Victory has just unveiled in New York the new Judge muscle bike featuring a relatively standard style seating position and the big 106 cubic inch (1,731 cc) v-twin. The bike is interesting for a few reasons.
Victory fitted a surprisingly narrow rear tire (a 140/90-16) and emphasizes nimble handling along with straight line performance.
All of the body work is new, with much of the chassis elements blacked-out, including the frame, exhaust, triple clamps, cases and cylinder heads.
16″ wheels are featured front and rear, with a single 300mm disc brake also found at either end. The front disc is squeezed by a 4-piston caliper. Victory describes the rearward control positions and short 25.9″ seat height as ideal for riders with modest inseams (indeed, the female rider in some of the photos provided to us appears to be less than 5 feet tall).
The Judge should deliver effortless power from its claimed 113 foot/pounds of torque and six-speed transmission. U.S. MSRP is $13,999 for the Gloss Black version, while the Suede Nuclear Sunset and Sunset Red versions are priced at $14,399. Here are full specifications provided by Victory this morning.
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| ENGINE TYPE | 4-Stroke 50˚ V-Twin |
| COOLING SYSTEM | Air / Oil |
| DISPLACEMENT | 106 ci / 1731 cc |
| BORE X STROKE | 101 x 108 mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 9.4 : 1 |
| VALVE TRAIN | Single Overhead Camshafts with 4 Valves per Cylinder, Self-adjusting Cam Chains, Hydraulic Lifters |
| FUEL SYSTEM | Electronic Fuel Injection with Dual 45 mm Throttle Body |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 4.5 gal / 17.0 ltr |
| EXHAUST | Staggered Slash-cut Dual Exhaust with Crossover |
| OIL CAPACITY | 5.0 qts / 4.75 ltr |
| CHARGING SYSTEM | 38 Amps Max Output |
| BATTERY | 12 Volts / 18 Amp Hours |
| PRIMARY DRIVE | Gear Drive with Torque Compensator |
| CLUTCH | Wet, Multi-plate |
| TRANSMISSION | 6-speed Overdrive Constant Mesh |
| FINAL DRIVE | Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt |
| CHASSIS DIMENSIONS | |
| Length | 92.0 in / 2337 mm |
| Wheelbase | 64.8 in / 1647 mm |
| Seat Height | 25.9 in / 658 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 4.7 in / 120 mm |
| Rake/ Trail | 31.7˚ / 6.7 in / 170 mm |
| Dry Weight | 660 lbs / 300 kg |
| GVWR | 1151 lbs / 522 kg |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | |
| Type | Conventional Telescopic Fork |
| Travel | 5.1 in / 130 mm |
| REAR SUSPENSION | |
| Shock Absorber | Single, Mono-tube Gas |
| Swingarm | Cast Aluminum with Rising Rate Linkage |
| Travel | 3.0 in / 75 mm |
| Adjustments | Preload Adjustable Spring |
| BRAKES | |
| Brake System Type | Conventional |
| Front System Type | 300mm Floating Rotor with 4-piston Caliper |
| Rear System Type | 300mm Floating Rotor with 2-piston Caliper |
| WHEELS | |
| Front | 16 x 3.5 in |
| Rear | 16 x 3.5 in |
| TIRES | |
| Front | 130/90 B16 67H Dunlop 491 Elite II-RWL |
| Rear | 140/90 B16 77H Dunlop 491 Elite II-RWL |
| COLOR OPTIONS | Gloss Black, Suede Nuclear Sunset, Sunset Red |
Good looking bike Victory. You are listening to your customer base and responding to them better than most manufacturers. I know a couple of guys who own Vic’s and they have nothing but praise for them and for your dealers who from all reports really back the bikes.
1983 called…they want their tires back! Seriously?!? 16 inch bias plies and 85 bhp on a modern sport cruiser? The hp would have been par in the Road Warrior/VTX fight, but that was 10 years ago and those bikes are gone. The M109 is stronger and the Ducati is both stronger and better handling. Not a bad looking bike, but like most Vic’s, a pretender…
Yawn.
Victory made a Yamaha Warrior. When my Warrior wears out I will consider one.
Victory made a Yamaha Warrior. When my Warrior wears out, I will consider one.
Thinking the same thing except they screwed up the rim sizes…this would probably be a decent bike…in 2002…
Shame about that single front brake because otherwise it looks quite good for a muscle cruiser.
If you don’t need more stopping power than you get from a single disc, it’s foolish to increase the unsprung mass by adding a second caliper, bracket, and disc. Excess unsprung mass has a horrible effect on handling. If this really was a “muscle cruiser” like a V-Max or V-Rod, it would have dual discs up front. But, it’s not. Estimates put in around 85hp at the rear wheel. This is a “muscle bike” in the same sense that a mobility scooter is for people with an “active lifestyle.”
Don’t know why some people simply have to deride (no pun intended) every single bike that comes out. “It’s too much this…” and “It’s a HD wannabe…” and “it doesn’t handle like a GXR or go as fast….”
Sheeesh. I happen to think there are all these bikes out there and the more the better! I like this Victory myself. Sure, it doesn’t have a 250 rear tire or even a 200 but, so what! Tell you what, I’d ride it! Speed, handling, all have their place but, it’s not the end all be all of riding. Riding is supposed to be you, on the bike, in the wind, enjoying it all. I dunno about all of you but, when I’m on a bike, I don’t SEE the bike. I’m ON it and could care less what anyone else thinks about its looks. Really. Give me a ratty Triumph Scrambler with matte paint, mud encrusted frame, a dented bash plate and a torn seat any day! It’s very liberating to not have a concern in the world about how your bike looks. I like a nice polished bike as much as anyone else. I like H-D’s. Ducati’s. Triumphs. I like Honda Scrambler 450’s and Maico’s and Bultaco’s too!
Point is. Lighten up everyone. Every. I mean EVERY bike has flaws and tradeoffs. This one is no different and so be it!
Just ride baby.
In generally, I’m on your side. Seriously, I am. I made people seething mad by defending the Honda NT700V instead of jumping on the haters’ bandwagon. But it is what it is: A reliable, well-made, commuting and one-up sport touring bike.
But I hate pretenders. If Victory wants to make a slightly sportier cruiser, good on them. But don’t tell me that the resultant 85hp, 700lb. thing is a “muscle bike.” Don’t put ape-hangers on a GSX-R1000 and try to pass it off as a cruiser. Don’t put semi-knobby tires on a Road King and tell everyone it’s an adventure touring bike.
If the bike is your company’s sportiest cruiser yet, how about calling it “our sportiest cruiser yet” instead of naming it after a famous muscle car, the Pontiac GTO Judge, and and advertising it as “American muscle!”? Why set it up to be compared with bikes like the Ducati Diavel, the V-Max, or the Harley V-Rod on the basis of “muscle”?
Maybe Victory is used to the style-is-everything cruiser market, but terms like “muscle bike” have meanings outside of that realm. A muscle bike is not just a styling exercise.
Well, I agree with you in general as well!
Personally, I want to see Victory succeed in every way possible. An American company needs our support and if they make a bike that sells, good on them! Victory is still a relatively young bike maker and they seem to listen to the people. I know someone who has one and this company backs up their bikes with stellar support. Excellent reliability from all I’ve seen and heard too.
I too like the Honda NT700V. I’m approaching 60 now and truthfully, enjoy a comfortable ride that still makes things fun without going from zero-125 in 10 seconds flat. Been there, done that.
As for the whole “pretenders” thing, I think this is a moot point. Buyers know what they want and aren’t fooled. They do their research (hopefully) and ask around. Usually they have an idea of what they want for a bike.
As a guy who rode Maico’s and began on a Honda Motosport 100, I’ve seen such wonderful progress with regards to suspension, brakes, etc;. I see 18 yo’s going out and buying ZX-14’s and they are a menace on the road not because they have a fast bike but because they don’t know how to ride it.
A bit OT here but, younger riders and even older ones sometimes forget how much fun it is to slow down a bit and let the noises and scenery go buy. IMO, the roads on most of the US are simply not safe enough for 2 wheeled rockets to blitz around on too. Where I live, there are potholes, sandy shoulders and wildlife at night yet, I see tragic accident after tragic accident each year unfold on the roads around here. Cruisers are aplenty here but, really, the bumpy roads leave you barely able to walk when you get off from a ride. Bikes like the NT700V and V-Strom, Kawasaki KLR 650 along with BMW’s and Triumphs that are “quasi dual purpose adventure bikes” are practical choices. Myself? I absolutely drool over the KTM 990 Adventure bikes.
So where am I going with this espresso-fueled reply? I forgot! But, really, I know a guy who is 75 and he loves his little Suzuki scooter and who am I to mock him? He’s out there and he’s in the wind! Good for him. I must admit, after seeing a Piaggio “3 wheeler” scooter last summer, I’d love one. To me there are no wannabe bikes. No “pretenders”. I look past that and think “it’s all good”. I know this isn’t popular to suggest but, I am a bit concerned that we have 200 HP bikes out there now. There are some that can handle these bikes and ride responsibly with them. No doubt. However, it’s the stupid riders who hop on one and think they are The Doctor on the roads I drive.
Still, I say cheer on Victory. Maybe this bike isn’t your cup of tea but, Victory certainly seems to be trying to have a bike for everyone and that’s a good thing. I would personally love to see them make a “Sportster-like” bike. That would be killer.
As nimble as a cement mixer!
As fast as a 1969 CB750!
As nice looking as a DynaGlide!
As expensive as a Harley!
Quick! Run to your local Victory dealer before they’re all sold out!
Another HD copy. Nothing new to see here. Move along….
I like what Victory has done with the styling, but there’s no meat here. It’s nearly impossible to make a good performance bike with the heavy lump of an air-cooled twin…just ask Erik Buell. Modify a liquid-cooled Polaris motor, drop it it a lighter frame, add some Victory styling and you might have something. I’m afraid that the old H-D recipe is going to go out of style…quickly!
Not a cruiser fan, BUT……not a bad looking machine. Not bad at all!!
Swing and a miss!
Hmmm… I would not be embarrassed to ride that… (first time I’ve felt that way toward a Victory)… not bad…
Little disappointed in the weight to power ratio. Sportster?!
Trying to figure out who their target is.
Front brake not brakes?
Price pushes this ride out of it’s cat. I agree with keeping it under $10K .
I’d buy a Hardly before this experiment.
One step forward, two steps back!
This is a Vic bike puzzle built with parts they had laying around!
Thankyou for your time… now get back to work!
Honey, do you think the bike makes my butt look to big?
Yeah, this is a “Judge” alright. If you want to see a real performance cruiser look to the Ducati Diavel, which has way more power and 200# less weight.
In what parallel universe are those “mid-mount” foot controls? OK, they’re not freakishly far ahead, but the riders feet are still well ahead of the rest of him.
But well done, Victory, you are heading in the right direction. Now lose about, say, 160 pounds and we’ll talk business …
14 Years to get mid-mounted controls, going to take many of years to get a stander bike out of this company. Where is the chrome ? Forget the drag bars spend 500 bucks more and get a new ZX 14 R drag bike and it come with a tack too.
Victory had mid-controls back in 2000 with the Sport Cruiser.
A muscle bike should have twin disks on the front wheel. I also think a 180 tire out back would look better and have no ill effect on handling.
In my opinion, the rear fender looks a little “porky” from the side view (comes down a little too far), and I’m not sure about the “number plate” side covers either. The tank and the rest looks pretty good. I didn’t think that Dunlop even made the Elite II 491’s anymore and went to the E3’s- guess I’m wrong.
Victory is calling a 700 pound motorcycle that makes about 85hp at the rear wheel a “muscle bike”? Triumph makes that much horsepower from an 800cc parallel twin. The BMW S1000RR is over double the horsepower of the Victory Judge and turns the quarter mile in the low 9s in stock form.
