Indian

[53driver]

I've never owned either.
I don't know anyone on the "inside."
VStarRider's "30,000 Foot View" sounds VERY plausible.

I concur with the "Bozo" comment - that made me chuckle audibly.
I thought the first one I saw was the product of Arlen Ness and Picasso getting high and designing a motorcycle....
Polaris, by law, MUST support the Victory line for 10 years with parts and service.
Now, how well they actually do that is apparently another story.

Yes, the HD CVO line and the Indian "top bike" are over $40k. There IS a market for those in some quantity as I know the CVOs are moving off the floor here in PCola.

There's a lot of "disposable income" out there - next time you are in an airport magazine store, peruse a copy of The Robb Report. It's a gorgeous magazine catering to people who buy $1.2m watches, $1m cars, boats and $gagillion private jets. Yes, there is LOTS of money out there that I know I'll never see. And I'm fine with that.

Is it necessarily the market to which THIS audience caters? Not really.
Most of us are a bit more practical and while we recognize motorcycling as a hobby/toy/game - we do like the power and styling of the F6B.
And the bang for the buck ratio can't be beat.

I wish well for American companies.
I wish well for the global economy.
I wish all y'all a safe ride today.
Cheers,
Steve

[VStarRider]

I've never owned either.
I don't know anyone on the "inside."
VStarRider's "30,000 Foot View" sounds VERY plausible.

I concur with the "Bozo" comment - that made me chuckle audibly.
I thought the first one I saw was the product of Arlen Ness and Picasso getting high and designing a motorcycle....
Polaris, by law, MUST support the Victory line for 10 years with parts and service.
Now, how well they actually do that is apparently another story.

Yes, the HD CVO line and the Indian "top bike" are over $40k. There IS a market for those in some quantity as I know the CVOs are moving off the floor here in PCola.

There's a lot of "disposable income" out there - next time you are in an airport magazine store, peruse a copy of The Robb Report. It's a gorgeous magazine catering to people who buy $1.2m watches, $1m cars, boats and $gagillion private jets. Yes, there is LOTS of money out there that I know I'll never see. And I'm fine with that.

Is it necessarily the market to which THIS audience caters? Not really.
Most of us are a bit more practical and while we recognize motorcycling as a hobby/toy/game - we do like the power and styling of the F6B.
And the bang for the buck ratio can't be beat.

I wish well for American companies.
I wish well for the global economy.
I wish all y'all a safe ride today.
Cheers,
Steve

Wow. Well said! Yes, in upstate NY, we are in a bit of bubble with a marginal private sector economy and our small to medium sized cities with limited growth. The Rochester area is about 1.1 million, with a population rate increase of about .5% per year. When I fly to different parts of the country, I see what Steve is talking about. Lots of money, lots of development (sometimes unchecked, like Texas), lots of growth.

That's great, but I will take our sputtering economy here and all the benefits that come with that, as strange as that sounds (not many traffic issues, more open space, etc).

As for our Hondas, I love that anytime I want to go for a ride, the only thing I basically think about is the ride itself. The F6B is like a microwave...you don't think about whether it will work or need anything, because it almost never does...you just think about eating the food.

[adventurous1]

Victory was making money..

How do you know? Maybe the profit margin wasn't worth it. Maybe it was better to have all their R & D, etc., etc. put into a 'brand' (Indian). Victory wasn't a brand.

IMHO, Victory could have moved into a bobber type bikes or naked sport bikes - and completely different from Indian. Only if the #'s worked.

[olegoat345]

In Aug. '16 II brought a new '16 chief, rode it 600 miles or so. Went in a Honda dealer to P/U a throttle rocker. I was looking at the "B's" on the floor. Young salesman said, "want to take it for a test ride?" Never been know to turn down a free ride. !0-12 miles I was ready for a "B". Couldn't make a deal w/ the dealership, brought a like new '13 Nov. '16 & I'm in love w/ it, love the loe CG, it handles like a big sports bike. Sold the Chief on ebay, May '17, only lost a grand. Chief's a okay bike but not a "B". It rode & handled okay, a bit top heavy, plenty of power, felt much heavier than the "B." At 75, I think this might be my last bike. Another note on the Chief, at the time, I also owned a '05 Yamaha 1700 Road Star, it was every bit as good a bike as the '16 Chief in everyway. It wasn't top heavy & handled better, in my opinion. My 2 cents worth.

[jmdaniel]

http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/1...s?iid=sr-link1

[nascar4401]

Great looking ride !!

[willtill]

Great looking ride !!

Air cooled. Will enjoy a early death compared to our water cooled 6 banger boxers.

...but enjoy

Do love the bike though. V-twins, and the rumbles associated; are the essence of what many of us are accustomed to and come from..

[choptop]

BIGLRY, do you know you have a bug ?

[choptop]

Great looking ride !!

Not sure which pic I like best, the bike or the patriotic bikini clad popsicle sucking girl !

[ths61]

Now that HD has a 117, will Indian come out with a 118 ? The last big-jug kit Victory had was 116 so it looks like HD took that into consideration with the 117.