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Victory Unveiling High-Performance 1200cc V-Twin on February 19

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We saw the Pikes Peak racer, the Ignition Concept, and the Combustion Concept, but we have yet to see the production version of Victory’s highly anticipated, high-performance, 1200cc v-twin powered bike. That will all change on February 19 (3 weeks from now) when Victory takes the wraps off the new “Octane”. Given the design of the two concepts shown so far, we anticipate a “power cruiser”. Look for a report from MD on February 19, but in the meantime take a look at the brief, uninformative video teaser below.

 


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110 Comments

  1. ledcat says:

    You’ve ruined it for me, now I luv it. Really though that is good news for me. I think it will merit a call to the local dealership to get some info on availability, ordering, etc. 9 more days, someone give me some more rumors to keep this rollercoaster ride going.

  2. Blackcayman says:

    from a conversation with a dealer (somewhere in the Midwest) who has seen the bike…

    Rear shocks are more upright than a Scout = more travel. Upside down forks with top shelf brakes. Foot controls not forward but not as far back as a traditional standard. The motor has been spooled up significantly from a Scout. Frame geometry & fork angle changes.

    He wouldn’t tell me any more that these few tidbits – but it doesn’t sound like “just a Victory styled & badged Scout”.

    • Scott says:

      Sounds like it’s closer to the Ignition concept than the lame Combustion cruiser, which would be great.

      But don’t ruin it for all the guys here who already hate it without even seeing it! 😆

      • beasty says:

        I’ll take the radials and the front end of the Ignition and the mid controls of the Combustion. If it’s anywhere north of 100 HP, I might be a buyer. Nicely modified Scout.

    • saddlebag says:

      If they don’t go ruin it with some ridiculous tire sizes, it sounds like it might be a nice bike.

  3. SteveeB says:

    FINALLY!! A cruiser for someone 5’8″ and below!! Really though, I liked this bike better when it was called an Indian Scout.

  4. DaveA says:

    I wrote this as a reply to a comment below, but I think it applies in a more general sense here.

    People are saying that Victory is missing the mark on this bike, ‘losing the room’ even, meaning that there might have been some interest in the new direction we’re seeing from them, but unless the next bike is a 180hp somethingorother, all is for naught. If you are in this camp, you apparently aren’t familiar with who exactly is in “the room.”

    This is Victory, not KTM. They may not have a huge customer base, but they do have a target demographic. These bikes will be aimed at gradually expanding that demographic, and gradually transforming Victory into a brand that is associated with performance in a way that other cruiser-centric companies are not. Anyone expecting a GSXR killer or a surprise appearance of a fire-breathing hot rod is a) not paying attention and b) going to be badly disappointed.

    Rather than everyone complaining that they’re not doing what you personally find appealing, how about being glad that a traditionally cruiser-only OEM is showing interest in moving into more performacne oriented directions, however incrementally.

    • todd says:

      …with yet another cruiser…

      • beasty says:

        That’s their market.

        • mickey says:

          Yes, but apparently from the many reponses, it’s apparent it doesn’t have to be their ONLY market.

          When the Japanese came into the country their market was young hip college students. Now, they make something for everybody. Nobody ever said Polaris is only allowed to sell cruisers and nothing else. Open a new market.

          • beasty says:

            “apparently from the many responses” You have, maybe, fifteen contributors on this site who’d be interested in Polaris making a Japanese sportbike clone. Two thirds of whom wouldn’t pull the trigger if the product came to market. The other one third would abandon the product the minute the latest Godzilla special produced one extra horsepower and a 1 lb. weight savings. Nah, Polaris knows their market. I wish them luck and hope this bike comes with mid controls.

          • mickey says:

            Buell proved there is a market for something American other than cruisers. One would think American V twin standards, sport tourers and or adv models would do quite well in Buell’s absence.

