A couple years back I found myself in The Computer Guys shop on Chapman Ave in Orange, CA with my eMachines pc under my arm. See, I am, shall we say, somewhat digitally challenged and my computer was on the fritz. I chose The Computer Guys out of the yellow pages because they happened to be located close to my humble abode and because I thought the name was catchy. The service I received from the “Guys” proved to be not only exceptional but also reasonably priced as well. What a shock, they actually did what they said they would do, on time and within budget. What’s more they answered my dumb questions without seeming to patronize me and went on to make some suggestions that helped me optimize my machine’s performance.
The day I showed up to pick up my refurbished pc, I happened to notice that one of the techs was on crutches. Only a few months before, I’d been condemned to scuttle around on a pair of those antiquated contrivances myself. A numb nut from the “Little Saigon” district of Garden Grove took the proverbial left turn in front of me and when my bike went down it managed to crush my left ankle. The cops and paramedics on the scene said I was lucky to have survived the crash. My luck continued to hold out because I happened upon such a skilled surgeon, Dr. Beck, who performed the three and a half hour surgery required to cobble the ligaments, tendons and bones of that unfortunate joint back together to the point where I can walk and more importantly shift.
Anyway, when I saw this poor unfortunate hobbling around the shop, I just had to find out if he’d been the victim of a similar scenario. Sure enough, Co-Owner Dominic Novielli, introduced himself and recounted a strikingly similar story. He also mentioned that he rode an Indian Chief, of recent vintage, and that he lived in Corona, CA. Small world, my wife and I were in the process of house hunting in that very town. Before I left, that day, I promised Dominic I’d be in touch once I got settled in my new digs and hopefully he would be healed up enough to join me for a roar through some of the inspirational countryside in Riverside County. Naturally, after a change of venue, my to-do list grew to epic length. The thing is; I never managed to make time to hook up with Dominic.
Of course the first on my list, when I finally moved, even before the un-packing was nearly finished, was to check out local V-Twin service shops. Again I let my fingers do the walking through the yellow pages. I wasn’t as lucky finding a mechanic, but I persevered in my quest until the day I rolled into Moro’s American Iron On Pomona Ave in my new home town of Corona, CA. Something about the efficient down to business vibe in the place combined with, owner Tony Moro’s easy going, disarming attitude, told me I’d found a home where my beloved Deuce would get the TLC it deserved. Sure enough I was soon impressed by the knowledge and the level of competence displayed by both Tony and his mechanic Ray. Then, when it came time to tally up my bill I got the distinct impression that I’d been given the benefit of the doubt concerning the amount of time the guys had devoted to my ride. I was sold; top-notch work, at a reasonable price, performed by guys I’d ride with and have a beer with; hey that’s old school man!
Now, I am nothing if not a helpless function of my natural curiosity regarding all things V-Twin. My compulsion directed me to cruise on over and check the place out that very afternoon. The dealership is owned by the venerable Bill Staska, a wizened veteran of the motorcycle wars. His chief mechanic, Anders Hansen, you can’t miss his Scandinavian accent from the parking lot across the street, also wears several other hats at the facility. I was in the process of picking his brains and scheduling a test ride on a Victory Vision, when I happened to notice, right there on the counter next to the register sat a pile of Computer Guys business cards. Dominic was a hero because of all the work he’d had them do on his Indian. But when he recently purchased a Victory Vision, from the establishment, and added it to his V-Twin stable he achieved legend status at the dealership.
Call it fate if you will but I guess it was inevitable that our paths would cross again.
I got a hold of Dominic and suggested that it would be great if we could finally take that cruising run we had promised ourselves a year ago. I mentioned that I had an ulterior motive in mind and then went on to ask him, “How about if we swapped rides on our cruising run?” I figured that way he’d get to enjoy my double aught Deuce, if he chose to, and I could get a test ride on a broken-in specimen of the Vision instead of the usual abbreviated jaunt on a fresh-from-the-wrapper model at a dealer. Plus I wanted a running commentary from Dominic regarding what to look for in the way of performance and handling and how to engage all the bells and whistles.
