MOTORCYCLING AT ITS BEST - pi54.compi54.com/Victory/Awards/18029_eprint.pdf · MOTORCYCLING AT ITS BEST. HAMMER 2005 VICTORY HAMMER2005 VICTORY HAMMER ... passing a breeze, just zing

ELECTRONICALLYREPRINTED

FROMMARCH

2005

M OTO RC Y C L I N G AT I T S B E S TM OTO RC Y C L I N G AT I T S B E S T

HAMMERHAMMER

2005 VICTORY HAMMER2005 VICTORY HAMMER

Apparently, new motorcycle companies are like fine wine—they take a number of years

to mature and tempt the palate. Following this paradigm, Victory motorcycles have come

a long way in the first seven years of production. In the beginning the bikes were

somewhat conservative in appearance and performance, but more recently this newest

division of Polaris Industries has been introducing a steady stream of brash new models

that are extremely competitive with other brands out there in cruiser land.

Apparently, new motorcycle companies are like fine wine—they take a number of years

to mature and tempt the palate. Following this paradigm, Victory motorcycles have come

a long way in the first seven years of production. In the beginning the bikes were

somewhat conservative in appearance and performance, but more recently this newest

division of Polaris Industries has been introducing a steady stream of brash new models

that are extremely competitive with other brands out there in cruiser land.

BY KEN FREUND • PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WINGBY KEN FREUND • PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WING

TIMETIMEELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED FROM MARCH 2005

‘‘ ’’BESIDES THE BIKE’S OVERALL EYE-CATCHING APPEARANCE, THAT ULTRA-FAT 250-WIDTH REAR TIREMOUNTED ON AN 8.5-INCH RIM IS THE WIDEST OF ALLTHE MASS-PRODUCTION BIKES.

Based on the widely acclaimed Vegas model this latestiteration, the very extroverted Hammer, also beats itscompetition in several important areas. Besides the bike’soverall eye-catching appearance, that ultra-fat 250-widthrear tire mounted on an 8.5-inch rim is the widest of all themass-production bikes. The six-speed gearbox is also afirst in production big-twin cruisers and is sure to start atrend. Don’t be surprised if that other American brandstarts to offer six speeds as standard soon. And that 100-inch motor is near the top of the American-made V-twindisplacement heap.

The beating heart of the Hammer—like all currentVictory models—is an air/oil-cooled 50-degree V-twinwith single overhead camshafts and four valves per cylin-der. Those eight poppets are actuated by maintenance-free hydraulic lifters and self-adjusting cam chains. Thislayout promises considerably more power than a conven-tional pushrod cruiser engine design.

Using Victory’s second-generation V92 (1,507cc)Freedom engine that’s standard on the Vegas as a foun-dation, the Hammer’s larger 100-cubic-inch (1,634cc) dis-placement was achieved by boring it out 1⁄5 inch, from3.82 inches up to 4.02; stroke remains at 3.98 inches.The compression ratio is bumped up slightly from 9.2 to9.8:1, which yields a little extra zip, too.

Both versions (92 and 100 cubic inches) are built on the

same assembly line in Osceola, Wisconsin. Victory reportsthat it has the lowest warranty claim rate of all Polarisengines and is said to be among the best in the wholepowersports industry. So far our experience has borne thatout. There were no leaks, seeps, weeps or other untowardoccurrences from within the crankcase halves.

Besides the increase in bore size, the Hammer’sengine received a redesigned camshaft drive, oil pumpand primary drive. This was done at least in part toreduce mechanical whirring noises, which some folksfound objectionable.

The crankcase casting was narrowed 10mm and theframe cradle was also narrowed to match for improvedcornering clearance. As a result, oil capacity was reducedfrom six to five quarts, but that’s still as much oil capacityas many V-8 automotive engines. We were told that theoriginal engine was over-engineered and this changewon’t affect engine life or performance.

