I thought I'd post this "blog" in this space as it's the story that gave me the idea to start TheVOG.net. When I decided to get back into riding after a six year absence, I started writing an almost daily accounting of my experiences. From the purchase to folks I met along the way to experiences with other websites here it is: But first here's a warning...it's long, very long.

2008 Victory Vision
After a six year absence, I returned to the world of motorcycling with the newest in state of the art touring bikes

For many years, I loved motorcycling. I've owned more than a dozen bikes ranging from small and large scooters to sport bikes, street cruisers and highway two-wheeled Winnebago's. The bikes were a combination of models from Honda, Yamaha and Harley-Davidson.

In the past, I used motorcycling as a getaway from my hectic business traveling. Since I had little if any free time in those days, a nice two hour ride was a great way to unwind after returning from a long business trip.

While I did much of my riding on the back roads and highways of Tennessee and surrounding states, I moved to South Florida in the late 1990s. The riding in this area is different from the Tennessee experience. In South Florida, everything is flat and the drivers are nuts. I sold my last two bikes when I moved from Miami Beach to Boca Raton as I didn't like what I saw in the way people drove their cars in this area. Let's face it, Boca is a retirement haven and what I noticed was the driving skills were indicative of the average demographic age of the area.

I recently moved 35 miles North of Boca to the Palm Beach area and after living here a few months I realized that drivers are, for the most part, much more civilized. I missed riding and wanted to get back into the activity.

In January 2007 (still living in Boca), I was watching CNBC when they covered the unveiling of the Victory Vision at the New York Motorcycle Show. I immediately was drawn to it's design, styling and creature comforts, but had never ridden a Victory bike. I've read and heard good things about this New American Motorcycle Company, but had zero first hand experience with its products.

When I saw the unveiling, I then read numerous reports online. It was definitely a Love-It or Hate-It initial impression. I happened to be one that was attracted to the Vision's futuristic styling. I called the local dealer the same day as the unveiling and asked to be kept informed when this bike would be showing up at his dealership.

However, understanding product cycles, I didn't want to be the first on my block with this bike as I preferred to have some of the initial bugs identified and corrected before considering a  purchase.

After the initial product demand pipeline was filled and bikes started becoming readily available, I contacted the dealer to setup a test drive. Today's economic conditions that were triggered by the sub-prime mortgage market, has spread to all luxury goods...even motorcycles. In these economic times, high-end products, even desirable motorcycles are not flying off the showroom floors. It's a tough market to introduce any new product...especially one that will set you back nearly $25K.

The dealer experience was nothing short of extraordinary. They didn't try to sell me "image" as I experienced over the years from Harley dealers, they were bike-guys that let the Vision sell itself. At no time during the purchase process did I feel pressured.

Allow me to state that it's no secret that I'm technically oriented and love well designed electronic creature comforts. After a nice talk with the dealer, he openly admitted that I was not his typical customer as I'm well versed in current electronic offerings and while he didn't know the answers to all my questions, he would get them for me. Instead of giving me inaccurate information about the electronic features and functions, we arrived at an agreement that we would work together to fully understand the integration of numerous features that were unique to this bike and not offered on existing Victory models.

It was nice to have this type of experience and the assurance that if something is not working correctly, he would take the time to get it right. I also let him know that I was far from a mechanic and a lot of the associated jargon was foreign to me. Basically, I don't service my bikes, I depend on the dealer to keep it in a safe, strong operating condition. It was a pleasure of a purchase...the best I've ever experienced. No hard sell, no tricks.

We agreed on the terms and conditions of the purchase and a delivery date. I wanted the bike delivered as the dealership was nearly an hour away from my home. I wanted to get used to the bike on my familiar turf and in my neighborhood prior to taking it on various streets and highways. It would take about a week to get the final accessories I requested delivered and installed. When the delivery date approached, I received a call from the dealer telling me that a couple of items would arrive a week later than originally thought. We agreed these items would be installed at the first service interval. A later call let me know that when he was prepping it for delivery, he noticed a small bubbling on a body part. He wanted to replace it prior to delivery. This was a good thing...having a dealer that truly inspected the bike for any defects prior to delivery. This was a service I had never experienced with any previous bike purchase. This is the type of thing that breeds brand and dealer loyalty.

When the bike was delivered to my home, it was nice having an uninterrupted walk-through in my driveway. There was no paging or other distractions. He went stem-to-stern on the walk through and took the time to answer every question. Yes, when you get a new bike the first thing you want to do is to take it for a ride. Instead, he took the time to make sure I fully understood the operation of various functions and delivered excellent information.

