RE: Victory Motorcycles - RIP
Friday 13th January 2017
This week saw some sad news for fans of cruisers. Victory, the US cruiser company owned by Polaris Industries, is no more. In a short press release, Polaris confirmed that as of immediate effect, the company will be wound down. If you already own a Victory, parts supply is guaranteed for 10 years, along with service and warranty coverage.
Victory Motorcycles - RIP
A short lived Victory as American cruiser manufacturer closes up shop
Why this move? Polaris already owns Indian and despite spending 18 years building up Victory, the firm sees Indian as having a more secure future. "This was an incredibly difficult decision for me, my team and the Polaris Board of Directors," said Polaris Industries Chairman and CEO Scott Wine. "Over the past 18 years, we have invested not only resources, but our hearts and souls, into forging the Victory Motorcycles brand, and we are exceptionally proud of what our team has accomplished. Since inception, our teams have designed and produced nearly 60 Victory models. The experience, knowledge, infrastructure and capability we've built in those 18 years gave us the confidence to acquire and develop the Indian Motorcycle brand, so I would like to express my gratitude to everyone associated with Victory Motorcycles and celebrate your many contributions."
In the wider motorcycle world there was some good news this week though! Last year the UK's new motorcycle registrations rose by 11.7 per cent to 128,644, up from 115,121 in 2015. Interestingly, small capacity bikes (50-125cc) saw the biggest increase of 40 per cent (anything to do with Southern Rail?) while naked bikes were the most popular larger capacity machines. Great news.
[Sources: Victory Motorcycles]
Discussion
Sad, but I always wondered how they'd find space to differentiate Victory from Indian once the Indain brand was properly re-established. Indian always had the heritage (yes, yes, I know they went broke in the 50s, but no less of a tenuous link than Norton or Triumph phoenix-like recreations), and the bikes are superb...but then again I would say that. Apart from the price differential, I wondered who would want the Octane when the Scout was about; or a Victory tourer with a Chieftain/Roadmaster available. I guess the only thing missing from the Indian lineup with something looking 'a bit more modern' than the Classics and Vintages. Got to hope though that it allows Indian to bring back the Four; they've done such a great job on the big V-twins in the classic style, I think the re-imagined Four would be fabulous.
Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
Edited by tvrolet on Saturday 14th January 14:13
Victory offered a clear alternative to the Harley-Davidson, totally unique styling, uninhibited by previous motorcycle design ideology. In short, Polaris started with a clean sheet of paper. Witness the Vision and Cross-Country models: very modern, absolutely non-retro. With their demise Polaris is now putting their efforts in an absolutely retro-retro styled motorcycle. If you want modern styling, would you go to Indian? I think Polaris Industries will find their anticipated customer base to be smaller than they thought.
Additionally, just a short time back, Polaris stated that they were committed to Victory and in it for the long-haul. So much for that. Now there are a lot of Victory owners left with rapidly dwindling support. Ten years for parts: only for the 2017 models, nine years for the 2016 models, etc. To further compound present Victory owners frustrations, there never was much of an after-market for parts, and compatible goodies.
Given the Polaris cut and run track record, are people willing to take the financial risk and buy an Indian? I am not saying Indian is bad, it is well engineered but given the above noted headwinds, will riders jump on in the numbers necessary to make Indian a survivor this time around?
Additionally, just a short time back, Polaris stated that they were committed to Victory and in it for the long-haul. So much for that. Now there are a lot of Victory owners left with rapidly dwindling support. Ten years for parts: only for the 2017 models, nine years for the 2016 models, etc. To further compound present Victory owners frustrations, there never was much of an after-market for parts, and compatible goodies.
Given the Polaris cut and run track record, are people willing to take the financial risk and buy an Indian? I am not saying Indian is bad, it is well engineered but given the above noted headwinds, will riders jump on in the numbers necessary to make Indian a survivor this time around?
I think the writing for Victory was on the wall when the Octane appeared as little more than a facelifted Scout, instead of a road version of the Pikes Peak bike.
Having had a Vegas, I think the whole range looked too "out-there", even though the bikes were really good.
The Vision, a Marmite bike if ever there was one, is actually a superb mile covering bike. It handles far better than a bike of its size has any right to, has more gadgets than you could ever get bored with, and is so comfortable my Stressless armchair is only slightly better.
The Hammer was as in-your-face a brutal cruiser as you could ever want, and all of the bikes that I have seen have had build quality that H-D could only dream about.
I suspect that these bikes will re-appear, with a new engine (the Freedom 106 won't meet Euro6 regs), with more rounded features, as Indians for the 2018 model year, or maybe 2019.
Polaris aren't covering enough ground with the Indian range as yet, I would expect a street version of the 750 Flat-tracker in 18, and a bored-out Scout again in 18 or 19.
Just my 2p.
Having had a Vegas, I think the whole range looked too "out-there", even though the bikes were really good.
The Vision, a Marmite bike if ever there was one, is actually a superb mile covering bike. It handles far better than a bike of its size has any right to, has more gadgets than you could ever get bored with, and is so comfortable my Stressless armchair is only slightly better.
The Hammer was as in-your-face a brutal cruiser as you could ever want, and all of the bikes that I have seen have had build quality that H-D could only dream about.