          • mickey says:

            quite well, being a relative term.. like wildly successful

  5. Kevin C says:

    They patent drawings are now public. this is just a scout with a little more HP. very disappointing. Looks like a low effort re-do. same rake, same single front brake, same seat/sub-frame, same 1″ rear suspension travel, same dangerously restricted cornering clearance, Same 500+ pound wet weight. I didnt expect a Super Sport, but I would have liked to see an affordable American Diavel would have been nice. Basically this will be a 120 hp Scout.

    Lame effort Victory

  6. cw says:

    Remember how, after what seemed like two years of teaser videos the luster wore just a touch off of the H2 reveal?

    Dear Victory,

    You are in danger of shooting yourself in the foot.

    Shite, or get off the pot.

  7. ledcat says:

    Looks like it’s going t be a variation of the Ness bike. Too bad. Polaris has really lost their mind. Don’t they see a growth potential by putting out an American made standard, naked, ST, adventurer? Like are their Ness bikes with their oddball headlights and tank really doing well. Their stock has dropped 50% in lees than 6 months, cause they can’t sell any snowmobiles or ORV’s. Were’ll all sitting waiting for the project 156 bike to come out and it won’t. What a shame, if it comes out with that cheesy box section swing arm, I’ll cry. What a disappointment 02-19-16 is going to be!!!

  8. azi says:

    Polaris should buy Hyosung.

  9. Kevin says:

    If you want a sneak preview of the new Victory high-performance bike, go to any Indian showroom and ask to look at the Scout.

  10. red says:

    so far we have the 156 pikes peak bike, and two cruiser concepts. Dirck says “anticipates a cruiser” based on the concepts. I’m still holding out hope for something much cooler based on the pikes peak bike.

  11. Gary says:

    Keep Roland Sands out of this project and you might have something worth looking at.

    • Jeremy in TX says:

      The project (156) Roland Sands was involved with was the only one worth looking at in my opinion.

  12. Jamo says:

    A power cruiser! Man, I can’t wait to go slow faster. VIctory should have picked up the Buell Racing 1190 if they wanted a quick V-twin.

  13. allworld says:

    If Victory ever designs and builds a bike without the word “cruiser” in it’s description I may take a look.

  14. Nick says:

    Saw that there is a long, rear fender. Have seen enough, no thanks victory.

  15. Auphliam says:

    Polaris and Victory are in danger of “losing the room”, so to speak. They haven’t designed a “new” bike since the aluminum framed Cross bikes in ’10. They created so much anticipation in the American motorcycle community with 156…then completely missed the mark with the 2 concept cruisers. So much so that many people have reached the point where they really don’t care what they reveal in a few weeks. Shame on them for squandering such a glorious opportunity.

    • Jeremy in TX says:

      You said it well. I don’t care what Victory is coming out with in a couple of weeks because I think they really misunderstood what the buzz was about concerning Project 156. They are missing out on a good opportunity, in my opinion.

      • Auphliam says:

        It is maddening for me that they won’t step out of the ‘American = Cruiser’ sandbox. Like you said, they can’t even recognize or understand the buzz they created. How they came away from all the fervor around Project 156 with the impression that people wanted another cruiser, is beyond me.

        I am in the market this year for a new bike. I’ve been waiting months before seriously looking at other marques because I was so looking forward to what they were going to do. Now, I couldn’t care less. I’ll buy a European or Japanese brand and that’s all there is to it.

        That’s coming from a 15 year Victory owner. I can only imagine how people with absolutely no brand loyalty feel about it.

        • waitman says:

          Auphliam, you have imagined it very well!

        • Dave says:

          The problem they face is that the sandbox outside of “American = Cruiser” is very small (in America) and crowded with established brands already doing it well.

          Everybody remembers Buell, who failed largely because the dealer base they had access to didn’t understand sport riding and didn’t want to. Does Victory/Polaris have access to a different kind of dealer? Most of their dealer base is ATV, anow-machines, and PWC’s. Is that a dealer that can sell a premium sport bike product? Can they attract that customer?

          I’m thinking no, and that this will be a cruiser-y muscle bike along the lines of a V-rod.