Twist the cold-start lever on the left handlebar, thumbthe starter and the big twin rumbles to life immediately andsettles quickly into a steady idle even when cold. Inwarmer weather you can even skip the fast-idle lever.Rideability is good and the bike responds to the throttleobediently. There is an initial abrupt jump in power comingup off idle and a light surge when coasting down to a stop,which is produced when the fuel-cut strategy (designed to

‘‘THE CRANKCASE CASTING WAS NARROWED 10MM AND THE FRAME CRADLE WASALSO NARROWED TO MATCH FOR IMPROVED CORNERING CLEARANCE.’’

reduce exhaust emissions) turns the fuel back on at theinjectors as the engine drops to near idle speed. Thesecharacteristics are also present on many other fuel-inject-ed bikes and you get used to them after a while.

We could definitely feel more power all through the revrange compared to the 92-inch motor. The engine is red-lined at 5,500 rpm and pulls strongly from just above idleto about 4,500, where it seems to begin leveling offbefore the rev limiter cuts in. This added power makespassing a breeze, just zing it down a cog and speedpicks up quickly.

Victory states that the Hammer’s output is 88 horse-power at 4,500 rpm and 110 lb-ft at 2,500 revs, up by 10horses and 22 lb-ft compared to the 92-inch version(measured at the crankshaft). On Barnett’s Dynojetdynamometer we recorded 77.1 rear-wheel horsepowerat 4,600 rpm and 98.4 lb-ft of torque at 2,700 rpm fromour test bike, a production-intent model at the fifth of eightstages in Victory’s build-proofing process—stage nine isproduction. We believe our test bike to be represen-tative of what you can buy, however.

On hot days a lot of heat comes off the rightrear portion of the engine right above theexhaust pipes, especially in traffic—more

horsepower equals more heat. Also, some of the bikes atthe introduction and our test machine had problems withtheir starters being unable to crank the engines when theywere hot due to the higher load. We were assured thiswould be corrected before production began.

Clutch-lever effort appears to be slightly higher to han-dle the greater torque output. However, the required pullis still reasonable and it modulates well with no chatter or gabbiness.

With extra torque available, the Hammer drives througha new six-cog gearbox that has a taller final ratio. Shiftingis smooth and quick for a cruiser and there’s less gear

Badges announce that you have 100 cubicinches and a six-speed.

Dual front rotors and male-slider fork are nice additions.

Gauges are good-looking; numbers a littlehard to see at night.

The Glove Says...

2005 VICTORY HAMMERGreat Engine

Not Stupid HeavySix Speeds

Heavy SteeringHarsh Ride in Back

No Storage

noise. First through fifth gear are the same as on theregular Vegas models, but sixth is an overdrive of13.8 percent. This makes for a nice, relaxed 2,100rpm at 60 mph, down about 300 from fifth gear. Theengine is tractable enough that you can lug it down toabout 2,000 in sixth, or slightly less in lower gears.Due to the larger pistons there’s slightly more vibra-tion from the solid-mounted, counterbalanced pow-erplant, but it doesn’t become noticeable until about4,000 revs. With the tall gearing, the only time you’llhit that rpm is when accelerating hard.

If you want even more power, S&S Cycle (the well-known aftermarket supplier of V-twin enginesand accessories) will soon offer performance kits,including stroker crankshafts, through Victory deal-ers. We got to try out a prototype bike with a powerkit on it and it was noticeably faster than stock,although a few fuel-injection glitches were still beingworked out. A 106-cubic-inch stroker kit should beout this spring. Maximum power with the most radi-cal kit will reportedly be around 115 crankshaft horse-power. When the final details are worked out theinformation should be available through Victory deal-ers and the companies’ Web sites.

Final drive is via a stronger carbon-fiber-reinforcedtoothed belt. It’s narrower to allow tire clearance butthe pulleys are both larger in diameter to distribute thestresses. Victory tells us that with those changes thebelt should last about 100,000 miles.