Being an American, this is just embarrassing. It’s like Burger King calling their the Whopper “a gourmet delight” and having a bunch of Americans saying “oh yeah, they really nailed gourmet with this baby!”
Hey Victory, about showing a little respect for actual American muscle: The Pontiac GTO Judge? It was stripped down to reduce weight for performance. It was available with a Ram Air IV engine that was rated at 370hp but that actually made over 400hp at the rear wheels. In 1969, Pontiac got more than 1hp per cubic inch at the rear wheels and now, over four decades later, Victory only gets 85 hp out of 106 cubic inches and has the nerve to call their bike the Victory Judge.
You’re right Fred. And you’ve inspired me to sue Triumph for claiming their cruiser bike is a ‘Thunderbird’ as well! 😉
The Thunderbird is clearly a cruiser.
It’s got a massive engine that fails to make much horsepower. It’s close to 750lbs wet weight. The rider is in that Lay-Z-Boy riding posture. It’s got garish amounts of chrome. The wheelbase is way too long and the fork is raked out too far, resulting in a level of “nimble” that is usually reserved for tractor trailers. The speedometer is where the fuel filler should be. It’s got low-tech, low-performance suspension.
The only way it could be more of a cruiser is if it came already tied down to a trailer for towing it to Bike Week. 😉
they scored a touchdown with this model imo….. love the cragar inspired wheels, raised white letter dunlops, from vic’s vid it looks to have nice cornering clearance, and thank god they did away with the fat rear tire, looks over performance quota.. love it!!!
It looks nothing like a GTO.
The Triumph Thunderbird looks nothing like a Thunderbird. Oh wait I take that back. It has racing stripes. 😉
I am just not sure if I can get past the look of those “number plate” side covers. I like quite a bit about the bike, but those just look terrible to me. Not sure about the tailight either, but those side covers and the way the seat wraps around it just don’t do it for me.
Color me embarrassed, I actually like the looks of this thing. I’ll be really interested to read a test on the bike.
Goose
660 pounds DRY WEIGHT!? OMFG! Is the entire frame built from solid bar stock? Are the wheels and crankcase made of cast iron?
“Nimble”? Sure, and Cee Lo Green is great ballet dancer…
I applaud the lack of ape hangers and sensible, narrow tire. It is clearly yet another recycled version of the same basic design, but it would be the most interesting one for me (which in my case means, most like a standard motorcycle)
I for one am dissapointed. I had high hopes. I was hoping for something outside of the current “box”.
i give Victory two thumbs up, especially after the release of the uglier than crap HARDBALL. Less is more fellas.
What, no ape hangers? This is the best offering so far from the other American bike builder. I think the price is a little too high, though. I wouldn’t pay a cent over $8000 for this thing even if it’s fast. I not yet sold on Victory products.
I like this bike a lot.
I like this bike and the price point is good. The only bad thing I can see are the pipes. Too bad Harely can’t get smart and start building bikes that look this good.
we all knew someone would mention the H-D comparison….
“Too bad Harely can’t get smart and start building bikes that look this good”
in my opinion… this Victory is nothing more than a H-D SuperGlide clone…. with added faux number plates…..& some Vrod-like touchs…
So we can assume you will be buying this bike but changing the pipes based on your analysis above….
oh boy! looks like every other cruiser out there, well done. doesnt everyone and their brother offer a blacked out v-twin cruiser? at least it doesnt have Ape hangers!
I cannot say it any better myself. So I won’t.
One should not be allowed to use words like “nimble” and 660lbs in the same article ….
true dat.
It’s as nimble as a freight train!
i like the tire sizes and the wheels. otherwise, it appears too parts binnish. and vict’ry has the ugliest pipes in cruiserdom.
“…vict’ry has the ugliest pipes in cruiserdom”
If like most cruiser owners?, they’ll be removed — anyway (and replaced with loud-muffler / no-muffler pipes).
If I never – ever hear another loud-pipe V-Twin ever again — it’ll be just fine.
Ugliest pipes in cruiserdom sit on a Yamaha Raider, mostly because they tried to “out-Victory” Victory and nail that last branch on the ugly tree…jmho…