Victory Early '07 Line-Up
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utterly unremarkable press release- just what i need a new and improved v-twin cruiser for around $20,000 dollars.
Not sure what to make of Victory. They make nice enough bikes, but unfortunately they are just riding the Harley coattails with basically the same design, same styling, same image. I think they need to do something different and go their own way before anyone will take them as more than a Harley clone manufacturer. I hope they become something other than a 'me too' company. Hey Victory, figure out how to make something that doesn't involve V-twins, belt drives, extended forks, fat tires, and flame paint jobs. It's been done, and is still being done, a million times before you did it. Harley is better at it than you are. It's boring. It's yesterday. Move on.
The Hammer S is getting close but it sure seems to be the same old same old. The concept drawings are just awful. Hows about something a little sporty ala the old T-sport Harley? Or a Uly type or nekkid standard? And was that a pig flying out of my butt? It sure would be fun to see what KTM and Victory could do if they got in a room with a few bottles of Jack Daniels. Maybe even a Vincent or Norton concept type of roadster? Old style with modern components and great performance. A super Duke that LOOKS super might just interest a few of us old guys who find orange plastic a bit off-putting but just love what a KTM can do on the road.
Hmmmm....as they enter the Luxury touring market, are they targeting the BMWguys,the geezerglide guys or Goldwing guys; or are they just trying to keep their current riders who like Victory's quality but tire of the cruiser C-clamp riding ,bugs in the teeth position. Probably all three,,,,,,, of the four options shown,I'm partial to option A ,but the rear treatment needs some work.
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A friend of mine bought a Victory touring cruiser. He has nothing but praise for the quality improvement over his departed and problematic Heritage Special. He claims the Victory is much more solid in feel and handling. He bought a very low miles used 2006 for $5000 under the cost of a new one.
BTW I found an old financial statement for Polaris and apparently the Victory sold about 4700 units in 2003. They claim a 30% increase for 2004 and 34% for 2005 which would make total bake sales around 8200 for 2005. Still a pretty small player. However Polaris has been losing market share on ATVs, snowmobiles and watercraft to the Japanese due to Polaris' poor quality. I can attest to this because the new Polaris sled I bought last year broke it's starting rope the 5th time out. Fortunately I have a two year warranty on it. Unless Polaris can turn this around thery may just go the way of Studebaker and AMC.
BTW I found an old financial statement for Polaris and apparently the Victory sold about 4700 units in 2003. They claim a 30% increase for 2004 and 34% for 2005 which would make total bake sales around 8200 for 2005. Still a pretty small player. However Polaris has been losing market share on ATVs, snowmobiles and watercraft to the Japanese due to Polaris' poor quality. I can attest to this because the new Polaris sled I bought last year broke it's starting rope the 5th time out. Fortunately I have a two year warranty on it. Unless Polaris can turn this around thery may just go the way of Studebaker and AMC.
Of the sketches, kpaul says Option A is the most likely to see production i.e. replacement for Buz's Geezer Glide. That back seat might a attract a real woman Buz... Option B has a funky fairing around the engine... Option C and D are cool but way too radical for the conventional "in the box" techy paranoid cruiser riders. 
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