Victory Motorcycles - are they better than Harley?

Question

I think my Harley (and all Harleys for that matter), are far better bikes and much cooler looking than any Victory on the road. I also know my bike is faster and better handling than any victory. Furthermore, you can't get the same level of clothing and licensed accessories for a Victory that you can get for a Harley. I may have considered a Victory if I knew they had a complete line of cool clothing, but they don't. Many people, however, tell me their bikes are better than Harley's - what do you think?

Answer 1

Its apples vs oranges , If i had the money its harley all the way , but im poor so its yamaha for the day, at bike week i get to test drive all the bikes like boss hoss , victory and harley and the harleys are a much more solid bike than victory

Answer 2

Sorry Sid-USMC. Thank you for youe service but you are either full of it or have an opinion having never rode a Victory. I have owned 3 Harleys and my 2006 Victory Vegas 8 Ball will smoke any Harley on the road including Harleys Screaming Chicken. I love spanking the Harley sheep heads. They want to challenge the Victory and then get offended when my Victory stomps them into the ground. As for accessories, they dont make a cooler Leather Jacket then the Victory has, all the Harley riders see is that big Victory logo getting smaller and smaller as they are trying to catch up to me. I will never go back to Harley untill they get out of the dark ages.

Answer 3

I always find those comments on how Harley holds value funny. Who really buys a Bike thinking about re selling it before they own it. I have owned a few Harleys and they are very nice and what I would call me too bikes. If you want something a little different but without sacrificing the big twin ideals then look at the Victory bikes. They are awesome bikes. I have the Victory Hammer 2007 with the 250 rear tire and its smoking hot. I bought it for $6500 Canadian or $4300 approx. US $ with 4000miles on it. This is the benefit of the Harley holding value thing as it allows us to buy a great bike for less.

Answer 4

Lets look at the sales figures from harley and Victory last year. Any internet browser will provide them. Looks like people are voting with their wallets. By the way HOG stock price has fallen from 75 to the mid 30's. Line up a stock Harley vs a stock Victory even a 92 CI and the Victory rider will be waving goodbye. Unless you are on a VRod but then there is that worst in class resale value the VRod has.

Answer 5

I'm a first time buyer who hasn't been inundated by the whole HD culture, but even as a neophyte I have to say basing superiority on a full fleshed clothing line is weak.



I've been doing some test rides and spec comparisons. If you're comparing raw HP and torque/ft between HD and Victory, HD only offers a few models that really stand up; the V-Rod instantly comes to mind. Many of Victory's models, including the base Vegas models, have at least 85 HP and 106 ft/ lb of torque. The only two HD engines that offer up this much stock are the Twin Cam (~80 HP) and the Revolution (~115-125 HP, found only in VRSCDX models). So unless you have a VROD, you aren't getting the stock performance you'd get from a Victory. The only really attractive thing HD's offer that Victory's don't performance-wise is ABS on some of their models.



As far as which is better looking, I again disagree. I'd say the 2006-2008 Victory line offers some of the best looking bikes on the market. As a new rider I'd say the best bang for your buck definitely goes to Victory at the moment.

Answer 6

That is so incredibly incorrect HDWilliam !!

Owning HDs for 41 years(still have 7 from 1946-1982) and having owned stores in 2 countries I can tell you Victory is beyond a far superior product in EVERY aspect, in my opinion, Polaris/Victory now make the best motorcycle the world has ever seen. Technically superior in every function.

On my 2nd Vic Cross Country in 4yrs and never even needed air in the tyres, hard klms in searing hot weather they take hard treatment like no other bike.

There has NEVER been a std HD that could touch me, acceleration or cornering on this bagger, and since the recent stage 1 upgrade(Only Aud$1,600) pipes, ECU, airbox, the beast now blows v-rods outta the water.

Answer 7

2006 Victory Vegas 8 Ball

Answer 8

While I agree with your sentiment about Victories being butt-ugly (though in an interesting kind-of way), there is no way you can say that you bike is faster and better handling than ANY Victory. Consider first that what handles well for you will not necessarily be a good fit for someone else. As for speed- a little or a lot of wrenching can change the speed on any bike. Heck, the right tuner can change the horsepower significantly. The Vision does have 92 hp, which is more than most Harleys come stock by more than a bit, so the speed ought to be there.



But, just so you know, I don't think ANY bike is better than MY Harley. My Deuce is the best bike bar none. Of course, my husband begs to differ and thinks his is better looking/faster/better handling/ad infinitum. The biggest bummer is that I can't even fault his taste- since he did marry me.

