THIS is the first water-cooled bike to carry a Victory badge and while it’s a one-off the firm admits that the engine at least is an indication of the future direction that the firm will take with its production models.
Derived from the Indian Scout’s 1133cc V-twin, since both Indian and Victory are subsidiaries of Polaris, the Project 156 (the name comes from the number of corners on the Pikes Peak course) gets new heads, internals and injection, and should make rather more than the Indian’s subdued 80-something horsepower.
It’s been bolted to a frame made by Roland Sands, complete with Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and carbon bodywork, and uses an unusual under-engine fuel tank to leave more space on top for the throttle bodies and airbox.
We’ll be interested to see how well rider Don Canet performs on the Victory at the race on June 28, but even more intrigued to see how this direction translates into a future production bike. With Erik Buell Racing gone, is Victory about to become America’s superbike firm?
- Sign up for Visordown's weekly newsletter, Bugsplat, to get the best motorcycle news, road tests and features plus exclusive competitions and offers direct to your inbox. Register as a Visordown member here and tick the box for Bugsplat in your newsletter settings here.
