Need Advice: What Should I Do With My Dad's 2008 Victory Vision

[imitati0n]

Hey everyone,
Looking for some input from the Victory community on what to do with my dad’s 2008 Victory Vision Touring Premium. It was a beautiful burgundy bike (now wrecked) with only ~1,500 original miles, garage kept its entire life, and still has a lot of good parts — especially the low-mileage engine.

Unfortunately, he went down in a construction zone a few years back and the bike hasn’t been ridden since. No title (lost over the years), and due to his recent Parkinson’s diagnosis, handling a heavy cruiser is no longer realistic for him, but a trike would be doable.

So here’s where I need your help:

• Is it realistic to convert this to a trike? Based on what I'm reading, I think the answer is no unless I use an existing a kit from another bike.
• Would it make more sense to part it out given the engine and components are in great shape?
• Or are there other options I haven’t considered?

It feels like a waste to just let it sit. I’m open to ideas and would love to hear from folks who’ve faced similar situations or done custom projects with these bikes.


Thanks in advance,
Joe

 

[Woody]

I'll bet that was a beautiful bike before the wreck. As far as what to do with it that's a lot of work any way you go. But it would make a beautiful trike.

 

[Panel Man]

Just crate it up and send it to me

 

[Old Road Dog]

I dig the Art Deco look. IDK. By the time you restore and trike it, you'll probably be close to a pre-owned HD trike. Parting it out may be the way to go. I would think you may be able to unload the whole bike to someone that already has one in order to cannibalize it as needed..You'll just have to work the numbers build vs buy. Did the insurance pay out or total it?

 

[Pegasus1300]

I would take it to a body shop and see what they say about fixing the scratches. As to making a trike out of it, I have seen kits for the 2009 and up but not the 2008s. Something about the frame maybe, I don't remember for sure. It looks ridable as is so if someone doesn't care about the scratches, maybe sell it as is cheap. It is a real emotional loss that he/you will have to get past. I once bought a Royal Star from a man who was too scared of it ride but it took him 5 years to get to the point that he could deal with the emotional loss. It is a beautiful bike, and still not bad looking even with the scratches.

 

[HDUSA1]

I was really big in to Victory’s and owned a TCD, Kingpin, and a Vision and was heavily involved with the National Victory Motorcycle Club. We rode in several V2V rides and I was Secretary of one of the largest Local VMC Chapters in Terre Haute Indiana.

After a heart wrenching decision, in April of 2023, I sold my 2009 Vision Tour Premium that we had bought new. It was by far the nicest bike I have ever owned.

Probably not what you want to hear, but parts are getting really hard to find. While I appreciate your desire to fix your dad’s beautiful bike, it will be a money pit. There’s more than simple bodywork damage looking at the pics. If you can find the parts, they will be expensive!

The 2008’s had several little things that were slightly different than the 2009 & later. You can’t put a reverse on a 2008 motor, so that’s one of the reasons they weren’t desirable to Trike.

I would suggest getting on the Victory Owners Group Forums and post what you have. There are guys looking for parts bikes and if the motor and transmission don’t have cracked motor mounts, there will be guys eager to buy it. A couple of other valuable parts on that bike is the hydraulic clutch as they went to cable in 2010. The radio is valuable. If the bike is a Premium, then it will have lighted Victory side emblems that were only on the 2008 & 2009 bikes. If they work, they will bring $250 or more each. If it had the gatlin tip mufflers ends, those bring $1,000 or more. Even though the Tour pack is damaged, guys are begging to find one to purchase and they’ll go for a couple grand or more. The premium has heated seats, guys are looking for those.

Again, I know it’s not what you probably want to hear and I’m sorry about your dad.

Here’s a couple of pics of mine in both Tour and Street trim. Makes me sad to see it, but went to a really nice couple in New York who still ride it. And if you get on the VOG Forum, I was VMUSA1 on there.

 

[cycle7447]

I am sorry to learn about your dad - hope the best for him.

Regarding the bike, just from the pictures, it looks like the bike was totaled. With approximately 1500 mile, I have to imagine he had insurance on this.

Someone asked - did the insurance pay out?

You also said there was no title - such might be a concern, and you should try to talk to your dad to get more information. If the title was simply lost, that can be easily replaced. If there is no title because the insurance paid and took the title, then if triked, you would still have a problem (unless your state issued salvage titles. If salvaged, I would think this would be a waste of money.

Just based on what I see - part out what you can and junk the rest.