Up front you’ll find a male-slider cartridge fork,upgraded from the regular Vegas’ conventionalsetup. It feels more compliant and better-riding thanthe Vegas fork, which is a welcome change. Dampingand suspension control seem better than on the standard-issue Vegas. In back a single shock that’sadjustable for preload handles the weight. Due to thehigher unsprung weight and sidewall stiffness of the250 tire this end rides harder than the Vegas.

Another upgrade is the dual-disc Brembo frontbrakes which help haul the Hammer down; an excel-lent addition considering the additional power onhand. They provide strong, consistent and fade-freestops, but required slightly more lever effort than we expected.

Seating is style-oriented, with comfort sufficient forrides of moderate length. There’s also a removablepillion cover that can be stored on an optional frontflyscreen. It looks good when it’s in place; when it’sremoved three holes and a grab handle are visible.

Unique to the Hammer is a fat, wide handlebar thatforms a V shape and flares out straight to the sides.Perched in front of that is a pair of full-sized analoggauges, a speedo and tach, that let riders know justhow rapid is their progress. There’s just a single tripodometer and no clock or other frippery; keep it sim-ple is the theme. The instrument pods are mountedhigh, which puts them near the rider’s line of sight.

2005 Victory Hammer

The Hammer on the Dyno

Base Price: $16,499 (California $16,749)Warranty: One year, unltd. miles

ENGINEType: Air/oil-cooled, transverse,50-degree V-twinDisplacement: 1,634ccBore x Stroke: 101 x 102mmCompression Ratio: 9.4:1Valve Train: SOHC, 4 valves per cyl.Valve Adj. Interval: NAFuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injectionw/ 44mm throttle bodiesLubrication System: Wet sump,5.0-qt. cap.Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuatedwet clutchFinal Drive: Toothed belt

ELECTRICALIgnition: ElectronicCharging Output: 456 watts max.Battery: 12V 18AH

CHASSISFrame: Tubular-steel w/ dual downtubesand cast aluminum swingarm

Wheelbase: 65.7 in.Rake/Trail: 32.9 degrees/5.57 in.Seat Height: 26.4 in.Suspension, Front: 43mm stanchionsw/ 5.1-in. strokeRear: Single shock, adj. for spring preload, 3.9-in. travelBrakes, Front: Dual disc w/ opposed 4-piston calipersRear: Single disc w/ opposed 2-pistoncaliperWheels, Front: Spoked aluminum,3.0 x 18 in.Rear: Spoked aluminum, 8.5 x 18 in.Tires, Front: 130/70-R18Rear: 250/40-R18Wet Weight: 704 lbs.Load Capacity: 461 lbs.GVWR: 1,165 lbs.

PERFORMANCEFuel Capacity: 4.5 gals., last 0.8 gal.warning light onAverage mpg: 36.2Estimated Range: 163 milesIndicated rpm at 60 mph: 2,100

They look nice in gleaming chrome.Fuel mileage varied from a low of 34.3 to a high of 38.2,

with an average of 36.2 mpg. With a 4.5-gallon tank, thatpencils out to an approximate range of 163 miles to empty.Typically the low-fuel lamp came on at about 130 miles.

Avon and Metzeler were the pioneers in the realm of widerear tires. That fat Dunlop Elite 3 250-width rear gummy wasdeveloped in collaboration with Victory’s engineers specifi-cally for this bike and it’s said to be the tire firm’s first attemptat such big motorcycle rubber. The 250 width has a signifi-cant effect on the bike’s ride and handling; it requires notice-ably more effort to turn the Hammer and hold it in a cornerthan the regular Vegas models. The higher unsprung weightand stiffer sidewalls also make the ride firmer, and keep inmind that a wide rear tire in combination with a narrow frontcan be real tricky in the rain or on wet pavement.

