Victory Motorcycles - What happened to Victory and what Polaris and Indian should do next
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- The story of Victory Motorcycles. What happened? Where do things sit today? What should Polaris and Indian Motorcycle do next? This video includes a suggested path forward to benefit Victory Owners and the Indian Motorcycle brand.
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#indianmotorcycle
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While your suggestion is a good one and makes sense, I do not see Polaris doing this. The failure of Victory was due to faulty marketing and support services. They burned a loyal customer base and the resentment runs deep. They could provide parts for the next 20-30 years if they wanted to, but they don't want to. They are banking on us getting frustrated and paying a ridiculous price to purchase a new Indian. Unless they change that attitude I am very unlikely to do so.
Good thoughts Vincent. Your comments showcase exactly what Polaris is losing because of the way they've handled Victory. Thanks as always.
Ridiculous price? 🙄
After Polaris pulled the rug out from under their 100% Loyal Customers they can shove their fake “indian” badged junk straight up their collective sewer pipe.
The failure of Victory was two fold: First, Victory sold between 125 and 135K bikes TOTAL in it's 18 years of existence; Second, of those bikes that were sold, there were only 45K unique purchasers of Victory from the dealer, meaning people kept buying Victory's over time, but they weren't attracting new customers. High customer acquisition cost and generally low sales volume, coupled with large R&D dollars spent on models (can anyone say Vision?) didn't make the brand profitable as an ongoing concern. It's easy to blame Marketing and support, but it's a spurious argument at best. How else do you explain Indians success with essentially the same marketing/support operation and fewer dealers? FWIW, I currently own a Victory XC, an Indian Roadmaster and an Indian Challenger.
@@oldylr41 own a 15 XCT, love it but refuse to buy an Indian ...I'll go BMW first !!!
I'm just going to put it out there. I was all over the scout bobber. The style, and iconic indian branding was all it took to convince me it was the bike for me. Then I saw the vegas 8 ball.....the heavens split open, angels sung and I wept. Long story short, I bought a 2014 8 ball with 3500 miles on it this year and have never looked back. Victory motorcycles are by far the best bikes I've ever rode.
Ha! Love it! Hope you have many long rides, serenaded by the sound of angels, and cushioned by the heavenly clouds of fully Polaris supported suspension. Thanks for the comment bud. Got a kick out of this one.
how is it to get parts for ?
I've just bought a 2013 Hammer 8 Ball with 3000 km a month ago. By far the best bike I've ever rode. Amazing build quality and design
@@jcsquared1111 plenty of original and OEM parts available.
As a former Victory owner, I will NEVER buy a Polaris bike. Not willing to be stuck with a bike with no value again. If Indian does not hit sale they want, it will be gone too. They did it to their jetski owners and victory owners so why trust them. Why do you think they never post sales numbers?
I became a owner of a 2013 Vegas 8Ball this past summer. The former original owner only put 800 miles on it. And I love it!! I was always impressed by Victory style since they first came out.
I agree with your video and statements regarding what Polaris could do with trying to embrace Victory owners. Thanks for trying to plant the " seed "
For sure! Thanks for watching and congrats on your Vegas! 800 miles is nothing! You basically have a new bike on your hands!
That would be cool, but it ain't gonna happen.. because as proven Polaris ultimately doesn't give a shit about anything other than profits.
I get it. :) Call me an optimist. It will be difficult for them to quantify the impact of these steps which I think would be the hard sell. But, goodwill is always hard to measure yet remains a well accepted business concept. The relationship with the organization shouldn't simply be transactional. Selling the bike is partial credit and short sighted. It is what happens around that sell that makes the difference on if we all go back to Polaris on the next one. Right now, I think Polaris has lost a ton of that positive reputation with Victory owners, clearly aligning with your comment. Thanks for watching and your thoughts.
Well said!!
Well Done Video! I had the same thoughts myself, thank you for putting this on UA-cam for all to see. I Really hope it gets back to Polaris. Polaris would benefit greatly by supporting Victory owners now ,who like you said very likely would become future Indian Riders 😎
Thank you sir! If nothing else, I hope it reaches them and prompts a conversation. I think Victory owners would rally around Indian and it isn't too late to turn it around.
I bought a 2004 Kingpin new in 2004. It is by far the best motorcycle I have ever owned. It just keeps going. Nothing breaks. That said, I agree whole heartedly with your thoughts on Polaris. I feel abandoned. As of now, I will never buy another Polaris product. If they took the approach you suggested, I might reconsider. Thanks for the video. You have my support.
Thanks for watching and for the comment! We will see if anything happens but the support in the comments is humbling and supports the case for lost revenue opportunity.
Great video. I also can’t help but feel for all the Victory dealerships who were left high and dry. One local dealer told me that if they wanted to carry Indian they had to pay the same as anyone else (no restitution or special treatment after losing the Victory line). Ride on!
Thanks! You bring up a great point! The customers weren't the only ones impacted. The dealers were left with an inventory to deal with and lack of continuity with Polaris. Great perspective to add! Thank you!
100% correct I loved my vision. Just lost it Thursday in a traffic accident. I will be buying another vision. I work at Harley also and have a deluxe as a back up bike for when the Vic is getting serviced. The vision was faithful and never gave me issues.
Oh man, hope you are ok from that accident first of all. Second, glad you liked your Vision enough to consider getting another one. I hope you don't have trouble finding one. Good luck to you!
So now here is the question with Victory bikes hitting crazy low pricing as the motorcycle market starts to reel back what are the thoughts on grabbing one? I have seen some Vegas models as low as $2800 and several in the $3500 range what are the thoughts on getting one in this price range or with the issues of service and parts just leave it and stick with another brand.
Hello there. It all comes down to risk vs reward. Here is my personal take. Once you hit a certain price point, the caliber of bike you are getting starts to far outweigh the risk of losing your investment if something catastrophic was to happen.
Victory bikes are known to be reliable but things do happen. With that said, there are a few things I would do if I wanted to put myself in the best position to have longevity out of the killer deal found on a new Vegas for instance. First, I would do a full inspection as I would for any bike and make sure the bike was well cared for. Second, I would really think twice before purchasing one that had a lot of aftermarket work done. While cams and fuel controllers can improve performance, they can also add additional points of failure and complexity when attempting to perform a repair. So personally, I am choosing to remain largely stock outside of the additions I already made early (factory stage 1). This simplifies the system and reduces risk of additional issues.