Next, I got in touch with Bandit and let him know that I had access to a Vision and asked him if I he’d be interested in a review of Victory’s ground breaking, new cruiser. He told me, “Rock ‘n’ roll PJ, we’re burnin’ daylight”
You should know that my image of a proper motorcycle was emblazoned into my cortex by the sight of the fledgling choppers fabricated in late '60s. I prefer a raked-out FX front end bolted to a narrow, low slung frame lavishly appointed in chrome and bright work. Consequently, I spend precious little time riding and/or gawking at baggers. Due to my proclivity toward long, lean machines, I’m an ideal candidate to review the heavy weight V-Twin models, because I approach the project with a minimal amount of preconceived notions regarding any criteria I normally use to critique a two-wheeler.
For me a product review has much more meaning if the item in question gets compared and contrasted to a known entity. What’s more, if the control model is relatively close to an “apples-to-apples” match with the object vehicle, the results will be even more meaningful. I wanted to compare Dominic’s bone stock Vision to the stock H-D model that provides its direct competition. That’s why I went to visit Les Veik, General Manager of Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson, Buell in Riverside, CA on the Tuesday before my scheduled Sunday appointment with Dominic’s Vision and arranged to test ride one of the Ultra Classics in his rental fleet. I got the impression that Jennifer “Jolla” Keaton, Fordyce’s Rental’s Associate, took extra special care of me until I found out from a staff member that apparently she is equally gracious to everyone she deals with. Thanks Jolla. Thanks Les.
I ran all my seat-of-the-pants tests on the Ultra Classic, did my best to be as objective as possible regarding the otherwise, purely subjective aspects of the trial, then transcribed my mental notes onto the form I use for a review.
On a temperate Sunday afternoon in April of this year (’08) I hooked up with Dominic at his house. He obliged my inquisitive nature by going into detail concerning all of the operational aspects peculiar to the Vision. Then we headed out, him on his ’03 Indian Chief and me on his Deep Plum colored ’08 Victory Vision. The Indian was low on fuel so we stopped at the neighborhood Chevron. This particular station has a huge paved yard. I took the opportunity to put the Vision through its low speed handling trials while I waited for Dom to top up. “Pleasantly surprised” best describes my impression of the test vehicle’s performance in that parameter.Riding or brakes
As we negotiated the two-and-a-half miles to the 15 Freeway, I took advantage of the light traffic conditions to run my surface road performance tests. The Vision accelerated smartly from stoplights and packed enough punch to facilitate passing maneuvers in the 40 mph range in both 3rd and to a lesser degree in 4th gear. Plus, it handled like a much smaller bike. However, I must admit, I was completely under-whelmed by the vaunted high tech braking system. When I deployed both front and rear brakes simulating a moderate panic stop, at 45 mph, the rear wheel locked up, broke loose and commenced screaming at me. While the bike never got out of shape and continued to track in a straight line, I needed to back off the binders to alleviate the problem. What a let down! I had high hopes for this innovative, seemingly well-conceived concept. Sorry guys but I’m afraid it’s back to the drawing board for this technology.
When we reached the freeway, I took the lead. Though Dom had poured an obscene amount of his hard-earned into every aspect of the Indian’s performance, the recent vintage Chief soon became little more than a memory in the Vision’s, rock steady, rear views. As I shot up the on-ramp I felt like I was on a Twin-Cam with a stage II upgrade. Even in its bone stock, EPA compliant condition, the 106” engine delivers a satisfying kick in the pants.
Acceleration from 65 mph to 80 mph in 5th gear was about as expected for such a heavy bike (849 lbs. dry). Likewise acceleration from 80 mph to 95 mph in 6th gear was adequate but didn’t snap my head back. At 100 mph I noticed a moment of instability, undoubtedly due to a 25-30 mph gusting, cross wind but when I loosened my grasp on the grips, the Vision, left to its own device, compensated for the force of nature and stabilized the front end admirably. Why am I not surprised? There isn’t a flat surface on the beast. The Victory engineers put this puppy through extensive wind tunnel testing. Consequently its design does an exceptional job of cheating the wind.