At $16,499 the Hammer has a number of upscale fea-tures that the $14,999 Vegas does not, such as the premi-um fork, extra front brake, larger displacement and six-speed transmission. That’s a lot of goodies for $1,500.Some of the latest V-twin cruisers have larger engines, butthe bikes themselves have become so large that potentialbuyers may be turned off by the massiveness. At 704pounds with a 65.7-inch wheelbase the Hammer is full-sized, yet smaller than these behemoths, while still offering100 cubes of displacement and a lot of bling bling. So ifyou’re shopping for a “factory custom” bike with a warrantyat a reasonable price, this may be it. The year 2005 may turnout to be a good vintage for Victory, indeed. �31

Posted with permission from the March 2005 issue of Rider ® www.riderreport.com. Copyright 2005, Primedia Inc. All rights reserved.For more information about reprints from Rider, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877-652-5295

FIRST RIDEFIRST RIDE

ELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED FROM JANUARY

TODAY’S CRUISERS AREall about booty—and like allthings cruiser, the bigger thatbooty the better. Tune into theDiscovery Channel for any ofthe now-daily chop shop mash-ups and you’ll see the trend infull-custom choppers isNHRA-inspired 300mm reartires. Attempting to capi-talize on this fat-tail

H A M M E Rphenomenon with the introduc-tion of its Hammer, VictoryMotorcycles steamrolls everyoneelse on the assembly-line side witha 250mm rear meat—the phat-test yet fitted to a mass-producedmotorcycle, and at least 50mm

wider than anything offered bycompeting manufacturers.

Viewed from behind—espe-cially en masse as Victory generalmanager Mark Blackwell leads ahalf-dozen Hammer-mountedjournalists along a deserted TexasHill Country highway at triple-digit speeds—the Hammer is

undeniably bad-ass. It looksalmost cartoonishly

overmuscled, with

a hunk of rubber wider than thatof nearly every car on the roadbulging out from under thetruncated tailsection. In theimage-is-everything big-twinmarket, it’s impossible to overes-

timate the visualimpact the fat-tire Hammer

makes.

V I C T O R Y B Y A A R O N P. F R A N K

We drop the hammeron Victory’s new

power cruiser, with its bigger-than-yours100-cubic-inch V-twin

and 250-series rear tire

RU

LE!

TWINS

Victory calls the Hammerall-new, and even though thebike shares many parts with thecompany’s Kingpin and Vegascruisers, that’s still a fairclaim. A fat rear tire is only partof the story; the $16,499Hammer also debuts thefirm’s new 100/6 powertrain,which couples an upsized,100-cubic-inch (1634cc) ver-sion of Victory’s Freedom V-twin with a true-overdrivesix-speed transmission.

Based on the excellent four-valve, air/oil-cooled 92-inch 50-degree V-twin Freedom millpowering Victory’s Vegas andKingpin cruisers, the 100-inchergets bored from 97mm to101mm to gain an extra eightcubes (stroke remains 102mm).In addition to larger slugs, thebig motor also gets new camand oil pump drives andrevised helical-cut primarygears (all to reduce mechanicalnoise), plus a 10mm-narrowersump allowing the frame rails

to move closer together formore cornering clearance.

Victory engineers say thegoal of the new six-speed gear-box is to provide a true-over-drive transmission for quieter,smoother highway cruising.Accordingly, sixth provides a13.6 percent reduction fromthe 1:1 fifth ratio, which trans-lates to a drop of nearly 500rpm at 75 mph. Victory callsthis the first true-overdrivetransmission ever on a produc-tion cruiser.

Fire up the big-cube Hammerand you’d never guess it was anybigger than dad’s 92-incher.The counterbalanced engine isimpressively still at idle and,except for a mild vibrationthrough the tank and pegs at4000 rpm (which is gone 250rpm later), it remains smoothright up to the soft rev-limiter.There is surprisingly little fly-wheel effect for such a big lump,so the engine revs freely.

