Quote Originally Posted by unsub View Post
Since you're asking I don't think you can compare a belt or a chain drive to the shaft drive on a GL1800. Of the three I would have to say the shaft is essentially quiet and maintenance free, whereas the other two are not. I would put the belt drive in the negative column. Specifically on Polaris Victory machines there are numerous owner reports of belt chirp and alignment issues. Enough reports to make me [if I were in your shoes] think there may be a real issue buried in there somewhere. You also point out correctly that Indian has had numerous owners over the years. That's a deal breaker me [if I were in your shoes] because again as you've pointed out you want ride time, and not wrench time with the dealers or lack thereof. God, it would be like finding Artesians looking for someone to escalate issues to at Polaris.

I had 2 Victorys---one had the belt chirp. Go over to the Victory and Indian forums and it is a mixed bag as far as responses to the problem. Some guys got new sprockets and some---like my dealer---played dumb to the issue and was happy to replace it at full MSRP and $90 hour labor charge. But that was Vic. I rode all the Indian models and they are a quality bikes. My concern would be dealer support and the price associated with it. I have experienced quite a bit of "heartburn" and "elevated anger issues" in dealing with Polaris on the most simple items. Not sure about Indian, but with Vic, ALL warranty work must be given written permission before work is started and even then, the wait for parts can be excessive. (Google is your friend) How close is your Indain dealer? Closest to me is over 150 miles away and if he doesn't make you happy, then how about 200 miles? That being said, bot of my Victorys were quality machines, but if you want to add accessories, at this stage of production your only option is Indian. That may not sound like a big deal, but on my Cross Roads, when I went to add a backrest and luggage rack, there was one option and the combo was close to 1K. Yep---that is not a misprint. Look it up.

Now for the F6B, the dealer thingy is not an issue for 2 reasons. 1) they are all over the place and 2) you never need them because it never breaks down. There are more goodies for the B than I could ever afford---remember there are a ton of Wings on the street and almost everything that fits a wing can fit the B. There is also a reason this generation of Wing/F6B has been in production for well over a decade. Personally, after years polishing chrome on Harleys, I am happy to wash my bike and be done in 10 minutes, but that is just me.

My biggest issue with the B will most likely be yours. You will spend money making the seat, bars and windshield fit your specific body. Some guys fit from the stocj OEM position, but most have to change something. Once you do that, you will have the best combination of comfort and touring----then when you open it up on the twisties you will most likely be able to hang with the sportbike crowd, too.

I'm done!

BTW---welcome to the board.