          • Jeremy in TX says:

            I disagree. That sandbox isn’t a small market for a small company like Victory, though your comment concerning the established competition is certainly a hurdle not to be taken lightly. However, I think Victory could have the right formula to attract many of the disenfranchised Buell fans to their mark with such a bike. In other words, I’d wager that the “American-made” part of a sporty bike guarantees Victory a certain number of unit sales right out of the gate.

            Polaris and Victory products are usually sold by multiline dealerships which also sell one or two of the Japanese OEMs, so I don’t believe Victory would face the same retail distribution challenges that Buell did. The success of such a bike would be more at risk from their own corporate culture than their dealer network.

          • TF says:

            I have to agree. As much as we would like them to be in the business of making a diverse range of motorcycles, they are in business to make a profit for their stakeholders. Apparently they have decided (presently) that the surest and best path to ROI is the American Cruiser market. That will change when we (the market) change our buying habits.

          • Blackcayman says:

            If it isn’t a standard / Street Tracker with a big can of whoop-ass…

            It’s going to be like a fart in the wind.

          • Nikita says:

            A reply for TF.
            While you are correct in what you said. I think the brand itself is responsible for setting new trends. The more we continue to associate high performance sport with europe and japan, the less likely we are to change that perception. Buell was poking holes in that perception, and if anyone else can it could be victory with their more stable dealer network as mentioned above. It’s the chicken or the egg dilemma. Who will influence the market the buyer or the seller.

    • DaveA says:

      You apparently aren’t familiar with who exactly is in “the room” if this is what you think. This is Victory, not KTM. They may not have a huge customer base, but they do have a target demographic. These bikes will be aimed at gradually expanding that demographic. Anyone expecting a GSXR killer or a surprise appearance of a fire-breathing hot rod is a) not paying attention and b) going to be badly disappointed.

      Rather than everyone complaining that they’re not doing what you personally find appealing, how about being glad that a traditionally cruiser-centric OEM is showing interest in moving into more performacne oriented directions, however incrementally.

    • Snake says:

      I’ll agree with a lot of sentiments here – Victory is in the market to make money but, sadly as usual for an American manufacturer, they are stuck in a single-minded style of what “American motorcycle” can mean. Supersport? Not a chance, that market is DEAD DEAD DEAD.

      But there are PLENTY of other styles that Victory could have chosen to go for and had a huge market: say, a retro-influenced standard (Bonneville style); a standard-influenced cruiser (Thunderbird); a neo-cruiser (Diavel); a burly neo-scrambler (a la Ducati’s) or how about an American all-arounder with touring influence (think stripped ST1300 / Motus / Moto Guzzi)?

      Shame they’ll stick with the easiest choice, rather than an original one.

  16. Jlewis50 says:

    Man I wish they would make a tight, sport, naked bike. Think Ducati 900ss. I don’t think Victory sells many bikes. Seems Indian stole all their thunder. I predict they will be gone in 5 years.

  17. tom says:

    What the world needs is love. Whoops. Scratch that–I meant to say—another cruiser.

  18. My2cents says:

    I’m going out on a limb and guessing someone between a flattrack and a superbike look of the early 1980’s.

  19. Grover says:

    At this point I would settle for a standard from Victory with performance comparable to the CB1100. At least it would be a step in the right direction. We’ll have to wait and see if Victory can break away from the feet-forward mindset and think for themselves for a change.

  20. todd says:

    We’ll see. Power cruisers don’t typically sell very well (think V-Max and Triumph Rocket, top of the heaps). The vast majority of people who buy cruisers don’t care much about power and performance and Harley already caters to that crowd. Cruiser fans are more impressed with powerful sound systems, the availability of easy-to-install loud pipes, and the ability to identify with a large stereotypical group of people.

    • samy says:

      hmmm, not all power cruisers flopped. ducati attributes a 15% increase in sales to the Diavel. if Victory’s bike is light and powerful, then it might give the Diavel some stiff competition, with the added bonus of being american.