To my mind a cruiser’s main function is to perform predictably and comfortably on extended trips. To that end, I want to feel like, at 100mph, the feedback from the bike is telling me, “Go for it partner, we can do this all day long.” Yes! I definitely got that vibe from the Vision.
A week or so before I planned to meet Dominic and demo the Vision, I happened to catch a glimpse of one’s unmistakable profile on a surface road a few miles from my neighborhood. I followed the rider until he realized that I was shadowing him. When he pulled over I briefly explained my purpose. Relieved, he offered me some insights into his appreciation for the model and then agreed to let me ride “bitch” so that I could experience the bike from a completely different prospective. As it turned out my tour guide happened to be a motor officer with the Anaheim PD. No shit! What were the chances!
He asked me if I was comfortable then he proceeded to get up to speed and bank hard left grinding the fairing component all the way through a turn in the cul de sac near his house. Yeah! Talk about your “E Ticket Ride” for the next five minutes the Officer continued to challenge every aspect of the Visions performance and handling capabilities, not to mention my own sensibilities. The thing is; I wanted more. Let this anecdote serve as testimony to the comfort and security to be experienced on the Vision’s passenger seat.
I thought you might enjoy a couple of quotes from Anders Hansen of Corona Indian-Victory. “Compared to the Vision, a Honda Gold Wing feels like a truck at low speeds.”
“When I ride a Vision with my buddies on their Harley baggers I always leave them in the dust in hilly terrain.”
He was, actually, more forth coming and his expletive laced opinions and anecdotes kept me entertained for the better part of an hour. The thing is; I’m not sure how many of his remarks I should include in a bike review. Who knows, I may want to reprint this piece in a more politically correct rag some day. Wait a minute this publication could conceivably be one of the least politically correct offerings, be it pulp or virtual, on the planet. Anyway, I guess if you want to hear Anders’ comments you’ll just have to go see him at the dealership. www. Indianmotorcyclecorona.com
Features
Features abound on this trail-blazing entry into the V-Twin cruiser category manufactured in Spirit Lake Iowa. Victory (Polaris) designers have even fashioned a ski that replaces the front wheel and a tread, similar to the one found on their snow mobiles, which replaces the rear wheel on vehicles sold to hardy northern tier riders in order to facilitate winter operation. OK, I made that part up but when you read this extensive laundry list of features, you’ll understand that my, not-so-subtle jab, at the expense of The Vision’s winter sports pedigree, wouldn’t really be all that much of a stretch.
Engineers at Victory decided to throw away the molds and create a whole different breed of cat from the frame out. That frame, which could more properly be referred to as a chassis, is anchored to the engine instead of vice versa. There are four members including the power plant itself that comprise the Vision’s bulwark: 1. the engine, 2. the air box chamber, which also serves as the injection system as well as the main support structure for much of what gets attached to the vehicle, 3. the rear member and 4. the swing arm. These last three members are fashioned with cast aluminum, giving the Vision all the strength and rigidity it needs while minimizing weight. In fact The Vision weighs less than Victory’s previous entry in the cruiser market, The King Pin.
The gas tanks (6 gallons total) are mounted low and in front of the air box helping to lower the center of gravity. It employs a wet sump oil system to further enhance the bike’s balance properties. It’s air cooled with an oil cooler. The rear suspension, which allows more that 4 inches of travel, consists of an offset, mono, spring-assisted, rising-rate air shock, with a rod and lever arm opposing it, perpendicular to the frame’s axis. Whew! Are you beginning to get the impression that Victory engineers mean business? Anyway the upshot of all this wizardry is a frame/suspension combo that allows our rocket scientists the option to slam the seat height down to 26.5 inches while still managing to stuff the saddle with 4, count ‘em 4 inches of padding. And, yeah, the seat is every bit as comfortable as that description would suggest. There’s more. This suspension system features a preload adjustable spring, plus the pressure in the air shock can be adjusted using a Schrader valve that’s accessible through the left pannier door. It just keeps getting better!