After considering those things, it really comes down to what price is low enough for you to feel comfortable parting out or scrapping the bike if something really bad happened. Run that against the pretty darn good track record and my guess is if you get 5-10 years out of a $3k Vic, that is a killer investment for 100 or 106cc head turning machine.
Best of luck! Let us know where you land on the topic!
Its kinda funny the first thing i heard, when they introduced the challenger, from a tech at indian, is that its roots are from victory, they still embrace victory, just not in a promotional way.
Yeah, I had heard similar things. The Challenger could have easily had a Victory badge if things were different. But I have no way to confirm it. Your tech is probably the best source. With all the Victory spirit ingested into Indian bikes, bringing the riders along makes a ton of sense. Support a Victory bike just as you would previous Indian models. Thanks for the comment!
Polaris pulled the plug just a hair to early. Victory’s we’re just starting to show up at events with Harley’s. And it was starting to be all good. We were so close to having 2 American brand motorcycles worth buying. Indian will never be anything close to Harley. Everyone knows there just a name companies use to try to sell bikes. No soul in Indian motorcycles. Big companies will never get that.
Love my 2015 Cross Country. I have 40k+ miles of memories. Riding it till I retire it. I just picked up a 2020 scout bobber. It’s such a blast! I agree with this video 💯. Im sticking with Polaris bikes over Harley because I feel the reliability is there and the fact that I don’t need 3 different oils for oil changes.
Thanks for watching and the comment! Hope you get many great years out of your Scout! I think the quality is there for Indian. The lessons learned through Victory absolutely helped to make Indian what it is today. If they pair that with moves like this to show that they are committed to the customer and not just the sale, that would make them a powerful force. Thanks again!
They could produce Victory parts indefinitely, and they should !!!!
I know right?!?! :)
You may not know or have forgotten that this is the third time Polaris has pulled this stunt on their dealers and their customers. First was the POLARIS STAR CAR, then the Polaris Jet ski, and finally Victory. in each case, Polaris failed to support the units in the customer's hands through parts and dealer knowledge. That's not a track record I will support by buying an Indian!
Thank you for the context! More reason for Indian to step up and change the narrative. Commit to Victory owners and support them just as you would/should previous Indian model years. Polaris wants to be in the motorcycle market, has the dealer market, and could make this happen if those chose to. Starting there might help break the track record!
Real shame Victory tanked. Even here in Australia like Indian they were cheaper than HD and Victory did still have a good range as well as a good name.
Indian is the only brand I never see around. Not sure why you would want to close victory over Indian. Should have just sold indian off and continued to make victory
Polaris' Indian is more Victory than it is an Indian. Faux Indians do not impress me
As soon as I saw a cross country I wanted one. I lucked into finding a 2013 zach ness cross country (#76) with only 11k miles on her. Hands down the best bike I've ever owned. I knew about the changeover, and tbh until this year indian motorcycles have been nothing but butt ugly wanna be Harleys. Why would I want to downgrade to the ugly try hard sister? I fell in love with victorys because of how different and good they looked, and found out later how good a mototrcyle they were. I'll ride my cc till she can't go anymore, then retire her to be a garage queen.
And a beautiful garage queen she will be! But hopefully after 200k+ miles and years of great memories. Fantastic bike. Thanks for watching!
I own a 03 Heritage Anniversary HD runs great but My next ride will be an Indian Springfield and would not even consider a HD because a bike belongs on the road riding not in the shop every 3 months. You should be hired by Indian PR department for your innovative thinking instead of these companies hiring degree's and bean counters. HD has become a part selling company and that is why I am done with them
Thanks Don. That Springfield is a killer bike. For Polaris/Indian, building a community should be high on the priority list. I do think they are starting to build that up around the Indian brand. They simply could have had a huge jumpstart if they had redirected a little investment into transitioning Victory owners into Indian owners more organically. That investment would have been smaller if done right off the bat. The dollars required to recover that community grows the longer they wait. Thanks for watching and commenting!
VICTORY VISIONS are so, so great looking in my opinion! I hope Jay Leno gets one and keeps it running forever.
Ha! I don't think I've seen Jay do any episodes on Victory bikes. But I'd love to see him do one.
I still own a 2004 Victory Vegas that I bought new. It is still beautiful and runs great. I can't take it on the long rides anymore because of the risk of having a problem and not having any support to get it fixed. After the way Polaris did to it's watercraft customers and then to us loyal Victory customers I was unable to buy an Indian even though I like what they have done with them very much. They are just untrustworthy in my mind. So I bought a Moto Guzzi V85TT and am loving it. Moto Guzzi might seem to some like a bit of a gamble, but they have been around for a very long time and have been true to their customer's expectations. The hurt Polaris did to their reputation runs very deep. To put it bluntly, they were stupid!
Thanks for sharing! I always wanted a Vegas and probably would have bought one eventually if things had been different. Beautiful bike! Your choice to go with something other than Indian is a clear example of the point I'm trying to make here. So thanks for the supporting comment! Hope you enjoy the heck out of that Moto Guzzi!
Excellent ideas! Victory Cross Roads forever! 13 states last year😊
That is awesome!
This is the video that I've been waiting on from you. It deserves so many more views and you deserve more subscribers. Good job guy.
I'm glad you found that it hit the mark! Appreciate the kind words. I'm looking to improve the quality of content on the channel over time.
Kudos shout out to my local Indian dealer, Action Motor Sports in Mandan, ND, that continues to fully support Victory riders with their parts and service needs.
Totally! Have to celebrate those dealers that are stepping up! Good work Action Motor Sports if you read this! Thanks for the comment Al.
I agree with you, and also believe Polaris could have easily made a Victory line from Indian and it would have been a financial and marketing "Victory" for bike owners and Polaris. Instead, they showed themselves to be only concerned with short term financial goals.
Would have been a heck of an opportunity to just roll the Vic's into an Indian badge and support them under the same umbrella.
Fully agree! Running both brands side by side could not have been so hard for the engineers designing the new Indians have been the Victory engineers. But when quarterly financials rule the company, the strategic business view is obviously pretty short. That's what will not change with Polaris, and that's why I'll never buy an Indian - I don't need that sort of ...-kick a second time. Greetings from Berlin, Germany - a 2011 Victory Vegas 8-Ball owner
@@juergenrausch7991 Welcome! Thanks for joining us from Germany! Do you see many Victory bikes around Berlin?
