Report: The US brand Victory

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Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

Report: The US brand Victory

Report: The US brand Victory

Report: The US brand Victory

Report: The US brand Victory

35 pictures

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision designed by Arlen Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory hammer.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision designed by Arlen Ness.

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Victory

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Victory Hammer S..

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory hammer.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Hammer S..

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Victory

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Victory Hammer S..

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Victory

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Victory Hammer S..

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Victory

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Victory Vision designed by Arlen Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory hammer.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision designed by Arlen Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision designed by Arlen Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory hammer.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

Report: The US brand Victory
Victory

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Victory Vision Tour – anniversary edition for the 10th birthday.

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Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

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Victory

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Victory Vegas Jackpot designed by Cory Ness.

motorcycles

Report: The US brand Victory

Report: The US brand Victory
Mission Europe

The American snowmobile and ATV manufacturer Polaris began producing Victory motorcycles ten years ago. In 2009 they are to be imported to Europe. MOTORRAD visited the newcomer and drove his characterful V-Twins.

Ralf Schneider

09/25/2008

The new american motorcycle”, this is how the Victories are labeled, and whenever their fans and builders utter this slogan, they emphasize it “new”, as if they wanted to shoot a point in the direction of Harley-Davidson. A Harley is that for them “old american motorcycle ??, built by a 105 year old manufacturer with a huge bag full “heritage” and “tradition” has to haul. Against this is one Victory the pure, motorcycle-turned pioneering spirit. This is not just clever marketing that instrumentalizes a virtue valued in America, it is actually true. Polaris’ decision to found its own motorcycle brand with completely self-developed products shows that there is a considerable willingness to take risks. Although the company is considered to be rock solid, it is not so big that it could easily raise the necessary investments. According to Victory boss Mark Blackwell, every cent of profit is reinvested to this day; you still see yourself on the move. The motorcycles apparently also exude this spirit: At least Victory customers are, on average, significantly younger than those of Harley-Davidson. And also younger than motorcycle buyers in Europe.

Victory doesn’t offer revolutionary, but rock solid technology. With an overhead, chain-driven camshaft per cylinder instead of a pushrod valve train and four instead of two valves, the Victory Freedom Engines are much more modern than the Harley Twin Cams. The 100 and 106 cubic inch 50-degree V2 (1634 and 1731 cm³) have a uniform 101 millimeter bore, the piston stroke of 102 and 108 millimeters is only slightly in the long-stroke range. This almost square bore-to-stroke ratio can also be seen as a sign of modernity in comparison with the pronounced long-stroke Harley engines. The Victory engineers, however, agree with their colleagues on one point. They process enormous amounts of metal, cast housings with walls almost as thick as a finger, in which huge crankshafts and gears of truck-like dimensions rotate.

Technology and design

The robust technology has charm, for sure. And not only when it is allowed to roar through largely undamped exhaust systems. It is enough to hear how the starter pinion crashes onto its crankshaft teeth and to feel how the firing engine massages your diaphragm, despite its balance shaft, to be impressed. If, after a strong step and strong, metallic feedback, the first gear is engaged, and the Victory novice lets the bike off the stop line at the first traffic light, he finally succumbs to the heavy metal seduction. Without exception, all models, whether with a 1643 or 1731 engine, 85 or 97 hp, prove to be worthy of the glorious drag racing tradition of their home country. You catapult yourself into motion almost seamlessly. Massive torque already at 2000 rpm, no wheelie inclination and a clutch that does not jerk even when engaged, create a special acceleration experience.

The vision has a special position, both in terms of design and thanks to its chassis technology. She is the flagship of Victory, a luxury tourer drawn with sweeping lines. In contrast to all the others, it does not have a tubular steel frame; the heart of their chassis is an aluminum box. Compared to the steel chassis, it is an almost magically light cast part that spans like a bridge over the cylinder heads, is screwed to them and also functions as an intake air duct. The rear, together with the transversely built-in rocker arm of the rear wheel suspension, is based on a similar structure. This construction together with the rubber mountings of the running boards and the handlebars drastically changes the smooth running of the V2. It can hardly be felt or heard. Because of this, and because it has to accelerate a good half a ton in a fully equipped Vision Tour with driver and some luggage, it tends to be driven at higher speeds than in the other models. And they go surprisingly easy from the crankshaft.

Vision and hammer


Report: The US brand Victory


Victory

Tourers with sweeping lines and pampering qualities: fully equipped Vision Tour.

