Demo Riding the Victory Boardwalk
Thursday, September 26th, 2013
This Victory Boardwalk was the most appealing of the bikes I saw.
There really wasn’t all that much that struck me as appealing when I went to demo ride Victory motorcycles last weekend but the one bike that did appeal was the Boardwalk. That’s it in the photo above. So I rode it.
The very first thing I noticed was that as soon as I threw my leg over the seat my calf came to rest against the hot pipes. That’s a good thing to learn quickly, and you don’t forget.
The very first thing I noticed when we started riding was that the windshield was too tall for me. The top hit right in my line of sight. That’s not a deal-breaker though, you can cut it down or get one not as tall.
The handle bars were wide, which I like, but the reach forward was too much for my comfort. I would swap them for the kind that come back toward me more so I wouldn’t have to lean forward so much. That’s another thing that can be fixed.
The Boardwalk does handle nicely. The seat is quite low, which makes for good stability, and the seat is comfortable. Still, I would want a back rest because with the forward position for your feet I know that my back would be hurting if I rode this bike for long.
The brakes are good, though not the kind that will throw you over the front end if you squeeze too hard. Acceleration is not rocket-like in any gear, although it’s best in middle gears. From a stop it takes time to get up to speed, just as stopping takes some time. I think this is a bike built for people who aren’t terribly concerned with going fast; they want an easy, mellow ride.
As with so many bikes today, the mirrors are too small. That may be good for how it looks overall but it’s not good for actually riding.
As for the particulars, the Boardwalk comes with chromed spoke wheels, floorboards, a windscreen, bags, and a backrest for your passenger. The tank holds 4.7 gallons. The tranny is a six-speed overdrive.
All in all, I liked the Boardwalk. In fact, having ridden quite a few Victorys over the years, I think I like it best of them all. But it’s just not the kind of bike I would buy. If it’s the type you like, however, it could be a very good option.
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