Quick spin: Victory Judge

In 2012, the Bikesales Network ventured to the spectacular, snaking roads around Palm Springs in California for the first ride on the all-new Victory Judge cruiser.

At that stage – we’re talking February, 2012 – the Judge was already being cheekily badged as a 2013 model, and the release was somewhat of a fresh departure for Victory after it had been on a touring bike release ‘frenzy’ in the previous few years.

The Judge -- named after the Pontiac muscle car of the 1960s – went on sale locally for $22,995 in May, 2012, and it’s now priced considerably more keenly than that at $19,995 thanks to a price realignment. But it’d be even better to win one, hey? Well, you can try your luck in a competition that’s currently being run on the Bikesales Network, where the winner can choose between the Judge, High-Ball or Vegas 8-Ball.

>Enter the Victory competition here

We’ll also be revisiting the High-Ball and Vegas 8-Ball doing the length of the competition, which closes on December 4. Good luck.

But back to the Judge, which we described as having “purposeful and rugged” styling when we met it for the first time – and we haven’t changed our tune on the return visit. The bike’s defined by the sleek tank, drag-style bars, oval side panels, five-spoke mag wheels, minimal chrome touches, dual slash-cut pipes and blacked-out components (frame, triple clamps, cases and cylinder heads). It’s a styling flavour that does a good job of injecting retro cues into a modern look.

Our testbike also came with accessory pipes, which cost $1800 and also include an air filter upgrade and remapping. No performance figures are quoted for the pipes, other than a “stronger and more responsive with increased mid-range power over standard”. But they do deliver a more stout and sharper tone, but are unassuming enough that they don’t start to annoy.

Other nice touches on the Judge include the alloy runner on the rear fender, which looks neat; the aluminium air cleaner cover; black headlight nacelle; stitching on the seat; and the ‘clean’ look of the Freedom 106ci (1731cc) V-twin engine. There’s no visible plumbing to sully the view, and about the only part of the equation which looks a little muddled is the set-up for the rear brake. But that’s incongruous, as the rest of the bike has solid construction written all over it. You won’t find too many plastic bits here, either.

Performance-wise, the Freedom 106ci (1731cc) engine’s narrative is based on a generous and mellow spread of torque, which is the quintessential cruiser trait. There’s immediate thrust with the twist of the grip, and the fuelling is crisp. Vibration is insignificant, too. There’s 153Nm of torque, which is the only official performance figure supplied. That’s more torque than the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob, the Judge’s steely competitor.

With only a three-day window to ride the Judge, the city was soon jettisoned in favour of the country, where I was able to utilise the sixth gear overdrive with a little more frequency while the Judge took off from where it left off in Palm Springs. It likes swinging through turns, while the mid-mount controls make for a more aggressive riding posture – and far more comfort than forward controls. The only real ergonomic issue for me is the slight stretch to the bars, but it’s something I became attuned to very quickly.

There’s predictable handling and it turns in well with the 1647mm wheelbase, notwithstanding that the front tyre (130-section) is as nearly as wide as the rear – both on 16-inch rubber. And sure, you’ll scrape with a fairly low ground clearance, but it certainly doesn’t throw the Judge off its game. All through this, the suspension does a good job and there’s very little choppiness on the rough stuff – the curse that can sometimes affect basic suspenders. There’s preload adjustment on the rear of the steel-framed Judge.

The seat is comfortable with its nice lip at the back taking care of lumbar support. I reckon I could handle a long day in the saddle on this thing, with the 17-litre tank making for decent mileage.

The Judge is available in black, orange or red, and there are plenty of accessories, including saddlebags, to add to the package.

Sometimes cruisers are an acquired taste – but the Judge isn’t one of them. It enjoys a bit of rough and tumble, emits some fruity tones, has an eager powerplant, and rugged appeal. It’s built to a price, but that still doesn’t take away from the fact that it holds its head high in a tough cruiser market.

>Victory Judge in Bike Showroom

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed, including overdrive
Final drive: Carbon fibre reinforced belt
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular steel
Front suspension: Telescopic fork, non-adjustable, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Single gas shock, preload adjustment, 75mm travel
Front brake: 300mm disc with four-piston caliper
Rear brake: 300mm disc with Nissin twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Spoked -- front 3.5 x 16, rear 3.5 x 16
Tyres: Dunlop 491 Elite II -- front 130/90-16, rear 140/90-16

OTHER STUFF
Price: $19,995
Colours: Black, orange or red
Test bike supplied by Victory Motorcycles Australia, www.victorymotorcycles.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres