Meaty tires, drag bars, new fuel and oil tanks, and plenty of blacked-out componentry add to the menacing disposition of Victory's new muscle bike, the 2013 Judge.
“Hear ye, hear ye, here comes the Judge!”
Victory Motorcycles 2013 Judge, that is.
Victory introduced the latest addition to its cruiser line of motorcycles today at the New York Progressive International Motorcycle Show, a new muscle bike with meaty tires, drag bars and new bodywork. Blacked-out components and a potent Freedom 106/6 V-Twin round out its lean, aggressive stance.
What’s that, you say? Doesn’t
Victory already have a power cruiser in the form of the Hammer S? Yes, it does. But the 2013 Judge has a tighter rake and a little less weight to carry than Victory’s reining muscle bike. The big difference is on the backside though, as the Hammer S pushes a wide 250mm rear while the Judge sports a svelte 140mm
Dunlop Elite II. Tighter, lighter and slimmer on the backside, the Victory Judge should really grip the road. The new 5-spoke cast wheels look like the Cragar mags that were popular on hot rods when I was growing up. They even raised the white lettering on the Dunlop Elite II’s, just like wheels from back in the day.
Rounded and stretched, the low-profile 4.5-gallon tank sports a recessed tank similar to the Victory Cross Country but with small cut-outs for a rider’s knees. Its round, color-matched side panels fooled us into thinking Victory had slapped on a vintage oil bag, but the panels look primed for a race plate nonetheless. The fenders have been cut down so the chunky 90mm-thick Dunlops can attract more attention and feature the signature raised spine of the Vegas. The rear fender has a new taillight that’s been integrated into the fender itself. New fender struts complete the revised look of the rear.
The front end of the bike is highlighted by new drag bars and a small, round headlight. Mid-mount controls team up with the bars to provide an aggressive, slightly-forward riding position. With a 25.9-inch seat height, the motorcycle should allow riders of all statures to get two feet firmly planted on the ground at a stop.
There’s no surprise in the engine department as the Freedom 106/6 powers all of Victory’s motorcycles. Fuel-injected and air/oil cooled, the powerplant is mated to a six-speed overdrive transmission with helical-cut gears. A new wrinkle is a smaller EFI cover which allows a little light between the cylinder heads in an engine that’s otherwise spooned in tightly between the double rails of the frame.
Most of its components are black, a list that includes the frame, dual pipes, triple trees, cases, handlebars, and cylinder heads. A shimmer of chrome on the fork tubes, shaved down cylinder fins and a chrome ring around the derby cover add a touch of contrast to the otherwise dark design.
The 2013 Victory Judge will be available in Gloss Black, Sunset Red or Suede Nuclear Sunset with an MSRP between $13,999 - $14,399, depending on color choice. Pure Victory Gear already has a handful of accessories for the new Judge, while Zach Ness of the famed Ness clan got his hands on the first pre-production model and has already worked his magic on it to demonstrate the customization potential of the Judge. They’ll pull the sheet off Zach’s custom tomorrow at high noon at the Victory Motorcycles display with help from Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey, aka “The Gunny.”
Look for a First Ride review of the 2013 Victory Judge at the beginning of February as Motorcycle USA heads to Palm Springs to take a spin on the latest Victory Motorcycle.
