Posted by saddlebag on June 3, 2011, 11:02 pm
wrote:
> On 03/06/2011 7:39 PM, saddlebag wrote:
> > So anyway, I give my experience at the Victory dealer a big fat thumbs
> > up. Good people, beautiful products, adult policies, excellent
> > ergonomics, good hours, smooth engines, cheap practical OEM
> > modifications, affixed lockable fuel caps, and even multi-thousand
> > dollar discounts on non-current year inventory make a Victory dealer
> > something to consider.
> Thanks for the good review of those bikes.
> I was driving by our Victory dealer yesterday and noticed what looked
> like a demo day. Several riders mounted on brand new bikes were just
> leaving the parking lot. I noticed a few of them were very shaky on
> their bikes as they pad footed their way out of the parking lot. Not an
> uncommon sight at a demo day.
> I stopped to chat with the one guy left in the parking lot and found it
> was not a demo day. It was a bunch of sales managers going for a ride
> to Banff. A bit of a perk I guess. Odd for sales managers to be so
> uncomfortable handling those bikes.
I think the Kingpin was quite easy to handle one I got used to the
light inputs needed to get it to turn.
The Hammer was a bigger deal to get right. I should mention I just
did a great big country block probably 4 or 5 miles long and only
turned right 4 times. I got up to probably 60 or 65 mph down the
straights. When I got back to the dealer I spent a little time doing
figure 8s in his parking lot and it seemed to do better, but I still
think that without fueling work it would be a handlful. I should note
that the Hammer was a Hammer S that had been traded in with only ~2000
miles for a Cross Country. The guy had put floorboards on it, which I
liked, a lowering kit, which I hated, and heel shifter that I also
hated because it locked my left foot in place on the floorboard. The
Kingpin also had a heel shifter (different type) which was kind of
nice to use and was out of the way and didn't present any issues with
moving my foot around.
Posted by TOG@Toil on June 9, 2011, 8:32 am
> Give some thought to the Ducati Diavel. It rides *nothing* like you'd expect
> given the 240 rear tyre. It pulls like a train and will hit 130 in less time
> than it takes to think about getting to that speed. 162 bhp tends to do
> that.
> It stops even more quickly and it goes around corners like it's glued to the
> road. Impossible lean angles aren't actually impossible either, in fact
> they're VERY possible and without the pegs decking out.
Oh, you've had a go on one, then? I can't help thinking it's super-
ugly.
Posted by Twibil on June 9, 2011, 1:33 pm
> My local Hon/Kaw/Suz/Yam dealer never lets anybody test ride - even if
> you pull out your money and lay it on the table.
Ours does; and you don't have to show them any money, either.
http://www.hyredlands.com/
The *do* have to know you well enough to have a reasonable expectation
that you're going top bring their bike back to them in one piece, and
know that you wouldn't be expressing an interest in riding the bike if
you weren't pretty serious about buying.
I've test-ridden three bikes there over the last five years or so and
ended up buying one of them, and they seem happy with those odds.
OTOH; the parts department really sucks.
Posted by saddlebag on June 9, 2011, 6:41 pm
> > My local Hon/Kaw/Suz/Yam dealer never lets anybody test ride - even if
> > you pull out your money and lay it on the table.
> Ours does; and you don't have to show them any money, either.
> http://www.hyredlands.com/
> The *do* have to know you well enough to have a reasonable expectation
> that you're going top bring their bike back to them in one piece, and
> know that you wouldn't be expressing an interest in riding the bike if
> you weren't pretty serious about buying.
> I've test-ridden three bikes there over the last five years or so and
> ended up buying one of them, and they seem happy with those odds.
> OTOH; the parts department really sucks.
Probably not just them. Parts are getting really hard to come by even
before the earthquake due to the recession and the ubiquity of "Just
in Time" manufacturing. I'd hate to need a part these days.
As much as I love my Yami dealer, thoughts of buying a Victory have
been dancing in my head lately. One thing that dissuades me is the
inability to get one of Cobras new autotune FI units. They are making
them for Harley and Metric V-twins and seem to be living up to the
marketing hype. Both the Vics I rode had minor stumbling issues at
low rpm. The Hammer has sportier cams stock and other aftermarket
goodies like filter and exhaust and its low throttle opening fueling
was worse than the piped Kingpin. She ran real well once you fed her
a little throttle though.
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> > So anyway, I give my experience at the Victory dealer a big fat thumbs
> > up. Good people, beautiful products, adult policies, excellent
> > ergonomics, good hours, smooth engines, cheap practical OEM
> > modifications, affixed lockable fuel caps, and even multi-thousand
> > dollar discounts on non-current year inventory make a Victory dealer
> > something to consider.
> Thanks for the good review of those bikes.
> I was driving by our Victory dealer yesterday and noticed what looked
> like a demo day. Several riders mounted on brand new bikes were just
> leaving the parking lot. I noticed a few of them were very shaky on
> their bikes as they pad footed their way out of the parking lot. Not an
> uncommon sight at a demo day.
> I stopped to chat with the one guy left in the parking lot and found it
> was not a demo day. It was a bunch of sales managers going for a ride
> to Banff. A bit of a perk I guess. Odd for sales managers to be so
> uncomfortable handling those bikes.