It is gorgeous! My mates paced around the long 'n' low cruiser stretched out in my garage with a combination of utter respect and total bemusement.My long-term GSX-R1000 suddenly looked like a skinny minimoto, squashed into the corner to make room for more than 300kg of exquisite machinery and that fat 250-section rear tyre.
Polaris, better known for producing snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, introduced Victory to its stable in 1998 and since then, the 'New American Motorcycles' have been turning heads whilst constantly evolving. The massive Victory Hammer S is the reincarnated version of the standard bike, which is known for being like any self-respecting WAG; beautiful, but difficult. The V-shaped handlebars seemed to be the culprit for its reluctance to steer. So with a few cosmetic changes and a set of new 'bars, the Hammer S was launched.
Cut out the chrome
Where you'd normally associate a cruiser with a sea of shimmering chrome, the Hammer S has had the majority of its sparkle blacked out, resulting in a mean and moody look that sets it apart from so many other bikes in this genre. The instrument housing, 43mm inverted fork stanchions, 1634cc engine and even the mirrors are all black. Only the fluid-looking twin pipes have a metallic glisten. But the deep red paintwork that flows over the top of the 17-litre tank towards the pillion seat sparkles with a lustrous colour, drawing your eye to the detailing red stripe around the Gatlin wheels by Performance Machine and, inevitably, to that fat back end.
Hence the bemusement: never have I spent so long just looking at bike before riding it. It's utterly stunning, like a visual masterpiece, and yet I couldn't help but wonder if it'd actually do the job it's designed for. And that's to get you from A to B; in style, of course, and with a belching howl that lets dozing car drivers and wannabe bikers wake up in unison. There's only one way to find out - I started the Hammer S and stopped in my tracks yet again to soak up the sound. This test ride could take some time and indeed the whole riding experience seemed littered with special moments.
Phat back tyre
Feet forwards, arms wide, I rolled out into the world beyond and prepared to turn left at the end of my driveway but turning isn't easy. That huge rear tyre has got about as much shape as Nicole Richie (pre-pregnancy), it's flatter than Tara PT's chest and although that's arguably attractive to some, it doesn't do much for its cornering. If the handling of the Hammer S has been improved, I dread to think what the previous bike felt like.
But I was less than five minutes into my ride and sometimes things grow on you, so I headed out into the countryside. A few leaf-strewn country lanes, pot-holed surfaces and blind bends should be a pretty comprehensive test of what British riders can regularly face. America's all about sedate straights, which is all well and good, but unless you're planning on howling up the M1 and back, that's not really the case here. Things undoubtedly improved the more I rode the Hammer S.
Cautious cornering
The model I was testing boasted a stage 1 kit and freed-up exhaust, unleashing 88 horses from the air-cooled, 50 degree, V-twin engine. But the real punch is in the 100 ft/lb of torque. Snap the throttle back and the surge is ferocious (and addictive) until you come to a bend. Cornering is not actually as difficult as you might imagine, but it definitely takes some pre-planning; and effort. Haul on the Brembo front brakes, push and pull on the bars, and the 2355mm long bike rolls off the flat-profile Dunlop and tips in fine. But forcing it to hold the line requires a little more attention.
Initially, I ran wide - all the time. But 15 minutes into my ride, I'd got it sussed. Don't steam into a bend for starters, and secondly, maintain the pressure, (more than you think) and the Victory will steer and lean fairly well, with the 5.8in ground clearance being the only real hindrance. Straights on the other hand are an arm wrenching pleasure and the six-speed box allows you to hit top and stay there, with plenty of extra punch for overtakes.
Verdict
Most riders looking to buy a bike of this nature certainly wouldn't intend on riding it overzealously. It's for show, for loving and for posing. And it does all of those things with bells on. The Victory Hammer S - it's one phat bike!
Cut out the chrome
Where you'd normally associate a cruiser with a sea of shimmering chrome, the Hammer S has had the majority of its sparkle blacked out, resulting in a mean and moody look that sets it apart from so many other bikes in this genre. The instrument housing, 43mm inverted fork stanchions, 1634cc engine and even the mirrors are all black. Only the fluid-looking twin pipes have a metallic glisten. But the deep red paintwork that flows over the top of the 17-litre tank towards the pillion seat sparkles with a lustrous colour, drawing your eye to the detailing red stripe around the Gatlin wheels by Performance Machine and, inevitably, to that fat back end.
Hence the bemusement: never have I spent so long just looking at bike before riding it. It's utterly stunning, like a visual masterpiece, and yet I couldn't help but wonder if it'd actually do the job it's designed for. And that's to get you from A to B; in style, of course, and with a belching howl that lets dozing car drivers and wannabe bikers wake up in unison. There's only one way to find out - I started the Hammer S and stopped in my tracks yet again to soak up the sound. This test ride could take some time and indeed the whole riding experience seemed littered with special moments.
Phat back tyre
Feet forwards, arms wide, I rolled out into the world beyond and prepared to turn left at the end of my driveway but turning isn't easy. That huge rear tyre has got about as much shape as Nicole Richie (pre-pregnancy), it's flatter than Tara PT's chest and although that's arguably attractive to some, it doesn't do much for its cornering. If the handling of the Hammer S has been improved, I dread to think what the previous bike felt like.
But I was less than five minutes into my ride and sometimes things grow on you, so I headed out into the countryside. A few leaf-strewn country lanes, pot-holed surfaces and blind bends should be a pretty comprehensive test of what British riders can regularly face. America's all about sedate straights, which is all well and good, but unless you're planning on howling up the M1 and back, that's not really the case here. Things undoubtedly improved the more I rode the Hammer S.
Cautious cornering
The model I was testing boasted a stage 1 kit and freed-up exhaust, unleashing 88 horses from the air-cooled, 50 degree, V-twin engine. But the real punch is in the 100 ft/lb of torque. Snap the throttle back and the surge is ferocious (and addictive) until you come to a bend. Cornering is not actually as difficult as you might imagine, but it definitely takes some pre-planning; and effort. Haul on the Brembo front brakes, push and pull on the bars, and the 2355mm long bike rolls off the flat-profile Dunlop and tips in fine. But forcing it to hold the line requires a little more attention.
Initially, I ran wide - all the time. But 15 minutes into my ride, I'd got it sussed. Don't steam into a bend for starters, and secondly, maintain the pressure, (more than you think) and the Victory will steer and lean fairly well, with the 5.8in ground clearance being the only real hindrance. Straights on the other hand are an arm wrenching pleasure and the six-speed box allows you to hit top and stay there, with plenty of extra punch for overtakes.
Verdict
Most riders looking to buy a bike of this nature certainly wouldn't intend on riding it overzealously. It's for show, for loving and for posing. And it does all of those things with bells on. The Victory Hammer S - it's one phat bike!
No comments:
Post a Comment