Monday 6th July 2015

Victory Motorcycles: PH2 Meets

PH2 catches up with Gary Gray, Director of Motorcycle Product at Victory

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It's been an interesting few months at American cruiser manufacturer Victory Motorcycles. Not only has the company bought Brammo's electric bike section, it has also competed in the Zero TT (lapping at an average of 110mph and finishing in third and fourth place) and built a prototype racer to take on Pikes Peak. And all this on the back of parent company Polaris going head to head with Harley-Davidson through its rejuvenation of the iconic Indian motorcycle brand. PH2 caught up with Gary Gray, Director of Motorcycle Product at Victory, to get the details.

PH2: Most people know Victory as a cruiser manufacturer; what's going on?
Gary Gray: "When we purchased Indian back in 2011 it gave us the opportunity to free Victory up and really over-emphasise what it has always been. Victory bikes have always been built to handle well and go fast. All over the world we have seen people transition from sport or naked bikes onto cruisers without wanting to lose the fast guy card or fun factor. We have always believed a cruiser can handle and be fast and that's the underlying philosophy of Victory. This year we are out to prove that Victory offers American performance."

PH2: Is that the reason behind the TT and Pikes Peaks bikes?
GG: "Yes, the TT and Pikes Peak are two of the world's pinnacle races, one electric, one gas. Also, most weekends, we are out running quarter miles with our NHRA team. We are burning a lot of fuel to show what Victory is all about and prove technology for future products."

PH2: Do you need to separate yourselves from Indian's traditional image?
GG: "We aren't trying to separate from Indian, but we are just delivering a clear brand statement by going after performance."

PH2: Does that mean a younger audience?
GG: "Certainly, but also a lot of customers from 'metric bikes'. Things like Japanese sports bikes and adventure riders. We want people to give us another look."

PH2: Does that mean more dealers?
GG: "We have about 450 dealers in America, compared to Harley's 800 and some of the metric bikes are near 2,000. Polaris is looking at a whole of expanding internationally. At the moment our sales are about 25 per cent international, we want this way above 30 per cent, so that includes Europe as well as Brazil and India. You will see a bigger brand presence.

PH2: A few years ago Harley tried and failed to create a sportsbike arm with Buell, how is Victory different?
GG: "I hope we will be different. With Indian we are very clear about what the brand stands for and I think Victory can be what it wants to be. We are after two totally different people within the same category of cruiser riders. So far we are seeing what we are doing is working, so now we need to amplify it up a bit."

PH2: The Project 156 appears an upright naked bike, certainly not a cruiser. Is this the way the brand is likely to move?
GG: "No, that bike's priority is to prove American performance. It was built around a Victory prototype engine, but Roland Sands, who made the frame, created it as a purpose built bike to take on Pikes Peak. That's all that can be read from that bike. It's about demonstrating the Victory engine can be globally competitive just like we are doing at the TT with the electric bike.

PH2: Speaking of the electric bike, what's the future for electric?
GG: "At Polaris we see electric as an important part of the company. We see it in the future of all our vehicles and have been working with Brammo for three years to make products. As we move forward we are dedicated and excited about the electric future."

PH2: But what is the electric future - cruiser, scooter, off-road?
GG: "I think it is quite simply - yes! I can see off-road advantages once you can swap batteries. Commuters want a green vehicle. I think it makes sense when you build a pretty awesome sportsbike like we have and go race the TT. People talk about range anxiety, but look how far we have come. Superbikes only do two laps around the TT before needing refilling. How long did it take the gas bikes to get over 100mph around the TT? In just eight years electric bikes are over 117mph.

"Our technology is growing at an amazing rate and everyone in the electric industry believes a shift in battery technology is on the horizon. More storage and less space as well as a lower price will transform the electric market. When this breakthrough happens Victory and Polaris will be ready with the technology and distribution already established. We can drop the new battery on our product, the hard part is setting up the infrastructure and doing the learning."

PH2: Can you have an electric cruiser like the Harley LiveWire?
GG: "I think so for some. Not mainstream riders but some cruiser riders just like to ride around town so yes, it can make sense of those riders."

PH2: How big is Polaris?
GG: "Polaris is roughly a five-billion dollar company; we have plants in the US, Mexico, Poland and have operations in China and a joint venture in India with Eicher. We are on an almost daunting rapid growth rate, it's amazing how fast we are growing. Last year we doubled our first quarter motorcycle sales in North America, no one else is doing that. We are extremely serious."

PH2: Doesn't Eicher own Royal Enfield and build small capacity bikes?
GG: "Yes, we have a joint venture with them. Victory is going to expand but I can't talk about future products obviously. You are going to see some different things out of Victory in the future. We haven't announced what our partnership with Eicher is, you went directly to motorcycles, but it is a Polaris partnership and we haven't talked about what the vehicle is. I'm not saying it is a motorcycle."

[Z28DUNC]

What they really need to do is put the 800cc Clean Fire Polaris engine out of snowmobile into a bike. Now that would be interesting! 2-stroke goodness.