Terry, I don't remember if I mentioned it here or while talking to someone elsewhere, but a couple months ago I rode a Vision. Just a short in town ride. But enough to realize that everything seem to "fit" real well. The bike seemed initially comfortable. The layout for all the several controls was obvious and functional. And the bike handled and ran pretty darn well. I was more impressed than I'd expected to be.
The vision of the Vision is still hard for me to swallow. It still looks like the alien critter from the "Independence Day" movie. But if someone else's tastes appreciated the visual the functional sure seemed like a good bike.
It was raining, so couldn't get a test ride, but the intitial feel of the bike was good. Very balanced, and the bars and controls were right where I need them to be. The seat was firm enough, it seems, and Diva's portion was nice and roomy, even on the "street" version, without the TP, only a nice backrest. Looks....well, it's one of those things where the more I look at it, the better I like it. But that is always a personal thing. Love the way a SEUC or SEEG looks, but the Vision, though completely different, has an appeal to my eye as well, especially on the profile side...everything flows. The Kingpin felt good as well, though the saddlebags are a bit smallish.
Regarding the motors...that's something I'll have to look into more deeply, though the description of the cylinders and crank I got impressed me, as did the oil cooling/oil pump configuratation. Gear driven primary side is attractive as well. Throttle response in the showroom was more like the Vrod...quick to rev. This one had a Stage 1 set of exhausts, and though relatively quiet at idle, had a pretty good growl when you pop the throttle. 5 quarts of the same oil takes care of everything. Very little fork dive when you lock the front brake down and try to make it do so. Monoshock rear, air adjustable. TP goes on and off with just a few bolts. HID headlight (at least on the one I sat on), nice stereo system. Only thing that really turned me off was the master/clutch cylinders on the bars, and they were painted silver...those would have to be chrome billet. 180x16 rear, and 130x18 front....nice wheels, looks like good brakes.
The thing is, I'll never be able to afford another CVO, unless it was a used one, and then I'd end up spending a chit load of money on it to get it to fit me and ride the way I want a bike to ride/handle. Unless I lucked up and got one already done. But with the prices of the new bikes heading closer to 40K, I've got to look at other options. Thus far, they include another Duck MTS, a Beemer K1200GT; am going to look at the Yamaha/Kaw offerings in sport tourers. My CVO days are likely over with, as it is unlikely I'll ever get my income back to where it was, and nobody is going to leave me anything but a funeral bill, so I'll stretch, but can't stretch into the 35K range...got to stay in the 18 to 25. Hell it doesn't matter, as long as I enjoy the ride. When I had the HD, I could've cared less what somebody else was riding, even a Gold Wing. I'd do the Vision before I went that route though.
Arlen Ness has a Vision out with his name on it, and the paint on it looks damn good. I was also very impressed with the paint on all the Victory bikes, and they all have a nice flow from the tank, to the seat. Motors look good sitting in them as well. A few odds and ends, like the rear brake master, did not impress. And a few other trinkets, but Ness offers nice peices for replacement.
Ya'll won't kick me out if I ride up on a Vision next year, will ya?
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Topic: Victory Motorcycles (Read 16300 times)