Except for lacking an antilock option, the triple-disc brakes were all I'd wish for-powerful with modest lever effort, controllable and fade-free. I didn't even mind the linked aspect of the pedal control, which usually bothers me. That's probably because under light applications only the rear brake is applied, which makes gentle stops a bit easier. Stronger pressure also applies the dual front brakes. Still, big luxury bikes do deserve to include the safety net of antilock brakes. Once you've really used them, especially on a snotty surface, you won't want to panic-stop without them.
Luggage is an essential component of a big tourer, which is why we asked for the Tour model with its trunk. It easily swallows two full-face helmets and more. It also has a well in its bottom that drops down into the rear fender to add some useful storage. The teardrop saddlebags, however, look larger than they really are when closed and smaller than they really are when open. They are divided into smaller compartments, which means you can't tuck just one big soft bag inside and use all the space. The tops (actually sides) also bow out so you have more space than it appears, but it can be tricky to use it all, especially on the left bag. Having one big compartment as on the gold wing is more convenient. Despite my concerns about style trumping function, this is the only place on the vision where function seems to have been sacrificed for appearance. There is no central locking mechanism, but the locks are easy to operate and may be locked or not (with the ignition key) when closed.
A modern tourer also demands an audio system; an AM/FM radio with four speakers is standard these days. There is a cord in the left fairing pocket of the vision to plug in an MP3 player or other device, and victory offers optional XM satellite Radio, CB, intercom and 10-disc Cd-changer modules. The vision's audio weakness is power; like the Electra glide's, it really isn't loud enough at highway speeds. The optional helmet speakers would address this, of course, but the gold wing proves that you can do it with the bike's speakers. Reception on ours was also somewhat weak, but victory has since upgraded the hidden antenna system. The audio controls are on the "tank" console (the real fuel tank is down in the fairing) and left handlebar, mostly on a pod below the grip. The pod's buttons are kind of small for heavy gloves. Ours also sometimes changed frequencies when we adjusted the volume.
The standard cruise control puts its buttons in a pod on the right grip. Though the same small-surface niggle applies, the speed control worked very well and was easy to understand. The Premium trim level of the bike we rode brings heated grips and saddle, too. Grip heat is controlled by a switch on the tank console, while switches under the left side of the passenger seat control rider and passenger seat heat independently (high, low or off).
A garmin gps navigation unit is also available, though our bike didn't have it. That display mounts on the tank console and provides spoken directions through the audio system, muting other audio to do so.
Building a touring bike is probably the toughest engineering challenge a motorcycle company can undertake. The vision was not only the most complex new model created by victory, but by parent company Polaris as well. Building a competitive luxury tourer has to be several times harder than building a good cruiser and even tougher than making a good sportbike.
What astonishes me is how good the vision is. If I were to buy a touring bike right now, the vision would probably be my choice (and if abs was available you could take "probably" out of that statement). Though I admit to preferring the gold wing's engine and audio, the vision is so much more comfortable for me that it pulls ahead of the honda. I like to ride long days, and comfort becomes the most important aspect of a touring bike in that situation. Despite all the things a full-dresser needs to do well, the vision simply has no dealbreakers anywhere.
Victory was probably smart to make attention-grabbing style a requirement for its tourer. By drawing so much interest the vision will introduce more people to what is the company's most significant model yet. Ride it and you discover that victory is no longer just a cruiser builder. It's now a world-class motorcycle company producing hard-tobuild machines that can take on the best big, established motorcycle companies and surpass them. That's vision.
 The top-mounted trunk (found...  The top-mounted trunk (found only on the Tour model) can easily handle two helmets. |  Audio controls are mounted...  Audio controls are mounted on a pod below the grip, but they're small and can be difficult to access at night. |  The swoopy saddlebags are...  The swoopy saddlebags are subdivided into compartments inside. Those gaskets mean good weather protection, though. |