The following is my accounting on getting back into riding after a short absence with a bike that is truly different than anything I've ever ridden.

While this site is not setup to be a message board, if you have any questions or input, feel free to drop an email by clicking the Contact link at the top of this page.

February 14, 2008
Day 1

My Midnight Cherry Vision was delivered this afternoon. While I had taken a short test drive prior to purchasing, it takes putting more miles on it to get comfortable on any bike.

First, I'm very pleased with my purchase. My dealer, Victory of South Florida was a pleasure to deal with. This is my 12th bike over 20 years and I've owned multiple bikes from Honda, Yamaha and Harley.

Also, I haven't ridden in six years, so I'm operating the bike with a bit of caution.

The dealer experience was wonderful and I highly recommend them. It was far from the Harley experience where I've always felt at a disadvantage during the purchase procedure and the follow up service.

He didn't try to sell me the "American Heritage" crap, or overload me with junk I just don't need at this time. He just touted a superior motorcycle from a company that strives to constantly improve its offerings. .

Allow me to state, I'm far from a mechanic and do not plan on doing any of my own service. So having a good relationship with the dealer is important to me. On the other hand, I'm a tech-guy (my profession) and he did not hesitate to let me know that we would learn how to outfit the bike to my specifications together. If it's not right, no problem, he'll follow up to make sure all the gadgets work properly.

Basically, I added everything except the CB/Intercom system. All other technology items are on this bike. I didn't opt for the standard Victory GPS as has already been discontinued by Garmin. Instead, I purchased from Amazon the Garmin 2820 as it includes the current maps and adds other features such as Bluetooth and XM. While I installed the Victory XM package, I wanted to use the XM Traffic and Weather features on the GPS. The dealer installed it and it fits perfectly. I also opted for the iPod connector and am using a 2nd Generation Nano.

It works perfectly and as promised. (It sounds much better than the radio).

While I purchased the Tour Premium, I will not be using the trunk on a regular basis. I've ordered the trunk wall mount and will attach it when needed. The dealer was upfront and honest when he told me that it might take a week or two to obtain the cover under the trunk. So, I'm riding it with the trunk until the part

comes in. My hope was to get some initial seat time without the trunk. But that's life and the dealer has been honest and upfront with me. I must say, that when I stopped for dinner, having the trunk was a great convenience as there are no helmet locks on the ViVi

My first experience was backing it out of my driveway which is level, but has a swell where it meets the street. I'm not a tall driver (5'6") and gaining the proper traction backing up over the swell took some practice. I'm sure I'll become more comfortable with this maneuver with more experience.

I spent the first hour riding at reasonable speeds in my neighborhood.

I am more concerned becoming comfortable riding at slow speeds and mastering tight, slow turns and U-Turns. I learned not to fight the bike as it is very intuitive at low speeds. A slight lean and a head movement into the turn makes the bike much more nimble than the 800+ lb. weight you lead you to believe. It's difficult to trust any bike of this size, but after day 1, I feel slow speed maneuvers will soon become second nature.

Next I did some street riding and was very pleased with the performance and handling. Anyone who says this bike is underpowered is crazy. While I'm keeping the RPMs low during the break-in period, I always felt there was plenty of off the line power and no limit to the roll-on.

I then gave it a ride on the 70mph Florida Turnpike. The acceleration is smooth and delivers a great roll on power band. It was my first time experiencing the 6th gear and while it maintained a low RPM, it still delivered a good sound from the Level 1 (with Gunner tips) exhaust.

The GPS worked well...but right now I'm not focusing on the technology while riding as I want to focus on the bike and riding responsibly.

(The dealer also mentioned to focus on the bike initially, not the toys...great advice). I did try the cruise control and it operated like a champ without taking my eyes off the road.

At 70MPH, it was much more stable than my old Harley Road King...and this is with the trunk mounted...I'm wondering how the highway handling will change when the trunk is removed. Buffeting is basically non existent. However, when compared to the Goldwing, while the Vision delivers a great ride, it's a completely different experience from the Goldwing. The GW felt more stable at high speeds. But, GWs are a bear in stop and go traffic. The Vision handled stop and go very, very well and I always felt a good balance. (I love the low seat height!).

While I've only had a few hours of seat time on this bike, this is an initial review. My feeling is that this bike is a cross between a Goldwing and a Harley Glide...with the best aspects of both. It's much more nimble than the Glide, but not as smooth at highway speeds as a Goldwing. But, let's face it, the Wing is a fairly boring ride. The Vision is not! I'm not disappointed as this blend was the type of bike/ride I was seeking and so far, I'm happy with my purchase.

