A performance cruiser should...
A performance cruiser should always sport a tachometer.
According to Victory, the oil sump was narrowed 10mm largely due to press feedback about cornering clearance. The smaller sump also carries a quart less oil. The six-speed transmission is a big deal. The first five gear ratios remain unchanged from the 92-inch Freedom engine. Fifth gear is a 1:1 direct drive ratio, while the new sixth gear is a true overdrive with a 0.864:1 ratio for a 13.6 percent reduction. At 75 mph, that equates to a 450-rpm drop—enough to satisfy Victory riders who wanted the engine to settle down at highway speeds. The new cam drive with a silent timing chain coupled with hydraulic lifters and a hydraulic cam drive tensioner were designed to lessen the engine's mechanical noise. Helical-cut primary gears will also help keep unnecessary sound from the ears of riders.
Victory worked closely with Dunlop to create the 250/40 R18 Elite 3 tire that is the centerpiece of the Hammer. Since fat-tired custom cruisers sometimes struggle to do more than go in a straight line, much of the bike's development was directed at tire profile and handling. The goal for the final production model was balance. As with the engine's power delivery, the Hammer was meant to excel in a variety of situations rather than dominating just one.
One place where the Hammer will take no prisoners is its color palette. Victory chose attention-getting, aggressive colors to make the bike stand out—and attract riders of other classes of brightly colored bikes. The standard colors are black, Cosmic Sunburst (which bears a striking, though candy-colored, resemblance to Art Friedman's signature orange helmet), Flame Yellow, Indy Red and the custom-order-only color, Toxic Green. Both the red and green bikes can also receive a tribal tattoo pattern.
Riding the Hammer is not to be missed. First, the seating position is open and relaxed. The engine starts willingly (though some preproduction starter motors had problems on the press intro) and idles with that characteristic Victory sound. The clutch lever requires a slightly stronger pull than previous Victories, but not tremendously so. The acceleration is strong, and like many bikes that have fairly flat torque curves, you don't have to spin the engine to its limits to make good time. The fuel injection is almost flawless, with no glitches or hiccups. Sixth gear drops the rpm to 2500 at 70 mph. Spin the engine higher and vibration becomes noticeable—but not bothersome—in the handlebar at around 3000 rpm. Higher up in the rev range, say near 4000 rpm, the vibration does begin to intrude in a way I don't remember experiencing on the Kingpin.
The big surprise is how the Hammer handles. While it does feel different from a bike with a more traditional tire profile, the bike turns in and changes lines mid-corner with ease. The wide rear tire has a slight tendency to self-center as the bike stands up. When cornering, a small constant input is required to help the Hammer hold its line. However, this in no way limits the bike, and after a few getting-acquainted miles, I felt comfortable in almost any cornering situation. Although I didn't notice this, one rider, whose opinion I respect, said he felt the Hammer sometimes tried to stand up a little when encountering bumps midcorner. This could be a symptom of the wide rear tire. The suspension works well, but I did detect some harshness over sharp-edged bumps in the rear (probably due to the lessened absorption capacity of the low-profile tire).
The improved ground clearance is a welcome change. Flexible parts touch first on both sides, giving riders some warning before hard parts cause any havoc. On the right side, a bolt securing the muffler grinds next. Riders who have experienced the abrupt ground contact of previous Victories will probably ask for the new, narrower engine on other models after they get a chance to sample it on the Hammer. The four-piston calipers acting on dual discs in the front give the Hammer ample, easy-to-modulate stopping power. The rear disc is the same 300mm as the front pairing, but it doesn't feel overpowered thanks to the tire's prodigious grip.
The seat is one place I feel the Hammer hasn't improved over previous Victories. While the padding is soft, the seat curves up in a way that becomes uncomfortable after 100 miles or so. The pillion cover is a clever design that is held in place by pins in rubber grommets. Unfortunately, when the cover is off and nobody's butt is covering the pillion, the grommets make the seat appear unfinished. Hopefully some snazzy covers are in the works.
In my one-day ride on the Hammer, Victory appears to have met its goal of producing a balanced bike that oozes performance and badassedness. That attitude has a cost, though. The MSRP for the Hammer starts at $16,499, making it the most expensive non-Arlen Ness Signature Series Victory. The Hammer won't appeal to all cruiser enthusiasts. Victory never intended it to. Instead, the company has created what it believes will be a niche product—but one ahead of the curve in cruiser tastes. Let's just say the Hammer is trying to create a style that differentiates it from the other members of the power cruiser class. When you consider how Victory has carved a space for itself between Harley-Davidson and the import cruisers as the new American motorcycle company, this role may be one for which Victory is well-suited.
Specifications
2005 Victory Hammer
Suggested base price: $16,499
Engine type: Air/oil-cooled, 50-degree tandem V-twin
Valve arrangement: Four valves per cylinder
Displacement, bore x stroke: 100 cu. in. 1634cc, 101 x 102mm
Compression ratio: 9.8:1
Fuel system: EFI, 42mm throttle bodies
Transmission: Six-speed overdrive, constant mesh
Final drive: Belt
Wheels: Cast, 18 x 3.0 in. front, 18 x 8.5 in. rear
Front tire: 130/70R18 Dunlop Elite 3
Rear tire: 250740R18 Dunlop Elite 3
Front brake: 2, 300mm discs, 4-piston dual-action calipers
Rear brake: 300mm disc, 4-piston dual-action caliper
Front suspension: Inverted cartridge 43mm telescopic fork, 5.1 in. travel
Rear suspension: Single, monotube gas shock, 3.9 in. travel
Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.