Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128319
COMPARISON 2004 Harley-Davidson sortail Deuce vs. 2004 Victory Arlen Ness Signature Series ers for lengthy per iods of time. It's simply not a tantalizing option on the Ness , with its handlebars that offer too much setback, so as to place the rider in a rather unnatural reclined posture from the waist up. Couple that with a seat that has to be one of the hardest in the universe , and you have a bike that might be fun for a quick run to the burger joint but would be sheer hell across Texas... or even Rhode Island for that matter. And another thing: Those Arlen-inspired billet grips may look cool, but they are absolute bunk when it comes to comfort. They can be slick to the touch when you're wearing gloves with any type of non-leathe r palm, the y have no give, and they tran smit far too much vibration. Not good . Score one more for the Deuce . STYLING This may be the most subjective call of this matchup. After all, more than any other category, cruisers serve up the broade t _". ;;;s.. definition of how a motorcycle sliould lOOK It really is up to the individual. and . that 's why the aftermarket is teeming with chrome and billet jeejaws to allow cruiser owners to build it the ir way. About the only way we can explain our decision in this one is that when we had the bikes out in public. more people seemed to appreciate the sledgehammer ,...--_c_u.s tom looks of the Victory Ness than the _ suEitie custo beauty of the HarleyDavidson Softail Deuce. There are just SPECIFICATIONS The Victory's dual shotgun pipes emit an exciting, aggressive exhaust note. The Freedom V-twin e ngine is an SOHC design and packs mid- to top-end performance consistent with IIcammer" Y..twins. den ce that th is Hog can be flogged. O n the opposite end of the spectrum, the Victory Ness seems to like to be pushed harder and harder through the bends · the harder the better. Some of our more road race-oriented testers appreciated the Ness ' light steering and solid front-end feel at speed. while the tradition al cruiser buffs nitpicked at its seemingly tallish ride and slightly nervous stra lght-line manners. Just the sarne, the Ness is a great-turning motorcycle when ridden aggressively. We'd have to call th is one a draw. It all depends on whether you're buying a cruiser to cruise or you want one that can rail through your favorite canyon sect ions. BRAKES Both bikes offer powerful front brakes with good feel, but the Victory 's Brembo Iour-piston caliper with 300mm rotor offers more power with less effort than the Harley 's similarly spec 'd 292mm OE unit. 44 Fatal Beauty: Although gorgeous to loak at, the Victory's handlebars and billet grips contribute to its uncomfortable ergonomics. Out back, it is truly a draw, as the Harley's 292mm four-piston rear stopper matches the feel of the Victory's 300mm two-piston setup. The binders on both machines are per fectly adequate , matching their performance characteristics. The Victory's brakes just strike us more as the kind that we'd like to have at our disposal in a panic situation. S USPENSIO N If by now you feel like most of the ear ly rounds of this fight have been tilting more in favor of the Victory Ness , then th is is the turning point where the Harley comes off the ropes and really throws a couple of knockout blows of its own . To start with , the Harley 's 41 mm Showa front fork and patented Softail rear suspension do a much better job of taming road undulations than do the 43mm inverted fork and the single monoshock setup of the Victory. The Harley's boingers can be easily overcome if you get too aggressive. APRil 14, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS Brembo four-piston frant brake offers excellent power and feel with minimal eHart. but on the whole they offer a much more plush feel than the Victory. which feels undersprung and transmits harsh spike hits back to the rider at any speed. The Deuce takes this round for sure. E RGOS And the Harley comeback continues. By a fair margin. we 'd have to say that the Deuce is the more comfortable of the two bikes when it comes time to ride for any distance or duratio n. Sit on the Deuce and you will enjoy a harmonious feeling, a se nse that everythi ng is where it should be. The seat-bars-footpegs rela tionship is spot-on, and the seat especially is one of the most comfortable to be found on any motorcycle. You settle into it, knowing that you could pile on the miles and not feel any discomfort . This is one area where the Victory folks need to pay a lot more attention. In the quest for custom looks. they apparently forgot that people actually ride the ir cruis- 40th Anniversary Victory Arlen Ness Signature Series LIST PRICE $19.999 DISPLACEMENT 1507cc ENGINE TYPE Air/oil·cooled V-twin BORE x STROKE 97 x 102mm COMP RESSION RATIO 9.2:1 CARBURETlON Electronic fuel injection IGNITION CDI TRANSMISSION Ffve-speed STARTING SYSTEM Eleetric FUELCAPACITY 4.5 gal. WHEELBASE 66.5 in. RAKE/TRAIL 33.l olIJ4mm SEAT HEIGHT 26.5 in. FRONT TIRE 80/90·2\ REARTIRE I80/55·18 FRONT·WHEELTRAVEL 5.1 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 3.9 in. FRONT BRAKE Disc REARBRAKE Disc FINAL DRIVE 8elt CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT 620 Ibs.