I'm taking the refresher rider course next week and am looking forward to remembering many of the riding habits I've forgotten due to my five year absence.

February 15, 2008
DAY 2

It took three calls to get the XM Radio activated. Call 1 was an automated system...no luck. Call 2 was to a live person...no luck.

Call 3 got the radio activated.

I'm feeling much more comfortable with the bike today. I just took a 50 mile ride through town, along the ocean and on the Florida Turnpike. It's near 80 degrees today and the only time I felt any heat was when I was going stop light to stop light...at a stop. The heat was near my calves and wasn't bad, just a bit noticeable. When underway, just by sliding the feet outwards a couple of inches along the floorboards resolved the heat issue. Compared to my old Harleys, the heat generated on the Vision is minimal. Also, due to the seat being behind the engine, not on top of the rear cylinder as in most Harleys, the seat didn't get warm. Allow me to note, the floorboards are great! I had the shifter and the brake lever placed in the rear (close) position and it fits me well. I hope the critics notice that these floorboards are standard equipment, not a Parts and Labor overcharge you'll find at that other American motorcycle dealer.

While yesterday, I was a bit uncomfortable on the highway at 70+ MPH, today it felt much better and there was zero fatigue. Chalk that up to first day jitters. The trunk is still intact and it will be a week or so until the plate arrives so that I can remove the trunk. I'm very curious as to how differently it will handle with the trunk removed.

However, when stopping at a Starbucks, it was nice to simply be able to place the helmet in the trunk.

Another interesting observation was that when riding over the grates on the top of draw-bridges, the bike remained stable. On my old Goldwing and Harleys, I would always have the feeling of "skating"

This did not happen with the Vision.

The automatic volume control worked well. It would get louder based on your speed and vice-versa. The XM satellite sounded great...well, as good as the speakers. But let's be real. It's a motorcycle sound system, not a Lexus.

So far my only complaint is that someone should have designed a "quick release" bracket for the GPS. It's a pain to take off an on. When parked, I simply place the snap-on cover over the display. If anyone knows of a quick release bracket, please click the Contact button on the top of this page and I'll share the information.

So, on Day 2, I'm becoming more comfortable with my purchase.

February 16, 2008
DAY 3

Played golf this morning and just took a short 30 mile highway ride.

I'm now finding myself sitting a bit further back in the seat. This is very helpful in slow turns. I guess this means I'm starting to trust the bike more. It truly handles better than any other large bike I've ever owned. I'm impressed with the natural characteristics of this bike.

I filled the gas tank for the first time and took the advice of blog posters and filled slowly and when it appeared full I slightly moved the bike side to side and continued to add more gas. I had about 65 miles to go to empty and it took 4.387 gallons. After the fill-up, the fuel gauge showed slightly more than 3/4 full on the stand and full when upright. I noticed it took about a minute for the digital display to recalculate the miles per empty reading. I'm getting 42 MPG average. I'm doing my best to keep it under 3,000 RPM during the break-in period and am riding an equal mix of street/highway riding.

The only problem I'm having is with my Scala Rider Q2 headset when paired to the Garmin 4820 GPS and a Samsung Blackjack phone. Simply stated, the GPS volume is too low when routed through the Bluetooth headset. And, I'm getting intermittent beeping in my ear. I'll be on the phone with Scala on Monday. Worse case scenario, I'll un-pair the headset from the GPS and just pair it to the phone. I haven't tried the phone while riding yet, but am sure the sound quality won't be that great. Click Here For More Info on the Scala Rider Q2

I'm still riding with the trunk and the handling is great for a bike this size. I'm anxious to try it out without the trunk to see how it improves. I will admit I like having the storage space for the helmet when stopped.

When I arrived home, I stopped in the driveway to play with the Bluetooth settings with the motor running. I noticed that after a couple of minutes the heat rising from the side of the engine. This was not noticeable when riding...only when stopped for a few minutes with the engine running. Unlike my old Harleys, the seat did not absorb the heat from the engine. No complaints.

February 17, 2008
Day 4 - Morning

I visited a V-Twin forum last night and it was interesting to read what the Harley-Owners are saying about the Vision. I posted my initial experiences and the following is a question I received (posted verbatim) and the response I delivered:

V-TWIN RIDER QUESTION: It sounds like you are real happy with the bike, I remember going from a Low Rider to a Road king being vertically challenged that backing up was scary 8 years later it's no big deal. I am curious as to the feel of the bike, every honda I ever road felt very sterile-no real feed back from the clutch or throttle, not that it didn't respond but my harleys felt more mechanical? Is the victory neutral in its feel or do you feel like you are riding a machine. Not sure if thats a clear cut question but if you road a RK then a GW you know what I mean.

