Vision On the Road
VISIONONTHEROAD
CW RIDING IMPRESSION
A cruiser-only company no more
MARK HOYER
IT WAS A MOST UNEXPECTED MOTORCYCLE. EVEN though Victory has set itself apart from other recent American bike-manufacturing start-ups by: a) not failing; b) not failing twice; and c) actually suc-
ceeding and making a profit, the 2008 Vision was still quite a shock.
Initially, the shock was simply visual. Our first look late last year revealed almost nothing except the stunning shape of a luxury-tourer designed in Minnesota and built in Iowa. The next shock came in riding the Vision Street and Tour models more than 500 miles over two days at the late-spring press introduction. Hitting the road on the Vision Street was a surprise from the first time I let out the hydraulic clutch.
As expected, the air/oil-cooled, ohc, 106-cubic-inch V-Twin is the same basic powertrain as the 92and 100inch versions that preceded it, but the standard 101mm bores work in new 108mm strokes (plus 6mm) for a displacement of 1731cc. (The 100-inch motor still powers the rest of the line with similar mechanical refinements, including the quieter split gear behind the clutch.)
A lower first gear works in concert with the claimed 92 crankshaft horsepower and 109 foot-pounds of torque to get these big bikes off the line with authority. Both the claimed 804-pound-dry Street and 849-pound Tour offer good acceleration in the lower gears, and out on the road clicking down to fifth and out of the overdrive sixth-gear allows for confident, swift passes. Seat of the pants, I’d rate power better than that of the H-D TC96 motor, even if it isn’t up to Honda Gold Wing/BMW K1200LT levels. Shift quality is good in an American-cruiser kind of way, although the dash-center digital gear indicator is slow to react (about 1 second), causing some confusion.
Low-speed throttle response is very smooth. This was an area of focus during development, so not only is the mapping refined, but the throttle cams are snail-shaped to open the dual 45mm butterflies on the closed-loop fuel-injection system more slowly at first crack.
Once we got out of the city and on to the backroads of rural Minnesota, chassis dynamics came into focus. The 45mm cartridge fork is welldamped, as is the single shock, working a swingarm 2 inches longer than those on the cruiser models. Wheelbase is 65.7 inches. Steering is dead-neutral at speed, even when trail-braking. Stability was impressive also, with the Vision maintaining its composure and line in bumpy turns even when heeled over and using its ample cornering clearance. Low-speed steering is also light. The 26!/2-inch seat height provides for confident stops and easy backing up-good in the latter case because reverse gear is not offered. Overall chassis performance is very good, even sporty, which, frankly, was the biggest surprise.
The triple disc brakes are linked rear-to-front only. Four of the six front caliper pistons (three total each side) are operated by the handlebar lever, while the other two are controlled by the rear pedal. Foot-pedal brake pressure, however, is only transmitted at heavier application, so that chassis behavior while braking retains a “normal” feel.
Riding position is kicked back and comfortable. Long floorboards and a good seat allow a lot of latitude in body attitude, from extreme feet-forward to an almost standardlike position. Foot controls are adjustable fore and aft as well as up and down. While clutch reach isn’t adjustable, the brake lever’s is.
Cruising along at 80 mph shows 3000 rpm on the easyto-read analog tach. The LCD dash-center display has tripcomputer functions (average speed/fuel, remaining range, etc.). The AM/FM/Weather Band unit has its main controls mounted in the center console, although like the standard cruise control, there are switch pods mounted on the bars, too. Stereo sound quality and volume were good, even through earplugs. On the options list are CB/intercom systems and XM satellite radio. A 3.5mm plug comes standard and is run into the left fairing glovebox to allow any MP3 player to feed the stereo, while an optional iPod interface plug allows track and playlist changes with song title displayed on the stereo’s (sometimes hard to read in the sun) LCD screen. All the electronics and buttons were intuitive to operate, and the optional Garmin GPS worked great.
Aside from having some glare when in its highest position, the electrically adjustable windscreen offered good air management, although both our riding days were windy, which made buffeting on the highway bothersome. Undermirror winglets blocked air flow to the chest when adjusted out, and allowed it when turned in. Nice on our hot second riding day. The no-trunk Street was surprisingly unaffected by crosswinds. The Tour’s trunk make it more susceptible to wind-induced boogie.
Base price on the Street is $18,999 (cruise, stereo, manually adjusted screen), or $20,499 for the Premium model with heated grips and seats, more chrome, the electric screen and an HID headlight with cool lit side badges. The Tour is offered in three levels starting at $19,999. The $20,499 Comfort package offers heated grips and seats and the electric windscreen, while the Premium level adds the HID/lit badges and chrome package, too, at a price of $21,499. Some 60 accessories (including exhaust systems that up power) will be available by the time bikes reach dealers this fall.
Bottom line? The Vision is a legitimate player in the luxury-touring market. Now there are four. U
For more on the 2008 Vision and other Victorys, log on to www.cycleworld.com
