Should I stay or should I go?

[gregarious]

If I was going to get a Harley, I'd get the VROD with mid mount controls. They handle well, have power, and can be toured up with accessories. JMHO

 

[wheatonFJR]

I've gotta tell you now that if I was faced with riding a pirate replica bike like a Victory, I'd rather give up motorcycles altogether.

yep. me too.

I'd start looking to get something else more stylish...like a 1976 AMC Pacer or sumpin'.

 

[bluesdog]

Pirate replica bike

irate:

I am so stealing that! :lol:

 

[jmdaniel]

My best friend works for Polaris, (the company that makes Victory motorcycles), and I have been riding them every year since they came out; some years when I would go back home to Minnesota for vacation, and when I lived there during the early '00s, as a tradeoff when I was riding my VTX with him. They have improved drastically over the years, but I would never have one in my garage, (and yes, I've told him the same thing). I'm just not a V-twin guy, and my bike needs to be something other than a lumbering turd. If there were only two bike companies, Hardly and Victory, and I had to choose one, I guess it would be the Victory, but only so I could avoid getting lumped in with the mouth breathers on the other side.

If the Feejer isn't doing it for you, for the reasons you stated, I would recommend getting a Wing. Or, and only if you light your fireplace with $100 bills, wait until Polaris rolls out the 2014 line of Indians, (the other motorcycle line they own). Very cool bikes, and the brand is now with a company that has the deep pockets and engineering/manufacturing skills to keep it going.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Tons of great responses here. And I agree with what's been said.....the typical cruiser riding position is a lot less comfortable (for me) than the FJR. I have a bad disc in my lower back that acts up once in a while, and just sitting in the cruiser posture will be agonizing. Surprisingly, when my back has been touchy, an FJR ride actually makes my back feel better, believe it or not.

One more solution. Keep the FJR, and buy a convertible. Just say "no" to a trike. It is both a bad car and a bad bike.

 

[motorcop2396]

My best friend works for Polaris, (the company that makes Victory motorcycles), and I have been riding them every year since they came out; some years when I would go back home to Minnesota for vacation, and when I lived there during the early '00s, as a tradeoff when I was riding my VTX with him. They have improved drastically over the years, but I would never have one in my garage, (and yes, I've told him the same thing). I'm just not a V-twin guy, and my bike needs to be something other than a lumbering turd. If there were only two bike companies, Hardly and Victory, and I had to choose one, I guess it would be the Victory, but only so I could avoid getting lumped in with the mouth breathers on the other side.

If the Feejer isn't doing it for you, for the reasons you stated, I would recommend getting a Wing. Or, and only if you light your fireplace with $100 bills, wait until Polaris rolls out the 2014 line of Indians, (the other motorcycle line they own). Very cool bikes, and the brand is now with a company that has the deep pockets and engineering/manufacturing skills to keep it going.

 

[motorcop2396]

Now waiting on an Indian is something I never considered. I am a true Indian fan.Never have liked the Harley. It maybe something to wait for.and solve this delima. I must say the wing is also a consideration, however the nastalga of an Indian.....dreamy!

 

[jmdaniel]

Well, you don't have to wait for an Indian, they are selling them now. The only reason I mentioned 2014 is that Polaris has been putting their touch more and more on the bikes. If I recall correctly, the '12 models were pretty much what was in the pipe when they bought the name, and the '13 has seen some improvement, but the '14 models will have a lot of quality touches.

But remember what I said about lighting fires with $100 bills? Check the prices on the Indian website. Polaris is pretty proud of those bikes...

 

[vaughn]

This summer I was filling up my Gen 2 FJR while touring in Nelson BC when I noticed a shiny new Victory at the pumps. Visually, it was a beautiful bike. The owner of the Victory came over to ask me about the FJR. He informed me that he had recently traded his Honda VFR for a Victory. He travelled from Saskatchewan to BC (a long way).

Here's the important part. When I asked how he liked his new Victory he said "I hate it". He went on to explain that it really wasn't "enjoyable" on the mountain highways of BC. Not bad on the straight predictable highways of Saskatchewan, but "horrible" in the mountains. He clearly expressed that it was one of the most regrettable (and expensive) purchases he had ever made.

He had never ridden an FJR and inquired about its suitability for long distance touring. From my perspective, I explained how much fun I was having, carving through the mountain passes, fully loaded, two up with luggage, 6-8 hour days. That conversation gave me new respect for my FJR. Don't know if this helps you with your decision, but there it is. I'm not putting down Victory. They're just not right for everybody and if you need change, they may be an uninspired transition from an FJR. Good luck with your decision.

 

[garyahouse]

Congratulations on all the responses.

We sure have a lot of opinions around here. However, if you really want a rolling couch, then why not just...

BUY ONE?

Gary

the darkside strikes again.

 

[xcsp]

Anyone ever notice how much "play" is in the shifter linkage on a Victory? Rear brake pedal has some too! Guess they'd have to charge more if it was more precisely made??

To the OP, if you can, get out and ride, or better yet, rent any of the potential bikes that you are interested in for at least a day or 2 to see how it works for you.

After the demo rides I have had on H-D's & Victory's and get back on my FJR, I know I'm on the right bike for me.

 

[BikerGeek99]

I love how someone mentions "cruiser" and the bashers immediately come out. Gimme a ******' break.

Anyway.

MC - I was a cruiser guy for 11 years before I bought my FJR. Had a Yamaha Virago 1100 Special (good looking bike, but I hated it) a year, then a Harley Dyna Wide Glide for 10 years (I loved that bike; still miss it).

