Victory Hammer
- Thread starter Spie
- Start date
something looks a bit wrong about the back for me, but other than that it's pretty much the perfect updating of the standard cruiser design. i much prefer cruisers to sports bikes, but that doesnt mean there's anything wrong with a bit of modern styling
i thought these would be a little slow 0-60 then be monsters 60-100 
Victory have been around for about 10 years, and about 5 years in the UK. They have nothing to do with Harley, and were set up originally as a rival since no one has ever really tried to enter their market (with the exception of Indian at the beggining of the last century 
)
Nice solid bikes though, certainly worth a look if you like the Custom rides.
)Nice solid bikes though, certainly worth a look if you like the Custom rides.
Soldato
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OCC bikes are way too shiny and glam and homo, I reckon.
If I was going to go to the trouble of getting a custom bike built and shipped over from the US, it'd be an Exile and nothing else
Soldato
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It must sound nice as well as look nice, being a v-twin
Associate
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its a nice looking bike similar to a vrod , but there absolutly pants to ride....the chassis is pants, the gearbox was notchy, the suspention reminded me that polaris also make quads....the engine sounded terribile and the whole paccage sucked, i looked at one as im a twin fan, but it was terribile.... i ended up going for a buell, harley power in a decent frame..... big grins
I'm going to be the odd one out here, but I'm not sure that I like it.
When I first had a look, I thought it was alright, quite a meaty purposeful looking bike. However when I started to look at it more closely, I realised there are a few areas which just don't sit right with me. It's probably because I watch American Chopper and Biker Build-Off and I'm really in to custom fabrication work and attention to detail, but this bike looks a little too "mass production" (I know it is, but at the end of the day it's a cruiser where it's more about the bikes look and ride than performance - a la sportsbike).
The points in contention are:
1) The exhaust - Where the tail pipe splits from one branch in to two there is a horrible boxy join which ruins the whole flow of the pipes. They would have been much better to neatly weld the split branch to the single to keep the lines running smooth. It looks too much like an afterthought.
2) The tail section - Under the word "Hammer" the lines of the bike are completely ignored and the horrible flat bottom just sticks out like a sore thumb. In my opinion that tail section should follow the bottom lines of the tank and be much more curved, almost like a rear fender scooping over the tyre. They got the top half right, but it opposes the bottom half dreadfully.
3) Brake lines - Why oh why didn't they route the break lines more neatly? They just dangle off the back of the forks like they've got nowhere to go. Attention to detail guys!
4) Forks - The forks are ugly looking and the lower legs look cluttered, not to mention that big horrible reflector (However I don't know if it is the law to have one?). If you have a smooth, flowing bike (bar the lower tail section) then you want to keep the rest of the bike looking clean. Big, industrial looking lower fork legs just don't follow suit.
5) Indicators - Surely there's a better design choice than garish oval generic looking indicators? Once again...too much mass production and not enough attention to detail.
That's my opinion and I stand open to other people's views.
Am I being too critical, should I expect less "customization" on a mass production bike?
When I first had a look, I thought it was alright, quite a meaty purposeful looking bike. However when I started to look at it more closely, I realised there are a few areas which just don't sit right with me. It's probably because I watch American Chopper and Biker Build-Off and I'm really in to custom fabrication work and attention to detail, but this bike looks a little too "mass production" (I know it is, but at the end of the day it's a cruiser where it's more about the bikes look and ride than performance - a la sportsbike).
The points in contention are:
1) The exhaust - Where the tail pipe splits from one branch in to two there is a horrible boxy join which ruins the whole flow of the pipes. They would have been much better to neatly weld the split branch to the single to keep the lines running smooth. It looks too much like an afterthought.
2) The tail section - Under the word "Hammer" the lines of the bike are completely ignored and the horrible flat bottom just sticks out like a sore thumb. In my opinion that tail section should follow the bottom lines of the tank and be much more curved, almost like a rear fender scooping over the tyre. They got the top half right, but it opposes the bottom half dreadfully.
3) Brake lines - Why oh why didn't they route the break lines more neatly? They just dangle off the back of the forks like they've got nowhere to go. Attention to detail guys!
4) Forks - The forks are ugly looking and the lower legs look cluttered, not to mention that big horrible reflector (However I don't know if it is the law to have one?). If you have a smooth, flowing bike (bar the lower tail section) then you want to keep the rest of the bike looking clean. Big, industrial looking lower fork legs just don't follow suit.
5) Indicators - Surely there's a better design choice than garish oval generic looking indicators? Once again...too much mass production and not enough attention to detail.
That's my opinion and I stand open to other people's views.
Am I being too critical, should I expect less "customization" on a mass production bike?
Soldato
- Joined
- 26 Aug 2003
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- 24,291
Valid points, but the bikes are often used as a base for a more individual machine - you can't have a mass production individual machine, so removing scope or excuses to change parts would spoil the fun a bit imo.
Its ugly.
If you want a Harley style bike, buy a Harley.
They actually make machines that approximate motorcycles these days:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/...p?locale=en_US&swfsection=family&swffamily=vr
If you want a Harley style bike, buy a Harley.
They actually make machines that approximate motorcycles these days:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/...p?locale=en_US&swfsection=family&swffamily=vr
Theres a Hammer turns up at Squires Cafe quite often. I definitely prefer black as Orange is definitely Harley territory. Lovely looking and sounding bike to be honest.
To the person above saying just buy a Harley, Victories have been going ages (since the 50's I think) and have a heritage all of their own. Its nice to ride something thats a bit different and unusual, and all of the reviews have been very positive.
In fact I've noticed a big move away from sportbikes recently. 18 months ago and 90% of the bikes at squires were sportsbikes, but recently I 'd guess it was only about 50%, with the other 50 being a mix of customs, adventure bikes and nakeds.
I certainly dont regret jumping off the sportsbike ladder (must update sig lol)
To the person above saying just buy a Harley, Victories have been going ages (since the 50's I think) and have a heritage all of their own. Its nice to ride something thats a bit different and unusual, and all of the reviews have been very positive.
In fact I've noticed a big move away from sportbikes recently. 18 months ago and 90% of the bikes at squires were sportsbikes, but recently I 'd guess it was only about 50%, with the other 50 being a mix of customs, adventure bikes and nakeds.
I certainly dont regret jumping off the sportsbike ladder (must update sig lol)
OCC bikes are way too shiny and glam and homo, I reckon.
If I was going to go to the trouble of getting a custom bike built and shipped over from the US, it'd be an Exile and nothing else
Agreed, would have to be the RX Streetfighter...yum...
It could still be mass produced and follow the reccomendations I've made above though. Things like the tail section and lower fork legs aren't areas that would be changed by an owner looking to use the bike as a base for a more "individual" bike - perhaps the exhaust would, but I still stand by the fact that there's certain design traits here that have been overlooked and ultimately tarnished the looks of what could be a great bike.
