The other American cruiser company, Victory Motorcycles, is celebrating their 10th anniversary and their 2009 lineup is out. After introducing the Victory Vision last year, changes this year are a bit less dramatic. There’s a new 106 cubic inch Freedom V-Twin and a new Kingpin Low. The rest of the lineup seems to have only minor changes.
The Freedom V-Twin is a new 106, not the 106/6 found in the Vision. The 4 valve overhead cam engine puts out 97 hp and 113 foot pounds of torque compared to 92 hp and 109 foot pounds. This new engine will be found in the Hammer and Jackpot cruisers.
The Kingpin Low is exactly that, a closer to the ground version of their Kingpin cruiser with a seat height of only 22.5 inches, which should make any rider with shorter legs happy. Many women, especially, are on the lookout for bikes with a more accommodating seat height, the Kingpin Low looks like a solid contender in that area.
Link: Victory Motorcycles
Aaron Weber says
But will the “Low” version also have easier-to-grip clutch and brake levers? Seat-height is important, sure, but so is being able to put more than a fingertip on a lever. (How about adjustable levers?)
JR says
Victory please make something sporty! You have a great looking engine and lots of power! Make something around 10 grand along the lines of the V-Rod or the XR1200 that appeals to the younger market. Don’t just do old people cruisers.
Furthermore, let’s see a Buell type V-Twin sport bike from Victory. Make the young people notice you.
Rex says
JR is absolutely correct. Even a concept would be really neat to see, and it’s not like Victory (Ok, Polaris at least) doesn’t have the “sporty” cred to back it up.
skeeter says
Per the suggestions here, I don’t see the point of Victory building a “sporty” bike with their air-cooled low-compression 100ci V-Twin engine. It would be ridiculously heavy and underpowered compared to the the water-cooled high-performance 90-deg twins, triples, etc. currently on the market. With your average mid-size motorcycle in the 750cc range putting out 100-hp on a lightweight trellis frame what would be the point of a old-tech porky 100ci (1640cc) engine putting out 75-hp on a heavy bent tubular steal frame? And don’t suggest that Victory build a high-performance engine cuz they can’t afford the R&D and fabrications costs. If they could they would have built a water-cooled V4 (or similar) for their new Jetson’s touring bike; if anything screams for a more appropriate engine it’s the V. Vision.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
I dont know whether or not to be pissed off about the lack of entry level bikes produced by victory. 13k is not your average price for a low end motorcycle and it seems they have been priced to be exclusive of a certain demographic. I never got the impression they were geared towards old people, though. Just yuppie weekend warriors. Shoot i bought a brand new ducati for WAY cheaper than that.
On the other hand, it gives the impression they strive for excellence. I dont know what their sales numbers are like, but i dont see very many on the road, so perhaps its also designed to maintain some obscurity to the victory name.
Im mainly mad because i REALLY want one, they are styled neatly, they dont have the harley stigma, and they are super clean.
Mr. Tanshanomi says
Am I the only one who’s distracted by the cartoonishly large cylinders and heads Victory uses? It’s as if they’re out of proportion with the rest of the bike…
Mr. Tanshanomi says
And by the way, you really, really don’t want Victory to try a sport bike:
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/12/12/victory-vision-800cc-parallel-twin-automatic-concept
Nicolas says
I don’t like cruisers at all, not at all, but to be honest this one looks good … At least not an HD wannabee, a real alternative that brings styling and probably some oomph.
kneeslider says
Mr. Tanshanomi,
“…you really, really don’t want Victory to try a sport bike:”
There was this Victory powered custom sportbike, so they can look pretty interesting.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
I like big cartoony engines, its the big cartoony fenders that im not too keen on, but they are easily repaired.
JR says
Kneeslider… that XYZ bike makes my pants tight!
Skeeter…I’m not talking about making a high strung Ducati style sport bike, I’m talking American sporty, i.e. corner carving, sounds good, fun to ride, but it’s not like we have an Autobahn. I mean a sporty young person bike that looks good and is fun to ride and doesn’t look like your grandpa’s bike.
And most importantly, not as expensive as a Harley. I would love to buy an American bike, but there just aren’t that many. Price a fun Victory like a Sportster and we’re talking.
Derek says
agreed. a sportster style “mini cruiser” would be cool. with some cafe racer styling.
guitargeek says
Please, enough with the cruisers already! Roehr has the right idea, they just need to go into mass production and bring the price way, way down…
ROHORN says
The more of these they sell, the easier it will be to find an engine donor and build the bike you really want.
