I tell you up front I am not impartial,.. It sounds like you already have your mind made up, but hey, not so fast.
The Victory puts itself out there as "The New American Motorcycle", but its not. The ownwership of Victory heavily lobbied JDPower for a meaningless distinction. Every single part and fastener is metric and imported. Designed and machine assembled in Iowa, but engineered overseas... an import bike. Yes the Harley has several imported parts too, that's a fact. But the base frame, engine, transmission and every single fastener are domestic. Engineered, designed, and built by hand in the U.S.
On cost of ownership? That's a no-brainer: The Harley will still be running in 30 years when the Victory isn't. You ain't gotta go out and drop $3,000 on chrome for any bike. The total cost in the aggregate will be lower for the Harley. always has, always will.
There's a reason why you'll never see a Victory in the winners circle on any of the 1/4 mile NHRA tracks, Pikes Peak, San Jose, and the Milwaukee mile.