MY RESPONSE: Yes, I'm happy with the Vision. It was a major, somewhat difficult decision to go with a yet unproven bike. It was a gamble and while I'm happy after a few days, I think I'll stay happy over the long run.

I've owned three Harleys: Heritage Softail Special (I forgot the year, but it was the cream/silver model) and Sportster (good on street, poor on highway) and a Road King (pretty good bike). The Road King was a late 1990's model and was purchased new. It was the first HD RK with fuel injection. I remember the dealer had a difficult time and getting it to deliver the "potato" sound and they were using my bike and my wallet to try to figure out how to get a good sound out of a Fuel Injected model. I liked the ride of the RK and in many ways the Vision is similar. The Vision feels and is much larger than the RK on the road and is easier to handle at slow speeds. The center of gravity is completely different.

Not to trash the RK, but one issue I had with it was the chrome. I had a combination of stock and aftermarket chrome products. When I moved the bike to my South Florida Beach Home, I started having chrome pitting problems. I was traveling (for business) at that time and although the bike was garage kept, it was an open-air garage and part of a high rise building. I would keep it covered when I was out of town. It was not directly exposed to the elements, but if you've ever lived on or near a Florida beach, you'll understand the air is humid and salty. After a short ten days, the pitting would reappear. The part that confused my dealer that only the Genuine Harley Parts would pit, not the aftermarket chrome parts. This dealer, Petersons, was much better than my previous (I won't slam them) dealership. They would pick up the bike, polish the pits out and return the bike. After a few rounds of this, I finally asked they sell it for me. It had few miles and they treated me fairly. Now, back to the Vision...

This bike is far from sterile. The way it looks and the way it rides are totally different. At first glance, it's futuristic love-it-or-hate-it design gave you the impression that it would deliver a Goldwing type of ride...until you sat on it and pressed the start button. Like a Harley, it delivers an exciting, exploding sound.

Burping the throttle is similar to a Harley with good pipes...definitely not boring. Definitely a major league V-Twin. (I have the Level 1 exhaust with the Tail Gunner tips). The 106CI, 1,700+CC Engine is definitely in the major leagues and is more akin to an Arlen Ness modified Harley. Remember, other than the Level 1 exhaust and new tips, this was a "stock" bike. I was impressed that I didn't have to spend thousands extra to get this experience.

The throttle is very Harley-like, but without unneeded vibration. It's not sterile like a Honda. The roll on is amazing. I am not experiencing numb-thumbs. Yes, I can feel the engine through the grips, but only the good part of the feel...not the shaky part.

The hydraulic clutch is smooth, but engages late in the lever release.

The feel of it was similar to the Road King that had the accessory (I forgot the name of it) that makes the clutch easier to pull. Although it engages later in the release, it is easy to control.

Shifting is easy. It's a toe-only shifter, although toe/heel shifters are available. However, if you add the heel/toe shifter, you'll lose some of the floorboard space (The floorboards are huge and allow for multiple positions). The interesting part about the shifter and floor brake is that they are adjustable to three positions: front/center/rear.

Being a shorter rider, 5'6" I wisely had it set to the rear position as when I test drove the demo model, I found myself reaching a bit to reach the brake lever. This was a nice feature to include and confirmed that this is a true riders bike that can fit a variety of body types.

Finding Neutral has been easy. Not Honda easy, but much easier than any Harley I've owned or ridden. Shifting is a positive-click experience and has a bit of that good Harley thunk. Allow me to add that not only is there a neutral light, there is a large LCD that displays the current gear...although there is about a one-second lag.

Don't laugh, this a welcomed feature as when I was on the highway, I didn't realize I was in 5th gear until I saw the display...I thought I was in the 6th (overdrive) gear.

Per your question: "I am curious as to the feel of the bike, every honda I ever road felt very sterile-no real feed back from the clutch or throttle, not that it didn't respond but my harleys felt more mechanical? Is the victory neutral in its feel or do you feel like you are riding a machine. Not sure if thats a clear cut question but if you road a RK then a GW you know what I mean."