I disagree. I am a former Victory rider who now rides an Indian. The area rep for Indian came to our IMRG meeting a short time after the decision was announce. She was a Victory engineer and HATED seeing Victory go under. She also said Polaris was fully supporting both brands but looking for a way to keep growing Indian. An outside consulting firm was brough in. They are the ones who forced Polaris leadership to face the fact that Victory lost money in four of the previous five years. Very few if anyone at Polaris WANTED to get rid of Victory. They HAD to; the money just wasn't there. You may not LIKE it but business are in business to make money; if they don't make money they will go out of business.
They screwed the pooch, shot the cat ,beat the baby when they left thousands stranded. Never again 😒.
Yeah, good summary of the sentiment. They won't make everything right but I think they can recover some if they step up. But time is definitely running out. Thanks for watching.
I just purchased a Polaris Challenger. Indian is just a decal.
Hope you love it man! One hell of a bike I hear. Hoping to ride one very soon and get a review in of it.
All of Victory's R&D went into Indian. I agree with several other commentors below, Polaris could have rebadged several other bikes with Indian badges and kept the line going. That is what happened to the Octane when it became the Scout. My Vision would outrun just about any stock HD.
Curious if you've done any performance mods to that Vision? Thanks for watching!
@@chasingredlineofficial no, my bike was pure.
I ride a Kawasaki Vulcan. I have a co worker that owns a Vegas. He hasn't ridden it about 3 years. Im considering making him an offer. I also just purchased a Polaris Indy 650 snowmobile . I wish they would heed your advice . I dont see myself bying anIndian anytime soon. Beautiful bikes but out of my tax bracket.
Hey there, welcome to the channel! I almost bought a Vulcan once upon a time. Great and affordable bikes that will eat miles.
The Vegas would be a great bike if it is in good shape and you can get a decent deal on it. I think that is one of the benefits of Victory at this point in time. Great bikes with big v-twins but still at a price point where folks can afford them. When comparing to newer Indians and Harleys rolling off the show floor today, it is hard to justify the price jump. You might research a little ahead of time to see if there are any servicing dealers left in your area just in case you need them. You can do that on the Victory Website. Always nice to DIY but that safety net is also nice if you need it. Cheers!
@Chasing Redline Thanks for the advice.
I very Much appreciate your insights.
Cheers.
I'm on board, that point about it's not a Harley rocks, shut up and take my money 👍🤑
Ha! Thanks for watching!
I'll say the quite part out loud: Comparing the 2025 Scout Bobber to the 2007 Victory Vegas, I'd keep the 2007 Victory any day of the week! The only thing that's better about the Indian Scout is the power plant. And if they put that power plant on the 2007 Vegas platform then you'd have a perfect bike, in my humble opinion! The biggest downfall to the Victory brand in general wasn't the brand itself, but aftermarket parts. The Victory name alone, at the time, wasn't enough to inspire aftermarket companies to design and produce high end products. The Indian name, on the other hand, instantly jumped that hurdle! But I'm not pissed that Victory is gone, and you shouldn't be either! Most Victory owners are riding are rare and incredible motorcycle, that won't be copied! ;)
Ive owned a few Victory's, Indian's and Harley's over the years and at 1 point in 2020 I owned 8 motorcycles, 3 Victory, 3 Indian and 2 Harley's; however, in March of 2021, i put the 3 Indian & 3 Victory motorcycles for sale, i was done with them & while i did like the Victory's, the aftermarket had pretty much dried up by then for Victory and pretty much non existent for Indian so i ended up selling all 6 and kept my 2009 Harley Rocker C and my 2014 Harley Dyna Wide Glide. In September 2021 i wanted a touring bike and picked up a 2021 Street Glide, I did look at the 2021 Indian Challenger and Chieftain but i was turned off due to how plastic they felt, if was kinda like getting into any Toyota, very plastic feeling 7 i hate the Indian Smoke colours.
While the Indian & Victory motorcycles are long gone, my Harley's are the ones for me.
The 1 thing i like about Harley is no matter what bike you own from an 81" Evolution, to Twin Cam 88, 96, 103 and M8, you can still find parts for all of them if you happen to need, pretty much, if you can want it or dream it, Harley or one of the zillion aftermarket parts companies will have it.
Harley's are generational bikes that get passed down whereas Indian and Victory are pretty much throwaway bikes.
Sure, you pay the same price as a Harley, but you get a Indian, the Dealer service, dealer network and aftermarket doesnt even come close, i dont see myself every going back to Indian
Hey there, thanks for sharing! You nailed it on the network, OEM, and aftermarket support for Harley being vastly superior to anything Polaris has attempted thus far. While I poke fun at Harley in this video, my points regarding Polaris truly highlight what Harley is doing right. Some of it is the bikes themselves, but so much of it is everything built around them. The ecosystem, the support, the community. Polaris has a long way to go and if they want a prayer at getting there, they have to play the long game and not short term payoffs or cost savings. You are a prime example of having a LOT of experience with all three brands and you landed on Harley at the end of the day. Thanks for watching!
@@chasingredlineofficial Agreed, here the Harley Davidson dealer has something going on every weekend to keep the community alive. In the spring they have a season opener, free food, Free Beer (limit if 3) live band, vendors for supporting the riding community and they dont care what you drive. at the end of the season they have a season ender with free food, free beer (limit of 3) more venders, everything on sale. They even host a ride in the rockies a couple times a year and this year they even rented an old air strip and surrounding area and had dozens of venders, food trucks, aftermarket companies and hosted the 3 day party.
Indian Motorcycle of XXXXXXX, they did nothing all year, not even host a demo day. I will never own an Indian while this shitty dealership has the rights to the brand. HOG hosts a group ride every weekend, Indian once a month
The Harley involvement and community is so much better
@@snakebite6511 I hope Polaris reads your comment. Thanks for jumping in here.
I own and love my 2011 Victory Vision! Wouldn't trade it for nothing! Owned it for about 3 yrs now. And went completely mad scientist had it completely rebuilt from the ground up. Built engine, trans, sound system and more. This Harley Killa is ready with only around 5k on the miles. 😊
Howdy. I've been riding since 1963. I've owned a lot of Harleys in my life, and still own two. One of them I've had for 45 years.
I bought a 2003 Victory V92C Deluxe through the custom order program the first year Victory offered it. Ordered the bike in September of 2002, took delivery in March of 2003. I still have it. It has 70,000 miles on it. It's the bike my wife and I use for long trips. I love that bike. I went to work for my local Victory dealer in 2004. Worked there until 2017. When they dropped Victory, I was done. I was at retirement age anyway, so I just went ahead and retired. I'll probably never sell my Vic, but I wouldn't have an Indian for love nor money. I have no doubt in my mind that as soon as Indian sales start to fall off, Polaris will drop Indian like a hot potato. I can still get parts for my two "antique" Harleys, so if my Vic ever dies, I'll just go back to riding them for long trips. Polaris can kiss my tired old ass.