      • Joe says:

        Are you sure the Diavel sold very well? Where did you get this info, my dealer said it wasn’t a very good seller.

        • George Catt says:

          Where are the footpegs? No cruisers for me.

        • andrew says:

          I think you both have a point: Diavel did sell well initially, but sales flattened recently. The last figures from Ducati indicate that virtually all of their growth in the last year can be attributed to Scrambler.

          • mickey says:

            What does that say about the state of the sportbike market?

          • todd says:

            It says the relatively large sportbike market doesn’t consider the Diavel a sportbike.

          • mickey says:

            Well if ” virtually all their growth in the last year can be attributed to the Scrambler” that means that there was no growth in sales in their exotic sportbikes and ADV bikes. That could be worriesome I would think.

      • Lonerider says:

        Not everybody think that american motorcycle is a bonus. Just saying.

    • fast2win says:

      This bike is a long way from the lumps you mentioned. Both overweight. This bike will have forward controls, be light, and have excellent performance for the cruiser segment. Wishing that they put out a super duke killer is not in the cards. At least not now. The Indian Scout is a huge success and this bike is obviously off that platform, with more power. Sounds like a good recipe to me. A mid control model would be cool, but a would bet the forward control model out sells it.

      • Dave says:

        Re: ” This bike will have forward controls, be light, and have excellent performance for the cruiser segment.”

        You just said, “fast truck”.

  21. Frank says:

    It’s always tough for entrepreneurs to succeed going up against already successful companies and strong brand identity. The consensus seems to be that only the strong, well monied, long established big corporations can manage to survive. That kind of thinking would discouraged most from believing in themselves and in their dream, and that’s about as damaging to the human spirit as anything I can imagine. I applaud those who step up in the face of very tough odds, but I agree, thorough preparation in all aspects of business is a must. And if you don’t have it, then partner with someone who does. It would be a good thing if Polaris bought Buell, and while they were at it bought Motus as well. That bike is one of the nicest bikes I’ve seen come along in a very long time and I hope they do not fall victim to the same mistakes and outcome Eric Buells project experienced.

  22. waitman says:

    Jimmy crack corn…

  23. MIke says:

    From what I’ve found, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha each make up about 10% of US sales. BMW is a little less than 5%. Ducati, Triumph, KTM, etc. combined are less than 10%. Polaris 3 – 5%. And HD makes up 52%. This is based on a UBS Securities estimate. So with more than half the market dominated by cruisers, we’ll continue to see the “little guys” continue to try to get a piece of it. I wish the US market was made up of dynamic individuals on incredible, performance and technology based motorcycles putting 10’s of thousands of miles a year on them going on magnificent journeys. But its mostly pirates going to the local bar and back on the motorcycle equivalent of a 50’s Buick.

    • waitman says:

      Mike you are correct. Remember that old song? Jimmy Crack Corn….

      • todd says:

        2014 the H-D percentage is a little lower since the statistics don’t cover “other” brands like Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield, and Hyosung…

        Nor does it consider Ducati’s massive 60% increase in U.S. sales last year likely due to the Scrambler.

      • Montana says:

        2013 US Motorcycle Sales Statistics (statistica.com)

        HD 13%,
        Honda 16%, Yamaha 13%, Kawasaki 11%, Suzuki 6%,
        KTM 5%,
        Can Am 3%, BMW 3%, Ducati 3%,
        Polaris 2%,
        Triumph 2%

    • KenHoward says:

      “But its mostly pirates going to the local bar and back…”

      Here’s the obligatory, “I’m not a cruiser guy, but…”

      Lots of commenters endlessly seek to perpetuate this as fact. In my part of the country (Pacific Northwest), I see more riders on cruisers (= H-D) than all others combined, and they are not simply “going to the local bar and back,” but riding distances of some degree in all types of weather (while I, personally, am seeking dryness and warmth). I consider that fairly “dynamic,” and know for a fact that it doesn’t take “incredible performance and technology” to enjoy motorcycling. Why can’t we all just live-and-let-live (for a few minutes)? Peace.