Yes, I fully understand the question and had the same concern prior to test riding. The Vision delivers an American V-Twin Power Machine Feel...definitely not Honda-mechanical. The Arlen Ness influence is apparent. It's far from a sterile Honda feel. The best way I can describe the riding experience is getting you to imagine a bike that handles easier than a Road King around town and more stable than a Glide on the highway. It is not a wimp...it's a heavy bike. This 850lb behemoth (with trunk) drops 250 lbs as soon as you reach 5 mph. But feels solid on a 70mph highway cruise. Great sound with a very solid American feel. At all speeds, there is a lower level of negative vibrations...the type that causes driving fatigue. The electrically adjustable fairing windshield slides up and down to accommodate wind in the face or full protection. The vibration does not translate to the windshield or mirrors...the mirror vision remains stable at all speeds. The mirrors are oversized and provides a wide view. (Some of the press reviewers complained they could see their hands in the mirror. Duh! I guess they didn't take a moment to adjust them properly!)

Another noteworthy factor is the stock seat. It is absolutely the most comfortable stock bike seat I've ever experienced. Not too soft, not too hard. The incorporated driver "butt rest" is wonderful. As mentioned, I'm started to settle into the seat and the further back I sit in it, the better the low speed handling. This was a good experience for me.

Allow me to add that I am in no way affiliated with Victory or in any way to the motorcycle industry. I retired at a young age and was a professional product reviewer for most of my life who provided non-biased evaluations of consumer electronic products. The information I have posted about the Vision is strictly personal opinion, but comes from someone who has owned at least a dozen various motorcycles over a period of nearly 20 years.

I'm not saying that the Vision is perfect, but from my experience, this is the best first generation motorcycle product I've ever seen.

It seems that this bike was not rushed out the door and Victory suffered a few delays that were beneficial to the early adopters. This is a good thing and I just wish more companies would realize that first impressions are lasting impressions.

END OF RESPONSE

DAY 4 - Afternoon

The weather was iffy this morning, but the clouds passed Northern Palm Beach County around 11am and the radar showed clear skies to the South. So, I did a highway ride today. I went to the folks' around 40 miles South of me for an all Turnpike ride. The speed limit is 70mph and traffic is light on Sundays...so it was a great day for a ride. On
a side note, there's nothing like telling your Senior Citizen Folks...Hey, I got a new bike! Of course, they're not thrilled but are used to me having bikes most of my adult life. (I was raised in a household where motorcycles were not allowed...not even open for discussion. Being in my early 50's now with 20+ years riding experience, with a multi-year sabbatical from riding, I realize it was probably a good thing to wait to enter the world of bikes until I was a bit older. As adults, we know we're not bulletproof and typically don't attempt crazy maneuvers and don't mind wearing the proper protective gear). The only scary part of today's ride was when I was in the folk's neighborhood. It's loaded with Senior Citizens (G-d
bless them all) who don't look when they back out of a parking space nor pay too much attention while driving. I had to keep a wide buffer on all sides to stay away from those errant drivers. (There's something about those Long Island snowbirds when they come to
Florida...they are lousy drivers...Yankee Go Home! No offense meant).

Not much new to add today other than the Vision is a dream on the highway. Hey, it's first and foremost a touring bike and things such as changing lanes at 70mph is effortless as is the winding entrance/exit ramps at reasonable speeds...much less effort than my
old Harley Road King or Goldwing.

I'm starting to become more accustomed to the mirrors and just have to move my head slightly to see directly behind the bike. Seeing the left or right sides is easy. I'm truly impressed with the lack of vibration in the mirror and the lack of distortion.

The windshield is showing a bit of distortion at the top flair. I'm short, so when it's all the way up, it's okay. When I have it lower, the top and flair get in my sight field. So, if anyone from Victory is reading this thread, please consider a higher quality windshield that
can be used as a replacement for the electric shield.

In terms of fatigue, it was a relatively short ride. Upon my return, when I saw my exit sign after 40 miles, I could have easily gone another 100 without a second thought. Considering that I stopped around every 100 miles on my Goldwing to take a stretch, this is a
good thing.

I'm still having issues with the GPS voice commands coming through my Bluetooth helmet as the volume level is too low and I haven't had any luck with adjustments. I'll be on the phone with tech support on Monday morning.

In terms of riding philosophy, I have three mantras:

1) I ride in a "bubble" and attempt to stay aware of everything in a 360-degree radius. If I find myself in someone's blind spot, I either accelerate around the vehicle or slow down to place myself in the driver's vision area. I keep a good buffer distance from the car in
front of me and if there's a tailgater, I reposition my bike to get out of harm's way.

2) When the day comes when I'm not a bit nervous when I first swing my leg over the bike, I won't ride. I refuse to be cocky or overconfident when I ride.

3) I ride within my potential...not my bike's potential. This keeps me aware, cautious and (hopefully) safe whenever I ride.]

