VICTORY JUDGE (2012 - on) Review

The Judge is a surprisingly engaging and fun bike to ride. It's not a sedate cruiser, it has attitude and can surprise plenty of people on country roads. Although it's a heavy bike the thumping great engine makes light work of moving all that weight in a swift fashion.

Ground clearance isn't too bad on the Judge and for a long, heavy bike it can be hustled through corners rather well if you're prepared to put a little bit of effort in. The single front disc isn't enough to bring the 300kg of American muscle to a stop in a hurry - you'll have to use plenty of rear brake too. Bumps could be dealt with better, as sitting right above the shock bumps travel straight through the shock and straight up your back.

The 1731cc V-twin kicks out 110ftlb of torque which makes overtaking cars, racing away from lights and firing out of corners addictive. It's no superbike of course, but the short, punchy gobs of torque are more than enough to make any ride entertaining. It'll happily sit at 80mph all day with no issues.

Although Victory are a relatively little known brand, they know how to make a solid motorcycle and the Judge is no exception. Build quality is excpetional, with thick paint and solid fasteners. Over 8000 miles in 2012 our long-term test bike never missed a beat.

The Victory Judge was just shy of £11,500 when it was released in 2012, and five years later used prices can range from £7500 to £9000 depending on the mileage and what parts they have bolted on. Good value for money if you're looking for a simple cruiser that's fun and eye catching.

As with most cruisers equipment is basic. There's no ABS or traction control and the dash gives you the bare minimum information you need. The lack of goodies takes nothing away from the bike, though. It is what it is.