So go out and buy one now! Then crash it! It will be for the greater good……
Jeff says
There can be only 1 Buell . 🙂
John says
I check out Kneeslider almost everyday and when there is something interesting that has comments I look at them.I see a lot of the same people posting comments and a lot seem to be either ignorant or prejidice against American made bikes.Some of the stuff sounds like they obviously have never been on a Harley or alternative American bike but eagerly diss them like thier old hands at riding everything made.Some make statements so full of wrong bull but claime to have owned Harlrys that I disregarde them as haters trying to sound like old disinchanted owners.Then others say you don’t want to see Victory,or Harley,or Buell try something like it is trying your patience or money out of your pocket.Whats it to you! Stick with your whatever it is Japanese bike you like and the world will continue to spin whatever you think.
Seymour says
I wish I could work for Victory’s design department. I want to buy a Victory, if they would just produce the right bikes. They’ve got everything they need, they just need to design something really irresistable.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
John, if we werent able to voice our opinions in these blogs, they would be pretty dull. At any rate, point out an american made motorcycle that isnt grossly overpriced for what it is (besides the sportster). It just seems to me that japanese, british, even italian manufacturers have a more forgiving attitude towards people who want motorcycles, but cant afford to spend what they would on a small car. And even when you spend a very little bit on them (ninja 250, honda rebel) you still get alot of bike.
The only advantage i see to owning a harley is a following of overweight underdressed middleaged females. Oddly enough, however, i still want one………..
guitargeek says
If I understand you correctly, John, you seem to be saying that if we don’t want an overweight, underpowered, overpriced bike that we should buy something foreign. That’s the kind of ignorant, regressive thinking that has led to the US only producing one kind of bike (Buell excepted).
Many of us feel that America should be competitive on the world stage. Why isn’t there an American motorcycle company with a Moto GP or World Superbike racing program?? You see “Harleys” and “Buells” in NHRA drag racing, but in order to be competitive with the Suzukis the rules had to be changed and the Suzukis had to be limited on power and be saddled with a bunch of extra weight. This does nothing to improve the breed…
Jeff says
LOL. Overweight under dressed middleaged females . Now that’s funny ! I look at it this way You got the chrome crowd, chopper crowd the squid crowd and the BMW crowd . Then there is the ride what you can afford crowd .It’s all good . Just ride and ignore the biker snobs . 🙂 Oh by the way I fit in to the Buell crowd 🙂 If victory made a sportbike what would they call it …the Victory Vroom ? I love em all 🙂
John says
To those responding to me,I notice that you are all passive aggresive, you try to sound resnoble but you you still can’t help talking crap.You don’t know anything about Harley riders. All the people I know and ride with are intelligent hard working and a common trait is patriotic, but that’s not why I own and ride a Harley. I love it, it halls ass and makes me feel good.You are mistaking the fat dorks riding Jap wanabe Harleys with Harley patches on thier backs that I see sweerving and drawing attention to themselves as Harley riders.If you don’t like Harleys why even look at a article about them and then comment on it? I can respect sport bike riders because thats what they like,but these people riding Jap Harley copys with Harley patches claiming that they are not trying to emmulate something b ut doing a poor job of it make me laugh. I don’t go tpo articles about sport bikes or anything I’m not interested in and then make stupid comments on them.To each his own.
Jeff says
LOL . I owned 3 HDs Then I bought A Buell .
kneeslider says
OK, this is veering off topic so let’s get comments back to the bikes.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
From looking at this post i realized that… i dont like victory all that much. The one i would most want (and not because its cheapest) is the vegas 8ball. Because its simple. BUT at the same time i really like the nightster by harley which is almost 4k cheaper, probably handles better, and is probably faster.
I think the victorys are just too… pretty. swoopy.
The nightster looks raw and punchy. With a set of drag bars on it and a short fender and a matte finish (with no hd logos on it) Id be more than content.
Greybeard says
I think it’s unfortunate that Victory style is nothing more than Ness Inc.
Particularly the fenders which seem to be “Ness/Indian/we are SO not Harley Davidson”.
Ness repeats those fenders in their styles ad infinitum and they are old.
Perhaps it’s time to go out to bid for a design firm that could bring ideas to broaden product catagories.
And for those who don’t think Polaris has engine talent, just look at their sleds.
They’ve brought in a 4-stroke, 4 cylinder, turbocharged engine which seems all the world like a test bed.
All the other engines are 2 stroke and we know where those are heading.