I 'get' what you mean about knee and hip pain. Every now and then I get a "twinge" in my hips and I've got craptastic knees - at the very least, they're both gonna have to be scoped. I'm just trying to take care of 'em best I can for now to put that crap off.

I can see how the riding position of the FJR could cause discomfort. It is what it is. Some folks can go and run a marathon without any worries. I would be lucky to make it a quarter mile.

Based on my experience, cruisers are not comfortable for very long. 300 miles in a day was the MAX I'd ever want to ride. On the FJR, 300 miles is just getting going.

The bottom line, though, is do what's best for YOU. Go for a test ride - if ya like it, buy the damn thing! Life is too short.

 

[Big Sky]

xcsp,

Your comment was spot on. After I spent the better part of an afternoon test riding three Victories - a cruiser, a bagger and the Vision - I got on my '05 FJR, with its essentially 11-year-old engineering, and was flat amazed at simply how much better the FJR was in all respects: comfort, ergonomics, wind management, brakes, shifting/transmission, power, handling, smoothness ... everything that matters to me. Looks? Well, that's totally subjective but I'm not all about "turning heads," which a Victory will do. Actually, my '82 Honda Sabre 750, built 30 years ago, was a better engineered motorcycle.

 

[FJR Bill]

I think many good points have been made on this thread and I'm sure the viewership and the OP have enjoyed it. Might as well let some drift set in, so here goes:

Love my 09 FJR, at old age it works for me beautifully and I'm very satisfied with it. Cruisers compared here have been bashed but for good reason. There is only one Cruiser that I find exceptional and not very well known. It's the California series offered by Moto Guzzi. I have my 1998 EV Moto Guzzi and put over 120,000 miles on it and the only failure was its clutch at about 95,000 miles. I've used it for long rides and camping trips. Wind protection is good but the Cali Sci on the FJR is superior. Comfort? The FJR is good to me but the Guzzi is better with no adjustments except I modded the seat. Power? FJR kills it however I can travel faster in the twisties with the humble EV, it performs like a S/T not a cruiser. The current Guzzi Norge (not a Cruiser) is getting good reviews and I suggest it be considered as a possible bike for long distance, comfortable trips. My main point is the Guzzi California "Cruisers" are not like the rest in that class. Check them out.

Bill

 

[motorcop2396]

thanks Bill

 

[motorcop2396]

I love how someone mentions "cruiser" and the bashers immediately come out. Gimme a ******' break.

Anyway.

MC - I was a cruiser guy for 11 years before I bought my FJR. Had a Yamaha Virago 1100 Special (good looking bike, but I hated it) a year, then a Harley Dyna Wide Glide for 10 years (I loved that bike;

I 'get' what you mean about knee and hip pain. Every now and then I get a "twinge" in my hips and I've got craptastic knees - at the very least, they're both gonna have to be scoped. I'm just trying to take care of 'em best I can for now to put that crap off.

I can see how the riding position of the FJR could cause discomfort. It is what it is. Some folks can go and run a marathon without any worries. I would be lucky to make it a quarter mile.

Based on my experience, cruisers are not comfortable for very long. 300 miles in a day was the MAX I'd ever want to ride. On the FJR, 300 miles is just getting going.

The bottom line, though, is do what's best for YOU. Go for a test ride - if ya like it, buy the damn thing! Life is too short.

 

[motorcop2396]

Congratulations on all the responses.

We sure have a lot of opinions around here. However, if you really want a rolling couch, then why not just...

BUY ONE?

Gary

the darkside strikes again.

 

[DaJudge]

Try an inexpensive seat mod first. I had the Spencer's seat mod done (with Supracore) on my '07 black cherry and added an Alaskan Sheepskin pad. I'm 6'2 225 (almost 52 years old) and it was decently comfy for day-long trips. The mod changes the seat support so that you aren't being pushed into the tank as much. It made a difference for me. After a couple of rather hairy back-to-back close calls a couple of years ago, I sadly sold that '07 FJR and rode mostly off-road for a year.

 

Fast forward to the present and getting back into riding street - I picked up an '05 FJR to go along with my Triumph Rocket III. Two distinctly different bikes, but both are a blast to ride and great for their intended uses. For longer riding (or when I need to have any storage space), the FJR is the bike of choice and I'm quite happy to be back on one. The '05 still has the stock seat, but does have heli-risers and it's comfy enough that I'd take it on a multi-hour run. The muscle/cruiser position on the Rocket is fine for an hour or two, especially since it's larger than many muscle/cruiser bikes (some, like the V-Max, feel cramped to me). After a while, I sometimes feel sore in my hips. For some reason, if I ride my friend's VTX1800, I feel hip discomfort much more quickly even with highway pegs (plus, it handles like a pig).

 

Now, that being said, if I manage to get to retirement in one piece and want to spend days on end riding long distances in comfort across the U.S. and Canada, call me a "winger".

 

[garyahouse]

Congratulations on all the responses.

We sure have a lot of opinions around here. However, if you really want a rolling couch, then why not just...

BUY ONE?

-not bashin' here, just tryin' to lighten things up a bit...

Gary

the darkside strikes again.

 

[rbentnail]

Congratulations on all the responses.

We sure have a lot of opinions around here. However, if you really want a rolling couch, then why not just...

BUY ONE?

Gary

the darkside strikes again.

That's no couch, he's got the solo seat on! That's the recliner-cruiser, the single geek's version of the rolling couch.