Victory Judge & Hardball

[AD345]

Victory has had a couple of model releases in the last few weeks/months

the latest:

The Judge



Nice muscle bikes reminiscent of the Hammer but without the fat back tyre. Interesting seat configuration and the little oval side cover (NOT for an oil cooler - pure aesthetics)

A genuine new model though

late last year was

the Hardball



Basically a Cross Roads with the High-Ball apes on it. Still - its probably the only bagger other than the Vision that I would consider

[avgas]

My feelings a bit of a conundrum. I really like some of there designs. But there is always 5-10% of the bike that I simply have pure hatred for.
Not just distaste.......but hatred so pure I want to set fire to the poor thing.

To give a couple of scenarios. The Judge; Loving the look with those bars, that tank, general look. But the seat unit, the headlight? Its like inbred love child of a sportster with the old 80's GSX series.
As for the Hard-ball, love it, but I can imagine those bars to be just as uncomfortable as clip-ons. Why couldn't the put something like a slighly bent t-bar, so you lean back a bit with a more upright position?
And those exhausts? Surely they could have formed them so they look like they fit the bike and those panniers. As it stands they look like they fell off some boy-racers civic.

Also why haven't they released the Kore? The one bike that EVERYONE wanted.

[AD345]

My feelings a bit of a conundrum. I really like some of there designs. But there is always 5-10% of the bike that I simply have pure hatred for.
Not just distaste.......but hatred so pure I want to set fire to the poor thing.

To give a couple of scenarios. The Judge; Loving the look with those bars, that tank, general look. But the seat unit, the headlight? Its like inbred love child of a sportster with the old 80's GSX series.
As for the Hard-ball, love it, but I can imagine those bars to be just as uncomfortable as clip-ons. Why couldn't the put something like a slighly bent t-bar, so you lean back a bit with a more upright position?
And those exhausts? Surely they could have formed them so they look like they fit the bike and those panniers. As it stands they look like they fell off some boy-racers civic.

Also why haven't they released the Kore? The one bike that EVERYONE wanted.

Most bikes need a little modifying straight out of the box - cruisers especially

Agree about the pipes, it's the first thing I change and, like H-D, no doubt a good little earner for Victory.

I quite like the headlight, it is different from the stock light on most of the rest of the line-up, at least it's round! The seat unit sure looks different but different is what I like about Victorys anyway.

On the Hard-Ball, the bars are adjustable so you can have them anywhere from right up to right down - which is novel.

The Core was only ever a concept bike, no room for a wooden seat in today's world, but parts of it are gong to come through - notably the frame.

Watch this space

[iYRe]

I love that judge.. LOVE..

If only I had money.. or a job that paid money..

The problem with that hardball promo is the rider. He was soft. He even used his indicators. He was so soft that chick was not gonna be anything other than disappointed..

But then.. the bike was hard. So.. yeah..

If I ever buy another bike I am know what I am getting.

I hear, through the grapevine, that victory have the rights to the Indian name, and might start bringing out some Indian branded bikes.. now that would be cool. Absolutely icebox.

[James Deuce]

Liking that Judge.

[AD345]

I love that judge.. LOVE..

If only I had money.. or a job that paid money..

The problem with that hardball promo is the rider. He was soft. He even used his indicators. He was so soft that chick was not gonna be anything other than disappointed..

But then.. the bike was hard. So.. yeah..

If I ever buy another bike I am know what I am getting.

I hear, through the grapevine, that victory have the rights to the Indian name, and might start bringing out some Indian branded bikes.. now that would be cool. Absolutely icebox.

Polaris now owns Indian outright. They brought some of the tooling to Spirit Lake (where Victory is made) and have installed it the plant. The aim is to have new models for 2013. Indian will be separate to Victory and priced higher with, probably, more conservative/classic styling.

They will be 2 distinct brands, both owned by Polaris and both built in Iowa

[iYRe]

AD345,

Yeah.. some of those bikes, like the 8-ball almost immediately are Indian without any changes.. but yeah.. I reckon its a good move on their behalf, and can only enhance both brands.