Thank you for sharing Tom! I haven't had the opportunity to jump on a V92C yet but hope to at some point. You were there when it all started. You nailed it on the Indian concern. Hope you get many more miles out of your Vic. And your Harleys for that matter.
The questionable shops that I have seen become Indian dealers, I wouldn't trust one inch. Polaris needs to stick with snow mobiles and off road products.
I own 2 Indians and a Victory. Couldn't agree more. Love them all.
Quite the collection! Thanks for watching.
3:30 this is exactly my check list when i was moving from a sport bike to a cruiser. I have a 2015 Highball and riding it into the ground. Solid design and solid engine. I can buy Vics for the rest of my life from used inventory out there and find parts from used bikes out there.
I will admit though, Indian has the better bagger in the Chieftain vs the HD Street glide. I would go Indian for that bagger.
Great video and Great suggestions! 👍 I ride my Indian and know that without Victory there would be no Indian. My say on Victory was that its a great bike! Way ahead of the times (at that time) bigger engine than th HD and cooler looking too! As some said that Victory couldn't compete with HD for the American title as Indian has. I do to this day like looking at those Victorys! And wouldn't mind having one. Besides I always hear of old HDs needing work, I never hear of a Victory needing some. Hasta luego!
Thanks for the comment and for watching. The perspective from a current Indian rider is great to have here. Cheers to seeing Victory bikes on the road for years to come.
Sounds nice, but. Polaris is looking at future riders not current riders. Future sale dollars just as they did with victory. The older rider next bike would probably be Indian or Harley so to bring the new riders in, the ftr is their answer. Think, most young riders start with the sport bike, cheaper foreign. Then as age catches up, it’s a cruiser, as long as their taking a share of the market from Harley their winning. Harley ugh, same bike as when my dad was a kid. It’s made from parts pulled from boxes back in the 70’s. And honestly Indian is growing ugly, big. I’m 54 have two Vic’s and I still rather not ride something nostalgic, or looks like the same old two wheeler.
No Polaris junk in my garage. I have a Vision and had a Kingpin before that. To many HD'S to count, still have one in the corner. Polaris taught me that if it don't make enough money get rid of it. I by after market parks if I would need them. FU$K Polaris.
I don't see it happening for the same reasons all Harley dealerships won't work on any of their bikes that are 10-15 years old. It's not financially feasible to support a dead brand/discontinued product at that scale. Polaris offering support thru 2027 isn't a terrible deal, the customers weren't completely thrown to the wolves like in other cases when companies go under. Coming from a guy who rides a 90's Dyna, your best bet for support is the Indy shops on this one.
in 2027, the copyright for the Victory brand and engine goes away. Polaris still owns these rights, and if they wanted to, rebrand them to say 'indian' or 'polaris'. Start making these 'smaller engines' available, not as Victory Engines, but Indian/Polaris, but using the same parts, so that they're interchangeable with our Victory's. Polaris keeps getting money, they keep the brand, and it makes people happy because we get to know that our Victory will still be able to have things done to it, after 2027. Otherwise, what may happen, is the parts, alone, will end up being foreign made parts and the cost will go through the roof.
Everything you said is spot on. Unfortunately I think the board at Polaris is only concerned with the return on investment in the Indian brand. Most likely the attitude is that they turned the page on Victory and it’s time to stop looking backwards.
Thanks for the input. I think you are right. But, I think if they do indeed have that mindset, it is from a commitment to short term payoff rather than long term success. Losing money isn't sustainable, but the motorcycle industry is a long game. I think it is possible to payoff for shareholders long term especially coming off a 2021 year of record growth per the investor relations page. Thanks for watching!
Hang in there the polaris board are not getting Christmas bonus sales are down bad and price don’t justify what your getting greedy board members heads will roll
Too many other choices to bother with ANY polaris product, again. `12 Hardball
Well, part of the problem was Barack Obama's economy and poor marketing actually giving Harley free advertising. Never mention the competition in your advertising. Always market to the general public to get your name out and create a new rider. Polaris had the dumbest marketing ever trying to steal Harley loyalists away from their brand. Honda marketed to the general public and created new riders.
I like the idea, however i don't believe Polaris/Indian will ever support it. They are moving on and hoping they can grab up some riders and move them over to Indian. They got me as I rode a 2015 Magnum until 2020 when I bought my Challenger. I decided to move on because I got an outstanding deal on the bike during the pandemic prior to all of the supply shortages. I sold my Magnum that next weekend. Demand was still strong then. Do not know what it looks like today.
😮I do see more and more Indians on the road than ever before so at face value Polaris made the right choice of going all in on Indian. I'm pleased with the bike and my next bike will be ab Indian if they keep innovating and making things better ever couple of years.
Thanks for the comment and I'm glad you are liking your Challenger. That bike is innovating and pushing the boundaries for the performance bagger class. Indian is doing cool things (some of it benefiting from Victory concepts). Can't argue that Victory was a stronger play though.
I get that it is far fetched to think Polaris will pivot based on a UA-cam video. However, if it triggers a conversation at any level around the approach to Victory, I think that is a win. I do think there is value left on the table. Thanks for watching!
Indian “since 1901”…lololol🤣
Pinocchio couldn’t have said it better…🤥
You do make a great point and I back this idea. The large issue is one thing that Polaris can't get out of this.....$$$. The people that designed and built these fantastic bikes are not in charge of the purse strings at Polaris unfortunately.
I ride a Victory because of the performance.
I think there should be a Victory performance division of Indian.
Same as screamin eagle for Harley.
Use it to build over the top FAST motorcycles that most Victory riders are looking for.
This is a way the Victory brand can live on.
Great idea! Victory performance parts, custom fit for Indian Motorcycles and dealer/warranty supported.
I agree. Pretty sure the Victory 106 has more potential than the Thunderstrokes. Indian should have a Victory line.
You are absolutely correct in all your statements...I am so pissed I won't ever buy a Polaris product ever again. I switched to Harley-Davidson
Yes!
- Victory Kingpin, Vero Beach, FL
Love my Vision and love supporting the builders like Rylan Vos, Scott K and Lloyd Greer... But without a move like you suggest, it would be very hard to consider another Polaris bike and I'll be heading towards a Goldwing or HD dresser. Excellent video.