  // --> // -->

February 18, 2008
Day 5

Today, another good day. A cool front and rain is expected to move through the area tonight so today I did two short trips totaling around 50 miles. I'm now up to around 270 miles on the Vision.

While I have some work going on around the house, I was stuck here until 1pm. I took my Turnpike route up a couple of exits and returned. It was more windy than usual on the highway and I'm still impressed with the bike's stability. Even with the trunk still mounted, it handled well at 70mph in the wind. While I'm sure the trunk catches some side wind, I'm now wondering if its additional 50+ lbs. of trunk weight increases the stability at highway speeds. It's another week or so until the bike goes in for the initial service and that's when I'll have the trunk removed.

I met with "Cindy The Closet Girl" today to design the cabinetry that will convert my former golf cart garage into the Vision's home. I'll be adding the trunk mount to the wall so it will stay scratch-free when not in use. Cindy has a good eye for design and decided it would be better to have it mounted just a few feet off the floor. I'll post photos when the job is completed.

During the purchase procedure, I made an arrangement with the dealer to pickup and deliver the bike for the initial service. Like others, I'm waiting for the plate to cover the opening when the trunk is removed. Since he'll give me a demo on how to remove the trunk on its return, having the dealer pickup and deliver the bike was the most logical solution. After all, how else would I get the trunk home after removal? Okay, I could do it myself, but I wanted a demo. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! The alternative was getting a chase car to the dealership then having someone drive me to pick it back up. Since the dealership is around a 45 minute drive, I'm glad he'll be taking it back and forth.

For the afternoon ride, I started North on the turnpike around 4:45pm. The Vision's temperature readout displayed 87 degrees. In reality, it was closer to 82 degrees. The discrepancy is most likely attributed to the heat absorbed by the pavement. After a mile I noticed the Southbound lane was backed up. When I exited, since I was in unfamiliar territory, I pulled over and set the GPS for home, passed the Turnpike and listened (eyes on the road) as it guided me to I-95 South.

Typically I avoid I-95 as it's known for road raged and crazy drivers. But today, it flowed smoothly. When I merged on my exit it was a bit stop and go and I could feel a bit of engine heat. Simply stated, this bike does not like standing still. It's a different type of heat than I experienced on Harleys as it dissipates towards the lower calves/ankles. My experience with three Harley-Davidsons was that the heat would rise and make the seat uncomfortable. Hey, the heat has to go somewhere and I'm glad it's not towards the seat/crotch area!

Not being a "gear-head," the V-Twin engine is oil-cooled. Compared to a Goldwing, the Vision feels to be running a bit warmer, but not too uncomfortable. I guess I'll find out just how hot it will get when I get stuck in a traffic jam. I'm wondering if a water-cooled (radiator) Vision will be a future model.

After two days of riding, I posted my wish list of future options on a Vision enthusiast website. Here' they are in no particular order:

1) Reverse Gear (Okay, I'm a vertically challenged rider!)

2) Quick Release Mount for the GPS

3) Easier (tool-less) Release System for the Trunk

4) More Color Options (I'm sure this is coming)

5) Push Button Air Shock Control (no external pump required)

6) More Adjustment Options for the Windshield (need it to go another
inch or two lower)

7) Adjustable Handlebars

8) Side Bags deep enough to hold a helmet

9) Better Stereo Speakers

10) Better FM Antenna (stronger signal strength)

11) Air Vents built into the fairing (like the GW)

Evidently I'm not alone in wanting more features for this bike. Here's
what others added to my post on the blog:

12. The windshield top edge could be without the flair. I am not sure
if this bit of engineering for airflow is more important than the
disruption of my vision at the edge.

13) Chrome the clutch and front brake fluid reservoirs on the premium models.

14) Turn signal and brakes operating the red lights on the tour pack.

15) Side reflectors should be lit. Hey the badges lite up, why not the
side reflectors?

16) Premium model should come with power outlet, instead of as an accessory.

Then others chimed-in:

Agree that trunk lights should function for brake and turn.

Agree speakers are weak............I should get my new ones next week.

Agree FM signal is weaker than it should be............I now use mostly XM.

Agree clutch and front brake fluid reservoirs should be chrome. While they are at it maybe they could chrome the forks too! Ha, Ha

Would like the rear tip over parts to be chrome like the front. When I add the chrome side covers, grille, access panel, rear valence, and inner fairing pcs. they will stick out like a sore thumb. Since they are bolted to the swing arm the will be costly to change or modify.

Would like to see chrome handles on the bags. Who at victory has the fetish with silver anyway? My wife's bike is a black and bronze Kingpin that came with a silver swing arm, pulley, and controls. Why didn't they paint it black? God it was ugly! Had to buy chrome to make it look right.

