Victory Release New 'Project 156' Video

Victory motorcycles have released the second instalment in the preparation for the American firm’s 2015 attack on the famous Pikes Peak International Hillclimb which sees competitors heading up a Colorado mountain and taking 156 corners.Project 156 – relating to the number of corners obviously – is Victory’s contender and signals a new beginning for the firm that is owned by the same Polaris Industries parent company as Indian Motorcycles.

Indian is taking the heritage fight to Harley-Davidson while Victory is now attempting to take the more ‘sporty’ end of the market.The Victory Project 156 is being pulled together in just four months ahead of the June race and is using help from ex-racer and custom builder Roland Sands along with the resources of the massive Polaris company too. This second video shows engine dyno testing at the Minnesota headquarters of Victory. 

Previously Victory stated: “It’s nearing readiness,” says Victory Director of Motorcycle Product, Gary Gray. “We need to start testing at the end of May. If you ask people who race at Pikes Peak they’ll tell you that we’ve left it too late. The engineering team has been working on a prototype engine specifically for this race, and it’s making great power. 

“We’re very confident about the engine, and we’ve been working with Roland Sands for a long time, and it’s great to be working with him on the chassis. We’re really excited about having a rider of the calibre of Don Canet riding the bike for us, too. 

“The engine shares a couple of components with other engines around the company, but not many, it’s purpose-built to go fast up the mountain. It’s all about power, and getting it to the ground. 

“We definitely have the power side built, we’re just working on making sure we can deliver it all to the ground in the way Don wants to ride the bike up the mountain. We expect to be extremely competitive.” 

Beyond the thrill of seeing a prototype Victory race bike being pointed up a mountain in anger, MCN believes the door is now open to the potential of performance road bikes.

While Victory’s cruiser platform bikes aren’t shy on performance, this is a whole new direction for the brand. While Gray couldn’t comment on the future potential of the project, the inference is clear, and this bike fits perfectly within the brand’s oft-repeated manta of American Performance – and with EBR once again closing their doors, there’s a real gap in the market for Victory to ride into.