Victory Motorcycles
 | This article contains promotional content. (December 2007) |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorcycle |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Parent | Polaris Industries |
| Website | www.victorymotorcycles.com |
Victory Motorcycles is a subsidiary of Polaris Industries, and manufactures motorcycles with large V-twin engines in touring, sport-touring, and cruiser configurations. The first Victory, the V92C, debuted in 1997. Production started in 1998. Victory has been modestly profitable since 2002.
Polaris, a Minnesota company with sales of approximately $1.8 billion per year, was one of the earliest manufacturers of snowmobiles. Polaris also manufactures ATVs, and, until recently, personal watercraft. Seeking to diversify their product line, and observing the huge sales enjoyed by Harley-Davidson and other manufacturers, the company decided to produce a large motorcycle built entirely in the United States.
Models
V92C
The first model, the V92C, was debuted at Planet Hollywood in the Mall of America by Al Unser in 1997. Production began in late 1998, and the first official model year was 1999. At 92 cubic inches (1500 cc) the V92C was the largest production engine available at the time, and sparked a race among motorcycle manufacturers to build bigger and bigger engines. All components were manufactured in Minnesota and Iowa except the Brembo brakes. Victory engines have five-speed transmissions, two cylinders, single overhead cams, dual connecting rods, hydraulic lifters, and fuel injection; most fuel-injection components are standard GM parts. The V92C engine was easily tuned by the owner.
The Victory engine carries five quarts of oil in the sump, about the same as most automobiles. This makes it unlikely the engine will be damaged by low oil, but also makes it dimensionally larger than other motorcycle engines, such as Harley's, which carry oil in tanks. The sheer volume of oil can also impede engine performance in a racing environment. Top speed is about 120 mph at 5500 rpm; the ECM contains a rev limiter which can be overriden. The Victory engine is air-cooled, and also circulates crankcase oil through a cooler mounted between the front downtubes. A section of the rear swingarm can be removed to change the drive belt or the rear wheel.
The motorcycle's designers had approached several European manufacturers, particularly Cosworth, about designing and producing the engine, but ultimately decided to design and build it in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Several variations on engine-frame geometry were tried until the best configuration was found, with the crankshaft geometrically aligned with the axles, a concept developed by Norton Racing in the late 50s. The V92C weighed about the same as a Harley, approximately 650 pounds (290 kg). The original V92C engine produced about 55 horsepower at the wheel; with high-performance cams and pistons, this could be boosted to 83 horsepower and 86 foot-pounds of torque.
1999 Victories were priced at approximately $12,000, somewhat less than Harleys but considerably more than comparable Japanese bikes. Reviewers did not find the V92C, with its functional styling and square cylinders, particularly attractive; one magazine said it "looked like a self-propelled compressor" (citation needed). In its advertising Polaris emphasized the bike's American manufacture, but many buyers wondered whether Victory would survive, and adopted a "wait-and-see" attitude. Excelsior-Henderson had recently gone into bankruptcy, but there remained stiff competition from Harley and other manufacturers, such as Titan, which produced expensive cruisers based on the Harley design, using S&S engines. Indian Motorcycles of Gilroy, CA were also selling well using modified S&S engines. Japanese producers, Yamaha in particular, soon began producing comparable motorcycles at much lower prices, and Harley introduced the V-Rod.
Victory had a distinct advantage over Titan, Indian and Excelsior-Henderson: it had a parent company, Polaris, with deep pockets and long experience in manufacturing recreational vehicles. Polaris hoped to tap into the Harley market but was aware Victory's sales might remain flat no matter how many they made. There were rarely more than 25 employees on the payroll, and initial production runs were about 2500 units a year. Both Indian and Excelsior-Henderson built new factories based on unrealistic sales projections (Excelsior-Henderson tooled up to produce 20,000 motorcycles per year), and ultimately went into bankruptcy.
Dealers came and went because the Victory alone could not support a dealership. The engine covers were sandcastings, and chrome tended to flake off. Some early models also experienced transmission problems, but Polaris quickly addressed design problems. In 2002 the Freedom Engine was introduced. It had the same dimensions as the old engine but better power output, and with rounded cylinders and smaller oil cooler it was much more attractive visually. The V92C became known as the Classic Cruiser, and was phased out of the model lineup after the 2003 model year, but remains a favorite with Victory riders. There was also a Special Edition version featuring special upgrades in 2000 and 2001 model years, and Deluxe models for several years.
