Click here to visit the Lufkin, Texas MC Group!">
Victory Disappointed Me
John Bennett A couple of weeks ago I went to the only two places in the Dallas metroplex who carry Victory ...a Kawasaki dealership, and Easyriders of Dallas. Neither one had a demo bike available. Neither seemed too interested in making one available. The more I looked at the Victory the less I liked it. I was under the impression the transmission and engine were seperate and easy to work on like a Harley. I didn't realize they were unitized like Jap bikes. The fit and finsh, while slightly better than the Jap bikes, was not $4,000 better. Sadly, I've become disenchanted with the Victory. ==========================================
Click here to visit the Lufkin, Texas MC Group!
RetroJohn, What makes the drive train so difficult to access? It's a belt drive, right?? It's funny that you compare it to a metric cruiser because I'm not sure I know of that many metric cruisers that come with a belt drive. The Kawasakis cruisers are all shaft drive, the Hondas are either shaft or chain and the Yamahas are pretty much shaft (with the exception of the RoadStar line). Personally, I am getting to like the looks and features on the Vics even more. If I were to buy a new bike right not, I'm positive that the new Tourer would be in the running. To each their own...! Ride safe! Retro

"Life may begin at 30, but it get's real interesting around 150."
John BennettThe only other metric cruiser I know of with belt final drive is the Yamaha RoadStar. Both the RoadStar and Victory have unitized transmissions. This means the transmission is built into the engine. They are a single unit. Working on the drive line require removing the entire engine. A Harley's transmission is seperate from the engine (Sportsters aside). This is really not an important consideration. I just thought Victory's were more user servicable like Harleys are. Upon closer inspection, they are really more like Japanese bikes. My goal is to buy my last motorcycle. I want to customize a bike so that it is set perfectly up for ME. (functional customization, not decorative). Then, I would need to get that money back by keeping the bike for years and years. Thus, my next MC needs to be: 1) completely user servicable, and 2) have parts available for the next 30 years with strong aftermarket support. The only two motorcycles which meet that criteria are Harley & BMW. I thought Victory was a contender. I'm uncertain of their long-term parts availability. They change the engine too frequently. The informational resources to self-service are not widely available. I'm confident I would always be able to work on a Harley. The design is simple. Aftermarket parts are plentiful and pricing on them is more competative than on parts for Japanese bikes. I'm confident I would always be able to work on a BMW. You can find complete maintenance and repair manuals on-line written by the riders themselves. You can still buy parts for BMW's made in the 1930's. I'm getting disenchanted with the Yamaha RoadStar as well. Will it disappear in 4 years? Would I still be able to get parts for one 15 years from now? My truck is a 1993 Mazda. Last summer I took its engine out in my front yard and rebuilt it. It's ten years old and I love it. I went to the autoparts store and said "Gimme a rebuild kit for a '93 Mazda B2200". The guy said "Ok, it will be here in 3 days". I now have 160,000 miles on that truck. I intend to keep it another 10 years and put 100,000 more miles on it. I want a motorcycle I can do the same thing with. I can buy Harley & BMW parts like gaskets, rings, & clutch plates on the web all day long. I don't even know if you can buy Victory or Yamaha parts via mail order. Vintage Indian riders have resorted to sand casting their own parts, or buying super-expensive, custom-made replacements. Vintage Japanese enthusiasts scour salvage yards for replacement parts. I don't want to wind up in that situation. So my top contenders for the perfect motorcycle are currently, the BMW R1100RT or some kinda of Harley. I don't really know anything about Harleys except that I want a TC88B engine. Unfortunately both of those options are expensive. '97-99 BMW-RT's go for around $9000. TC88B Harleys ...cripes, I don't even know the names of the models or their prices. I think Dynas are less expensive than Softails. FXD or FLH or something. I need to study it more. The damn things seem to run $15,000 for a TC88B model. I can't tell yet, but I'm picking up info here and there. Sorry for the long rant. ==========================================
Click here to visit the Lufkin, Texas MC Group!