Absolutely! We have to rally around those guys that are titans in the Victory space. They are walking the walk. I actually just sent someone Rylan's way. I've never met him but enjoy the videos and what he is doing to scale his ability to support the community via his website. Lloyd is the man. Scott's outfit is a great spot as well. I'm noticing quite a few are going Goldwing! My old man had a Goldwing for almost 20 years so I have a lot of fond memories riding next to one. Thanks again!
Yeah...well...I will stick with my trusty stage 2 Evo which always starts....
I owned a 2017 Magnum X1 and a 2017 Octane. A month later Victory shut their doors. I was pissed and had to make the call to keep these bikes or sell them while I still could. I took a hit on both of them. Victory built some of the best looking bikes on the market but the resale is pretty bad. I guess that can be considered a good thing if you're looking to buy a used Vic. Right now I own an Indian Pursuit and I love it. No hard feelings against Polaris, they did what they had to do. I hope one day I'll see an Indian that looks as good as my X1 did. I totally agree with this video but I don't see the dealer support happening unfortunately.
Thanks for jumping into the conversation! Man, having a Magnum and Octane both in the same garage represents some of the best that Victory produced. Definitely would have been a tough call to sell or keep given you had just got them. I don't blame you though. Glad you love your Pursuit. There is a lot to like about that bike. Be safe out there!
Yes!
-Victory Kingpin. Sacramento, CA
Indian went out of Business in 1953. Now it's Just Polaris Industries be it called Victory or Indian ..
For the Victory owners who bought a Harley .. Look at how HD spent $115 Million to shut down Buell in Jan 2009 and does not carry much of any parts for Buell now ..
You know, I actually made calls to local HD dealers about Buell specifically when brainstorming for this video and that is a great parallel. Not well supported either by dealers.
@@chasingredlineofficial There are like 3 HD Dealers in the USA who still try to carry some Buell parts .. One is HD of St Paul MN.. They tried to sell me an upgraded 3 bearing rear wheell for $1,124.00 then tried to sell me the axle and space kit separately for $160.00 .. They are supposed to be includes in the part Number they were using along with the 3 wheel bearings and two dust seals.
I found an Obsolete warehouse that had 4 new 3 bearing wheels with the bearings and spacers for $735.00 shipping and sales tax I think cost me $830.00
@@chasingredlineofficial Also there are some aftermarket Buell suppliers.. one of them is in the Netherlands .
Buell is back in Business in Grand Rapids MI and they will supply parts for the EBR's and the Halicon engine ..built in Austria by Rotax ..
@@mikeskidmore6754 No way! I just pulled up the website! First thing I see is "Buell is back". Nuts.
@@chasingredlineofficial ua-cam.com/video/ukD10_rFEu4/v-deo.html
TL;DW? Skip to 4:30 to see what he thinks Polaris should do next.
Agree 100%. Keep up the good Victory work!
Thanks, will do!
'07 Cory Ness Jackpot
TTWFO
Why buy a Harley? Because there are OEM parts and after market parts. There are dealerships and independent shops. Harleys are supported. I would buy a Victory if Polaris said they would support the bikes with their Indian shops and if they still made parts after 2030... Otherwise, I will never buy a Victory and never buy an Indian. How many bikes have I owned? Over 40 in my motorcycle riding life time. Oh and I have a year 2000, 1500 Goldwing, a 2003 HD Road King CVO and a 1997 HD Softail Heritage Springer in my garage right now. Why? Read the first few sentences again.
I think you actually captured the spirit of the pitch. It is feedback like yours that Polaris needs to take to heart. There is a level of trust when someone shells out their hard earned dollar for a bike. The actions taken with Victory shake that trust and impact purchase decisions for Indian and other Polaris segments. If I buy a Honda, I have a good level of certainty that I'll be able to get parts and find a qualified mechanic if needed. The same is true with Harley. Safe riding!
God I love my Kingpin, but just bought a Honda F6B. Figure I can sell the Victory before the market for them tanks. It is already hard or impossible to get some parts.. and yes they are bulletproof pretty much. Most problems are caused by rider error. Yet the Kingpin still sits in my Garage as there are a few things I don't like about the F6B. I gotta make my mind up on one or the other.
Congrats on the Gold Wing! I spent many years riding next to one. Curious about what you would change on the F6B?
Please Polaris make a vision with a pursuit engine, PLEASE, Please, Please...Nice vidéo.
Thanks! That would be awesome!
Awesome Idea! It's a little late for that, They burned a loyal customer. I would have bought another Victory Vision! I did not even consider an Indian, I bought a New Honda Goldwing! After the Victory Vision motor died with a 150,000 miles on it, I ended up selling the for parts.
Hope you love the Goldwing! 150k miles on a Vision I bet was filled with awesome memories. I think some would bounce back if Polaris did this right. Some wouldn't. But it depends on how they communicate and follow-up with action.
I will never own any Polaris product. Burned once was enough
100% true, I have 2 Victory bikes, XC and Kingpin, love them to death, , the best bikes ever built and when time comes for new one it will be Indian not a Harley.
Appreciate the input! I hope Indian sticks around for a long time so we continue to benefit from both companies pushing each other to innovate. We all win when competition is in play. Are you planning to ride the Vic bikes into the dirt or are you already plotting what you want in the future?
I test rode the first year Victory Cross Roads in 2010.
After my test ride i was told of the Cross Country (outlr dealership did not have one on site), but i still put a down payment on one! I sold my 2010, with 35,000 mile on it in 2016 and bought a new Cross Country Tour right before the company dissolved.
Still a GREAT BIKE! My wife traded her 2010 Vegas for a 2016 Cross Country the same month!
We aren't sure what to do next, but they are still running smooth!
Im headed to Sturgis on Tuesday with mine, the wife is choosing not to go this time, although she has ridden her own 13 times!!!
I would buy another one in an instant!!
Ride safe, everyone!
Be safe this week and have a great time!
I almost bought a Victory, but didn't because this was right when they decided to stop production. The parts availability was the main factor in not getting a Cross Country. My 2004 Roadstar now has 89k miles on it, and parts are getting scarce. Damn shane that you can't buy any non computerized full size bike anymore.