Hit the highway, though,

and you’ll never mistake theHammer for its smaller sib-lings. Victory claims 110pound-feet of torque at 2500rpm and 88 horsepower at4500 rpm. Those are stoutnumbers, especially the torquefigure that sits well to the northof benchmark power cruiserssuch as Honda’s VTX1800

(105 lb.-ft.) and Yamaha’sWarrior (98 lb.-ft.). Dump theclutch and the Hammerinstantly reminds you whyAmerican riders love big twinsso much; the bike lunges offthe line on that mountain oftorque, and a horsepower curvethat plateaus at 4000 rpmkeeps the party going right upto redline. The new, solid-shift-ing transmission performs asadvertised. Shifts are smooth, ifa bit loud, and sixth is an anti-dote to the 4000-rpm vibeband that corresponds with 75

Victory’s basic chassis is one of the

best-handling incruiserdom thanks to

a burly aluminumswingarm with a

rising-rate linkageand an appropriately

hefty 43mm inverted fork.

Victory’s new 100/6 powerplantretains the firm’s existing dohc 50-degree V-twin architecture, butbumps displacement from 92 cubicinches to an even 100 with a 4mm—whoops, a 0.16-inch—bore increase.Belt final drive is alsoVictory-standard. ToxicGreen paint withTribal Tattoo graphicssets off the chromehighlights nicely.

mph in fifth. The only negativehere is the lever pressure requiredby the stiffer clutch springsinstalled to stand up to thestronger motor. Nothing exces-sive, but it does take a stout grip.

Victory’s basic chassis is one ofthe best-handling in cruiserdomthanks to a burly aluminumswingarm with a rising-rate link-age and an appropriately hefty43mm inverted fork. Our firstquestion was how this stellarchassis would handle the mas-sive, car-sized tire hanging off theback. The answer is with a lot ofsteering input. It takes somemuscle to coax the bike onto theedge of the tire in a corner, andonce you’re leaned over it doesn’twant to stay there. There’s sort ofa weeble-wobble effect, as thewide, flat tire tries to center itselfand right the bike. At slow

speeds the Hammer seems hap-piest pointed in a straight line.

To Victory’s credit, this behav-ior mostly disappears after youbecome accustomed to theHammer. Although the bike

feels different from a traditionalcruiser, it’s always balanced andpredictable. And despite high-effort turning, on a fast, sweep-ing road the Hammer is big fun,holding a line with the sort of

authority only a 657-pound (claimed dryweight) bike canmuster. This is whereyou note the excellentcornering clearanceafforded by the nar-rower frame, slimmerfootrest mounts andhuge rear tire.

The only suspensionadjustment on theHammer is rear pre-load, and fast, bumpyroads can overwhelmthe well-sprung butunderdamped stocksuspension, especially

in the rear where there isample unsprung weight. Thestoppers, though—Brembocalipers (four-piston up front,two-piston in the rear) withbraided stainless lines—areeasily the best brakes in cruis-erdom, bar none.

Even if the power cruisersegment hasn’t yet attractedhordes of aging sportbike enthu-siasts, the relatively comfortableallure of machines such as the100-inch Hammer remains.Compared with any fringedand filigreed traditional cruiser,it’s no contest. Even if theHammer’s particular definitionof performance skews toward thestraight line, there’s still enoughhandling to have fun in thetwisty bits. And no one can arguethe fact this baby puts some seri-ous rubber on the road.

PRICEMSRP $16,499

ENGINEType a/o-c 50-deg.V-twinValve arrangement sohc,8vDisplacement 1634ccTransmission 6-speed w/overdrive

CHASSISWeight 657 lb. (claimed dry)Fuel capacity 4.5 gal. (17L)Wheelbase 65.7 in. (1669mm)Seat height 26.4 in. (669mm)

Victory Hammer

The Hammer looksalmost cartoonishlyovermuscled, withits huge, 250mmhunk of rubberbulging out fromunder its truncatedtailsection.

