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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 48
| Ok, I have a 2008 V V that I love. I can't see myself buying another MC at this point. Anyhow, my story is I was looking to buy a used MC that was an upgrade to my 1300C Honda VTX. I liked the lookes of the Street Glide but being a non-follower type I just did not want to dive into the HD pool without looking around. A guy here at work has a V V and at the time I was not warm to the design. However it did get me looking at Victory.
See, that is the thing. I had seen a couple Victory ads on TV but that I recall, never for the Vision. My real introduction to this other American MC company was from the guy at work, not advertising.
I went to the dealer to BUY a used XC but on my way in I passed my Vision. It is the Gray one and that caught both mine and my wife?s eye. We sat on the Vision and it was like a WOW moment. The sales guy came out and we went for a ride. About a mile away I told my wife I had never ridden a better MC. Well, I never did ride that XC. LOL
Since I have had my Vision I have never seen another on the road so I feel there are not many of us. The guy at work has a bad commute so he rarely rides.
Also, now 2 years later, I have never seen one Vision commercial on TV.
So, what gives? Why doesn't Victory advertise these wonderful bikes more?
Anyhow, that is what I see. How about you?
Oh, and as far as let's keep the V V a secret. I bet accessories would be more available if there were more of us. I am shocked every time I see a guy post that he can still buy a 2009 leftover stock/NEW V V.
What do you think?
Bill
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Cruiser
Posts: 118
Spfld, IL but temp Bay area, CA | I agree Victory should push the Vision some. I really like the looks of a loaded CC better, bigger bags that actually can remove--BUT they just do not handle like a Vision. I believe the Vision is the best handling large tourer on the market. Possibly they are concerned with the "love it or hate it" styling perception the Vision has. |
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| I still do not understand why Vic decided to make the X/CT their "flagship" model...Yes the thing is a really nice bike, but another HD wannabe...I do not intend to upset those that ride and like the Cross bikes, but I have ridden both and the Vision is by far the better ride..IMHO....So the bags, according to some, are a little small, so what, it is in a class all by itself and Ma Vic should market it as such...There is no other bike on the market that looks, handles, rides, has the power, etc. etc. as does the Vision and I feel Victory is missing the boat by not pushing it as so....Suppose their marketing guru's think different but what do they know.....they have been wrong before....... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 785
Mt. Vernon, WASH. | It seems like the only POLARIS Corporate advertising on TV is for the latest and greatest Quad, I don't want or need a Quad and if I'm buying space on a Hot Rod or automobile oriented program, I'd be pushing the bikes and pushing Quads on fishing shows. H-D has some very innovative and clever TV spots that they run a lot and it must work as they just had an ass kicker of a sales quarter and huge profits. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | I never want to see another VV on the road. I want Victory to stop making them. I want all of you to junk your VV's.
That way, I'll be the ONLY guy with the best bike in the world !!!
NO ADVERTISING !!!!!!!
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Cruiser
Posts: 51
Arizona | Honestly, it doesn't bother me. Doesn't make me feel like I made the wrong choice picking my Vision. But Harley owns over an 80+% of the share of bikes sold in this market. I'm also guessing the majority are baggers. So it's only natural for Victory to go after the largest opportunity to gain market share.
If everyone owned a vision. Then I'd probably be looking for something different! Just my own personal preference. Good topic. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 102
Cary, NC | They should definitely advertise more. The only way I knew about mine was to go to the dealer. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 48
| I think the fact that we bought the Vision says a lot about all of us. First we bought based on the bike and how it rides. We were not influenced by any hype. Frankly I don't care what anyone rides as long as they enjoy it. I have had one of every Japanese MC and even a German made 1968 Sears Puch 250cc. Believe it or not that was a pretty good MC.
I think I could say that every day I ride my V V I catch someone checking the MC out. Pretty sure it is the V V because that does not happen when I am walking around... Ha Ha
I just think Victory could sell more of these if they ran a few commercials.
Glad to see all your opinions. Oh, I am really thinking hard about buying one of those $500 passenger backrests that I Cycle Ops just came out with. I have a V V Premium that I took the trunk off of. It handles great but I would like the security of a backrest for the wife. $500 is a lot though.
Bill
Edited by bfisherman11 2012-05-03 4:48 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 154
Danbury, Connecticut | The way I learned about the Vision was through a 24 hour a day infomercial they did on Direct TV for about a week or so. It showed all of the features of their bikes, about their plants and their people. I hadn't ever given them a thought until that. Then I did lots of research through the internet to see what owners thought. Then I went to a dealer about 90 minutes away for a demo ride. I rode a Vision and the Cross bikes. I loved everything about all of them except I thought the transmission was noisy and I commented to the guy running the demo ride when he asked what I thought and he said they were quieter than HD transmissions. I rode and still own a 97 Dyna Wide Glide and have always been happy with it. I had rented a HD Ultra classic for a day during each of my two previous vacations because I wanted to buy a touring bike. They were OK but I remember always thinking well this could be better or that could be better and the biggest thing that held me back was the fact that with the passenger floor boards down they would drill me in the back of the leg if I didn't stop perfectly. The issue was my being only 5'7" and short legged which I couldn't change BUT then I rode the Vision and none of that HD stuff mattered because I knew I needed to buy a Vision. This was about this time of year in 2010 and I remembered while doing my research seeing a Vision Anniversary model with 900 miles on it in the classifieds here but it was dated several months earlier. For the hell of it I e-mailed the owner and he said it was still available - I got some photos from him and flew to Pittsburgh PA on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and spent the next 2.5 days riding a very scenic route back to Connecticut with my new Vision. I wish it had more side bag capacity but we just learn to pack better. Aside from that, the only other thing I wish for is more time to ride it.
