One Dead and One, Mostly Irrelevant

[TN Mark]

So, I love my 2013 Victory Hard-Ball, a lot. For me the ergonomics are perfect, the styling fresh, new and original. The performance is quite impressive and, it sounds wonderful. It's equally at home and comfortable draining tank to tank on the interstate or having fun running up and down mountain roads. Yes, I know, Victory is dead. I couldn't care less as it really makes no difference. I have spares if needed etc.

Next up is my 2016 Moto Guzzi Eldorado. I know Moto Guzzi is a current brand. But, in reality, in the overall scene of motorcycles in the US, I think the brand is a bit irrelevant. CF Moto and Royal Enfield seem to outsell Moto Guzzi by 5 or 6 to 1. That's one of the things I love about the brand, it's a niche brand and the bikes are 'seen' by the general motorcycle/biker community because they're unique. You can spend over $60k on a new Harley CVO Credit Glide and it won't get a second look from just about anyone. But ride into a motorcycle gathering on a well sorted and sharp looking Moto Guzzi and most people want to see it up close and talk about it.

Life with a Victory and a Moto Guzzi is quite a blessing.

[blu guzz]

Very few products of any kind, but especially cars and trucks are unique or even interesting in their styling these days.  Most motorcycles are heading in that direction.  I like the fact that there are a few truly different motorcycles out there. It is nice to park the Eldo next to a line of Harleys at the watering hole.  I have nothing against HD and have had a few I dearly loved and a Victory as well, but their popularity keeps them from standing out whenever you go somewhere that there are lots of bikes.

[JJ]

My 2014 Victory Vision, aka, "The White Whale", was arguably one of the best two-up, long distance touring bikes I have ever owned, and I too, have had 5 Big Twin Harley's, (Road Kings and Electra Glide Sports), for comparison.

I sold it a few years ago because I realized, at age 71, I am getting too old to handle an 871 pound bike.

Anyway, fond memories from this bike...

[kballowe]

How about a 2013 Boardwalk ?

[Bulldog9]

How about a 2013 Boardwalk ?

I ALMOST bought a Victory when I got back from Iraq in 2008. But after 20+ years on IL4 Japanese bikes, and my last ST was a sublime ZG1000 (C-10 Concours), I went with an FJR 1300.  Really nice motorcycles.

[bad Chad]

It really was sad that Polaris killed off Victory after picking up Indian.   Victory was a much more interesting motorcycle brand than Indian.  As we all knew, and came to be, Indian spent most it's energy chasing HD, and letting the interesting direction wither away.

[TN Mark]

How about a 2013 Boardwalk ?

Love it, love it, love it! What a beauty, congratulations on having that Boardy!
Before I bought my Hard-Ball I gave serious thought to a Boardwalk.
Yours is well equipped with those bags, the windshield and the luggage rack. Sweet!

Perfect balance with the overall design. IMHO, it’s aesthetically perfect.
Plus, that’s a gorgeous gloss pearl white paint. Same as my 2012 CCT.
That 106/6 is easily good for 200k to 300k miles with normal maintenance.
Add a 117” kit, Torque Tube intake, Lloyds cams, a Maximus tune with
a free flow exhaust and then it’s also a major performance cruiser that will
surprise most riders anywhere.

Or, leave as is and your great grandchildren could also be enjoying it some day.

[DoubleGuzzi]

To my untrained eye, the motor on the Victory could have Suzuki on the badge and I'd be none the wiser. Just saying.
Big v-twins always makes me think of a HD-wannabe, with a few exceptions eg. Buell powered by, guess what?
(..finds the exit..)

[TN Mark]

To my untrained eye, the motor on the Victory could have Suzuki on the badge and I'd be none the wiser. Just saying.
Big v-twins always makes me think of a HD-wannabe, with a few exceptions eg. Buell powered by, guess what?
(..finds the exit..)

Agree, your eye is definitely untrained.