      • Johnny ro says:

        Yes. In NH, on State Route 153, if you hear a bike in the winter its a Harley.

        Serious Harley people do love their bikes for sure. I respect that.

        Late spring, think open piped Ducati at 2.5x the speed limit.

        (its a lovely quiet empty twisting up and down road, not endorsing silly speed.)

      • todd says:

        In California, the nations largest motorcycle market by a large margin, sport bikes (and nakeds) are the biggest sellers. The rest of the country makes up Harley’s 36%. That’s fine with me.

        • Jeremy in TX says:

          I wonder what it is about California that shapes that market differently. Why is my ride through the scenic, narrow, winding, hilly roads of the central and valley areas of Texas almost always reduced to parade speeds by a group of cruisers plodding along while your only concern is holding up the Tuono approaching quickly in your mirror? Why is there something fundamentally wrong with me because I have no aspirations to ever own a Harley while my Cali brothers and sisters scratch their heads in curiosity as they watch a guy on a Harley scrapping up his floorboards as he choppily tries to negotiate a curve at walking speeds. What makes my helmet and riding gear dorky but my coworker’s chaps, leather vest and a doorag cool? I mean, you guys are the home of SOA, Hells Angels, etc. This is all your fault, yet you guys don’t have to live with it! NO FAIR!

  24. mickey says:

    WOW! …… Loved the teaser video (rolling eyes)

  25. Steven says:

    “WTF do you send Don Canet up Pikes Peak?”

    I could not agree more. Just look at the suspension and geometry on the Pikes Peak bike, then look at the two concepts. Its a joke to even insinuate that one had ANY role in the development of the other.

    Victory, performance in a motorcycle isn’t really about horsepower. Its mostly lean angle and composure while leaned over!!

    • saddlebag says:

      “Victory, performance in a motorcycle isn’t really about horsepower. Its mostly lean angle and composure while leaned over!!”

      Bingo. I’d add comfort to that, but you’re right. People who’ve not ridden a Vic down a moderately twisty road have no idea.

  26. Pete says:

    Please, no to Europe…

  27. Tank says:

    Move over Harley, there’s a new sheriff in town.

    • Sayyed Bashir says:

      1200cc vs the new 1800cc Low Rider S with 115 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm? Give me a break!

      • todd says:

        The V-Max is 1200cc and is the fastest cruiser available. Move over indeed.

        • Tom K. says:

          It isn’t often that I get to correct Todd, so I’m going to jump on it. As likely slipped your memory, the V-Max was re-engineered maybe ten years ago, and the engine was increased to 1700+ cc. She’s a rip-snortin’ stump-puller, but I’ll never know for sure because Yamaha made its focus even more narrow, and the cost of admission shot into territory beyond what I considered to be anywhere near a good value. At the time, I had high hopes that the “liveability” of the new design would have been improved over the old one (ergonomics, fuel capacity, etc.). But instead of paradise, I got no dice. I enjoyed my 1st gen. for seven years, and if they would have done it right, would have owned a 2nd gen. Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm.

          • todd says:

            You’re right. But I bet the first gen V-Max is still probably faster than the Low Rider…

            I can crank out more than 115 lb-ft on my bicycle – at an even lower RPM. According to Sayyed that would allow me to out accelerate the 1800cc Low Rider.

          • Selecter says:

            There’s no “probably”, todd – the first-gen VMax will absolutely eviscerate the Low Rider. And The V-Rod, for that matter. Actually, the first-gen VMax *from 1985* will burn any production motorcycle Harley-Davidson has ever built without really even breaking a sweat. Whatever Victory’s building here likely will, as well. Since one can safely guess that it’s actually being built to accelerate somewhat quickly.