Would like to see a better mount for the GPS. For a $1000 it should be able to be left on the bike without fear of it being stolen. The current one is held in place by a thin metal clip held down by a small screw. I think a 10 year old could pull it out of the bracket if he
wanted to.

In addition to the suggestions already made, I would like to see the Vision incorporate a shaft drive and single-sided swing arm like the BMW system that Honda incorporated into the GL1800. I know it's heavier and robs a little rear-wheel power, but the ease of servicing
the rear tire more than makes up for it. I would also like to see the trunk running lights activated as brake lights and turn signals. A luxury touring bike like the Vision should also have a center stand: perhaps a system similar to the one on the Kawasaki Voyager XII. Those reguire very little effort to deploy and can easily lift a fully loaded touring bike with relative ease.

In addition to all of the previous suggestions
1. Better rear view mirror positioning, I'd rather see what is behind
and on the side of me instead of my hands on the handle grips.
2. For the Tour a break light built into the trunk or an option that
fits between the trunk and optional luggage rack would be acceptable.
3. Heel Toe shifter.
4. Additional power outlets that are more accessible.
5. Seat Heating controls in the console instead of behind and under
the passenger seat.
6. As for the possibility of a shaft drive, that is a great low
maintenance feature but I think it would interfere with rear bag size
and space. More side bag storage capacity would be nice.
7. A powered center stand like on the BMW LT.

Then, I added another idea to the thread:

A Keyless Ignition

Just about every new car has this feature, why not have it on the Vision?

And others added suggestions:

- Lighted control buttons.

- 2 auxiliary radio inputs (e.g. iPOD and portable XM radio)

- Higher output stereo amplifier.

- Relocated heated grip controls and driving light controls closer to
driver instead of hidden behind the GPS.

- Place the driver's heated seat controls up front next to heated grip controls.

- Better use of existing saddlebags (larger storage, less wasted hinge
space - as mentioned, helmet size would be great).

- Move the rear tip over protection further back to prevent feet getting caught.

- HID High/Low beams in addition to HID driving lights.

- Turn signals in mirrors.

- Better mirrors (behind and blind spot).

- Others already listed above.

...and more

A Stock, wired at the factory, intercom system is a must on the tour. CB could be an accessory. It is pure bull I would have to pay labor hours to have it installed, and still not have peace of mind the job was done at factory standards.

A lower first & second gear. This is the first bike I have ridden that
needs shifted into 1st when making a 90-degree turn. When my RPMs drop below 2,800, I don't feel the power, and I don't trust the 2nd gear 10-15 MPH turn in.

...and more

Checking rear tire pressure (and adding air) is a pain. I'd like a tire pressure readout for both tires as part of the digital menu and a 90 degree bend on the rear valve stem to make access a lot easier. The Dunlop Elite 3's are really sensitive to tire pressure and even a
2-3 lb drop is noticeable in the handling.

...and more

The most advanced bike on the road should have a rider to passenger intercom as a standard feature. Period. Having the option to include a bike-to-bike is also a must, but could be an add-on. However, to limit this to CB only and then ONLY on the tour model is ridiculous. I should be able to chose between CB, FRS, GMRS, and/or whatever
Chatterbox uses. And in this day and age, the most technologically advanced bike on the market should offer a true wireless setup for bike-to-bike comm. I shouldn't have to wire my head to a motorcycle or hang a big bosx from my helmet to talk to the folks I'm riding with.

I guess I'm not the only one who wants Victory to make another version of the Vision. Making it a Winnebago on Wheels! Not a Goldwing, but a V-Twin version that will deliver the modern styling of the Vision combined the the technology of the Goldwing.

After riding for just five days and just starting to understand the characteristics of this bike, I can only say that Harley-Davidson better go back to the drawing room and that while retro styling is good, the future of two-wheelers will come from thinking outside the
box.

Oops, there was one other suggestion posted on the blog and I have to say this one is my favorite:

If I could change anything. I would relocate the whole bike along with rider to a warmer location.

Sorry about the nasty winter folks, but I'm in Sunny Florida.

Golf and Biking...Life is Good!

February 19, 2008
Day 6

For once, the local weather forecasters almost got it right. They predicted a large cool front with periodic rain. It's 1pm, cloudy, 67 degrees and not a drop of rain in my area. I had a golf game planned today and we cancelled it due to the weather forecast. If I had it all to do over again, I'd become a meteorologist. It seems like little if any accuracy is required for this job. They are now saying that it's going to be partly sunny in the afternoon. Hmm, I'll wait and see.