I suspect that these bikes will re-appear, with a new engine (the Freedom 106 won't meet Euro6 regs), with more rounded features, as Indians for the 2018 model year, or maybe 2019.
Polaris aren't covering enough ground with the Indian range as yet, I would expect a street version of the 750 Flat-tracker in 18, and a bored-out Scout again in 18 or 19.
Just my 2p.
davemac250 said:
I've got one.
Heavily modded hammer S.
I'm planning on keeping it now, getting offered silly trade in
Every last thing I buy turns to s
t.
Stay strong!!Heavily modded hammer S.
I'm planning on keeping it now, getting offered silly trade in
Every last thing I buy turns to s
t. The market will come back, the actual manufacturer (Polaris) are still around so spares are still available, it's just the same as Honda discontinuing a model.
tvrolet said:
Sad, but I always wondered how they'd find space to differentiate Victory from Indian once the Indain brand was properly re-established. Indian always had the heritage (yes, yes, I know they went broke in the 50s, but no less of a tenuous link than Norton or Triumph phoenix-like recreations), and the bikes are superb...but then again I would say that. Apart from the price differential, I wondered who would want the Octane when the Scout was about; or a Victory tourer with a Chieftain/Roadmaster available. I guess the only thing missing from the Indian lineup with something looking 'a bit more modern' than the Classics and Vintages. Got to hope though that it allows Indian to bring back the Four; they've done such a great job on the big V-twins in the classic style, I think the re-imagined Four would be fabulous.
Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
This. Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
Edited by tvrolet on Saturday 14th January 14:13
Smart move, really.
All the R&D done for Victory is there, in house, for the more widely recognized Indian brand.
As an HD owner, I can't fault Indian bikes at all. They are an incredibly polished product. I'd say on another league from HD themselves. Shame they're far too "Elvis" for me.
I've always had sports bikes.
Still do, I got the Hammer as a divorce present as I fancied something different.
Mine was Victory UK's test bike. They took all the go faster bits they could find and threw them at this bike.
Went for a test ride as mine was sat there on the lumpiest idle ever with an awful lot of Lloydz performance parts warming up. The specs suggest 140hp the bum dyno suggests it's not far off.
Worth trying one.
Still do, I got the Hammer as a divorce present as I fancied something different.
Mine was Victory UK's test bike. They took all the go faster bits they could find and threw them at this bike.
Went for a test ride as mine was sat there on the lumpiest idle ever with an awful lot of Lloydz performance parts warming up. The specs suggest 140hp the bum dyno suggests it's not far off.
Worth trying one.
stuckmojo said:
tvrolet said:
Sad, but I always wondered how they'd find space to differentiate Victory from Indian once the Indain brand was properly re-established. Indian always had the heritage (yes, yes, I know they went broke in the 50s, but no less of a tenuous link than Norton or Triumph phoenix-like recreations), and the bikes are superb...but then again I would say that. Apart from the price differential, I wondered who would want the Octane when the Scout was about; or a Victory tourer with a Chieftain/Roadmaster available. I guess the only thing missing from the Indian lineup with something looking 'a bit more modern' than the Classics and Vintages. Got to hope though that it allows Indian to bring back the Four; they've done such a great job on the big V-twins in the classic style, I think the re-imagined Four would be fabulous.
Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
This. Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
Edited by tvrolet on Saturday 14th January 14:13
Smart move, really.
All the R&D done for Victory is there, in house, for the more widely recognized Indian brand.
As an HD owner, I can't fault Indian bikes at all. They are an incredibly polished product. I'd say on another league from HD themselves. Shame they're far too "Elvis" for me.
stuckmojo said:
tvrolet said:
Sad, but I always wondered how they'd find space to differentiate Victory from Indian once the Indain brand was properly re-established. Indian always had the heritage (yes, yes, I know they went broke in the 50s, but no less of a tenuous link than Norton or Triumph phoenix-like recreations), and the bikes are superb...but then again I would say that. Apart from the price differential, I wondered who would want the Octane when the Scout was about; or a Victory tourer with a Chieftain/Roadmaster available. I guess the only thing missing from the Indian lineup with something looking 'a bit more modern' than the Classics and Vintages. Got to hope though that it allows Indian to bring back the Four; they've done such a great job on the big V-twins in the classic style, I think the re-imagined Four would be fabulous.
Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
This. Edit - decent article here http://m.startribune.com/lee-schafer-indian-shows-...
Kind of like Victory was the dry run on how to design and build a reliable motorcycle, and having learned that the Indian brand is the route to market.
Edited by tvrolet on Saturday 14th January 14:13
Smart move, really.
All the R&D done for Victory is there, in house, for the more widely recognized Indian brand.
As an HD owner, I can't fault Indian bikes at all. They are an incredibly polished product. I'd say on another league from HD themselves. Shame they're far too "Elvis" for me.
mrmaggit said:
I suspect they will move slightly away from that "Elvis" post 2018 model year. I think the new dash on the Roadmaster looks like Johnnie 5 from Short Circuit.
If by Elvis you mean the fringes on the Vintage, then Indian had fringes long before Elvis. I'm going to accept the leather and fringes isn't to everyone's taste, but I'm a sucker for that 40s style - and I never liked Elvis...As to the Roadmaster dash, more like Roberto from Futurama to me.
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