It is a definitely a shame that these bikes are not experienced by many due to the fear of parts and serviceability. I find that there is definitely an appeal to not having infotainment on these bikes. When you really look, there isn't much value in modern baggers today outside of built in infotainment and navigation. To me, that isn't worth the price tag now-a-days. I'd rather just keep riding the bike I have which fits me like a glove. Safe riding!
I want an American sport bike. A real sport bike. Buell almost got there, but then folded. Give me horsepower, reasonably light weight, reasonable comfort, and handling. THAT’s what I want. Cruisers are not for me. A sporty standard is my go to. ZRX1200R now… give me something like that, please.
Well, Buell is trying to make a comeback. Have you keyed in on that discussion yet? Thanks for watching!
I ride m'y 2022 Indian roadmaster dark horse with m'y Victory cut, and I am about to buy another Victory this year because I really miss m'y 2013 Victory judge 👍👍👍👍
Awesome man! Thanks for tuning in! Hope you find a Judge that fills the garage slot left by your 2013.
Good presention and concept. Probably too late, but hope I'm wrong in that assumption.
50-60 year old cars worth big money and going up in value, while people are practically giving away perfectly good low maintenance Vics barely broke in. You can buy several mint vics for less than a classic #2 car muscle car requiring less garage space. Some parts may require diligence, patience and sometimes creativity, but parts and solutions are and will be out there when needed. Polaris sold a lot of Vics despite their lame marketing strategies and weak dealer network. "Word of mouth" is not the fastest way to grow a business, but the riders, the early owners, the fans, "sold" more bikes than the dealers or Polaris marketing did. I paid a dealer that technically got "the sale", but I was already "sold" before I walked in the door, by Vic owners that had no benefit in the deal. I'll buy more Vics as Polaris likely won't benefit, but never a new or even newish Polaris product! As much as I love the RZR... FU Polaris! They pissed in the face of thousands of loyal people.
Not to be political as this is about bikes and freedom, but another well known brand kinda, sorta similarity comes to mind. Unlike DJT, who did burn a lot of people, Polaris has a lot of strong competion and we the people have alternatives in motorsports. Love or hate Trump; don't matter here, Polaris will likely never get the marketing, creativity, capacity, fortitude, or ballz to truely dominate.
Thanks for weighing in! I completely agree that great bikes can be had for low prices as long as folks are willing to be patient and learn about their bikes. The community is still strong and there are so many people who are willing to provide a tip or lend a hand.
Regarding the sale, it was a demo truck ride that sold it for me. It took one ride and I was hooked. I guess the "ride one and you'll own one" slogan did hold true in that regard. But completely agree that the dealer network was not positioned to succeed and ultimately compete. They have learned a few lessons there which they've taken into Indian. But too bad the Victory community wasn't brought along for the ride.
Thanks for watching!
I bought a 2011 Victory Vision for under $9000.00 as the previous owner must have freaked when Victory said they weee changing to Indian. I love riding something different with stylish looks all the bells and whistles and the center headlight for night highway riding, the tip over protection, Hugh V tail light and plug in cord to play my music list off my phone.
I love the leg room, the way i sit in the bike and not on it, the lower back support even without a backrest and easy manuvering i get out of such a long bike. I hate Polaris dropped Victory. I purchased my Vision because of the deep red color with black and chrome accents, its futuristic style as it didn't need expensive upgrades like Harley to look unique and there was no Harley vibration.
Besides Victories were and STILL are more affordable. Indians have priced out Victory riders that don't want to sink 20k to 30k into purchasing a bike. At those prices I'll ride my Vision until it clunks, parts are no longer available or I'm too old and unable to ride which will be along time from now.
Great Video. I think Polaris burnt 🔥 their bridge with many Victory owners. Now the trust is suspect that if Indian sales don't satisfy them they might quit on Indian like they did on Victory and then we are out again to choose between foreign bikes or Harley which are too top heavy for me. Enjoy your Victory's ✌️👍💯
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoy your vision and I hope you get many years out of it. I'm right where you are, I'd rather ride my Victory until I can't repair it any longer than spend $30k to get a comparable model from Harley or Indian. While it doesn't have infotainment options, it already has heated seats, heated grips, etc. More than anything, it fits my body type perfectly. Have a good one!
Harley,,NOPE, Indian,NOPE, Yamaha YES, Honda,YES, Harley NOPE Indian NOPE
I do love my Honda and I've had my eye on an MT-09 here at some point. Between that and the street triple.
I have a 2008 Kingpin, also have a BMW. I am pissed at Polaris for the shaft job they gave us. Likely will NEVER buy a Polaris product again. By the way the KP is a great ride, will likely keep it in the garage for years to come.
The KP is a work of art. You can just sit in your garage and stare at it years from now whether it is running or not. But chances are, it will run. :)
I bought my Indian at the same dealer I bought my Victory; Chesapeake Cycles in Annapolis. They still service Victory as well. I know this may not be "the norm" but unfortunately Indian, and by even greater extent, Victory's dealership network isn't the same as Harley. I like your idea but right now Indian is having issues with growing their dealerships to service Indians. I would be the kiss of death if Polaris forced their Indian dealers to also HAVE to service Victory as well. Highly encourage through incentives? Yes. But I don't see them forcing it as a requirement.
Great thought and thanks for jumping into the discussion! I do think the requirement approach would have been more appropriate at the start and incentives would likely be the primary play for existing dealers. There are a number of brand protection requirements that dealers have to meet and it would have made sense to include servicing Victory as one of those from the start to protect the reputation.
However, none of it makes sense when OEM parts are still slated to go away in 2027. There would be no reason for dealers to train techs for five years of servicing. So the first step would be to extend OEM parts. Second would be incentives for existing dealers.
Great discussion. Appreciate the perspective.
I'm from S.E. Wisconsin one month ago I sold the best bike I ever owned a 2016 Havasu red cross country to a nice gentleman from the U.P. and I believe my hand was forced due to the way Indian dealerships view Victory riders. I could get oil changes from the Racine dealership, but anything more involved and they couldn't handle it. I bought a Lloyd's fuel management system they could never properly tune and the Muskego dealership wouldn't try. I finally found a Kenosha tuner to try. I won't be replacing that bike with a Indian because of how Polaris and Indian dealers handled Victory.
I've opted to stay mostly stock for those reasons. Performing additional customization to anything drive train brings a bit of risk.
Polaris cares not what Victory owners think. I need a 30T drive sprocket for my 05 Vegas so I contacted Polaris. The response was...sorry but we don't have that part and no dealers have them in stock. Will you get or manufacture more? Nope. Any aftermarket conversions or suggestions? Nope. Any suggestions what I should do with my beautiful scooter with only 20k miles on it? Crickets...