Jeff says
Has anyone stuck a Victory engine in a rigid frame ? I would like to see some wild streched raked out version of one of these .That would be neat even though the style might be overdone .
hoyt says
Skeeter says: “With your average mid-size motorcycle in the 750cc range putting out 100-hp on a lightweight trellis frame what would be the point of a old-tech porky 100ci (1640cc) engine putting out 75-hp on a heavy bent tubular steal frame? ”
Performance is a varied topic, especially when talking about street riding. Horsepower is only part of the topic.
You can have the straight roads for the uber top-end hp.
I’ll take the 25-30 mph suggested curved roads. The ones that matter most on a motorcycle.
Triple-digit torque numbers produced low in the rev range is great performance whether you consider this “old tech” or not. And, b-t-w, the only old tech thing about this engine is that it is air/oil cooled, which is preferreddepending on who you talk to. It has 4-valves & chain-driven cams…not to be confused with 2-valves and push rods. (not that there is anything too wrong with my 2-valve, pushrod Guzzi V11 Sport, which does great in the curves.)
Have you ridden a Victory? Have you short-shifted this big twin?
This big twin would be loads of fun put into a sport chassis.
Speaking of which, you do not need a “heavy bent tubular steal frame” as you suggest. The motor & drivetrain are unit-construction which lends itself to more frame options, whether it be for a cruiser or something more sport-oriented.
abraxas says
I couldn’t comment on the mechanics, but i was looking at these bikes at the 1000 bike show recently. Very impressed, purely from an aesthetic perspective. Smooth flowing lines, comfortable and well finished.
I’d rather have a Victory than ANY harley.
Larry says
Hey look at that , a motorcycle company who builds a vehicle around a.. a.. a.. MOTOR !!! way to go Victory, smart and tough and cool.
More innovation in 10 yrs than HD in 100.
Matt says
I have a ’06 Vegas… I LOVE IT! If you think the 100 CI “Freedom” motor doesn’t have any power or that these bikes are slow, you’re WRONG! I installed a PMRT intake, a Llodz’ fuel controller and I ripped the ugly mufflers off then replaced them with some homemade tips. IT RIPS! I took it to the dragstrip and ran 12.20, 12.18 and a 12.15! How’s that for a “slow” American V-twin? I can tell you that these bikes are built right, they’re tough, sexy and clean. I BEAT my bike HARD. I slam gears, pull wheelies, rev the engine to redline at every chance I get and ride through the curves like it’s a sport bike… (The pegs are mounted low and they do scrape the ground.)
My bike gets all the attention wherever I am. The fact that it’s bright redish-orange in color probably helps catch peoples eye. I think it’s so clean and simple. I helps that I removed all the goofy “goverment” stickers, reflectors, fugly mufflers and the “cheese wedges”. To me and most people who look at it, it’s SEX ON WHEELS!!!
BTW, the “low” Vegas and Kingpin sit lower, have a narrower seat/side covers and the foot/hand controls are pulled back about two inches.
Some of you people need to realize Victory or any company for that matter can’t build every sort of bike for everybody. They are building bikes in the largest growing section of motorcycles, the “cruiser market”. There is a great book out there you can buy that will give you a very good idea of how and why Victory is here. It’s called “The road to Victory”. Here’s a little fact for ya… Victory did six years of R&D brfore they built their first bike. They wanted to do it right…
VICTORY That says it all!
Look here:
http://www.victory-usa.com
http://www.thevmc.com
http://www.lloydz.com
kingpin says
to each his own u love my vic its sleek and sexy and is a blast 106 srtoker is hell on hardleys
Ed says
Victory motorcycles do exactly what Victory intends them to do, and they do it very well ! They are great bikes…. Smooth, powerful, well balanced , don’t feel heavy at all, have great styling, and are rock solid. I love my 07 Hammer. Performance wise it is great. I drag raced it with 300 miles on it… bone stock. I drove off the line then gave it all it had. Ran 12.99 at 100 mph. Not bad ! Quicker with practice. Now it has 20 more hp with the S&S intake kit and factory slip on mufflers ( 96.5 HP 100 TQ ) 🙂 so id think 12.40s are within reach. All that and it can get over 60 mpg ! Looks like a show bike right off the floor too.
Deano says
Update I think this might be considered sporty
Patrick McQuillin says
I was Honda big-bike fan for my last 6 motorcycles… sport touring mostly. I’ve always been a very agressive rider. Bought an ’07 Victory Kingpin and I can’t stop riding it. I’m addicted. It’s bullet proof.
With a little tweaking, it goes fast enough to leave the less agressive sport riders behind. Handles superbly in the twisties and sounds pure race at high revs. With a little customizing, it attracts a lot of attention, including the Harley crowd.
I’m about to buy a second bike and guess what brand I’ll be buying.