Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Victory in defeat

















“I read the news yesterday, oh boy, about an unlucky brand that failed to make the grade,”  the news being the Polaris, maker of snowmobiles, side by sides, Indian and Victory motorcycles has decided to pull the plug on Victory.  After 18 years, and with no warning, they decided yesterday to cease production, leaving dealers and owners stunned, and with only the 10 year guarantee of parts availability.  On the good side you can now pick one up at greatly reduced prices, but for those who bought last week, they took a beating.  When Victory was launched in 1998, it was the other American motorcycle, created to compete with Harley Davidson, and approached it from a performance standpoint.  One ride on any Victory and they out handled, out braked, and were both quicker and faster than any Harley, but without the 95 year old heritage of the Motor Company.  Styling got better over the years, the industrial looking V-twin stayed the same, and they never had quite the romance of a Harley.  Yet they did what others had failed to do, they woke up a sleeping giant, who had to focus on improving their product rather than advertising their image.  But it is image that sells Harleys, not performance, and sales performance is the ultimate criteria for winning, and Victory lost.  Even a good friend of mine who knows Victory’s and Harleys went for the Harley, based on image, and the fact that if he didn’t like the cruiser style, he could get his money back on the Harley.  He admits Harley’s are a piece of *&^%, and only bought it for the lifestyle. 
Sonny Barger and I meet every year at the Hollister Rally and we talk motorcycles.  He hates Harleys, and admitted in his book that “the Hells Angels are stuck with Harleys, and Harley is stuck with them.”  But being the rebel he is, and will only ride American made bikes, he switched to Victory, he likes to go fast and he rides, not owns a motorcycle.  He puts on lots of miles, and likes the performance of the Victory and its reliability.  Told me himself.  But he took one year off with an Indian, found he actually preferred the Victory and traded straight across his 40,000 mile Indian for a new Victory.  Harley not an option.  And is happy again, and when we talk, he knows I ride Triumphs, respects the brand, but it’s not American.  His choice.  And he chooses Victory, we’ll see what happens next....
But when Polaris bought the Indian name and reintroduced a new bike, that is selling well, and even built on the same assembly line, the days of Victory were numbered.  Indian has put a serious dent in Harley sales, forcing the Motor Company into an engineering mode they aren’t used to, and Victory now has no place.  Indian sales eclipsed them, and now Indian is the brand they will hang their hat on.  In the press release, it was stated for financial and profit reasons, and I am reminded about a statement of Alfred P. Sloan, the architect of General Motors, “General Motors is not in the business of making cars, it is in the business of making money.”  While at the same time Henry Ford said “it is a poor company that only makes money.”  So when we remember Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mercury, Plymouth,and other orphaned American brands, add Victory to the list.  RIP Victory, we hardly knew ya.....Victory in defeat.
The crowd that cried “crucify him” about Jesus had to be pleased when he was hung on the cross.  Maybe we will be done with him, and the real savior we asked for and were promised will appear.  But as open as their eyes were to the cross, they were just as blind to the man hanging on it.  He was and is the promised messiah, blame it on poor marketing, poor PR, or just pure spiritual blindness, but they missed Jesus as savior.  And how they rejoiced, some outwardly, some in secret, for like the Pharisees, they too had questions, doubts, and maybe even wondered, “what if he was who he said he was?”  From the devil and his fallen angels to the last enemy of Christ on earth, they celebrated the victory, they had defeated Jesus.  And as he hung dying on the cross, and after, they must have thought “we won,” but let’s make sure no one steals his body, so Roman centurians guarded the tomb.  But when the tomb was found empty three days later, fear and panic gripped them, what if he had really been resurrected as he said he would?  And suddenly they weren’t so sure of their victory, Jesus had shown them victory in defeat.  You can only resurrect something that was dead once, so he had to die. And today when we die to sin, and come alive in Christ, we are assured of the same victory, we may look defeated, there is a finality to death, but really we will be resurrected, and victorious.  Only in the victory won on the cross will defeat death, and live forever in heaven.  So you need to ask yourself, “will I find victory in defeat?”  Who is this Jesus really who died on thee cross?  Simple faith led you to him, the spirit will guide you into salvation, and it is your choice.
For just like those who buy into a lifestyle and will forego a better product, we too choose how to live.  And I want all the performance I can get from my ride and my life, so I chose Jesus.  For the gospel is simple so I can get it, and free so I can afford it.  Unlike a bonehead friend who told me the only reason I don’t ride Harley’s is because I can’t afford one.  And he may be right, for all the miles I do, I cannot afford to sacrifice my ride for only a lifestyle. Is Jesus truly your Lord or is he just part of your Christian lifestyle?  When Harley dumped Buell in 2009, the marketing VP announced it was “easier to sell $3000 of chrome on a low performing bike than to sell high performance.”  They obviously know their market, I hope Polaris does too.  For I like the Indians, ridden them, and expect to see Victory’s among then just rebadged.  So maybe Victory in defeat will turn out to be a good thing, time will tell.
But never forget the victory Jesus won.  He defeated sin, against all odds.  And rose again.  And promises us the same if we trust him and believe.  Indian is doing well because it has the heritage, and finally a product to back it up.  But nothing compares with the heritage of Jesus Christ, and his product of love.  But like the ad says “if I tried to explain you wouldn’t understand.”  Thank God we have been given his spirit....for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, and promised us life.  Life to ride, and to live in the here after.  Indian has been resurrected, so has Jesus.  Celebrate his victory in defeat today.  I think that calls for a ride.....no matter what you ride, Jesus loves you this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  The ultimate victory.  And the only man who could make the grade.  Oh boy.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com