Let’s talk about the 50 degree V-Twin Freedom 106 engine for a minute. When they stroked their 100-inch offering, the one that powers the previous models in the line, they also redesigned the pistons and the rods in order to scrub weight so that the 106 inch entry would run as smooth as the base model. They also redesigned the crankshaft as well, and the cam shafts to lower vibration. I thought I was seeing things as I perused the power plant but Dominic assured me that, indeed the cylinders are offset, again, to minimize vibration.
The fuel injection system features a new ECM, injectors, O2 sensors and a 45mm dual-bore throttle body. The choke lever has been rendered obsolete by an automatic cold-start compensator. Inside the stiffened primary case, a spring-loaded split-gear clutch in combination with a retuned ramp compensator smooth out acceleration and reduce noise at low RPM. Victory offers a performance air filter and a stage one exhaust upgrade available in all 50 states
The lowered gear ratio in 1st and the taller overdrive gear allow the tranny to perform the functions you’d expect in a heavy weight cruiser.
Victory calls their brake system the linked brake system. This Rube Goldberg inspired contrivance uses a proportioning valve in-line with the hydraulic system and a second valve (delay valve) in one of the front disc’s hydraulic circuits. The effect of this system is only appreciated during panic braking conditions. The idea is to equalize brake pressure, front to back, so as to prevent rear wheel lock up. As I mentioned earlier, the theory is great but my road test found the system to be in need of reengineering.
Creature Comforts
The stock seat configuration features a comfortable yet supportive glute pad with a 6-inch high seat back set at an angle that provided very good support for my 5-foot-11 and three quarter inch, 185 pound frame. The bars were set at a very comfortable height and the pull back suited my riding position to a “T”.
The foot boards are longer than any you’ll find on a conventional cruiser. The single shifter peg is located towards the front of the board as is the brake pedal on the right side. This allows the rider to vary the position of his feet as much as 5’’ from front to back, eliminating the need for highway pegs. Placing your feet near the back of the foot boards approximates the position of the foot boards on the Ultra Classic.
The upper and lower fairings offer such ample protection that there is precious little turbulence for the rider to contend with. But apparently the engineers at Victory decided any turbulence is too much so they devised a clever and highly effective pair of pivoting clear plastic fly windows (precariously glued to the panel with double-sided tape), similar to the ones in the front windows of a ’57 Buick, and mounted them between the upper and lower fairing members. Folded back out of the way they are invisible to the wind and the elements, allowing a modicum of atmospheric elements to assail the rider.
However, when deployed these diminutive engineering marvels, reportedly, manage to divert wind and precipitation and prevent any of it from reaching the operator as long as the bike is traveling 15 MPH or better. True I didn’t have the opportunity to experience this phenomenon personally, but both Dominic and Anders Hansen, of Corona Indian-Victory, swear to the effectiveness of this truly innovative design feature. I know it’s not really good form to report on a phenomenon without having personally experienced it. so I’ll understand if you withhold judgment until you’ve had a chance to check the report first hand. All I know is the next time I get caught in a rain shower; I hope I’m astride a Victory Vision.
There’s no need to panic if you happen to drop your heavy Vision. Crash guards are mounted to the frame and artfully concealed beneath the foot boards. Next time you find yourself in a Victory dealership I defy you to stop the salesman from tipping a Vision over to demonstrate that no damage is done during such an event. Of course the salesman’s next trick will be to have you pick the bike up, so he can demonstrate that due to the bikes low center of gravity, with a bit of help, you can actually manage to right the 900 + lb (wet) leviathan.