Thanks for sharing your experience. This is something that Polaris simply has to get right. These aren't small purchases. Folks are going to go with the company that they trust will help them get appropriate life out of their purchase. Stepping up and showing that Victory owners are supported would help build that confidence for potential Indian customers.
If the numbers I hear are correct Vic sold approximately 250,000 motorcycles in total. HD do that in about a year. Polaris kept hammering about how much better they were than HD. Even if that's true you cannot do that. HD is the measuring stick and until they are replaced HD is the bike that every other bike is compared to. P.S. I have owned 3 Vics and will buy an Indian when and if my bikes give up the ghost.
Thanks for jumping in. I'm going to nerd out for a moment.
Very much agree that Victory sales numbers were not living up. One thing that is difficult to find for Polaris is quantity of bike sales. So we are left to work with revenue shown on their annual report. In 2012, Polaris (Vic and Indian) had a motorcycle segment revenue number reflecting $240m and in 2021, that was listed as $722m which was a 9% of Polaris sales overall. That was 8% in 2012.
Harley does list shipped units at 188,494 in 2021 at a comparable revenue of 4.5 billion. Far beyond what Polaris' motorcycle segment is doing. In 2021, Indian is selling only 16% compared to HD. HD revenue in 2012 was $5.6m with $247,625 shipped bikes. So it appears that HD isn't living up to their old selves either but are still far out in front of Indian. Will be interesting to see what that does in years to come.
The one thing there that I thought about when reading your response is that building up to HD sales is not something any motorcycle company can do at launch. It takes building a community and a dealer network. Polaris is clearly doing a better job of that with Indian than they did with Victory. Especially when it comes to dealers. I just think a few tweaks in how they approached the transition would have brought the goodwill they had in their Victory base over to Indian.
Hope you love your Vics and your future Indian! Thanks for watching!
I can't really trust my local indian place... bought a used XCT from them... brake fluid was like chai tea... belt was worn out... clutch cable was junk... plugs and wires were WAY overdue for replacement so much to the point where the mechanic couldn't get it to remain stable at idle until it warmed up...
HD... I've got 4 dealerships near me, and I've taken family members bikes to them for service and never left feeling like it wasn't done right. If they made bikes in the USA... I'd go grab a street glide special right now.
Indian has a smaller dealer network than Harley. So they have to make sure that each dealer is knocking it out of the park and building confidence in the brand. Extending that quality support to Victory builds upon that confidence and not doing so tears it away. Thanks for sharing!
Very disgusted at Polaris lack of support. Parts were tough to find in 2018. Sold my 2 Vic's and washed my hands of Polaris.
Hopefully you are still riding. Thanks for watching!
I have owned HD Fat Boy , Big Dog Mastiff, Screaming Eagle VRod and a Victory Hammer S. I'm can say without a doubt the Hammer S was the best one of a very expensive collection of bikes. It was less expensive to buy and owne, it was the most comfortable and got more attention than anything I have owned.
The Mastiff was the most fun to play with but it was punishing to ride. The VRod was scary fast but spent more time in the shop than on the road. My Fat body was a wonderful bike. But like all HD it was also a money pit. I put 78 thousand miles on my Hammer between 08 and 2012 and nothing ever went wrong with it.
I am looking for a 08 maroon Hammer so if you have one and want to let it go please contact me.
Great comparison James! Maybe someone here has the Hammer of your dreams. Hope you find it!
Own a 2004 TC with 300000 miles will never buy an Indian nope nada going to ride her forever and bought an xlh 1200 to chop as a back up bike and looking hard at used BMW or Enfield's as next buy
300,000! Ride it till the wheels fall off. Good work! My buddy bought a BMW K1250 and loves it.
Ive got a far out idea,Bring Victory back as an ev brand to compete with the HD Livewire,and also let them build radical stuff like Buell did.That way you have a sportier brand and a traditional cruiser brand.Youre welcome,Polaris,send me a wad of cash for helping out😉
I could see that. With Buell trying to make a comeback, Victory could have totally turned into an Amercian Performance naked bike, sports bike, Adventure bike, EV bike brand. Really so many directions you could go because Victory had no strings. I hope they send you that wad of cash! :)
Victory failed on the radios. I still have my Vegas and Magnum. I drove the Challenger but it had straight ape hangers w hard grips. Just way too uncomfortable to test drive it. 🤦🏻♂️
I would love to have a Vegas. Amazing bike. Nothing like it on the market right now.
I'm One of those people a Life long Harley guy, and i was going to buy a Victory Boardwalk AND an Indian Vintage, and then Polaris pulled the plug on Victory and in doing so i backed out of the deal on Both Bikes and Went back to Harley-Davidson
I remember really liking the boardwalk. Can't blame you for backing out on them. Definitely makes you rethink things.
I wanted a Hammer but got a Fat Bob instead. I liked Victory because they weren't trying to be H-D. Indian? Great bikes but aside from the FTR they are trying to make a better Harley. Screw nostalgia, make some adventure bikes and modern cruisers and a real dealer network. Their lack of new product makes it look like they may axe the whole line... Again.
It is that commitment to heritage is what I think will hold Indian back and where Victory was exciting because it had no strings apart from "American Performance". Adventure bikes could have fit right in with that. Heck, sports bikes and naked could have as well after project 156. Indian will have a bit more difficulty because it has a box to operate within.
I recently picked up a 2000 '92 c I like it Chevrolet Ford parts Moto guzzi parts those are the front fork seals and a couple good friends that are Master Machinist so God forbid something happens I was impressed
Congrats on the new purchase! I hope you get many years and safe miles out of it. Thanks for watching.
So Polaris alienated a clientele that represented less than a fraction of 1% of their customer base. Indian sales barely represent 1% of their customer base when you look at the mass amount of products Polaris sells. The cost to manufacture parts across the Victory line past the 10 years required by the feds would far outweigh the profit they earned off the Victory brand. Face it, if people actually bought Victory off the showroom floor, Polaris would still make them. Most of the people who complain Polaris made a business decision to benefit their shareholders, never owned the brand in the first place.
Ya, and “American made” and “assembled in America” are two different things. This goes for Harley simps too. Honda…yes Honda employed more US citizens than Harley does.
