Will Victory ever be a threat to Harley?

**ratusratus** · 2nd July 2012, 07:54

Ive just been riding over in the USA and saw heaps of Harleys and the occasional Victory
I just cant see it happening.......but ya never know:-)

**Maha** · 2nd July 2012, 09:59

Victory Motorcycles will never be victorious where thats concerned in the states (or anywhere for that matter) because, harley's are just too common.

**ducatilover** · 2nd July 2012, 10:08

No, because Harley owners do not buy a superior bike, they buy a badge/image and then argue through gritted teeth that it's a perfect bike, when putting pedals on play-dough would ride better.

**Coolz** · 2nd July 2012, 10:18

Harleys have been around for over 100 years and are as popular today as ever. They have outlasted many great compeditors...Indian comes to mind...Victory?...I doubt Willie G is losing any sleep over them.

**White trash** · 2nd July 2012, 10:32

Originally Posted by ducatilover

No, because Harley owners do not buy a superior bike, they buy a badge/image and then argue through gritted teeth that it's a perfect bike, when putting pedals on play-dough would ride better.

The same could be said about Ducati owners if we're perfectly honest. That this argument still surfaces amazes me. Harley buyers buy Harleys because they want to buy a Harley. If they wanted a "technically" superior cruiser, they'd buy something else.

**ducatilover** · 2nd July 2012, 10:35

Originally Posted by White trash

The same could be said about Ducati owners if we're perfectly honest. That this argument still surfaces amazes me. Harley buyers buy Harleys because they want to buy a Harley. If they wanted a "technically" superior cruiser, they'd buy something else.

Ducati make some pretty shite bikes too, I'd know.

**skippa1** · 2nd July 2012, 12:17

Originally Posted by ratusratus

Ive just been riding over in the USA and saw heaps of Harleys and the occasional Victory
I just cant see it happening.......but ya never know:-)

The only thing thats changed in 80 years is the price

**Gremlin** · 2nd July 2012, 12:34

When you buy a Harley you're not really just buying a bike. You enter a whole family, merchandising etc.

The average rider might discount this, especially in NZ, but certainly not in the USA.

**Big Dave** · 2nd July 2012, 13:06

Originally Posted by ducatilover

No, because Harley owners do not buy a superior bike, they buy a badge/image and then argue through gritted teeth that it's a perfect bike, when putting pedals on play-dough would ride better.

They buy the bikes because they like them.

**lakedaemonian** · 2nd July 2012, 13:15

Victory is selling a motorcycle.

Harley-Davidson is selling a lifestyle and membership in a community......your ticket in just happens to be the bike.

And that's where most of the other brands either fail, or attempt to emulate Harley-Davidson and follow then down the track they cut.

Harley-Davidson was/is an opportunity for someone out of the general public to be a socially acceptable "black sheep" and ride a bit different from the herd.

Within the motorcycling community in many places(as well as here in NZ) Harley-Davidson IS the herd with quite significant market share....so it results in upstarts like Victory getting the odd bike on the road, but the odds of them achieving any kind of scale against HD is quite slim.

One of the most cheeky things I've ever seen was Indian Motorcycles parking up in front of the convention center where Harley was having their dealer meeting a few years ago to solicit dealers.

It was quite cheeky and smelled of desperation.

Just look at Ferrari....they make some hot cars.....but it's possible to build cars that are better, better looking, and cheaper.....but the odds of them gaining traction against the Ferrari Machine is approaching absolute zero in my lifetime.

**Big Dave** · 2nd July 2012, 13:23

And there are quite a lot of people who just buy the bike and don't 'embrace the lifestyle' or want to be part of a commumity.

They just treat them as nice bikes and often own other brands/types of bike as well.

**skippa1** · 2nd July 2012, 13:29

Originally Posted by Big Dave

And there are quite a lot of people who just buy the bike and don't 'embrace the lifestyle' or want to be part of a commumity.

They just treat them as nice bikes and often own other brands/types of bike as well.

yup.....you nailed it