Victory and Indian hit Perth

Thousands descend to celebrate grand opening of Victory & Indian Motorcycle Perth, as the Polaris brands finally head west

Heavy rain falling for the majority of the morning wasn't enough to deter hordes of motorcyclists from attending the grand opening of Victory & Indian Motorcycle Perth, and inspecting what is now the largest flagship dealership of its type in Australia.

At 1750 square metres, this outlet – prominently located on the Albany Highway in the Perth suburb of Cannington – truly eclipses the Sydney Victory/Indian store, which at 1200 square metres was previously the largest in the country. In fact, the company behind both brands, Polaris, says the Perth outlet could well be the biggest Victory/Indian store in the world.

It's been a long time coming for Perth and indeed Western Australian residents with a passion for these brands. Victory Motorcycles was launched in Australia in 2008 with the opening of the Melbourne store, while Indian Motorcycle arrive Down Under in 2014.

In the years since, WA customers of both brands have been forced to take a "leap of faith" – as Victory and Indian Motorcycle Country Manager, Peter Harvey, puts it – and purchase from one the eastern states, with all the distance-related hassles that can potentially entail.

Motorcycle servicing for those customers, said to number around 200, was carried out at either a Perth Polaris dealer or another dealer that specialises in American V-twins. Again, this was a case of making the best of a less-than-ideal situation.

So when the doors were eventually opened for the first time a little over a month ago, the Victory and Indian faithful finally had a factory-owned dealership all their own. It's worth noting that Australia is unique in the global Victory and Indian dealer network, having the only four factory-owned dealerships worldwide – Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and now Perth.

Fast forward to Saturday, October 8, and it was time to 'officially' cut the ribbon, metaphorically speaking – and Polaris knows how to throw a good party!

The day was divided into two parts. From 8.30am to 1.00pm the public had the chance to come down, take a look, and potentially win some great prizes (including a new motorcycle). Then, from 5.30pm to 10.30pm, the dealership hosted an invite-only VIP night – to say a special 'thank you' to the existing customer base that had made that "leap of faith". With drinks and food all laid on, there was also live entertainment courtesy of Ian Moss, former Cold Chisel member and acclaimed singer/songwriter in his own right.

STORE WITH MORE

Bikesales was in attendance in Perth, and an inspection of the shop before the official start time revealed just how attractive a modern dealership can be. Architecturally designed and simply oozing 'industrial chic', the exposed brick and steel girders, the polished concrete floor and the raised timber platforms for the various display bikes – over 80 in number – really made for an inviting and classy atmosphere.

The ample space is divided in two zones – Victory one side, Indian the other – with plenty of room for accessories and clothing for each. The spacious and spotless service area to the rear of the shop can be viewed through an internal window, while there's a lounge area with coffee machine to keep guests comfy and caffeinated until their bike is ready, and a parts desk.

The Master of Ceremonies for the day was none other than Shane Jacobson of Kenny fame. Both Shane and Ian Moss are brand ambassadors for Victory and Indian, as is Simon Bouda, the acclaimed print and television journalist, who was also in attendance on the day.

Kenny – err, I mean Shane – did a superb job of keeping proceedings moving, co-ordinating the two fashion parades (even strutting his stuff himself), and announcing the four finalists of the Indian Scout raffle.

That's right; one lucky attendee would go home with a brand new Indian Scout – just for turning up and registering their details! It was clever ploy on Polaris's part, with one name drawn each hour for four hours. Each finalist scored an Indian leather jacket worth $600, and to determine a winner each of the four assembled by the Scout with an ignition key drawn from a hat.

Only one key would start the Scout, signifying the winner, and the finale couldn't have been scripted any better. The first two keys were duds, meaning the result went down to the line. In the end, it was Mark Smith's key that did the trick – cue a flood of emotion, a leap for joy and even some tears. "I can't believe it; I've never won anything before!" he finally managed to get out. And all because he was visiting the bike dealership next door, and had decided to stick his head in…

CRUISERS ARE KING

Speaking of, the shop next door sells, shall we say, 'another' brand of American V-twin. In fact, at the height of the mining boom, it was that brand's top-selling dealer nationwide. Now that's some indication of the wealth the mining boom brought to the west, but it also points to the strength of WA's cruiser market – a market Victory and Indian are now well placed to address.

The fashion shows showcased the Saint range of riding wear. Designed and made in Melbourne, the Saint range looks casual and stylish but features incredibly tough, abrasion-resistant fabrics to keep you safe if things go pear-shaped. It's top-dollar stuff, but it's certainly well-made and it's great to see an Aussie company giving it a red-hot go. Saint clothing can be found at all four Victory/Indian flagship stores.

Also keeping crowds entertained was a stunning collection of vintage Indians out the front of the dealership, fortunately under the cover of a marquee given the downpours that swept over Perth that morning. Three vintage Indians could also be found inside the dealership, donated by a generous collector, and including a superb board-track racer.

Opposite the classics out the front was a Show and Shine with a number of very tidy entrants, from stockers to wild customs. There was even a Confederate Hellcat on show – now you don't see that every day!

But the stars of the day were really the production Victory and Indian models dotted about the dealership, all polished and prepped to perfection. The masses pored over these bikes and took in every detail, admiring warbonnets and lustrous paint, fine leatherwork and bright chrome. If you've never appreciated a Victory or Indian up close, I urge you to – the attention to detail that goes into these bikes is remarkable.

The official head count after the public opening stood at around 2000, which is all the more impressive given the inclement conditions. It's a testament to the pent-up passion for these brands in the west, the strength of the WA cruiser market and indeed the pull of an iconic brand like Indian, and it certainly bodes well for the store's future.

SPECIAL THANKS

The VIP evening was a more intimate affair numbering around 300 guests, giving existing Victory and Indian customers a chance to immerse themselves in the brands, get to know likeminded others and chat with the broader family of Polaris staff.

For Perth store Dealer Principal Aaron Robeson and his eight-strong team it was a chance to take the foot off the pedal just a bit, and celebrate what was a very successful day. There was plenty of eastern-state staff on hand too, including DPs from Melbourne (Roman Peldys) and Sydney (Rob Barrie), Country Manager Motorcycles, Australia and New Zealand, Peter Harvey, and Polaris Industries Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Peter Alexander (pictured with Shane Jacobson).

Shane Jacobson was in fine form throughout the evening, seamlessly blending his official duties with his unique brand of humour, and Ian Moss was superb, serving up a smorgasbord of old hits and new material. On a low stage, the store felt all the world like a small club, making it a real treat for everyone.

But perhaps even more impressive than the entertainment was the sheer enthusiasm of the Victory and Indian fans I spoke to throughout the day. They're a passionate bunch, that's for sure, and they're thrilled to finally have their own dealership on their doorstep.

I spoke with a Victory Highball owner at the VIP function that night, Martin. He'd owned the bike for some time and had racked up plenty of kays, with plenty more on the agenda. He also spoke of the inherent issues of not having a local dealer – and of subsequently having a dealer thousands of kilometres away.

"It's great to have a home," he said, smiling.

And that's it – Victory and Indian now has a home in the west, and so its many customers both present and future have a home of their own, too. The mining boom may be over, but the rise of Victory and Indian in Western Australia is only just beginning…

Victory & Indian Motorcycle Perth is located at 1429 Albany Highway, Cannington WA 6107. For more information call (08) 6254 0900 or visit the store's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VictoryIndianPerth/.

Victory and Indian hit Perth

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