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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 11
Madison, AL United States | Hey Folks, Just bought an 08 Vision Tour with 12k miles and want to get it checked out head to toe. I noticed it had a burning rubber smell when I pulled in the garage after a 50 mile first ride. Today I went for a short ride to the DMV and noticed a chirp/squeak so I am guessing the belt needs some attention. Also need a new set of tires. Is there a best performer for the Vision that most here agree on?
Who has the best Victory service dept in North Alabama? I am in the Huntsville area. Anyone to stay away from?
Thanks in advance. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 207
| Welcome to the site! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 155
Victoria Tx, TX United States | WELCOME!!!! That sound may be the suspension. Nothing big.. Tires Your choices are Dunlops, Michelin, Metzelers, Which is better that is a PP contest? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 209
| welcome to the site and congratulations on the vision. its a great ride. somebody must not of liked to ride much with only 12k on a 08'. we have a member who lives in north bama. his name is jimtom. he could possibly give you some direction. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 11
Madison, AL United States | Banjodan - 2014-03-14 8:06 PM
somebody must not of liked to ride much with only 12k on a 08'..
The seller had a garage full of toys to choose from! |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Nice thing about the Vision is that tires are the same as a 1800 Goldwing. Lots of options...but I use the same as OEM. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | Welcome and congratulations.
As mentioned, tires are the same as the GL1800 Goldwing, and the best prices are often from the places that cater to the Goldwing. Choices are Dunlop, Bridgestone, Avon, Michelin, Metzler, and Shinko. Honda has used both the Dunlop and the Bridgestone as OEM, with the current bikes coming with Bridgestones. Victory uses the Dunlops as OEM.
I've ran both the Dunops and the Bridgestones and like both. I'm currently running a Shinko, which seems to handle just as good at half the price as the others.
A week after I bought the Shinko, Dunlop announced the "new and improved" Elite 3 MT dual compound tire. I would give it a look.
Ronnie |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I run E3's , they have the highest longevity. Been running them for over 215,000 cumulative miles on 2 bikes. As we discussed , the only Victory dealer service experience i have is with Pelham, it was positive but a long way for you. I visited the Athens store but just to kick tires , they were friendly. Welcome. You will love the Vision. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 49
Madison/Huntsville, AL | wilbucd - 2014-03-14 2:27 PM ....Who has the best Victory service dept in North Alabama? I am in the Huntsville area. Anyone to stay away from? Thanks in advance. Hey wilbucd, Welcome to Vision land. I'm pretty new to the Vision too. I've had a Vegas for about 9 years though and Midway Cycle out on 72 past County Line Rd has always done the work on it. I hate to say it, but seems to me service work is the weakest spot in the Victory business. There are some great Victory mechanics out there, but there are many many more four wheeler mechanics with a little training and very little hands on experience with motorcycles, let alone Vic motorcycles. I'm more comfortable with a place like Midway that has guys that have torn through everything with two wheels and a motor for years. MHO, YMMV. Since you want the Vision 'checked out head to toe', in that case, somebody with recent Vic specific training like at Champion in Athens might be more useful. Every new bike they sell should be getting an assembly and once over. I've been told they don't have a motorcycle tire mounting machine though.  Hence my thought above about Vic service at a Polaris dealers. Call and ask I suppose. If you don't mind a road trip, Sloan’s up in Murfreesboro has been selling a lot of Victories for a lot of years; and they're a bona fide motorcycle dealer with other brands. They probably have somebody you could count on.