FXSBJohn, I agree with you about finding a bike with the ability to customize and get parts for over the long haul. That is one of the reasons I ride Harley's. Do yourself a favor though and don't look at used bikes, reason being most people have customized them already and a few have an unrealistic expectation on their value, (even dealers) Softails start at about 13,500 new off the show floor and go up from there. Contrary to popular belief there are more and more dealerships that are selling at MSRP. Go up to the HD website and see what they suggest for price on the model that you would like and you should be able to find a dealer that will work with you. "Gray-hair bikers don't get that way by accident"
bearAh John, now we be talking some serious stuff here, just you and me, OK...Seems we think a lot alike here, a BMW, well I have owned a couple, damn fine bikes, and for sure easy to work on, parts easy to get, resale, well ya got to find a guy that wants a BMW..As for model, I wouldn't go with the RT, My preference here, and I'll tell you why, I like to see the bike not look at plastic, also there isn't much you can do with a RT, except change the seat, If it was me I would look at the R1150R, comes with nothing, cost under $10,000 but you can add anywindshield you want, you can go with soft saddlebags, or hard saddlebags, get a tour box or just strap on a tailbag for daytrips, will handle two up riding easy and very good suspension.. you can add equipment as you need it or want it, with a all plastic covered bike your hard pressed to add things without wrecking the plastic, which by the way is very expensive to replace even from a stopped fall over, but any BMW is a good bike, just my thoughts on this bike, OK Now for the Harley, do look a one of Travlers brothers, it is the FLHT Model, come in basic Black, stock with Mag. wheels, easy cleaning here, and we know a painter remember, comes with hardsaddle bags and a windshield fairing combo, you can get any height windshield for it, saddle bags come right off and they make a cooler that fits right in the bag, fromHarley of course, we got one and used it to go to a picinc with and it worked great...Of course you can see the motor and transmission and all, parts are easy to come by, as are shop manuls and special tools if you ever need them, gets good millage, if left stock, I still get 40 to 42 MPG, at 70 MPH with a big bore kit and 203 cams and a 44MM CV carb, 45 to 50 if left stock they say, suspension is adjuastable with air, for double or single riding, seat is a 1,000 miler, to me anyway, been there done that, in fact I'm going to do it offical just to join the club, LOL, cost well I think the 2003s are right at $14,000, yea a little pricy, but remember the resale there, pretty easy right now, but please buy new, don't buy some-one elses bike, I have done as you said you wanted to do, changed a few things on it to suit me, it handles good, ask a couple of guys that tried to follow me in traffic, it is not a sport bike but a long haul touring bike but still easy to ride in town, mine likes 80 MPH, not much faster and he shakes his head a little, no big deal though just something to get used to..Viberation, a little at idel, remember he is rubber mounted, belt drive, I have 67,000 miles on mine and still in good shape, will go long ways yet , only get about 10,000 miles to a rear tire though, 20,000 from front tire...which bike would I buy, hell I would buy them both if I could, but I'm like you I think I got my last two bikes for a long, long time...The Harley is more expensive, but resale is better, also there is a harley shop in every large town, out west Beemer shops are far and few between, if you know what I mean there, All my mods. to Travler are Harley stuff, reason is where ever I go there should be parts at that shop or they can get next day, beemers well sometimes ya got to wait a day or two...sorry I said so much, perhaps you can E-mail me any Questions you might have about the Harleys, I just love Travler, but then everybody on this board knows that. sorry I'm so long winded, just we be talking my favorite subject here... Joe [the bear] noli illegitimi carborundum
JAMESPETTYIt's true that the Road Stars transmision is housed in the engine case but the transfer case is a seporate case. It bolts to the right side rear of the engine. I think the jap bikes and Victory are able to do this because of the dependability factor. They are like the energizer bunny, They just keep going and going and going... Asfar as parts go, I can find aftermarket and OEM parts for my Road Star all over the net and in all the non biased bike magazines. James Petty Star-Vet ISRA
John Bennett Wow! This is GREAT info guys. I admit, I never pictured myself on a Harley. I always considered them a very bad value. I'm a value-minded consumer (my wife calls it "cheap-skate", I call it "frugal" ). But, when you explain it like you did above Bear, I can see how a Harley just might be the bike for me. I only know two guys who have Harleys. One rides a '99 FatBoy FLSTF, the other has an '02 Dyna Super Glide T-Sport FXDTX. The guy with the '03 also has a '93 FHL I might be able to spend some time on the Fat Boy. Scott, I'll take your advice and spend some time on http://harley-davidson.com and learn which models have the features I want. Right off the bat, I know I want a handlebar mounted speedometer, mag wheels not spokes, as large a gas tank as possible, and the TC88B engine because I heard they were smooth and good. This guy... http://www.hdcycles.com/heaven.htm thinks the TC88 is the cat's pajamas. Thank you guys! ==========================================
Click here to visit the Lufkin, Texas MC Group!
RetroHey John, What you described sounds a lot like a Dyna SuperGlide Sport. Mag wheels, bar mounded speedo, and a 4.9 gallon tank (not quite as big as the 5 on the FatBoy). http://www.harley-davidson.com/motorcycles/motorcycles_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=415135 Ride safe! Retro

"Life may begin at 30, but it get's real interesting around 150."
Fatboy03Get the Fatboy nothing on this earth will compare to it. Trust me or I would not have paid $34,000.00 Canadian for it YES that's right $34 big ones after taxes 15% in Canada added a few accessories mind you new pipes and a Windsheild of course. 100 aniversary in 15 years will be worth more then, then it was new. Let's face it Harley's are over priced, but like their add says "you only live once" HOG rider from Hog Town (Toronto)
Russ
quote:
A couple of weeks ago I went to the only two places in the Dallas metroplex who carry Victory ...a Kawasaki dealership, and Easyriders of Dallas. Neither one had a demo bike available. Neither seemed too interested in making one available. The more I looked at the Victory the less I liked it. I was under the impression the transmission and engine were seperate and easy to work on like a Harley. I didn't realize they were unitized like Jap bikes. The fit and finsh, while slightly better than the Jap bikes, was not $4,000 better. Sadly, I've become disenchanted with the Victory. ==========================================
Click here to visit the Lufkin, Texas MC Group!
Russ Wendt
RussGive it a chance, they are new. I'm sure Haley wasn't great when they first came out! My Vic is doing good and there is a guy named Roadkill with 110,000 on A 99 V92C Russ Wendt