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Cruiser
Posts: 212
Tavares, Fl | I introduced the new buyer to the website and he'll be here shortly once he figures out how to get onto the website. I explained that I used synthetic oil but he might want to log on and get other opinions on what oil he should use......
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | Hmmm. Are you getting out of riding altogether or did you decide to move on with something else? Just a curiosity question and resonably not my business if you don't want to discuss it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 212
Tavares, Fl | Don't mind and the new owner knows my concerns. I've always put a lot of miles on my bikes, I sold my 81 Goldwing with 2000 miles shy of 200 thousand miles. Since owning the Vision I have been very leary of doing long trips due to the lack of dealers, hassles with dealers, dealers not staying in business, lack of support from Victory and etc. One guy early on had a 500 dollar tow bill while traveling to get his broken down Vision fixed by the nearest dealer under warrant, Another recently had to wait 6 weeks for parts. ZThese stories go on and on here. We wanted to ride out west this summer but I just didn't feel comfortable with the Vision. We also have a group getting a ride together to Alaska in the next year or so, again I don't feel comfortable taking the Vision.
This is by far the best handling, smothest riding bike I've owned but I just don't feel comfortable doing a trip on it. The better half is not happy at all... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 188
| Shame really.... I would venture to say that Victory builds one of the most reliable bikes on the market. Before the vision I took my KP on plenty of long trips away from home. The worse I have seen while traveling with other vics is a busted drive belt.
Sorry your didn't feel safe. I wouldn't hesitate to take my vision across the country and back again. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 77
| Sorry your didn't feel safe. I wouldn't hesitate to take my vision across the country and back again.
+1
I just did a 1450 mile run with my VV in pouring rain, cold, through mountain passes in 43 hours. It is by far the best bike I have ever owned! When I get rid of this VV, I will get another one!! In fact at one gas station I caught up with a driver of a pickup truck that said " You must have one good bike to run in that kind of rainstorm!"
Edited by kaydee 2010-06-18 10:07 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | rlreed - I do not blame you at all for selling your Vision if that is the way you feel. And if you never buy another one again because of it, it is understandable. I'm a new rider of sorts, but I like to ride. When I first went back to riding I got an '84 GoldWing and I use to joke that she was old enough to smoke (21 years). The good part is that I trusted her, but she did let me down. With 25,000 on the clock the stator went, so I did the external alternator thing after about 3 months of nightly charging, riding to work and back again to charge it. The head gasket went, so I had that replaced. But I still trusted her, enough to ride 1,650 miles to see my son in Texas. On the way to Texas the clutch fluid breaks down and I add some DOT3 as a temporary measure, pump the clutch to get it to disengage and put another 800 miles or so until I can get to Corpus Christi to change out the fluid. I was trying to do 1,000 miles for the first time under 24 hours, and even did 1,500 miles in 36,000 as well, and I trusted her. After my trip to Texas and back it seemed the rear bushing/bearings in the diff was going - I no longer trusted her and she had to go.
I bought a 1993 GL1500 - Honda's flagship for 14years. The bike was in good shape, had new tires put on, bushings replaced and the tech that worked on my GL1200 and trusted told me I got a good bike. But you know what, I never trusted that bike at all. Heavy, bulky harder to handle. So enter the Vision.
I've trusted this bike completely and have put over 70,000 miles on it in 30 months. I've had a fuel pump failure which is the worse problem I have ever had on this bike. I trust it enough to leave here Thursday morning and be riding 2,600 miles to the Mojave Desert for a two-week stay and back again.
I doubt my words will change your mind and I'm really not expecting it too. One thing I want to point out, not believing you are naive to that the fact that forums are the best, and the worse place to get information. Also, the folks on any given forum are just a TINY slice of actual users of the target topic, in this case, the Victory Vision.
I found out how to fix and install an external alternator for my GL1200 thanks to a forum, but only one person had the instructions on line on how to do it. Furthermore, it was indicated that EVERYBODY had the problem with a GL1200. After riding mine for two years I only met one other person who did what I did and knew about the problem. That problem was also recognized by Honda and they replaced for free your stator up to the first three years as original owner for '84, '85 and '86 model years. The problem would occur around 30,000 miles with stator failure.
I tell you this to tell you to take any comments on a forum with a grain of salt, a very small grain of salt. The reality that I've come to formulate from a forum is there are a very small percentage of people claiming to have problems, and a vast majority that post positive information. However, the problem posts seem to take dominance of the forum at times or seems to have the most affect in our thinking.
But you also have to trust your gut instinct because not trusting your machine will take away your enjoyment of riding. That's how I felt on the GL1500 every time I rode that bike and convinced myself and my wife that bike was not a good bike at all for us. The reason was not dependability, but one of security and sureness when riding.
