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The end of Victory and how it could effect Vulcan

6K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  twowheeladdict 
#1 · (Edited)
I was a bit shocked and disappointed to learn that Polaris was writing the final chapter for Victory motorcycles this week. Don't get me wrong I love my 09 Vulcan Nomad and have enjoyed it for 7 years and over 60,000 miles now but I will be looking for my next bike in another year or so and I am hoping Kawasaki will have a updated touring cruiser (a Vulcan 1800 if you will) by then but honestly with the demise of another competitor in the market I am not optimistic that will be happening anytime soon. Now that Kawasaki offers the only full sized touring cruiser for under $20,000 it essentially has no peers within it's price range and IMO gives Kawi even less motivation to do some much needed updates/refinements to the 1700 line which is unfortunate cause I will probably be buying my first bike that isn't a Kawasaki if that is the case.
 
#2 ·
Losing Victory and the pressure that an American motorcycle company put on the market does suck.

But, unless you're talking about full dressers; lots of mfgs have full sized touring cruisers on the market for under $20k.
And some of them are arguably a much better value for the dollar than the Kawi's.

Suzuki has the Boulevard C90T, Yamaha has the V-star 1300 Deluxe (for $15k you get a fairing, blutooth and navigation)

My favorites are from Triumph. The Thunderbird is a twin if that's the kind of powerplant you like and the Rocket III Touring is more comfortable than the Road King and faster than the V-rod.
Both priced under $20k at $17k & $17.5k respectively.

Heck even the boutique brand has the Road King starting at $18,900.
 
#4 ·
So I went to each mfg's web site on the bikes you listed, and the only one which I really count as a dresser is the Yammy. At $15,500 starting price, it ain't bad, and while it's got nav and a slightly lower price, the Kawi Vaq or Voyager beats it in all other categories. :)

Engine, power, saddlebag size, instrumentation and fairing, all in the Kawi's favor.

Despite its less-refined bits and lack of updates (other than new colors each year), the Kawi is a solid value proposal.

Yes, I'm somewhat biased, since I really like my Vaq.

-John
 
#7 ·
By full sized touring cruiser I was referring to at least bags & fairing with a 1500 cc motor or higher. Sorry I probably should have been more specific.

Yeah I like the Thunderbirds too. Would be great if Triumph did a dresser.
 
#21 ·
Scott,

I sure like the looks of the R3T. How does it compare to the Voyager as far as ease of handling at slow speeds, balance and engine heat? The seat height seems OK. Overall weight is less than the Voyager, maybe due to missing trunk and fairing. Also, I'm a little surprised at the size of the engine at almost 2300cc. It sounds huge compared to the Voyager 1700. Your thoughts and comparison other than what you've provided? Thanks.

Oh! that's my dream.
A full dressed Rocket III. :)

You do seem interested in dressers; but if the Nomad level of touring is still and option; you really should look at the R3T.

I had the Voyager and the R3T for about a year at the same time. It didn't take long for the Rocket to become my wifes favorite for longer trips. There's more room for passenger & rider. Factory upgraded seat is better than anything I ever sat on. Quick release windshield and sissybar with luggage rack makes going from touring mode to sleek power bagger in under a minute. And torque like you wouldn't believe.
They're not for everyone; I understand that. But, everyone should throw a leg over one at least once. :)

P.S. I think manufacturers are getting away from fairings for the SOA crowd; but the aftermarket still makes some very nice options. If you think about the cost as part of a purchase price; a LT with a Corbin fairing isn't a bad value.

Scott
 
#22 ·
Scott,

I sure like the looks of the R3T. How does it compare to the Voyager as far as ease of handling at slow speeds, balance and engine heat? The seat height seems OK. Overall weight is less than the Voyager, maybe due to missing trunk and fairing. Also, I'm a little surprised at the size of the engine at almost 2300cc. It sounds huge compared to the Voyager 1700. Your thoughts and comparison other than what you've provided? Thanks.
The handling has pro's and cons.

My legs are short so that's what affects me the most.
I find the R3T to be a little more difficult to back into/out of a parking space.
It has a 32 deg rake, so moving slowly through a parking lot or gas station at walking speed takes a little more care.

The weight is a LOT lower though. On the Voyager I had to really steady myself while my wife got on the bike; if it leaned to much it took quite an effort to keep it from going down. The R3T is VERY easy to hold steady.

Overall I think the Voyager was a little easier to maneuver but the R3T is a lot easier to catch/hold if your footing isn't perfect.

Kawasaki really did a good job with the KAMS.
There is more heat on the R3T but it's not too bad unless your stuck in traffic for a while. My wife does complain about the heat on her right foot. It's really no worse than other big bikes I've ridden and it's WAY cooler than the big air cooled V-twins.
The KAMS system on the Voyager just does a really great job so the comparison is offset.

The power is something else.
You can ride it like a cruiser and lazily shift gears pulling that mass quickly up to speed without any strain, complaint or worry about downshifting....OR, you can give her the whip and outrun any naturally aspirated cruiser on the road.

The obvious trade offs are conveniences for style and power.
My biggest complaint of the R3T over the Voyager is the valves. The Rocket uses shim under bucket which are scheduled to be adjusted at 20k. The Voyager uses hydraulic valves that don't require adjusting.

I enjoyed my Voyager and I'm happy with the 36k miles I had the privilege to put on it. But, I was ready to move on.
I've had the R3T for nearly 3 years and 20k miles. I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to move on unless it's an updated Rocket.

Like I said before, everyone should throw a leg over one at least once. It might just ruin you for other bikes. :)

Scott
 
#15 ·
Yes Polaris owns both brands. While the decision to cut Victory in favor of focusing on their more popular Indian brand makes some logical sense. I am hoping that this doesn't mean the end of Value and Performance oriented full sized American cruisers.

The Voyager is a solid bike and a great value for the $ but I guess I don't want to buy what is essentially the same bike I did 7 years ago.
 
#20 ·
Hi guys, I am a former Nomad owner. I traded my 2010 last fall for a R3T. The Triumph takes me back to my Valkyrie days. I got a new in the box 2015 for $13800 minus my trade. I hear what you're saying about a fairing. I'm gonna swap for a Clearview shield for more protection. Other than highway pegs, that's it. Build quality is awesome. Very little plastic. This thing could climb a tree in fifth gear! I have no interest in attempting to match the power of the Roadster.
I am so looking forward to spring!!
The Nomad was a fine machine, but the Rocket is so much more.
Take care, Eric
 
#23 ·
Hey Eric,
I don't know if you're on the R3 forums; but here's a link. https://www.r3owners.net/
Good group of guys there with more info than you'll ever need. Just make sure you introduce yourself before you start asking questions. :)
The Aussie's can be fickle about helping 'strangers'; it's seen to be impolite.

Scott
 
#25 ·
I am a big triumph motorcycle fan. They are just not prevalent in my location. 2 hours away for the closest dealer once my local dealer had a falling out with them and left those of us who bought one stranded. I only kept my Triumph Trophy SE one year and 10,000 miles. I really didn't ride it much, just on trips because the weather protection was too much for local riding here in the southeast.

I will probably buy a used scrambler at some point, but put Bonneville exhaust on it. Like the 270 degree crank that is only on the scrambler.
 
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