In 2021, 9% of Polaris sales came from the motorcycle segment which currently includes both Indian and Slingshot. In 2016, that number was 16%. It is hard to tell what this means given the annual report for those years reflects an addition of a boating segment in 2021 which eats up another 9% of sales where that segment was not listed in 2016. Even looking back at 2012 which represents a year where Victory led Polaris' on-road segment, you see 8% of sales by the segment as a whole. This was largely due to Indian not really taking off yet and being one of Victory's best years. So assuming customer base is represented by annual sales numbers, we see much larger than 1% via the annual report. Although, your point is valid that the motorcycle segment is by far not the "cash cow" for Polaris. But, growth of sales does continue to increase reflecting $722m in 2021 vs $240m in 2012.
All that mumbo jumbo is to say your numbers are off. But, you see quotes on "American Made" in the video to (1) represent the current reality that is a global supply chain and (2) to reflect the general quotation from marketing materials touting the American badge. I do agree with you on the American employment numbers of Honda vs Harley but Honda would be inclusive of adjacent product segments such as vehicles, boats, lawn mowers, etc. Hard to compare apples to apples there for sure. Honda is just a mountain of a company. Full disclosure, I own a Honda motorcycle and love it.
Good discussion and thanks for tuning in!
Yes. Put a lot of money in Victory's, promoted the brand. Then got burnt along with my favorite dealer, who was the best. I have 1 Indian, but mostly placing my money in Japanese market now. Yes Polaris missed an opportunity. They cold have made Victory into their Sport and adventure tour bikes and placed Indian into the cruiser sector. The Victory had solid engines. But with mechanic support drying up many had to bail. They should sell the brand.
I think Victory would have been a killer brand for sport, adventure, and naked bikes. They already had everyone jazzed after TT and Pikes Peak. Speaking of those segments and you mention the Japanese market. I'm looking hard between an Yamaha MT-09 and the alternative would be a Triumph Street Triple RS. Thanks for watching!
Love my 2013 Cross Country! Still running very very strong!
Same year as mine! Hope she keeps going!
Is this not already the case? The local dealership in Vegas (Sin City Indian) services a bunch of Victory bikes, includes them on group rides, and has a big Victory logo on the front of the building. Everyone at the dealership and in the riding group always talks about Victories like they're just another Indian model and understands that Indians are just Victories with style changes and minor adjustments. That's a bummer if they're not keeping a supply chain open for parts.
Definitely not the case. I think there are a few dealers which are fantastic and trying to keep up support but many will not perform anything beyond an oil change and tires. They also can't/won't source parts. I wish every Indian dealer supported Victory like the one in Vegas by your description.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Polaris doesn't give a rat's ass about Vic owners. You aren't considered a "loyal customer" unless you purchase a new vehicle every three years.
And that is where they will fall short. That guy who bought a bike 10+ years ago may be responsible for several other purchasers because of their referrals and advocacy.
Me "next time, I'll just get a harley. At least I'll be able to find parts." Victory could've been more than "not harley". That's all Indian will ever be now.
I agree with that. Victory had a new identity that Polaris had cultivated. I think many were really starting to dig what they were doing with bikes such as the Magnum, the Octane, etc. I think they were just hitting their stride. Pair that with a dedicated dealer network and bam, you've got a winner.
So, I'm not going to say where, but I work at a company that, until very recently, was owned by Polaris. They sold the company for pennies on the dollar compared to what they initially paid because the ceo they placed for us did a mostly bad job and started to run things kinda downhill. Company lost a lot of it's core culture, good people, and made a lot of changes for better and for worse. I'm not sure if this is the same reason why they dumped victory, but I can say that they don't particularly seem to care about brand loyalty if it isn't about Indian(which I have one) or about the RZR. While I agree with everything you said here, I doubt it would happen.
It might be far fetched for sure. Did it by chance start with a T and operate in an industry that rhymes with "schmauto farts"? Thanks for watching!
Currently ride an awesome CCT. But I promise I am going to get Harley as my next bike coz Polaris sucked the day they fucked victory.
Thank you for voicing that. Another real life example of a lost customer that could have been avoided. Love the CCT!
I had a 2013 CCT and loved until the letter came in the mail from Polaris. I will never buy another Polaris product again especially an Indian.I traded my Victory in for a Harley Davidson Ultra. I like your idea but I believe it is too late for them to change.
Absolutely too late for some. Not all wounds heal. But I think there is a subset where hearts could be swayed if the messaging was done right and it was followed up with action and not just lip service. Cheers for hoping! Also, hope you love your Ultra!
I ride a Victory. I LOVE that bike. But the betrayal to Victory owwners by polaris feels like being urinated in the face. I will never buy a Indian. I rather ride a moped.
I mean... There are some pretty sweet mopeds out there! :) Thanks for watching!
The best bike .. somebody needs to keep doing victory’s agree the best part … it’s not Harley
Thanks for watching! I would imagine that Polaris wouldn't sell the name and IP but that would be awesome.
I would like for Victory to reestablish itself in the U.S. In Australia the Victory brand has grown , this is an American brand that should have never died and the reason this happened is because the company had no Leadership that that would make it's workers proud to build a American classic. Please bring it back to America where it all began for Victory. Peace.
Would be nice to see. I keep hearing how hard it is to get parts in Australia. Thanks for watching!
I tell every one who asks me about my Octane, cause I didn't want a Harley. Everyone has a Harley, I didn't want to be a part of the sheep herd. Victory and Indian only for me. Polaris may have f***Ed off on its loyal customers. But I can't deny that it's a damn good bike and fast as all hell.
I was so excited when the Octane came out. The marketing was starting to get on point as well for Victory. I remember the "this is what I did with my octane, what will you do with yours" adds. Inspiring. But yeah, the Indian bikes have a lot going for them. But, I'd say the designs are "safer" and more traditional than what Victory was putting out. But the challenger is doing more to push the industry in my opinion. Thanks for watching!
This is the Vp of service for Polaris. Bridget McLennan, the VP of Service, 30 years at Polaris. Perhaps if we can find a email for her we can drop a link to this Video in it and ask her if she will just read the comments and watch the video. I am not worried about parts availability myself i will just retrofit with aftermarket and some salvage Vic parts from Ebay ! I understand not everyone is a old motorcycle technician like I ,so that makes your suggestions way more realistic . Your basic wear items at the least controls cables etc... Nice video valid points and issues with solutions!
Thanks for watching and for the input! Your ability to support your own bike definitely puts you in a great position to keep it running for years to come. I haven't heard any feedback from Polaris but I do hope the video made it to them and, if nothing else, caused them to reconsider how they support their Victory customers long term.