I called Cardo Systems today to address the issue of a random beeping sound coming through the Bluetooth headset. My original game plan was to pair the headset and my phone through the Garmin GPS. As stated earlier, the Garmin reps were not of much assistance.

I purchased the Bluetooth headset and an Arai helmet online and the dealer performed the installation and even charged it up for me so I could use it immediately. It arrived in record time. What I liked best about this company is that the salesperson was very knowledgeable and after learning "how" I would use it, highly recommended the Q2. This product has only been available for a few weeks and he stated he as used it and felt it was the best on the market.

Once the pairing was successful, it did not operate well and the volume level was so low in the helmet, I couldn't hear anything. So, I unpaired the devices and simply paired my Samsung Blackjack phone directly to the Cardo's Scala Rider Q2. Yesterday, I had a friend give me a test call and it the quality exceeded my expectations. The best part was that it was a true hands free experience. To answer an incoming call, simply start talking. It was really that simple. However, there was one issue I was not comfortable with.

While riding, there would be an annoying intermittent beep. The beeps might be ten seconds apart or five minutes apart. There was no pattern. I called Cardo's tech support today and they answered quickly. I explained my setup and they stated it could be the wind triggering the voice activated headset.

I noticed that on the microphone there was a small yellow marking. I asked the tech support representative which direction that was to face. He said "towards the mouth." It wasn't it was faced outwards. He said to twist the flexible extension to the proper position. He thought this might be the problem as the wind would trick the microphone to attempt to activate the voice activated intercom/voice dialing feature. I don't have the second headset (yet) that is necessary for usage a wireless Bluetooth intercom. Also, my phone does not have voice dialing.

Hopefully this afternoon the clouds will move out and I can give it a try to see if the incorrect microphone position was causing the beeping. The tech rep was great, if it didn't fix it, he'd replace it. You can't ask for anything more than this.

February 19, 2008
Day 6 - Part II

Three Words For Today

Weather Forecasters Suck

Today was supposed to be cloudy and rainy. It was a bit overcast this
morning...just enough to make you not want to ride due to the threat of thunderstorms. By 1pm I was seeing blue skies and at 2pm I rolled out the Vision to ride in the most gorgeous conditions known to mankind.

The 5pm weatherman is on the air now touting what a gorgeous day is was today. This was the same idiot that just yesterday was telling us how this front was going to be bringing with it some potentially dangerous storms. I think I'm going to market a weather dartboard...it will probably be more accurate than the local forecasters. I'm a lousy dart player...but probably better at darts than these guys are at forecasting weather. Don't get me started on how they miscalculated Hurricane Wilma. Doppler-Schmoppler!

The temperature was 72 degrees with little if any humidity. It was absolutely perfect riding weather. I took a different route today and as luck would have it, there were detours. I say luck as I'm relatively new to Northern Palm Beach County and I don't know the back
roads well. I was told by a friend last night about alternative, non-highway routes to get to Jupiter, Florida with my plan to combine some street and highway driving.

My trips to nowhere start with finding a Starbucks that's at least 15 miles away from my home...making for a short but comfortable 30 mile trip. While I didn't know the exact street address of that specific Starbucks, I knew which roads would get me to the vicinity and I was told they consisted of numerous curves (difficult to find in South Florida) and some traffic circles. However, there's an art festival going on that closed the route I was planning on taking. When I noticed the detours taking me off my planned route, I pulled over and fired up the GPS. I tried looking for the desired Starbucks using the P.O.I. (Points Of Interest) search and while it turned up numerous locations, the one I had picked wasn't
found. It was locating Starbucks stores South of me...not North. I guess I'll have to take the advice I've given others with new electronic products: R.T.F.M. READ THE FREAKING MANUAL.

The good news is that I knew the street name where it was located. Even better, I knew the name of a really cute Barista Babenthat works there. But knowing her name wouldn't assist me in finding the store. My standard joke with friends is that my sense of direction is so poor that I need a GPS to find a Starbucks! (We all know there's a Starbucks on most street corners). So, I inputted the name of the street and the city on the GPS and VOILE, I was back in gear headed in thecorrect direction. With my lousy sense of direction, having a GPS on abike is a necessity. Even better, having the Garmin Street Pilot 2820 wired directly into the Vision's speaker system makes it where I rarely, if
ever, have to take my eyes off the road. (Thank you Victory for making the Vision GPS friendly!). When I got to the detour sign, the Garmin was a champ and recalculated my route to get me to the correct street. It was a good ride that was made better by not having to think about directions.