Art Friedman: It seems like just a couple of years ago we were riding that first dowdy V92C across the country. You could park that bike—the first running example of a new company's product anybody had seen—prominently in a motorcyclist-rich environment and virtually nobody would notice it.
Things have changed. The Hammer nails the performance V-twin look and draws every eye around. The closer it gets, the more people ooh and aah. The stylists deserve a hearty round of applause for this bike, which is a great ego vehicle.
It's not too bad as a transportation vehicle, either. Motorcyclists will talk about the wide rear wheel, but it compromises the bike's handling qualities, making it reluctant to bank into corners. For the kind of riding I like to do, I'd rather have a narrower tire and give up some of the curbside acclaim. But otherwise the Hammer is a nice bike to really ride.
Victory's engines have been impressive from that first bike we rode seven years ago, and the 100/6 extends its appeal. There are bigger V-twins out there, but I think this one offers the best all-around performance, even if it is a bit long in the cylinders. It's not in the actual muscle-bike class, but as a cruiser with an extra handful of beans, it fills the bill.
Naturally, Victory won't say what plans it has for the engine-transmission combo, but I'd like to see it in a touring-oriented machine.
Andrew Cherney: If the marketing folks at Victory were smart they'd make sure the Hammer got a backing role in the next Hollywood action flick. Stallone could ride it and Disney could produce the animation, because the Hammer screams "cartoon." Those zany oval turn signals. The tricky frenched-in taillight. For God's sake, that elephantine rear tire. Mickey D's could stock a rubber Hammer watch in their Happy Meals, with nails for the hands.
And the Hammer is just a hoot to ride. An instant throttle rip, hardcore braking power and that slick sixth-gear overdrive allow for real-world exploits to unfold, not just cartoon fantasy ones. When it comes down to more pedestrian concerns such as ergonomics and handling, though, the Hammer hits where it hurts. I had to stretch to reach that nearly drag-style bar and wave my toes around before locating the footpegs, and sticking it in a turn meant fighting a doubly harsh combo of wide- and low-profile rubber. But for braggin' rights and stupid fun? Oh yeah, I'd want a Hammer to swing...
Evans Brasfield: Every time I throw a leg over the Hammer, I'm amazed by how much I love this new motorcycle from Victory. I haven't lusted this much for a test bike in--well...ever. In fact, only the skittishness of the rear tire in the wet prevented me from giving this bike my first five-star rating. The looks excite me, the fit and finish wow me, and the performance--even the handling--makes me want to ride for days.
Brasfield's first book, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects, is now available in stores, and he is writing a book on cruiser performance modifications for release later this year. Contact him at www.evansbrasfield.com.
Jamie Elvidge: If I had a Hammer...I'd smile in the morning, burn rubber in the evening. You get the picture. I'm on the Love It column with this new Victory. I'd returned home from a ride in South Africa right as the Victory was about to leave our shop, so I only had a few hours with the new player. I'd heard the testers bantering about the bike's weird handling and couldn't wait to feel it for myself. It wasn't as strange to ride as I'd expected after listening to the chatter, and you'd probably think it less crazy than we've made it sound in this test. It is different, and it is disconcerting if you don't understand or expect it, hence the reason we've gone on and on. Stylewise, only the ass-end of this bike gets me going. The rest of the look is a non-event for me, though fit and finish are sweet. It rips down the road, there's no disputing that, and it stops like a fighter plane on hook. Overall, I think it's an amazing and historic move for Victory. Now counted as a powerful and consistent American motorcycle manufacturer, Polaris is finally in a position to go out on a limb. To make a real original. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of one wild ride.