On the Vision I have complete trust on dependability, despite the fact the dealers are few and far between. I've gained enough understanding of my machine of what could fail and it is a very small list, and have a contingency plan, but I do not dwell on it. Also, if that is a concern, the RRDB at the forums for theVMC (http://www.thevmc.com) is the nationwide buddy Road Rescue database for Victory riders or any other rider for that matter. I saw it in action recently when someone called me for roadside assistance. In less than 4 hours on a holiday weekend at 10:00pm on a Sunday the stranded Vic rider was ready to roll without missing a beat.
You still have friends here, and thanks for posting the information, it helps other decide on whether to get the best bike on the planet or something else. Cheers.
Edited by varyder 2010-06-19 5:27 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | I'm sorry to hear you don't trust your vision. I don't know what you mean about not trusting you bike! My vision has been just about perfect in 2 years. But every kawasaki I ever owned has left me stranded in another state! And they were all bought new.. my last kawasaki was the result of me purchasing a victory.. parts had to come from japan at a 3 week wait! Plus kawasaki actually has less dealers nation wide that victory. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 260
| To each there own. Ride safe with what ever you ride. First time I heard of someone selling a Vic on the thought of breaking down. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | RLreed. I understand completely. I had to wait 6 months for parts to be manufactured last year. They had "vendor issues". The latest warranty issue I had took a year to resolve, I ended up getting another dealership to send me the warrantied part to my door (they were very generous to do this) so I could either install it myself or pay another dealership to install. I decided to pay the $ out of pocket to have the nearest dealership install it so that I didn't have to leave it at the dealership for an extended period or time (300+mi away from home) while they pissed around back in forth with Polaris to get the warranty honored. I realized last year the this bike was not going to be my "forever" motorcycle that I would put 200Kmi on eventually. I'm basically paying my Vision down to well below value so it's worth something when I get rid of it. Basically, I did do a 6kmi trip across USA and ran into exactly the scenario you are avoiding. I ended up having to pull into downtown Salt Lake City for the night and locate the nearest dealer which was fotunately only out in the suberbs. I think you made a wise move; however, I would like to hold onto mine. At least for a little while. Maybe it will make a nice down payment for my next one.
Edit:
And oh yeah, I pointed out to the tech at Biker's Edge in Wichita last month that my headlight was cracking all the way around the seams and condensating inside the lens. He said that it MAY be possible for them to get Polaris to warranty it since they got one for an owner BUT the owner had to pay for labor. What a crock of $hit...
Edited by bigwill5150 2010-06-19 9:57 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 77
| Good luck on your new ride! Just because there are more dealers around of other brand bikes, does not assure you of a break down or ridculous parts & labor charges. All brands of motorcycles have lemons. I tend to form my own opinion about motorcycles from riding them, not what others have to say about them. I have put a lot of miles on all the Victory motorcycles I have owned and they have never once left me stranded anywhere! Not everyone rides the same way, which sometimes is the root cause of failures. Ride safe no matter what you ride!! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 43
| Sorry to hear your vision is gone. I myself just got back from the black hills . Not a single problem with the bike. But a lack of dealers is understandable in My eyes. Went on the trip with a few harley riders and was srprised at the shops who only sold tee shirts. Just amazing to me.I called it tee shirt shopping.My dealer here in Northwest In.has always done good for me(Maxiam motorsports). He is prompt and good with service issues. We must all understand that they have only been in the bike business 11 years. where other for over 110 years. got a ways to go to reach them.Anyhow enjoy riding whatever you decide to ride. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 203
Rapid City, SD | Bubba - 2010-06-19 6:29 AM
To each there own. Ride safe with what ever you ride. First time I heard of someone selling a Vic on the thought of breaking down.
My thoughts exactly. I rode mine from Rapid City to Daytona and back and never once thought about dealers. My only thoughts revolved around checking out a few dealers just to look for bling. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | rlreed - 2010-06-18 5:41 PM I introduced the new buyer to the website and he'll be here shortly once he figures out how to get onto the website. I explained that I used synthetic oil but he might want to log on and get other opinions on what oil he should use...... What a sneaky way to start an "oil thread". Good luck with your new 'feel good' bike, whatever it may be.... |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 16
| I find this thread concerning in some ways as I shop for a bike. I must say the varyder story about the stranded Vic bike on the holiday week end was reassuring. I read that story some where so was familiar already with it.
The lack of sarcasm is refreshing reading this thread and hats off to you all.
I thought the post by varyder was one of the finest post I have seen on any board any brand. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 203
Rapid City, SD | aztucson - 2010-06-19 9:01 PM
I find this thread concerning in some ways as I shop for a bike. I must say the varyder story about the stranded Vic bike on the holiday week end was reassuring. I read that story some where so was familiar already with it.
The lack of sarcasm is refreshing reading this thread and hats off to you all.
I thought the post by varyder was one of the finest post I have seen on any board any brand.
With only 3 posts so far, welcome to the forum. As you can see Visions invoke a lot of emotion. If your in the market take a test ride. You will surely understand what all the fuss is about.
No two people are the same and certain things weigh differently for different people. I for one never hesitated. The ride won me over and I can't imagine riding anything else.
Good luck with whatever you choose. |
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Just sold my Vision