V92SC SportCruiser
Offered in 2000 and 2001, the V92SC SportCruiser offered higher ground clearance, adjustable via a simple 2-position bolt setup on the frame under the seat. But the SportCruiser met a weaker than expected market, and did not sell well. They can still be found on eBay.
V92TC Touring Cruiser
Offered from 2002 through 2006, te TC featured a longer swingarm, re-designed seats, and the new Freedom Engine. The relatively tall seat height and roomy ergonomics made the bike ideal for larger riders. The Freedom Engine displaced 92 cubic inches (1.5 L), but put out significantly more power and torque than the original engine. The 2002 and later TC also accepted the 100 cubic inch (1.6 L) big-bore kit, which increased torque further with the addition of upgraded exhaust. Later models featured rubber mounted handlebars and revised suspension settings. Deluxe versions (V92TCD) were also available with extra features popular at the time. With the deletion of the Touring Cruiser at the end of the 2006 model year, the last of the original V92 motorcycles was finally retired from the lineup.
Vegas
In 2003 Victory introduced the Vegas, a more visually attractive motorcycle than its predecessors. The Vegas' styling guidelines came from from Arlen and Cory Ness, noted custom bike builders, and offered a totally new chassis design. The Freedom engine carried forward from the TC, but the rest of the bike incorporated new features not seen on previous Victorys. The Vegas debuted with the 92ci engine and 5-speed transmission, but was upgraded to a 100ci engine and 6-speed transmission for the 2006 model year.
Kingpin/Kingpin Deluxe/Kingpin Tour
Following on the success of the Vegas, the Kingpin was released in 2004. Victory took advantage of the greater tuning capacity of cartridge forks, and revised both front and rear spring rates and damping to improve ride quality. The Kingpin Deluxe added luxury items to attract riders looking for more creature comforts. The Kingpin and Kingpin Deluxe began with the 92 CID engine and 5-speed transmission, but were upgraded to the 100 CID engine and 6-speed transmission for the 2006 model year. For 2007 the Kingpin Tour was added, which was a Deluxe outfitted with an integrated tour pack or trunk. The Kingpin Tour was added when the Touring Cruiser was dropped from the lineup.
Hammer
the Hammer was based on the Vegas platform, but engineered to accept the largest tires available at the time, a 100 cubic inch (1.6 L) engine, 6-speed overdrive transmission, and disk brakes. In 2007, the Hammer S was added to the lineup with highline suspension components and special paint.
Vegas 8-Ball
Based on the Vegas platform, the 8-Ball was powdercoated in black where the Vegas had been chromed. It debuted with the 92 CID engine, and was upgraded to 100 CID in 2006. It is currently the only 100 CID engine in Victory's lineup that still uses the 5-speed transmission. It is also the least expensive Victory model.
Vegas Jackpot
Debuting in 2006, the Jackpot is, in Victory's own words, an "extreme custom." It features the 100ci Freedom V-Twin engine and 6-speed transmission, a 250 mm rear tire, a color-matched frame and extensive custom styling with bold paint schemes. It is designed to be Victory's top of the line custom.
Ness Signature Series
Famed motorcycle customizer Arlen Ness and his son Cory Ness teamed with Victory in 2003 to create a limited edition model based on the Vegas. The bikes they developed used many Ness aftermarket billet aluminum accessories, as well as custom paint schemes and their signatures on the side panels. In 2005, they added the Kingpin to the lineup. In 2006, the Jackpot was the basis for the Ness Signature Series. It featured many chrome accessories, a custom seat built by Danny Gray, custom billet aluminum wheels, and the signatures of Arlen and Cory Ness on the side panels. For 2007, the Ness Signature Series is based on the Jackpot.
Vision Street and Vision Tour
Introduced in February 2007 as additions to the 2008 line up, the Vision is a touring configuration. It comes in two versions, the Street, which includes a full fairing and hard saddle bags; and the Tour, which also has a hard trunk. The Vision offers a low seat height and a wide range of luxury electronics.