My first Victory rides: The cruisers

The Victory Kingpin

While in Laughlin, NV, recently for the Laughlin River Run I test rode five Victory motorcycles. I've already  described the three tourers I rode. The following is an appraisal of the two cruisers I tested. Altogether, the five bikes I rode were three touring bikes, the Cross Country, the Cross Roads, and the Vision 8 Ball; and two cruisers, the Kingpin and the Hammer.

Kingpin

As a total switch from the three tourers I test rode, the Kingpin has no fairing or windshield. What it does have is power. One hundred cubic inches of power, and that means this bike takes off from a stop like a rocket. Of course, what that translates into is an enormous wind blast, the kind that throws you back and threatens to rip your hands from the grips.

This is strictly a personal preference. Some people love that feeling, while others, including me, prefer some sort of wind protection. But it's really part of what the bike is intended for as well. A cruiser is not necessarily the bike you'll want to take on a long road trip, but if you're just tooling around town then the occasional blast can be fun. I'm a hard-core touring rider so this just wouldn't make it for me.

That said, of the five Victorys I rode, the one I absolutely loved was the Kingpin. It was very light, very comfortable, easy to flick from side to side, and maneuvered beautifully. Coming back into the staging area with each bike there was a very tight turn required and the Kingpin was the only one on which I made that turn without having to dab with a foot.

The Kingpin is a very good-looking bike, sits low, and the reach to the foot and hand controls is comfortable. Like all the Victorys, it ran smoothly and is clearly a well-designed machine. If I had the storage space and the money I could be very tempted to add the Kingpin to my stable, but it wouldn't actually get ridden all that much. That's just my type of riding. For you it might be the only bike you would want or need.

   The Victory Hammer, with that wide rear tire

Hammer

The Hammer and the Kingpin are essentially the same machine with one huge difference, and I do mean huge. While the Kingpin sports a 180/55 rear tire, the Hammer comes with a humongous 250/40 rear. It's a very popular look these days and if that's what you're interested in, look no further.

What you give up for that look is some of the Kingpin's wonderful agility. That wide tire makes for a very stable ride when you're on the straightaway but turning requires noticeably more effort. I have to believe that tire costs more when it comes time for replacement, so if costs matter a lot to you, you might not want to go this route. Of course, the purchase price difference between the two is also considerable. The Kingpin is listed at $15,000 whereas the Hammer goes for $19,000.

Wrap-up

So that covers the five I rode. Of course, Victory has other bikes as well that I did not get to ride. These would be the Vegas and the Jackpot, and then of course they have variations on each model. And unlike the struggles going on at Harley-Davidson these days, Victory seems to be doing well financially. That fact was evidenced in Laughlin by the presence of quite a few Victorys on the streets. Harleys were still the predominant bike but I've never before seen so many Victorys. Just one more thing to keep the Harley execs awake at night.