Of course, handling a 400 kilogram motorcycle takes some getting used to, but like the established cruise ships from Harley, Honda or BMW, the vision behaves flawlessly as soon as it is in motion. It threads its way through curves or city traffic quite nimbly and on this side of the navigation system, audio system and Bluetooth intercom system provides a rich measure of the kind of comfort that actually leaves you less exhausted, annoyed and frozen in the evening of a long day’s driving. But although he likes to be pampered by the vision, the MOTORRAD tester’s favorite is the power cruiser, the Hammer S. This is not only due to the sharp Stage Two camshafts that bring the 106 engine to 97 hp, but also on the sportiest cornering qualities in the internal Victory ranking. Despite the wide 130 mm front tire and the 250 mm roller on the rear wheel, the Hammer S willingly tilts and drives corners precisely. Certainly thanks to the massively lightened wheels for the 2009 model year. In addition, it offers a comparatively large amount of lean angle for such a low motorcycle. You can also enjoy getting lost in the Winkelwerk of the Black Forest. And from the traffic light away, the Hammer S is a force anyway.

If the hammer signals its sportiness through details such as the tight fenders or the double disc brake in the front wheel, the Kingpin follows the tradition of the classic American cruiser with running boards, curved fenders, elegant multi-color paintwork and lots of chrome jewelry. With this model and its variants in particular, however, the designers went to great lengths to modify the classic canon of shapes. For example with the fenders, whose curve looks like the streamline designs of the 1930s, but is actually without a historical model, as chief designer Gregg C. Brew explains with lively gestures. He also refers to the teardrop-shaped indentations on the sides of the tank, which are an important feature of Victory. And the tester from Europe learns with astonishment that such formal details play an important role in the design-conscious American motorcycle culture and are carefully observed by customers. They also contribute strongly to the image of the “new american motorcycle” like the engine technology or the chassis of the vision.

Kingpin and Vegas


Report: The US brand Victory


Victory

The Vegas has the widest rear tire in the Victory program.

With moderately wide 130 and 180 tires, the Kingpin has homogeneous driving characteristics, as does its more simply equipped, inexpensive eight-ball version. Both kingpins only brake at the front with a 300 disc, which requires a lot of hand strength for halfway energetic deceleration of the 300 kilo chunk. While in Europe people no longer worry about small drivers with a seat height of less than 700 millimeters, the Victories with a standard seat height of 673 millimeters are all located in the safe area, there seems to be a need for even lower seats in the USA. Kingpin and Vegas are also offered in a low version with a seat height of 640 millimeters close to the floor. The latter achieved the highest proportion of women of all Victory models at 42 percent. The Vegas Low’s narrow 21-inch front tire works well with the rear 180. On the other hand, with the Vegas Jackpot, a 250cc on the rear wheel combined with the longest wheelbase and the steepest steering head really messes up the harmony. She is sensitive to longitudinal grooves and wants to be forcefully forced into the curves.

Conclusion: Victory is in the process of bringing a finely differentiated range of cruisers to Europe. Technically simple, but solid and carefully processed. There is also a lot of rustic charm. Thanks to Polaris’ financial strength and logistics behind the launch, European customers certainly don’t take a lot of risk when buying a Victory. What cannot be said about every US investment at the moment.

Interview Ross Clifford – We want satisfied customers

Ross Clifford, Head of Polaris in England, prepares the launch of Victory in Europe.


Report: The US brand Victory


Nelson

Ross Clifford, Head of Polaris England.

Which Victory models from the current program will be imported to Europe?
The Kingpin and its variants Low and Eight Ball, the Vegas and the Vegas Low as well as the Jackpot and the limited Ness jackpot models designed by Cory and Arlen Ness. Then the Powercruiser Hammer and Hammer S and, as the top model, the Vision Tour. So a rich offer; further models are already in preparation.

How much should these motorcycles cost?
Prices have yet to be set once we have the final EU homologated specifications up and running. But we plan to charge 12,000 to 13,000 euros for the entry-level models, the 1634 Eight Ball, and 23,000 to 24,000 euros for the fully equipped Vision Tour. The Hammer S with the 1731 and the Stage 2 camshafts will probably cost less than 20,000 euros; A very aggressive price compared to the competition. Incidentally, all motorcycles come with a two-year unlimited mileage guarantee.

Why should a European and especially German customer want to buy a Victory?
Victory offers a mix of style, performance, comfort and handiness that other cruiser manufacturers have not yet achieved. The motorcycles are high quality premium products whose buyers are looked after and supported by a strong, solidly financed company. In the UK, the age of Victory buyers is well below the average age of all motorcyclists. This shows that we represent an exciting brand, think ahead and not only deal with the past and the legacy of previous generations.