MC

Posted with permission from the January 2005 issue of Motorcyclist ® www.motorcyclistonline.com. Copyright 2005, Primedia Inc. All rights reserved.For more information about reprints from Motorcyclist, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877-652-5295

LESSLESSMOREMORE

isis

2005 Victory Vegas 8-Ball2005 Victory Vegas 8-Ball

ELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED FROM DECEMBER 2004

For 2005 Victory Motorcycles hascome up with a really interesting,lower-priced version of its Vegas cruis-er in the new 8-Ball model. It startswith the same chassis and majorstyling cues from the Vegas, with itslong, low, flowing design, one-piecesculpted tank with a split tail blendinginto the seat, stylish alloy-spokewheels and flush-mounted LED tail-light. On the 8-Ball, however, the frillsare gone—you get a solo seat, mini-malist features and a motorcycle in its most basic form. Black bodywork,a black fork, handlebar, swingarm andblack powdercoated engine—just likean 8-ball—form the starting point for acustom project or the completion of a back-to-basics cruiser.

Throw a leg over the 8-Ball, andyou’ll immediately notice the lowsaddle height, pull-back handlebarthat reaches back to greet you, andthe moderately forward-mountedfootpegs. Most riders should find theriding position comfortable, althoughtaller ones such as yours truly maynotice they’re sitting on the rear edgeof the rather thinly padded seat. Pooltable jokes aside, the minimalisttheme continues with the basic roundanalog speedometer with a singletripmeter, and the recessed indicator-lamp panel. You won’t find a tach,clock, fuel or temperature gauge orother such frivolities. About the onlyextra you will find is a hazard-flasherswitch, which we would like to see asstandard equipment on all bikes.

The 8-Ball’s 92-cubic-inch, SOHC,four-valve Freedom V-twin engineand five-speed gearbox are carriedover unchanged from the Vegas. Thispowertrain was successfully updated afew years ago from Victory’s originalV-92 version under the leadership ofAllen Hurd, formerly with England’sCosworth Engineering, a firm knownfor powerful engine designs. In themeantime, several monster cruiserengines have come out, but thisdesign still outperforms most othercruisers of similar displacement.

On the Dynojet dynamometer, wegot 75 rear-wheel horsepower at5,100 rpm, along with 90.5 lb-ft of

torque at 3,000 revs. This engine hasa nice, relatively flat torque curvewith its peak at about three grand, butthere’s plenty of twist from around2,000 rpm right on up to about 5,500,where it finally starts to drop off.

Cold or hot, the fuel-injected millstarts right up and is ready to go, withno stumbling, hiccups or other badhabits. In mild weather we didn’teven have to use the fast-idle controlduring warmup.

On the road, the engine has a syn-copated rumble to the exhaust with apleasing sound that’s not too loud,not too quiet. You’ll also hear somegear whine from the primary drivebut it’s not annoying. Even thoughthe engine is solid mounted, internalcounterbalancers and rubber-mount-ed handlebar risers very effectivelyreduce vibrations to the point thatthey’re never intrusive.

There’s plenty of torque on tapacross the rpm range and the engineseems to rev freer and higher thanmost big twins, thanks no doubt to its overhead cams and four-valvecylinder heads. Yet it can still lugdown to about 40 mph in high gear,then roll the power on and zoomaway nicely. At full throttle, theengine pulls strongly through everygear and feels good doing it. Aboutthe only gripes we have are someabruptness as you open the throttle inthe lower gears, and a surge whenpower comes back on after a coast-down during closed-throttle decelera-tion. Both are glitches that severalother brands have trouble with, too.