Bells & Whistles
Of course the Vision comes equipped with an electronic cruise control and a premium sound system which includes a multi-band radio and kick-ass speakers (two on the street model, four on the touring model). The tank console draws the duty of accommodating all the popular plug-ins: XM satellite, CB/intercom, MP3 player/iPod and a touch screen Garmin GPS system that talks to you. Everything except the GPS can be managed with a set of buttons and an LCD screen.
Hey wait a minute PJ, you didn’t mention anything about CD players.
Yeah, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. It turns out the design gurus at Victory chose to omit a CD player from their console. It was decided that a majority of Vision owner/operators would be inclined to opt for cutting edge technology regarding their sound reproduction components. But don’t get your shorts in a bunch, you can get one as a trunk mounted option. Hell, I suppose you could mount an 8-Track back there if you got a wild hair. The sound system features voice activated volume damping. Just speak into the microphone and the volume on the stereo lowers.
The tank console also features a 12-volt outlet in the iPod compartment plus you can plug in your cell phone and stash it there. A cursory search of the trunk reveals another outlet. In the event you and/or your passenger need to plug in heated clothing there’s another outlet under the tank console and yet another behind the passenger armrest. These outlets may prove to be superfluous under most atmospheric conditions because both the grips and the seats are heated.
The fairing contains the usual array of meters and gauges: speedo, tach, fuel and oil pressure but it also has a digital readout screen that reports on the atmospheric temperature, miles to reserve, fuel economy, trip meter info and it also tells you, which gear you’re in. I found this last feature very helpful. Because the stock exhaust system is so quiet I couldn’t always feel my gear position.
The saddle bags/panniers as well as the trunk are lockable. The bags are deceiving and don't carry much, beware. There’s a trunk-mounted luggage rack available for the touring model and a luggage rack/passenger backrest for the street model. The trunk comes off the touring model for bar hopping.
The fuel door locks. If you twist the key to the left it pops open revealing the cap and a handy cap holder compartment.
The Vision comes with a manually adjustable windshield but you can opt for an electrically operated model.
There’s a HID headlight option that’s guaranteed to cause damage to the retinas of oncoming drivers at 1,000 yards.
Unfortunately the fairing is so wide at the mirrors (45 inches) lane splitting is pretty much out of the question.
Oh did I mention that a Bat Man costume comes with every black model.
Specifications as listed in the Vision brochure:
Engine:
Engine Type4-stroke 50 degree V-Twin
Cooling SystemAir/Oil
Displacement106ci/1731cc
Bore & Stroke101 X 108 mm
Compression Ratio9.4 : 1
Valve TrainSingle overhead camshafts with 4 valves per cylinder, self adjusting cam chains, hydraulic lifters
Fuel System:E.F.I. with 45mm throttle bodies
Fuel Capacity6.0 gal/22.7 ltr – Resreve 1.0 gal/3.8 ltr
ExhaustSplit Dual with crossover
Oil Capacity5.0 qts/4.74 ltr
Charging System50 amps max output
Battery12 volt/18 amp hours
Primary DriveGear Drive with torque compensator
Transmission6-Speed constant mesh
Final DriveCarbon Fiber Reinforced Belt
Chassis Dimensions:
Length103.5 in/2629 mm
Wheelbase65.7 in/1670 mm
Seat Height26.5 in/673 mm
Ground Clearance5.8 in / 148 mm
Rake /Trail29.0 degrees/5.4 in/137 mm
Dry Weight (Tour)849 lbs/325 kg
GVWR1414lbs/641 kg
Suspension:
Front Suspension:
TypeConventional telescopic fork
Rear Suspension:
Shock AbsorberSingle Mono Tube with spring assist
SwingarmCast Aluminum with Rising-rate Linkage
Travel4.7 in/120 mm
AdjustmentsAir Adjustable/ Spring Preload
Brakes:
