Looking for pros and cons between victory and harley motorcycles,?

Question

Checking to see what people think.If you rode both it would be great.

Answer 1

I really wanted an Arlen Ness Victory, but there just weren't many dealers near me. The only one close by shut down and I guess that worried me a little. Since I have my race bikes for going fast I wanted my cruiser to be a customization project as much as anything else, and there are just tons of stuff you can buy to customize a Harley, so that was a selling point for me also. If you feel you have a stable local dealer I think Victory's are great looking bikes and they would probably be a very good bike as well. If I can find a reputable local dealer I would still consider selling the Harley to buy a Victory Ness edition. I would like to wait and see what Indian has to offer first. Love the Chief Deluxe. It is definitely an old school design, but like I've said before, I don't buy a cruiser for performance. I have other venues for that addiction.

http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/

Answer 2

Here's the deal - Harley came first all the other V-twin cruiser style bikes are HD wanna-bes.  If you ride a Victory or a Honda VTX or Vstar your just saying, I liked like a Harley but I can't afford one.

If you want the HD, but can't afford new, buy a used one.  There are loads of low mileage 03, 04 HDs on the used market, marked down $10K or more over what they cost new.  Many of those have under 5K miles on them.   Loads of possers made impulse buys, now they are ascared to ride it or have some other excuse why it just sits in the garage.

If your not going to get an HD, then get something that isn't a knock-off.  A Honda Valkerie, BMW, Triumph.....something that doesn't reek I wish I had a Harley.

To answer your question, the HDs ride great - assuming what you want is a v-twin cruiser style bike.  My recommendation - get a Road Glide or Ultra-Classic or Street Glide.

Answer 3

The numbers are way on the side of the Victory, also less imported parts.  

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/2008...

Answer 4

I looked at all bikes and chose a Harley Road King. I just fell in love with the Harley at first site. I have been upgrading it for the last seven years. It is not that expensive if you do the work yourself. Plus parts and accessories are much easer to find, just look on E-bay under Harley.  I never turned a wrench until I owned a Harley, now it is my therapy working on my bike. I don’t have a big head, but it is nice to drive in a gas station and have people say “Nice Bike” Even a cop pulled me over for doing 95 in a 65. His first words were “Nice Bike” and gave me a warning ticket. It turned out he use to be a Motorcycle Officer that rode a Road King. So owning a Road King saves me money. LOL

Answer 5

i have owned both, right now own a 2004 victory vegas with 41,000 miles.

the vic to me handles and brakes better and looks better and the quality is great. more power and  the ride is smoother. and i can find my bike when i look for it in a sea of bikes.

but dealers are not around every corner and accessories are not that plentiful..

HD has years of history, tons of dealers and a support structure that is second to none. accessories are all over the place.

pricewise HD is a little more expensive than Victory with Victory dealers willing to deal on the price. HD dealers use to be stubborn MSRP but with the economy the way it is now i hear they are starting to deal.

Answer 6

both great AMERICAN bikes

Answer 7

Pros

Harley:

1. Heritage

2. classic style

3. attitude

4. cost

Victory

1. modern style

2. stock HP and torque (Revolution is only HD engine that is more powerful)

3. #1 motorcycle as rated by JD Power and Associates as RATED BY ACTUAL NEW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS (HD is middle of the road)

http://www.davedragon.org/pink/jdpowermc...

4. Exclusivity - there are not a billion of them out there

To clarify the cost factor:

You can buy a HD for as low a $8K, lowest cost Victory is $17K (cdn).  On the premium/touring models costs are comparable.

To quote mechanic friend... "If you want to buy an attitude, you buy a Harley. If you want to buy a bike, buy a Victory based on the ratings and reliability"

Answer 8

Pros for Victory,

100 cubic inch Freedom engine vs 96 cubic inch Harley

6 speed transmission on Victory. Idles on both cylinders and no overheat.More HP and torque from superior powertrain,  dual over head cam, can upgrade to 106 cubic inch with factory parts for a fraction of Screamin Eagle upgrades.

A Victory will smoke any Harley that does not have the name V Rod on it. But the V Rod is worth nothing in resale and has a crappy exhaust sound. Vic, with Stage 3 beats V Rod too.

Victory is Oil Cooled + cooler operation and more HP

Victory uses Brembo brakes

Vegas, Jackpot and Kingpin models all share same frame so customizing is easy and inexpensive

More value per dollar than Harley when new

Victory depreciates faster than Harley

Answer 9

Harley for me but only because of the VROD...VRODs rule.

Answer 10

HD has Brembo brakes, 96" which can go to 103" or 110" with factory parts, 6 speed tranny, oil cooled, easy customizing because of stock parts plus hundreds of after market dealers. Also a lot more dealers across the USA. This all sounds familiar, doesn't it. Victory is American made, I like that.

Answer 11

the victory has a modern overhead cam fuel injected engine, it doesnt use a common crankpin so it doent vibrate. the harley finaly has fuel injection but clings to pushrods and a common crankpin desighn. far less horsepower and relies on rubber mounting to deal with the vibration problem. from a tech stanpoint the victory is a better machine. but there are those of us who dont care and still ride old panheads like me!!!!!