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New Models
BIKES: 2013 Victory Judge First Ride
Motorcycle USA gets its first ride on the all-new Victory Judge, the early 2013 model looking to keep the good times rolling at the other American V-Twin manufacturer.
Victory charges forward in the American V-Twin market, carving out double-digit sales growth year after year. The new Judge looks to carve out more conquest sales. (Photo: MotorcycleUSA.com)
While most motorcycle manufacturers are scraping by, 2011 proved another banner year for Victory Motorcycles. Sales are up 21% domestically, 51% globally, and the other American V-Twin company expects more of the same in 2012. It seems the folks at Medina, Minnesota are eager to get a jump on 2013 as well with its early-model release of the Victory Judge.
This new ride from Victory represents an important addition to the cruiser lineup. In recent years the company marshaled its resources on expanding the touring lineup, with the Judge Victory’s first non-touring all-new model addition since 2006
The cruiser niche is known for its hewing to traditional styling, but the Judge’s lines reveals how the times have changed since ’06. The Judge sports the now-familiar blacked out motif, which stretches to its slash-cut twin pipes and mag wheels. The flash of chrome has been dialed down from gaudy to tasteful. Victory lauds the “American muscle car” lines, and we have to agree designer Mike Song successfully inserted retro styling cues into the modern look.
The new Dunlop Elite II tires, with raised white lettering, drive home the Judge’s muscle car vibe. And speaking of changes from 2006, the form vs. function factor swings back to reality with a 140mm rear tire – no corner-flopping fat rear like that found on the Hammer. Instead the fat tire is up front with a 130/90 anchoring the front end of the bike, even more pronounced than usual as its 16-inch five-spoke wheel is absent a right side braking rotor (the Judge only sporting a single-disc front, more on this later…)
There’s plenty more to like visually about the Judge. The Victory badging is muted and unobtrusive, just block letters on the side of the fuel tank. And the tank itself looks sleek. As for the oval side panel under the seat, it’s begging for a Roland Sands-esque number plate graphic. Overall the bike looks sharp, even sharper in person.
Straddle the 25.9-inch seat and riders get an unencumbered reach to the ground. Reach to the bars isn’t quite as accommodating. Victory designers repositioned the drag-style bars an inch-forward on the Judge, the result a slight stretch for average sized riders. That said, overall rider comfort is pleasing, owing to a fantastic seat and well-positioned placement of the mid-controls, which were moved back from more pronounced feet-forward cruiser controls.
Fire the starter button and the familiar Victory 106 Twin growls to life. Nothing’s changed from the 50-degree V-Twin, and it chugs along with pleasingly rich character. The tones emanating from the stock pipes are rich as well. Two of our test bikes came fitted with accessory pipes. The 2-into-1 pipe from Cobra, developed in partnership with Victory, sounds particularly crisp when riders crack the throttle – loud but still conforming to EPA emissions (Victory reps are keen to note its pipes conform not only to the current EPA sound emissions but the new SAE J2825 test as well).
For the rest of this article visit MotorcycleUSA.com
This new ride from Victory represents an important addition to the cruiser lineup. In recent years the company marshaled its resources on expanding the touring lineup, with the Judge Victory’s first non-touring all-new model addition since 2006
The cruiser niche is known for its hewing to traditional styling, but the Judge’s lines reveals how the times have changed since ’06. The Judge sports the now-familiar blacked out motif, which stretches to its slash-cut twin pipes and mag wheels. The flash of chrome has been dialed down from gaudy to tasteful. Victory lauds the “American muscle car” lines, and we have to agree designer Mike Song successfully inserted retro styling cues into the modern look.
The new Dunlop Elite II tires, with raised white lettering, drive home the Judge’s muscle car vibe. And speaking of changes from 2006, the form vs. function factor swings back to reality with a 140mm rear tire – no corner-flopping fat rear like that found on the Hammer. Instead the fat tire is up front with a 130/90 anchoring the front end of the bike, even more pronounced than usual as its 16-inch five-spoke wheel is absent a right side braking rotor (the Judge only sporting a single-disc front, more on this later…)
There’s plenty more to like visually about the Judge. The Victory badging is muted and unobtrusive, just block letters on the side of the fuel tank. And the tank itself looks sleek. As for the oval side panel under the seat, it’s begging for a Roland Sands-esque number plate graphic. Overall the bike looks sharp, even sharper in person.
Straddle the 25.9-inch seat and riders get an unencumbered reach to the ground. Reach to the bars isn’t quite as accommodating. Victory designers repositioned the drag-style bars an inch-forward on the Judge, the result a slight stretch for average sized riders. That said, overall rider comfort is pleasing, owing to a fantastic seat and well-positioned placement of the mid-controls, which were moved back from more pronounced feet-forward cruiser controls.
Fire the starter button and the familiar Victory 106 Twin growls to life. Nothing’s changed from the 50-degree V-Twin, and it chugs along with pleasingly rich character. The tones emanating from the stock pipes are rich as well. Two of our test bikes came fitted with accessory pipes. The 2-into-1 pipe from Cobra, developed in partnership with Victory, sounds particularly crisp when riders crack the throttle – loud but still conforming to EPA emissions (Victory reps are keen to note its pipes conform not only to the current EPA sound emissions but the new SAE J2825 test as well).
For the rest of this article visit MotorcycleUSA.com
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