I have many friends who ride Harley-Davidson, I even have a friend who is a sales manager for a Harley-Davidson dealership, but it still stupefies me how ignorant the average Harley rider, or more likely, the Harley rider wannabe is. Case in point; tonight I rode my Victory Vision over to my local Jewel to get dessert and some soda and after coming out of the store and putting my purchases in the trunk (big enough to hold 3 24 ounce six packs and then some), a woman comes walking up behind my bike and sneezes. I of course said "God bless you" to which she says thanks and then asks me what kind of rice bike it is that I am riding. I respond that Victory is an American made bike and that Victory is a division of Polaris Industries. Her response was that Polaris is a Japanese company to which I inform her that Polaris is based out of Medina, Minnesota and was founded in 1954. I also told her that last year Polaris acquired the revamped Indian Motorcycles to which she insisted is no longer in business. I give up and excuse myself as needing to get home, as she turns to walk to her car a few spots over I see that she is wearing a jacket with H-D emblazoned on the back. I give credit to Harley-Davidson, they have done a fantastic job of brand imaging and brainwashing the less informed amongst us. All I can say in the end though is thank God for giving the people at Polaris the wisdom and courage to found Victory Motorcycles in 1998, for that has given those desiring an American made motorcycle a true choice.

rdbudd - 2012-08-11 11:49 AM The brand snobbery and ignorance isn't exclusive to just Harley riders. I ride with friends who favor Japanese bikes, particularly Hondas and Suzukis. The sales force at the Honda dealer tells prospective customers who ask about the Victory Vision (mine) sitting in the parking lot that Victory is a division of Polaris, a Canadian company. I've straightened them out , but they'll still repeat the lie. They also tell their customers that Goldwings are American made, which can be debated all day long, since Goldwings (were) ASSEMBLED in Marysville, Ohio from parts made in the USA, Canada, Mexico, China, and MOSTLY JAPAN (engines, transmissions, brakes, suspensions). The earlier models had a sticker reflecting that fact, the GL1500s carried a label saying Made In the USA, but Honda was forced to quit that because of the content percentage requirements, and the GL1800s have no such labeling. Their owners will tell YOU that they ride an American made bike, but they really know better. http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showthread.php?304438-Made-in-Americ... The Honda dealer tries to convince prospective customers that Hondas are more American than Victorys and lots of people who don't know any better believe it. Ronnie

As a former multi Goldwing owner, you are very much mistaken with what you are saying (to an extent in time).  The Honda Goldwings were first produced, not simply assembled, in the Marysville, Ohio plant beginning with the '83 GL1100 model.  The abs plastic parts began being manufactured here when the GL1200 Interstate came into production in '84, as well as the engines being manufactured at the Alma, Ohio engine plant (where they were also broken in on factory test stands).  The only components of the Goldwings that were still made in Japan were the Clarion and then Mitsubishi electronics, Showa suspension components, Enkie wheels, and Nissin brakes.  Both the the made in USA GL1500 and the 2001 to 2010 GL1800 had "Made in USA" cast right into the engine castings and frame members (the frames were welded, both the steel ones and newer aluminum ones (which initially had some bad welds resulting in a massive recall) right in the Marysville plant).  The paint work was also done in a very environmentally friendly process in the same plant.  Beginning with the 2012 model year ALL Honda motorcycles that we see here are manufactured in the new Kumamoto Motorcycle Manufacturing Facility.

It was Honda's decision to move motorcycle production back to Japan that helped influence my decision to purchase my first Victory in the Vision.

The Honda motorcycle that they had to remove the "Made in U.S.A." from was the Honda Shadow 1100, which still had most of the components made in Japan but assembled in the Marysville plant to avoid the mid '80 over 700 cc tariffs that Harley-Davidson got passed through Congress in '82 or '83. 

purplepin - 2012-08-11 9:54 PM for god sake, just ride. all this yammering about harleys and victory,s and what is better. i don,t get it. if your like me, you have owned them all and ride what you like. let,s face it, I can afford any bike i want and i chose my vision after riding and owning many harley,s. is it the end all of bikes? hell no, but i liked it plenty more then my old road king, does not mean the next time i test ride a new bike be it a harley or the new cross bike i have my eye on that i won,t pull out the wallet and buy one. stop trying to be something you,re not and be your self, a person who knows what the hell they like and rides it regardless of who or what someones says.

+1 

purplepin - 2012-08-11 8:54 PM for god sake, just ride. all this yammering about harleys and victory,s and what is better. i don,t get it. if your like me, you have owned them all and ride what you like. let,s face it, I can afford any bike i want and i chose my vision after riding and owning many harley,s. is it the end all of bikes? hell no, but i liked it plenty more then my old road king, does not mean the next time i test ride a new bike be it a harley or the new cross bike i have my eye on that i won,t pull out the wallet and buy one. stop trying to be something you,re not and be your self, a person who knows what the hell they like and rides it regardless of who or what someones says.

Amen brother!!!

reeferx - 2012-08-12 10:40 AM I always play stupid and tell people its a Kawasaki.

That's just wrong on every level.  If people don't get it, they don't get it but I'll never pass it off as any other brand.