I don't think I have ever seen a regular TV ad for Victory but the infomercial worked for me. The whole Victory line is a damn good quality product but they are in the precarious situation of having an underwhelming dealer network and riders reluctant to purchase because of that lack of dealer support. That issue seems to be compounded by Polaris shoving Victory down the throats of their Polaris dealers that may not want/have the market for a motorcycle line. The dealers need to be successful for Victory Motorcycles to succeed. If Polaris jumped into motorcycles during the AMF Harley Davidson period they probably could have been where HD is right now in market share. Even just 10 years earlier than they did and they would have much better traction. In this economy it will be very difficult to gain market share. Let folks know about the demo rides and the fact that these bikes are so reliable that the dealer network isn't a drawback. Tell people about Chris aka/VARYDER hitting over 100,000 miles in under 4 years with minimal problems. Hope that Polaris can weather the economy without pulling the plug on Victory and maybe future generations can rave about that new 2042 Hover-Vision. Sorry about the long post. |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| You ask why Victory doesn't advertise the vision more.
Do they have to. We know what a great bike it is and if you stop and think you don't see Goldwing or harley ultras being advertise more cause we as owners do it for them. |
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Tourer
Posts: 554
2 mi from Jim Beam n KY | They don't need to advertise the Vision any more.
Personally, I would love to purchase a 2014 Victory Edition Dodge Ram Long Horn 1500 w/Cummings!!
Now that would be some advertising!! |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | Advertising sure wouldn't hurt if they placed it in the right spots.......I still to this day have people come up and ask "what kind of bike is that, it's beautiful" and then "who makes it ? "................. Harley sold 95,000 Touring bikes ( Electra Glides, Road Glides and Street Glides ) last year, that's almost 8,000 a month and they still advertise....Victory will never approach that number but another increase in sales of say 10 % over last year would be great for the company........ |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | The VV is a HORRIBLE bike - don't anyone ever buy one. Kid you NOT ! Awful - just rotten. Buy a BMW or RUNE or anything but a VV.
Don't believe any of the stuff anyone else says - these bikes are HORRIBLE.
Get AWAY! Go AWAY! - trash your VV and burn down the dealers who have any in stock!!!!
People will run you over if they see you on the highways - bury your VV in a swamp! Get AWAY!!!
I will keep mine just to remind folks how bad they are .....
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1109
| I bought mine a couple years after I saw an ad in a magazine. I hadn't seen one on the road but I loved the look. I decided it was time for another tour bike and looked and rode them all. I rode the Vision last. Took it out for about ten minutes. That's all it took. Bought it on the spot,picked it up the next day. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 188
Tifton, GA | A demo ride at Daytona bike week and this site convinced me my Vision. I almost never watch live TV DVR some and FF through ads so really don't know much about Victory advertisements on TV. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 48
| I say advertise because if they still have 2009 left over stock at some dealers at some point the "Corporation" will decide their is insufficient interest in the V V so why keep making them.... If they don't sell, that could happen.
Look where they are putting the development money...... In the Cross bikes and new cruisers. |
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Tourer
Posts: 373
Lansing, MI |
Nope they don't and they also don't advertise any of the other bikes enough either... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | DIdn't have time to read all the posts but here's the skinny from my POV. The Vision as the Flagship has come and gone. The ad campaign for the Vision has come and gone. It is very possible that the Vision will not be around in a couple more years. WHY? It was built in hopes of becoming the big seller! It never made it. Too many want a bike that looks like a Harley. That's why Kawi, Yami, Suzuki and others make those look alike V twins.
The Cross Bikes were designed and made to directly compete with the most popular HD bikes. And they are a BIG hit! That's why they are Vic's flagship rides. That's why they push it. Sell, Sell, Sell. It's BUSINESS BOYS!
Myybe if we get enough bus from the Cross bikes there will be more interest in the Vision. All I know is that EVERYWHERE I ride people come and check out my bikes while ignoring my friends! Recently, a cager at a stop light asked my buddy on his new HD to move forward so he could get a better look at my Vision!! I loved it!!
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | My short answer is "No". |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1109
| I don't really understand why they don't advertise the Vision. I would four out of five times when I ride someone has something good to say about the Vision. |
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Tourer
Posts: 373
Lansing, MI |
I don't want to think about it or admit it but I think MaddMax2U is spot on. The Cross Country is what "people" want....
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| Victory could probably sell the Vision for $10,000 new and still not compete with HD touring bikes....Cross bikes are great and I hope Vic sells a boat load of them, but HD owns the touring market in the US and unless you ride a HD anything else to them is not a motorcycle...I, like many of you, have had the old "died in the wool" HD riders, look at my Vision, say "nice bike" but...but....but...and walk away mumbling it don't look like no motorcycle!!!! They really have no clue what they are missing, and for the most part, do not care......I love my Vision and am very happy with it so far...JMHO |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 785
Mt. Vernon, WASH. | I actually saw an ad on TV today during the NASCAR NATIONWIDE Race for the XCT with 'Gunny', at first I thought I must have a fever and was delirious, but no-it was an actual motorcycle ad for VICTORY, as my ex wifes late Uncle used to say 'I couldn't hardly believe it' |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 32
East Haven, CT | I think that Ma Vic knows what people want (a hd look similar) but we really know what they need (VV) |
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Does Vic advertise the V V enough?