      • fast2win says:

        A lot lighter and more HP, my money goes on the new Octane. It’s just math. Give it a try. https://robrobinette.com/et.htm

  28. Atlantarandy says:

    It’s probably a Vegas Hammering 8-ball on Viagra. On one hand it makes me wonder about the solvency of Victory (recycling the parts bin ad-nauseum). On the other, Harley redresses the same bike into what…47 varieties? And it works for them. The “power cruiser” with the most impact on me was the old V-Max. It wasn’t a copy of anything. There were other V4’s, but it was still unique and boy did it deliver. The first (basic, stripped) version of the Valkyrie was kind of like that. And the Diavel doesn’t even look like a motorcycle anymore. The biggest thing I don’t understand is the market. Isn’t this another example of building something nobody asked for?

    • MGNorge says:

      “Isn’t this another example of building something nobody asked for?” Perhaps, I know I wasn’t asking for it. But I’m sure I’m not in the thick of their intended market. The Harley mystique (and their sales) is what others are striving for but there’s one big roadblock, their tanks don’t say Harley Davidson on them. So creating street cred is what it’s all about. Build it out on the streets then maybe, just maybe a few riders at first will break away from the herd. If that’s sustained long enough then Victory may find some good business. I’m afraid the same kind of cred isn’t given the Japanese manufacturers here in the US simply because of an overwhelming bias against things Japanese (How many years ago did WWII end?). Enlightened individuals don’t have a problem with most any brand but we just may be talking about a different breed here in the US.

      • Scotty says:

        I suppose HD would have the same problem if they went into the fast bike scene – no cred at all.

        • MGNorge says:

          Yes, I suppose you’re right. Depends on what sportbike, young sportbike riders think of the H-D name and its place in that field.

      • Neal says:

        I think the disdain for Japanese cruisers is less about racism and more about quality compromises (tank seams, plastic chrome, decals), inconsistent branding (new products reacting to market trends like the Fury and Stryker), and uninspiring engineering (split crank 63 degree engines, OHC, water cooling) compared to HD.

    • fast2win says:

      You said it yourself. You don’t understand the market. Indian Scouts are wildly successful. If Victory can get 1/2 the sales of a Scout this bike will single handed boost their cruiser segment.

      • mickey says:

        Describe wildly successful. How about some numbers to back that up. Source?

        I have seen a few Cheifs around, but have never seen a Scout around, not one, and I live 30 minutes from a huge dealership.

        • mickey says:

          As far as I know in the motorcycle industry they do not release sales figures for individual model motorcycles ( and I was told that by American Honda while doing some research) so other than a mfg saying sales of this model have been good ( and that could be true or it could be puffery) we really have no idea if a model is successful or not. Did Honda sell a lot of CB1100s? Most people say no. Did Ducati sell a lot of Ducati Scramblers? Most people say yes to that. Did Indian sell a lot of Scouts? Most people say yes to that too, even though we have no facts, no numbers from the mfgs. I would love to see a breakdown by model by mfg. that would answer a lot of questions and dispel a lot of rumors and maybe false statements. But for some reason they just do not want us to know.

          • fast2win says:

            I can tell that almost 20% of our sales were Scout’s. We are a brand new store with only months of sales history, and no other brands other than Victory. I know when I sold Harley’s we sold a handful of V-Rods a year. Other Dealers also tell me Scouts are outselling the other models. Now we have a 9k Scout. I will be in California this week and plan on visiting a few Indian Victory stores to see what they say. I can tell you there were dealers on the east coast that pre-sold 80 Scouts on the initial launch last fall. I would call that wildly successful.

          • mickey says:

            20 % of your sales could be a 5 units for all I know.

            Percentage points tell you nothing. If someone sold 5 units one year and they had a 60% increase in sales the next, they still only sold 3 more units for a total of 8. 60% increase sounds like a lot, but if you aren’t starting with much it doesn’t take a heck of a lot to show a big increase.

            Can you tell me how many Scouts Indian hoped to sell, how many they produced or how many they actually sold?