Answer 9

I always get a chuckle out of it when some answerers pounce on harley by comparing what they've read in a magazine or the internet for the horsepower/torque ratings and still have no clue.

for you answerers that don't know what you're yipping about, but feel compelled to yip nonetheless, harley davidson posts their peak ratings just the same as the other manufacturers, but peak ratings aren't what makes a bike powerfull.... it's the everything in between, and harley owns it! the power bands for hp and torque are the broadest and most generous of any bike out there. so when you parrot out your sqauking about harley being lower or slower, it only shows you haven't got the experience or intelligence to understand. oh well, keep riding your other bikes, and keep us harley riders in the best part of the pool without your presence.

but now to the op.... c'mon, do harley clothes really matter? it just makes a person look like some little office twit that ran down to his dealership with his charge card to buy himself some cool.... and it doesn't, that type shows through very clearly. i don't own a piece of leather that says hd on it nor will i ever for that very reason. t-shirts are about as far as i'll go, and it's only when a dealer gives them to me because they want their logo seen on me

Answer 10

I have owned over 20 bikes, I have ridden alot of brands.. The Victory is superior to most I have. ridden . The HD have nice paint. But are low on power and handle poorly and are not very dependable. Parts come lose and sometimes fall off . I have several friends riding HD they are always replacing bolts and working on there rides

Answer 11

I like both. If you want speed and horsepower buy a sportbike, (a 600cc sportbike will put either of them to shame in both speed and handling.) Or if you want to stay in the cruiser category get a Honda vtx1800 it will out run them both stock and if that is too big get a Honda magna 750 that v4 pushes 80hp and weighs far less.

Answer 12

I recently test drove a V. As a Hd owner I found it interesting pertaining to the stock performance. Yes they will put pre 2006 HD's to shame in speed alone, but there were some fit and finish items that bugged me. The rear brake pedal had a "wobble" to it I did not like. The handle bar controls seemed like a cheap imitation of chrome and not the brawny look like the HD. It handles ok, but lacks the feel of a big cruiser. I also rode a Yamaha Roadliner that delivered more of a Cruiser feel and performance, with better fit and finish.

I think Victory is going to have its niche but not mainstream. They are building their aftermarket jewelry but it will be limited due to the lack of sales, unlike the big metrics and HD. If I were shopping and HD did not float my boat the Yamaha has done its best to produce the best alternative and you won't be let down.All of them are beginning to make HD look harder at its line up and HD is responding with new models, but the metric, including Victory are only about 20% less , once you have looked close at the price point.And once you have owned your bike for many years, you will see the superiority of the HD product. That's why there are so many still on the street from years gone by.You wont find a "cotter pin" on a HD and when you go to wrench a HD, you will feel the raw build quality of the American spirit of a lasting machine.

Answer 13

any motorcycle is better than a harley.

i have been riding for over 40 years

both street and dirt and i need to say that

clothing and licensed accessories has

nothing to do with how good a bike is.

if i was offered a choice between a

victory or a harley i would chose the victory.

Answer 14

Vic is considered to have the best VTwin built in USA. The bike was designed from the ground up by an established manufacturer of rec. vehicles rather than being a tweaked version of a 70 year old design. Even the old carburated baggers were fast. They have the jr. Ness on the design team and the bar hoppers are very cool though the Vision looks like a design project rather than a serious tourer.

To make a short story long, yes, they are better than Harley.



They have some very cool gear, as well.

If some one horse whipped me till I agreed to ride an air-cooled VTwin, I'd look at Vic and Roadstar..

Answer 15

unless you put $5k into your HD you're full of it. a victory will run circles around a HD. it handles better and brakes better. you sound like someone who has never rode one. i had a 03 Dyna, test rode a Vegas and that was that. so if you happy with an over priced, under performing piece of jewelery, by all means get you HD, the "motor company" just loves you sheep.

and i know you're just pulling our leg cuz only an idiot would judge his bike by the amout of T-shirts you can buy.

Answer 16

Well Willie From your past BS i think if the names were not on them you wouldent have sence enough to tell them apart Did you ride yours yet?Bet you use more chrome polish than you do gas--dont blame you its prob cheaper

Answer 17

I did a little research on Victory motorcycles. They have had recalls all the way up to 2006. Maybe they got all the bugs worked out, maybe the '07 and '08 models don't have enough miles on them to expose their weaknesses. I think I would wait awhile before I consider a Victory. They are friggin ugly too. Did you see their bagger?

Answer 18

Ah...but would your chaps suit a victory?

Answer 19

William T ????????



WTF are you ranting on about you 400lb fool ?

Why do you brag about having a $20,000 bike ?

Why is it the best ?

Are you so insecure with yourself that you have to brag ?

I think we should ALL hit the ignore button on YOU because its narrow minded bragging idiots like YOU that put people like me off buying a Harley !

Answer 20

Why is your avatar from a clothing ad ????

Answer 21

there is nothing better than a hog.

Answer 22

Anything is better than Harly.