[Obi Steve]

"Should Indian shut their doors again?" No, absolutely not.

Will Indian shut their doors again? No idea. But Polaris does have history of opening and closing different markets.

We need to remember here that Victory grew out of Polaris' mid1990s unsuccessful attempt to buy the Indian brand name. If the attempt had been successful, what we know as Victory's would have been wearing an Indian tank badge. Whether the apparent magic of the brand name would have worked well enough to keep them in production, who knows?

 

[Obi Steve]

What did Harley steal from Honda ?

All "the nicest people" that started riding Harley's in the mid 1990s.

 

[Obi Steve]

You mean all the nice people that started riding "Honda's"
The M8 ? Isn't that motor similar to a VTX motor ?

Yep, those nice people making the move once Evo motors made Harley's reliable and oiltight..

 

[Obi Steve]

Funny ….. I was never that guy. Loved my Honda CB 750. Rode that bike every day. Didn't get into cruisers till the last kid left the house then it was a couple Honda's again. 3 to be exact and ended the jap thing on a Kawasaki Voyager 1700. When I saw the Vic's it was love at first sight. Walked away from a HD SG purchase in 2012 that was in the works to buy the better bike and save $5k.

Any bike that puts a smile on your face is a good bike. I liked my old SOHC 750 Honda. Inherited it after a mate missed a corner at high speed and met a barbed wire fence. I hauled a sidecar with it for 5 years, until my daughter was tall enough to ride pillion, then gave it to another mate who was into sidecars. It left the shed along with the Norton and Katana when the Sportster took up residence.

 

[Obi Steve]

View attachment 581887 I had acquired a rare breed of Suzuki when I was a teen. Had a good Oldsmobile engine that was sitting that I took out of a wreck. This kids dad was building him an olds cutlass convertible for high school so he offered his old Suzuki 500 parallel twin 2 stroke as a trade and I took it. I've not seen another to this day but I definitely put that bike on the road and rode the snot out of it. Mostly 2 up with my girl on back. The bike was leaking serious power when my buddy picked up a Kawi 500 triple and used run by me like I was standing still.

They were a popular bike in Oz, a lot of them on the road. A very reliable bike as well. I shared a house for a while with a bloke who owned one, and rode it a few times. At the time I had a couple of W2 650 Kawasakis. That place in Brisbane was a biker stronghold for 5 years. People came and went, at various times we had parked under the house the Suzi 500, the 2 Kawa 650s, T150 Triumph Trident, XS750 triple, then an XS850 triple, GT750 Ducati, my then wifes Yamaha XS650B, then my 2 Norton Commandos just before I pulled out and moved to Obi Obi. Wild crazy times.

 

[Obi Steve]

Ohhhh so sorry, i did not see that word ... My condolences, sorry guys

No problem BP, it was 35 years ago. He was a good bloke, a diesel fitter from England, who had the ****s with Thatcher era England, sold his Triumph Trident and Bonneville and headed off overland to Oz. He ran into an old friend of mine in India, who in between bonking his brains out (he was about 15 years younger than her), told him to look me up when he reached Oz.
He arrived at Obi Obi on the Honda 750 he bought to tour around on. We hit it off well, he helped with my old Massey Ferguson tractor, stayed for 2 months before his last midnight ride. Cops rang me the next morning, asked me to go identify the body. I rang his parents in England, arranged the funeral, sent his ashes and personal effects back to them.
A few of us would stop at the bend and say g'day every now and again. Rupert Atkins, good bloke, still remembered.

 

[Obi Steve]

You're correct of course.

But it's the difference between a 'motorcycle company' and a 'company that makes motorcycles'. When Polaris was building the Victory brand, they were doing all they could to build a better American motorcycle. Yes, I know, they didn't do everything right. But, ever since Polaris released their first Indian, they seem to have been in coast mode relying on the 'history' of the brand, not the bikes themselves.

No one can name 3 Polaris Indian design attributes that are unique. Sure, they've taken existing technology and integrated it into the bikes. So what, so have most brands. Nothing 'new' here.

What has Polaris uniquely developed themselves to build Indian? What's been the Polaris stamp on the Indian heritage? When their two best selling bikes are basically rebadged Victory's, I'd say: Polaris ran out of unique motorcycle ideas when they developed the Cross bikes for the 2010 model year. Just about everything since has been a re-hash of the work done by others.

I want them to do better. To somehow get back to what they were over a decade ago.

Well nostalgia does tug at my wallet sometimes, I wouldn't mind a Chief Dark Horse (cast frame) sharing the shed, but no one is gonna buy me one and I blew the available money getting the High Ball a couple of months ago to keep the HardBall company.
I also like the new Electralide revival, but no ones gonna buy me one of those either. Bastards!
I think Harley's rolled out a winner though with this morning's announcement of the Sportster S.
121 hp, lotta torque, remains to be seen if they are full size rear wheel neddies. Should scare Octanes or Scouts, maybe FTRs. It will be good to see them on the road.

 

[Obi Steve]

When that Springfield first came out I was sold. Then I rode one and determined it was the best motorcycle I've ever ridden. Even today I would love to own one in all its classic full flared glory. Like the Road Kings ……. A real classic. Truly one of Indians best accomplishments.

I was thinking of a cast frame Chief Dark Horse, but said stuff it, and bought a High Ball.

 

[Obi Steve]

I like it too. Mostly because it's so Americana with a German designed power train. It's very handsome and expensive ( looking ). As with anything motorcycle…… have to ride it to see if I really like it. Going to local Indian wigwam tomorrow which yes …. As a power-sports dealer also sells BMW.

I took a test ride on the first release R18. It rode nicely, comparable power to the HardBall, rear suspension not as comfortable, although to be fair it wasn't set for my weight. They didn't get my money though.

 

[Obi Steve]

I took a test ride on the first release R18.

I just couldn't get used to the footpeg position after 30 years of forward controls and floor boards. I got long legs, and the cylinders always seem to get in the way when I came to a stop. I'm sure you could get used to it, but I didn't want it that much to put in the effort. I do love the looks though.