          • fast2win says:

            The manufacturers are tight lipped on numbers. But again the dealers I am talking to all are doing well with Scouts. If I had to guess, I would think 4,000 Scouts is not too far out of line. That is at least an educated guess based off of 200+ dealer network for Indians. And being new the dealers in my area all out sold me. The Octane is promised to have better performance than a Scout. I assume the weight will be in the same ball park. I go to a dealer meeting on the 10th and 11th.should have specs by then. I hope to have one on the floor soon after that.

          • Jeremy in TX says:

            Like Mickey said, only a handful of people really know the sales figures. But I do know at least that Scout demand exceeded the planned production run Indian initially prepared for. They were back-ordered for quite a while, and Indian had to add another shift to catch up. So I think it is safe to assume that the Scout has been very successful up to this point as far as Indian is concerned.

  29. North of Missoula says:

    Wake me up if it doesn’t have forward controls

  30. Starmag says:

    Excuse me while I prepare to yawn. Victory, prove me wrong.

  31. Dubuque says:

    Good God – just what we need, another loud cruiser. I guess I will have to get my pirate outfit out.

  32. Marc says:

    Agree. I spoke to the dudes manning the booth at the IMS and they so much as told me to never expect a “Monster” style unfaired sport bike or standard from Victory. I thanked them for their time and went across the floor to put a down payment on the Triumph Thruxton R. Disappointing.

    • Dale says:

      You did the right thing…

    • Dino says:

      Maybe if everybody strolled up to the Victory booth and asked a simial question, they would get the hint that they are missing out on a good market…

      Then again, MAYBE they are leaving it to the new Indian brand?? Granted, they have the top o the line Chief cruiser, and the scouts have been cruisers, BUT the Indian brand does have a heritage of racing, and you can’t be competitive with feet forward controls… it seems unlikely, but MAYBE they would fill a Standard, or God forbid, a Racer with Indian. Or maybe cook up a new brand to complement Victory, Indian, and (insert your own brand name here)??

  33. Bart says:

    If it can show a wheel to a well-ridden 1190 then we can talk.

  34. Chip Harding says:

    Power cruiser. You’re probably right.

    WTF do you send Don Canet up Pikes Peak for, if you just want to sell the same old two-wheeled Caprice, but hot-rodded this time?

    I guess that’s where the money is thought to be, but the V-Rod didn’t break any sales records.

    People do buy sportbikes, if they hadn’t noticed. And people (American ones, anyway) Want To Believe Erik Buell can be commercially viable — largely because he’s American. They’ll jump at any prospect as plausible as Buell. That’s a low bar these days. It’ll be uphill for a few years, but they have the money to build an American sportbike. And they have Triumph’s example. What lunatic would have believed in 1990 that anybody would buy a BRITISH sportbike?! Or that a brand could thrive on a bifurcated line of obsolescent fashion statement bikes and track day toys?

    Yeah it’s a risk. Rebooting Indian was a risk.

    Can modern science design instruments vast enough to measure the ocean of drool the American Moto press would produce if Indian did a sportbike? No. And this is the time, before they get pigeonholed like HD.

    Well, we’ll see.

    • Ron H. says:

      All in all… well said!

    • Sayyed Bashir says:

      Polaris will probably buy EBR to add sport bikes to their arsenal and Buellistas to their customer base.

      • Dale says:

        We wish.

      • Larry K says:

        Nice thought (enjoyed my 1125CR much) but Polaris doesn’t need anyone else to create product. And if they do this “Octane” right (mid-controls) the Buell crowd will follow in large part anyway. I’m waiting to see with interest.

      • Blackcayman says:

        Someday this nonsense about Polaris buying up EBR is going to die…

        The “assets” of EBR have now been sold to a “liquidator”.

    • KenHoward says:

      …obsolescent fashion statement bikes…”

      Interesting. Riding a standard bike is now considered a fashion statement?
      Thanks for the heads-up.

      • Chip Harding says:

        Who would buy a 510 lb, 61 hp motorcycle with a single front brake if it looked like an SV650? The look is a big part of what sells that bike.

        They sell a ton of ’em. People like owning them, and that’s what counts.

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