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Tourer
Posts: 573
Central Illinois | <p>Welcome to the forum wilbucd. Is there some reason you want a dealer to do the belt adjustment on your Vision? There are some very good instructions in the owner's manual on how to do it. The cost to you of tools will likely be far less than the labor at a dealer and you will be far more familiar with your ride when you are done. You will also be sure it was done right, a major plus in my mind. In case you don't already know it, you can down load an owner's manual for your bike at the Victory web site , https://www.victorymotorcycles.com/en-us/owners/login?local=en-US&am... Just sign up as an owner giving them year and model and download it.</p>
Edited by Oldman47 2014-03-17 6:34 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | Oldman47 - 2014-03-17 6:33 PM
Welcome to the forum wilbucd. Is there some reason you want a dealer to do the belt adjustment on your Vision? There are some very good instructions in the owner's manual on how to do it. The cost to you of tools will likely be far less than the labor at a dealer and you will be far more familiar with your ride when you are done. You will also be sure it was done right, a major plus in my mind. In case you don't already know it, you can down load an owner's manual for your bike at the Victory web site , https://www.victorymotorcycles.com/en-us/owners/login?local=en-US&Re... Just sign up as an owner giving them year and model and download it.
good idea.  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 50
Huntsville On Canada | Welcome from Huntsville On. Canada. Wish I was on the southern side right now, bloody cold up here. lol
Your gona love that Vision. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Welcome
You may also want to take a look at the Avon "Cobra". I find the E3s to treacherous in wet conditions and with road snakes. In previous versions of the Avons, folks have said that they experienced tire wear at around 10K+. Talking to the Avon factory rep at the NYC Int. Motorcycle event, he stated that the wear is due to not keeping the tires properly inflated. The new Avons are multi compound. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 11
Madison, AL United States | Thanks for all of the replies. I have a set of E3's on their way.
Oldman47..... I wanted someone whos knows what they are looking at to check it out as this is my first bike in 20 years. Have been raising kids and woke up one morning with that it's now or never feeling. I will do more of my own work as time goes by but at the moment I'm more anxious to ride it than work on it. First few rides has pointed out that I don't have that "it can't happen to me" attitude that I had in my 20's.
tmoore.... I used to use Midway way back in the day. I'm going to try out Allpro Power Sports on Leeman Ferry. I hear good things about their techs.
Street Eagle...I will do my best to keep the E3's properly inflated. Thanks for the heads up.
jimtom...I signed up on the Victory owners page but the owners manual link is not working for some reason. I have the owners manual that came with the bike. Would love to have a service manual though. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 11
Madison, AL United States | Hey what options make a Vision Tour a "premium"? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | wilbucd - 2014-03-18 3:26 PM
Hey what options make a Vision Tour a "premium"?
Chrome tip over protectors, chrome foot controls, chrome handlebars and switch cubes, lighted badges, factory HID driving light, heated seat and hand grips all came stock on the Premium.
Ronnie |
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Cruiser
Posts: 92
Moncks Corner, SC United States | Just a reminder. The SE Victory Rally in Hellen, Ga. is just a couple of months away. Lots of Vic's to check out and some great North Georgia mountain riding. Can't wait. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 49
Madison/Huntsville, AL | Jimbo62 - 2014-03-18 9:47 PM Just a reminder. The SE Victory Rally in Hellen, Ga. is just a couple of months away. Lots of Vic's to check out and some great North Georgia mountain riding. Can't wait. Ya. What he said.  There will be a few of us riding over together from the Huntsville area wilbudc if you're interested. In the past 6 months three of us updated to Visions; a Vegas, a Jackpot , and a TC. (we all have a wife or girlfriend who thinks we're trying to sell our old Vic. We're not having any luck though )
Edited by tmoore 2014-03-19 11:38 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | tmoore - 2014-03-19 11:36 AM
(we all have a wife or girlfriend who thinks we're trying to sell our old Vic.? We're not having any luck though )
LOL!  |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | wilbucd - 2014-03-18 11:45 AM
Thanks for all of the replies. I have a set of E3's on their way.
Oldman47..... I wanted someone whos knows what they are looking at to check it out as this is my first bike in 20 years. Have been raising kids and woke up one morning with that it's now or never feeling. I will do more of my own work as time goes by but at the moment I'm more anxious to ride it than work on it. First few rides has pointed out that I don't have that "it can't happen to me" attitude that I had in my 20's.
I came off a 25 year break 5 years ago. I highly recommend the ride like a pro DVD. The bikes are nothing like the old bikes we used to ride. |
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New Vision Owner, Huntsville Al