How many Victory dealers will there be in Germany?
15 to 18 dealers. This order of magnitude is intended to ensure that the sale of our motorcycles is profitable for the individual dealer, that he can invest in the Victory brand and that he offers his customers the best possible service. In the US we are the brand with the highest percentage of satisfied customers and we have the most customers who would buy a Victory again. We are striving for this in Germany as well.

How will Victory organize the supply of spare parts and accessories in Europe?
Just like with the Polaris products. So through our dealers, who are supplied by several spare parts warehouses in Europe.

Rapid scrolling: from design to final assembly


Report: The US brand Victory


Nelson

Head of Design Greg C. Brew used to work in Italy. Hence the gestures.

Victory was founded by Polaris. It is therefore logical that the development of motorcycles was closely linked to the structures that Polaris has as a manufacturer of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles. The Victory models are designed by the Industrial Design department. After the conservatively drawn original Victory, the current design line was developed here step by step. The fact that industrial design is housed directly in the Polaris headquarters in Medina may be an indication of the enormous importance of harmonious designs.

The technical development takes place in Wyoming, which does not mean the state, but a place in the state of Minnesota. It covers all areas from engine optimization on various test benches to chassis development and aerodynamic precision work.

All variants of the Freedom Engines are manufactured on an assembly line at the engine plant in Osceola, also in Minnesota, where two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engines with 760 cc displacement for ATVs and two-cylinder two-stroke engines for snowmobiles are also assembled.

Painting and final assembly The Victories takes place in Spirit Lake, southeast of the metropolis of Minneapolis, in the middle of a popular vacation area in the Midwest. When the MOTORRAD editor visited, the last of the 10th anniversary vision, limited to 100 copies, rolled off the line, a lavishly equipped special model of the flagship. As far as the production figures are concerned, the Polaris Ranger clearly dominates Spirit Lake, a four-wheeled, four-seater off-road vehicle called side-by-side vehicle in the USA.

Data hammer S


Report: The US brand Victory


Victory

A real sporty motorcycle among cruisers: Vision Hammer S.

engine
50-degree two-cylinder four-stroke V-engine, one overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, regulated catalytic converter, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt drive.

Bore x stroke 101 x 108 mm
Cubic capacity 1731 cm³
Rated output 71.3 kW (97 hp) at 5000 rpm
Max. Torque 153 Nm at 4000 rpm

landing gear
Double loop frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever deflection, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 300 mm, double-piston floating caliper.

Data Kingpin and Kingpin Eight Ball


Report: The US brand Victory


Victory

The Kingpin does not imitate this swing of the fenders so quickly.

engine
50-degree two-cylinder four-stroke V-engine, one overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, regulated catalytic converter, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six / five-speed gearbox, toothed belt drive.

Bore x stroke 101 x 102 mm
Cubic capacity 1634 cm³
Rated output 62.5 kW (85 PS) at 4750 rpm
Max. Torque 144 Nm at 2500 rpm

landing gear
Double loop frame made of steel, upside-down telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever deflection, front disc brake, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper, rear disc brake, Ø 300 mm, double-piston floating caliper.

Vegas Jackpot / Low – Vegas Low data


Report: The US brand Victory


Victory

The Victory Vegas Low doesn’t have a lower seat height. And it’s not necessary either.

engine
50-degree two-cylinder four-stroke V-engine, one overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, regulated catalytic converter, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt drive.

Bore x stroke 101 x 108/102 mm
Cubic capacity 1731/1634 cm³
Rated output 71.3 kW (97 PS) at 5000 rpm / 62.5 kW (85 PS) at 4750 rpm
Max. Torque 153 Nm at 4000 rpm / 144 Nm at 2500 rpm

landing gear
Double loop frame made of steel, telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever deflection, front disc brake, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper, rear disc brake, Ø 300 mm, double-piston floating caliper.

Data Vision Tour

engine
50-degree two-cylinder four-stroke V-engine, one overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, regulated catalytic converter, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt drive.

Bore x stroke 101 x 108 mm
Cubic capacity 1731 cm³
Rated output 69 kW (94 PS) at 4500 rpm
Max. Torque 148 Nm at 3250 rpm

landing gear
Backbone frame made of cast aluminum, telescopic fork, Ø 46 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever deflection, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, three-piston floating calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 300 mm, double-piston floating caliper.

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