the "Shovel Head".. HE states "for the last 10 years this has not been true" (good resale value),, I completely and truthfully take issue with this.. The last ten years of my motorcycle business has almost been exclusively Harley Shovel's (with a few T.C.'s tossed in) - reason being, they are the only thing that HAS held its value - complete opposite of this persons perspective...
I was at Sturgis when they unveiled the new Polaris Indian (GOREGOUS GORGEOUS SCOOT) and almost laid flat on the pavement and started crying when I heard Polaris was raising the prices on all models to match Harleys models - upping the price of the bikes before they ever even hit the market. I spoke with the Polaris gang and told them that THAT really hurt.. Was asked why I felt that way, I said because you are going toe to toe with the pillars (HD) and its not going to help seeing this fine bike get established.. They said, WE ARE NOT GOING AFTER HARLEY RIDERS OR HARLEY DAVIDSON - WE ARE JUST GIVING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT PURCHASE A BIKE ANOTHER CHOICE.. It was not long after that that Polaris finally came out and said this was NOT true, they clearly changed their minds again..
HE writes on and on about the V-Twin motor, playing Vic against Harley.. Personally,, I am just flabergasted that the writer cant clearly see what all of it is about,, ALL of the V-Twin motor business is all about.. If it were not for Harley, Harley marketing people, Harley riders, Harley engineers and on and on,, the V-Twin motor would have died a LONGGGGG time ago.. In a way, every V-Twin in production today is a Harley clone. They are all taking advantage of what those people over in Milwaukee did to perfect and keep alive the lowly V-Twin. Spin it anyway you want to spin it,, their clones.. Of course, it goes without saying, even Harley could not have done what they did without people wanting them, BUT, its still a fact that its Harley and Harley alone that has kept the V-Twin in existence.. The very desing of the V-Twin Motor is archaic at best, even the homely parallel twin is by far a better design than the "V" but somehow, because of bikers love for the sound, the viberations and simplicty - Harley kept it beating..
Why? Wellll,,, let me tell you what I think, IMHO (and it aint worth much). In my pea sized brain, the opposed cylinder motor (like a Honda wing) is the closes thing to the best natural balanced engine design that a person can find.. Living in a perfect world, all with the same intrinsic love and satisfaction levels we should all techically be riding Wings. Problem is, we are all different and we all ride for a different reason.. Our taste in motorcycles is no different than our tastes in ice cream. Given that, its no wonder that so many people would rather ride a Harley or one of their clones than they would a bike with the "perfect" engine..
One of the areas that I absolutely agree with HE about has to do with center of gravity and handling.. I spent a fair amount aboard a Victory Vision 8 Ball. When I gave the bike back at the end of the day, I told the owner that ALL bikes should handle like that - THAT was the perfect bike in handling!! Polaris engineers had found that sweet spot in design that literally caused the bike to give the rider the "feeling" that even in the tightest of twisties - the bike would NOT go over - I nicked named the Vision 8 Ball "the weeble" because weebles wooble but they wont fall down - IT WAS AMAZING!! I truthfully feel that this "geometry" combined with the perfect balance and smoothness of an opposed cylinder engine could be the beginning of the PERFECT motorcycle.. Would I buy a brand new one if Polaris could somehow do just that,,,, no,, of course not.. I would rather take my pitance of a money and keep riding my beat up old 500 Dollar 1st Gen Ventures,, the price of a new bike these days can sure take a tired old biker like me and my pretty wife xxxx to some amazing places..
If folks were honest with themselves, instead of spending their time trying to justify what they chose in the kind/type of bike they purchased and just rode it and enjoyed it for what their tastes had brought into their lives they would be happier.. There are many people who really dont want the perfect bike, they might wanna bounce along on the Pogo seat of old Harley or even find solace in the peace that comes from a humble 600cc Honda Silverwing scooter with a side car attached.. If it makes em smile AND they sign my bike for me when I make their aquaintance - they are ok by me!!
