Victory Vision

VICTORY VISION

Not for sale...yet

No secret, really, that Victory Motorcycles has not exactly set the sales charts ablaze. In a year when HarleyDavidson will sell 200,000 units, Victory will be lucky to move...well, let’s just say Milwaukee ain’t exactly looking over its shoulder.

So, how to take a bigger share of the market? A little R&D wouldn’t hurt, but even with parent company Polaris’ money, there’s no way to compete with “Willie World,’’ Harley’s cavernous Product Development Center.

Victory’s recent hook-up with Visteon may help. The multi-national supplier of automobile electronics provides the engine-management system for the redone Freedom motor, and unveiled this tasty tease at the Sturgis Rally. It’s called the Vision and it’s chock-a-block with all kinds of electro-trickery.

The fairing-mounted GPS system is a no-brainer, but how about a fingerprint ignition lock? Xenon headlights, of course, and year-round riders will appreciate the heated seat and handgrips. Catch the Vision on the show circuit in 2002-and maybe something like it in showrooms not long after?

David Edwards