FrontDual 300 mm floating rotor with 3-piston calipers
Rear300 mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliper
Wheels & Tires:
Wheel TypeCast
Front Wheel18 X 3.0 in
Rear18 X 5.0
Front Tire130/70R 18
Rear Tire180/60R 16
Storage Capacity:
Side Bags14.6 gal
Trunk14.6 gal
Go to: www.polarisindustries.com to check out all the available options
When I rate a bike I do my best to assign each criterion a number on a scale of 1-10. I’m essentially trying to objectify some highly subjective facets of the riding experience. In order to make this concept work, I break each aspect of: performance, handling, comfort, sound and appearance into a number of criteria. Over the years I’ve developed what I call my seat-of-the-pants dynamometer. When I ride a bike for the first time I compare its performance, handling, comfort and sound to my double aught Deuce (95” engine, Mikuni 42 mm carb, V&H Straight Shot exhaust, Doherty air cleaner, Cartridge emulators in the forks, Progressive shocks and a stock seat and pull back (1.5 inches over stock) bars. I’ve established a set of numbers (baseline) for my FXSTD on my rating scales relative to the sixty-plus bikes of every ilk and manufacture I’ve ridden in the past three years. After a brief test ride, I can usually estimate a bike’s torque out put at a given RPM within five lbs. and its horse power within five ponies. I guess there’s really no way to back up my statement short of a dyno run but I’m not the only moto scribe who rides lots of bikes and I’m willing to bet that most of my colleagues would admit to having developed similar sensibilities.
Base price for the Victory Vision Touring model: $21,499
Price of the test bike (Dominic’s Baby):$32,575
Again, the Control Model for this review is a stock, ’08 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic with 3,500 miles on it as of the beginning of the test ride. Go to Harley’s web site for specs.
Performance:
Acceleration from a standing stop6 (Vision),4 (Ultra Classic)
Acceleration from 45 to 65:6,4
Acceleration from 65 to 80:5.5,4
Acceleration from 80 to 95:5.5,4
Pounds & Ponies: You should know that I made my approximations before I checked the manufacturer’s specs. My afore mentioned seat-of-the-pants dynamometer puts the torque @ 4,500 RPM at about 85 lbs. and the horsepower at around 75 ponies at the wheel.
The motor company lists 109 lbs and 92 ponies at the crank shaft. The torque comes on as early as 2,500 RPM. The curve stays flat right through 4,500 RPM.
Brakes:
Moderate Pressure:8 (Vision),8(Ultra Classic)
Panic:5,7
Handling: Surface Roads:
Sweepers:6 (Vision),6 (Ultra Classic)
Twisties:5,5.5
Switchbacks:5,5
Corkscrews:?,?
Slow Speed:6.5,6
Ride
Comfort/Suspension: 8.5 (Vision),7 Ultra Classic)
Stability/Ride on the Freeway:8.5,8.5
Stability/Ride on the Freeway @100mph: 8,8.5
Ergonomics: (At 5’11 ¾”) and 185 lbs. I’m pretty close to the average body type most manufacturers design their bikes to accommodate.)
Seat comfort/support: 9 (Vision),8 (Ultra Classic)
Seat Height:26.5”,27.3”
Position of the Bars:8,7 (slightly lower)
Position of the pegs/footboards:9.5,7
Sound: Both stock bikes sound like sewing machines
Volume:1 (Vision), 1 (Ultra Classic)
Tone:Singer,Singer
Vibration: (On Scale of 1-10, 1 being most vibration (Evo Softail), 10 being the least (Honda Gold Wing)
Vibration above 2K RPM:9 (Vision),8 Ultra Classic)
Bells & Whistles:9,7
Appearance: (In The eye of this Beholder)
Form:9,6
Function:9,7
I thought I’d leave you with a few observations from Dominic Novielli.“I get 42 miles per gallon freeway and 35 city. Not bad for a heavy weight.”
“My Vision rides like a Bentley and handles like a bike half its size.”
“My wife is so comfortable and secure on the passenger seat she keeps bugging me to go for a ride.”
“The sound system (VOX controlled) lets me talk to my wife in crystal clarity as well as other riders that have the CB radio option.”
“At seven thousand miles I’ve experienced zero maintenance issues.”