Clutch lever effort is light (espe-cially for a cable-actuated setup),takeup is smooth and it’s easy tomodulate yet hooks up solidly. Gearchanges are likewise effortless, with alight click up or down and the shift is complete. The ratios are wellmatched to the engine’s characteris-tics and allow you to plod along inheavy traffic and then cruise effort-lessly at highway speeds. At first itwas occasionally difficult to find neu-tral when stopped while idling ingear, but that seemed to go awayafter initial break-in. Final drive is via

BY KEN FREUNDPHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WING

ON THE 8-BALL THE FRILLS ARE GONE–YOU GET A SOLO SEAT, MINIMALISTFEATURES AND A MOTORCYCLE IN ITS MOST BASIC FORM.“ “

toothed belt, which is clean, quiet and free of lash.The solo saddle is quite thin but looks good and

suffices for rides of moderate length. It matches upwith the shape of the gas tank and adds a bit of cus-tom appearance. Underneath, there’s no place tostash a toolkit or owner’s manual, although the reg-istration and insurance card can be wrapped in plas-tic and tucked in behind the cover over the fusepanel. If you’d like to take a passenger, pillion seatsare available through Victory and hidden, threadedmounting points are already in place on the bike.Passenger footpegs will be more difficult but can bemounted using Vegas parts.

Controls are conventional and all work well. Turnsignals are self-canceling, which is especially helpfulfor us forgetful types. Both mirrors offer a shake-freeview aft and are spaced far enough apart to be useful.

A conventional, non-adjustable damper-rod forkand single rear shock with rising-rate linkage and ad-justable spring preload handle suspension chores. Ridequality has also improved compared to previous Vic-tory models. However, the low-slung ride heightleaves little room for suspension travel and the damp-er-rod front and short-travel rear can get a bit chop-py over rough pavement. Repetitive concrete pave-ment joints really make the bike jolt and thump, too.

Steering feels surprisingly light considering theweight; the bike turns in nicely and holds a line wellthrough a corner, up to the point where parts startscraping. That long, low look also comes at a price,as the bike runs out of cornering clearance a littlesooner than the average cruiser. When it does, therider’s boot heels touch first, followed quickly by thefootpeg feelers and shortly after that hard parts startto drag, particularly the base of the footpeg bracket.

The spoked aluminum-alloy wheels, 21-inch infront and 18-inch diameter in back, have an almost-custom look and plenty of eye appeal. Cornering islimited by ground clearance, not tire grip. The stan-dard-fitment Dunlop Cruisemax tires should last along time and offer decent traction, but reallysquirm in rain grooves and along longitudinal pave-ment seams.

Front-wheel braking is quite strong and effortlow, despite having only one front caliper and rotor.Rear stopping power is also good, with enoughclamping force to skid the rear tire without greateffort. Both are quiet, easy to modulate and fade-free in normal use.

You don’t buy a bike like this for fuel economyalone, but it’s nice to know what it is. We typicallygot between 37.5 and 41.5 mpg for an average of39.5. The tank holds 4.5 gallons total and the low-fuel lamp generally came on at around 120-135miles. Bright sunlight makes it difficult to tell if thelow-fuel lamp is on, so keep an eye on it after thatdistance. Using the 39.5-mpg figure that we aver-aged, multiplied by rated capacity, works out to

Base Price: $12,995Warranty: One year, unltd. miles

ENGINEType: Air/oil-cooled, transverse,50-degree V-twinDisplacement: 1,507ccBore x Stroke: 97.0 x 102mmCompression Ratio: 9.2:1Valve Train: SOHC, 4 valves per cyl.Valve Adj. Interval: NAFuel delivery: Electronic fuel injection w/ 44mm throttle bodiesLubrication System: Wet sump,6.0-qt. cap.Transmission: 5-speed, cable-actuated wet clutchFinal Drive: Toothed belt

ELECTRICALIgnition: ElectronicCharging Output: 456 watts max.Battery: 12V 18AH

CHASSISFrame: Tubular-steel w/ dualdowntubes and cast swingarm

Wheelbase: 66.5 in.Rake/Trail: 33.1 degrees/5.28 in.Seat Height: 26.5 in.Suspension, Front: 43mm stanchions w/ 5.1-in. travelRear: Single shock, adj. for springpreload w/ 3.9-in. travelBrakes, Front: Single disc w/opposed 4-piston caliperRear: Single disc w/ opposed 2-piston caliperWheels, Front: Cast, 2.15 x 21 in.Rear: Cast, 4.5 x 18 in.Tires, Front: 80/90-H21Rear: 170/60-HB18Wet Weight: 670 lbs.Load Capacity: 465 lbs.GVWR: 1,135 lbs.

