Victory Vision

Victory says that it's okay if at first you look at this bike and ask yourself: "What the heck is that?" The Minnesota-based company describes its new Vision as "the most progressive American luxury-touring bikes ever built," and it's difficult to argue that point.

This is certainly no Electra Glide. In fact, the Victory Vision surely ranks up there with the unforgettable Honda Rune as the most forward-looking cruisers ever to have entered mass production. Victory reps boast that the Vision will be considered a landmark in the evolution of the motorcycle.

Victory Motorcycles is treading bold new ground in the luxury-touring market with this dramatically styled V-Twin cruiser. It's the culmination of more than six years of research and development after the initial market exploration in 2000. Twenty design sketches and hundreds of thousands of development miles later, the production Vision will arrive at dealers in autumn of 2007.

The Vision makes good business sense in a few key aspects. First is the bourgeoning popularity of the "bagger" segment. It's not only the fastest growing market among cruisers, it also represents the greatest value in terms of dollars spent.

The other significant market condition in favor of the Vision is the relative dearth of competition in the luxury-touring class. Beyond the aforementioned Electra Glide, the iconic Gold Wing and a few BMWs is an opportunity for a cushy touring mount brimming with comfort and convenience technology. And no one ever said a cruiser-based entry to the class had to look like a 40-year-old Harley.


Central to the design theme is the sculpting along the engine's forward cylinder that mimics the curves of Victory's distinctive scalloped fuel tank created by Victory's inspired designer Michael Song. In profile, the 50-degree Freedom V-Twin sits cozily inside the bodywork, like "a jewel in the setting." Similarly, the twin exhaust mufflers are nestled tidily in scooped slots under the locking, hard-shell saddlebags. The bike's nose has a bit of BMW R1200RT in it, while the shapely curves of the taillight area are like nothing else we've ever seen.

The Vision is actually two motorcycles based on the same platform. The full-boat version is called the Vision Tour, and its distinguishing feature is the generously sized topcase that is missing from its little brother, the Vision Street. The Tour version's 6,750 cubic inches of storage doubles that of the Street's. Both have roomy floorboards and low-maintenance belt drives.

Wind protection and airflow management, augmented by adjustable side wind deflectors, are claimed to be outstanding. A convenient electrically adjustable windscreen is optional. A 6.0-gallon fuel tank guarantees a 200-mile minimum range and also provides a location for the main stereo controls.