It is big, in some ways unique, and with its overtly futuristic styling Victory’s Vision certainly stands out from the crowd. It looks like the type of motorcycle George Jetson would ride to work at Spacely Space Sprockets in the year 2062. Of course The Jetsons was made in the early 1960s, and while set in the distant future the television series still had somewhat of a retro feel. As does the Victory Vision.
A big 1731cc air and oil cooled 50-degree v-twin provides the smooth motivation for the Victory. A similar layout to that used by the iconic American brand Harley-Davidson which you can’t help but mention when examining the Victory.
Victory’s approach is a little more high tech with four valves per cylinder and overhead cams.
Those features along with a 10% larger capacity give the Victory 25% more power and torque than the rival it aims to steal market share from.
The power deliveries are very similar however with both Harley and Victory having plenty of torque from idle but it is the Victory that is the superior stump puller with more torque everywhere.
The Victory clearly bests any Harley in the engine room but can’t match the mammoth grunt of Triumph’s Rocket III or Honda’s smooth and sophisticated Gold Wing.
Comfort-wise, however, the Victory Vision bests all comers. Plenty of space, great floorboards, comfortable seating arrangements and an electrically adjustable screen positions the Vision head and shoulders over everything else on two wheels when it comes to sumptuous accommodation. The Vision is the new comfort yardstick. Period.
Bump the pressure up in the adjustable rear shock and the Vision can also boogie fairly well in the turns despite its bulk and weight. It won’t keep up with a Gold Wing when the bends arrive but it will show a clean set of heels to an Electra Glide or Rocket III.
Around town however the Vision is a little more cumbersome than comparable machines. At slow speeds the steering is vague and the handling a little ponderous but once speeds rise out of the city the Vision handles surprisingly well.
The 300mm Nissin brakes are reasonably strong and progressive but ABS is curiously absent from the specification. The 46mm forks and preload adjustable shock also come from Japan but the rest of the machine is all American.
Highways and open roads is where the Vision really shines. Only the stereo lets the show down in the highway scenario with its sound reasonable at low speed but it’s simply not powerful enough for highway work. The cruise control works fairly well and all controls are easily accessed even by gloved hands.
If you are after plenty of storage space you will need to plump for one of the more expensive Victory Vision Tour models rather than the Vision Street. The side panniers don’t offer all that much room and the Tour models make up for that with the addition of a large topbox.
The Vision range comprises five models that range in price from $29,995 to $36,495 plus the usual government charges and on road costs.
While many would see Victory’s Vision something akin to a cruiser turned tourer, that’s simply not correct.
It is a proper touring motorcycle, with performance and handling, that just happens to be powered by a big v-twin. Thus it doesn’t suffer the indignity of a cruiser based chassis and the performance drawbacks that layout brings.
It’s not a Gold Wing, but it is a damn sight closer to its capabilities than anything born from cruiser roots.
Specs – Victory Vision
Engine – 1731cc, air/oil cooled, 50-degree v-twin
Transmission – Six speed manual, belt drive
Seat Height – 673mm
Dry Weight – 385kg
Fuel Capacity – 22.7 litres
Average Consumption on test – 6 litres per 100km
Range – 350km
Warranty – Two years
Price – Between $29,995 and $36,495 depending on specification
Positives
+ Grunty engine
+ The new benchmark in comfort
+ Cruise control
+ Good screen
+ Stands out from the crowd
+ Very low seat height
Negatives
– Side panniers not roomy enough
– No ABS
– Stereo lacks power
– Ponderous around town