[kballowe]

There was a Boardwalk backrest/rack in the Victory catalog, but the guy at Victory, Inc told me that they never manufactured one.  Ever.  In my mind, that hastened the demise of the Victory brand - the lack of aftermarket accessories and the unique fit of what WAS available.

Anyway, I made my own.  I'm not the best fabricator and so it took me two tries. 

[blu guzz]

Polaris made a business decision.  They started in the 90s with a bike that many felt was too interesting and had about as much success as Moto Guzzi at that time.  They really came into their own with the Ness team helped them style the bikes.  But still, when I bought my 07 in 08, like Guzzi, they had many left over models sitting in the show room.
When I bought my Kingpin Tour Deluxe, I traded a 06 Harley Wideglide with 18k miles.  The dealer treated me much better than any of the local Harley dealers where I had wanted to buy a Road Glide. The Victory itself was superior in almost every way than the Harley I traded from power (100) vs appx. 65; suspension that felt modern; braking with 4 piston floating Brembos; at that time, the only bike I had ever bought that didn't require a change of seats.  It just went on and on.  But, still they sat, then October 2008 happened later in the year and we all sadly remember how bike sales went after that.  That dealer had to close because financing dried up. 
The moral of the story for me is that the technically superior machine will lose to the machine that pulls the heartstrings every time. 
For better or worse, Indian is doing much better than Victory ever did, but obviously not well enough for Polaris to hang on to it.

[TN Mark]

You’re speaking the truth  blu guzz.
Sadly, no owner has been successful selling Indian motorcycles since the original factory closed in 1953.
Regardless of how many millions the new caretaker spent on the brand.

[blu guzz]

We are heading into an economy that is going to test the commitment of a whole lot of people to any of the $20,000 and up bikes no matter who makes them.

[JJ]

We are heading into an economy that is going to test the commitment of a whole lot of people to any of the $20,000 and up bikes no matter who makes them.

I would agree with you blu guzz....and I think with many motorcycle riders now retired, and approaching "Senior Citizen" status, ON FIXED INCOMES, but many who still want to ride are looking at smaller, lighter, more cost effective bikes.






vietnamien

[TN Mark]

At the same time, people are buying a lot of very expensive H-D’s. They’re re removing the brand new, zero mileage OEM 121” motor for a $10k 131” crate motor. Plus another $5k to $8k on seats, windshields, exhaust, suspension etc.

If I had that kind of silly money, I’d spend it on a Harley instead of take a roll of the dice on yet another Indian owner.

[blu guzz]

Unfortunately, most of us don't have that kind of money and will have to watch what we do have.  I was thinking 6 months down the line.  We have had an unfortunate history of bad financial news in October.  I hope it passes us by this year and each year until I am taking the big dirt bath.

[JJ]

Unfortunately, most of us don't have that kind of money and will have to watch what we do have.  I was thinking 6 months down the line.  We have had an unfortunate history of bad financial news in October.  I hope it passes us by this year and each year until I am taking the big dirt bath.

QUOTE:  "...the big dirt bath", aka "Momento-Mori!"
 

[TN Mark]

As in ‘assume room temperature’. No one escapes it. At that point, everyone either gets God's grace or His justice.

Pro Tip: You do NOT want His justice.

[rocker59]

You’re speaking the truth  blu guzz.
Sadly, no owner has been successful selling Indian motorcycles since the original factory closed in 1953.
Regardless of how many millions the new caretaker spent on the brand.

Google Says:

"Indian Motorcycle global sales have declined for several consecutive years following a 2021 peak of 36,634 units, dropping to around 30,000 in 2023 and 25,792 by the end of 2024, driven by market downturns.  The brand maintains a ~4% US market share."


What is successful?  Zero to 36,000 units in seven or eight years could be called successful.

Personally, I think the Motorcycle Market's downturn is what drove Polaris to shop Indian around.  Deciding to focus on their core business during a downward market for powersports toys. 

[Moparnut72]

The Indian/Polaris dealer in Reno has also taken on CF Moto. I think we will see more of this.
kk