PERFORMANCEFuel Capacity: 4.5 gals., last 0.8gals. warning light onAverage mpg: 39.5Estimated Range: 178 mi.RPM at 60 mph: 2,500

2005 Victory 8-Ball

The Victory 8-Ball on the Dyno

CUSTOM CORNERMany motorcycle owners and customizing artists consider a stockmotorcycle to be nothing more than a blank canvas upon which toapply their personal touches. In the last few years several custombike builders have taken a liking to Victory products, although the8-Ball is so new that at press time we couldn’t find anyone who hashad a chance to modify one. However, we did find some otherVegas models that have been modified, from mild to wild, and thesame things can be done to the 8-Ball.

Arlen Ness and S&S Cycle of Viola, Wisconsin, have displayedsome wild Vegas customs, and Polaris West in Katy, Texas, offersparts to modify yours, or they’ll build you a custom to order. Wespoke to Rick Lubbeck, owner of Polaris West, and he said they areintroducing a number of trick parts for Victorys, including wide-tireswingarm kits and a host of custom accessories.

about 178 miles before the tank be-comes completely filled with air.

Speaking of bright sun, we noticed an unusual quirk when weparked the bike after a run, especially in the hot sun. It frequent-ly makes a high-pitched moaning sound that apparentlyemanates from the fuel tank venting system. It’s harmless butquite loud, somewhat annoying and can attract acrowd of curious onlookers.

At night, the speedometer and indicator lampsare readily visible, perhaps too bright at times.Once we got the headlamp aimed where wewanted it, the twin-bulb lamp lighted the wayeffectively with a broad, powerful beam. We did find that the taillamp is not very bright when viewedfrom an angle off to theside. Otherwise, lightingis excellent.

Overall we reallyliked the 8-Ball, withits pleasingly under-stated looks, reason-able cost and the factthat it works well in its

Victory left out the chromed-plastic “cheesewedge” between the cylinders on theright side of the 8-Ball.

The speedometer is easy to see in sun ordarkness, but the indicator lamps are a littlebright at night.

The 8-Ball gets a powdercoated, instead of polished, rear swingarm to reduce cost.

SOURCESArlen Ness Enterprises Inc., 6050 Dublin Boulevard, Dublin,California 94568; (925) 479-6300; www.arlenness.comPolaris West, 6117 Highway Boulevard, Katy, Texas 77494; (800) 811-0989; www.polariswest.comS&S Cycle Inc., 14025 County Highway G, Viola, Wisconsin; (866) 833-1508; www.sscycle.com �30

Posted with permission from the December 2004 issue of Rider ® www.riderreport.com. Copyright 2004, Primedia Inc. All rights reserved.For more information about reprints from Rider, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877-652-5295

intended role. Although it’s asubstantial $2,000 less thanthe regular Vegas model, an8-Ball offers the same quality,performance, handling andexcellent fit and finish at a very competitive price.During our testing we neverhad anything go wrong withthe bike and didn’t notice anydefects; paint, plating andassembly were all top notch.

The folks at Victory maybe on to something with the8-Ball, as everywhere wewent the bike got noticed,with a lot of thumbs up, neckcraning, smiles and nods ofapproval. Now that they’vemade their machines lookand perform on a par withthe competition, it’s time forpublic perception to catch upwith the bike’s reality. If thepurchase of a performancecruiser is in your plans, youowe it to yourself to checkout the 8-Ball before youmake a final decision. Oh,and Victory denies rumors ofan upcoming plain white ver-sion called the Cue-Ball. �30

To find out more, visit:victorymotorcycles.com