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Niche Dweller
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2007 Victory Hammer S
Basem Wasef
04/01/2007
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Photography by Kevin Wing
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Most modern power cruisers distinguish themselves by the
size of their prize. Honda and Suzuki extol the volumetric virtues of their
V-twins ad nauseum, and, indeed, their liquid-cooled engines are impressive
musclemen that deliver sportbike-worthy horsepower and mean, thumpy torque. Even
Harley-Davidson’s flag-waving V-Rod is equipped with a brutish, liquid-cooled,
Porsche-designed powerplant … et tu, Brute? Whatever happened to the
traditional, all-American power cruiser?
 RIDING STYLE: Helmet: Victory High Roller. Sunglasses: Black Flys Lucky
Fly. Jacket: Victory Boss. Gloves: AGV Sport Force. Pants: Vanson
Technical Sport Rider. Boots: Gaerne GR-S. (Click image to enlarge)
For an alternative to a genre gone
mad with technology, consider the Victory Hammer S, a purist throwback offering
in a crowded field of laid-back, high-speed rides. Its 100 cu in V-twin is
air-cooled, a decidedly old world approach in an era where gadgetry threatens
character, that all-important x-factor. Orthodox, but not quite reactionary, the
Victory-built mill concedes four valves per cylinder and electronic fuel
injection, adding elements of efficiency to its otherwise uncluttered,
radiator-free engine.
 Styling is a blend of retro and modern, and the
limited edition “S” variant offers red on black paintwork and a blacked out
engine, inverted forks, handlebars, mirrors, and gauges. Red wheels powdercoated
by Performance Machine integrate smoothly with the bike’s flowing lines, while
twin staggered chrome exhaust pipes contrast the otherwise non-bling components.
The arced headlight shroud and lush teardrop tank veer towards retro, while the
flush, integrated taillight blends seamlessly with the fender, countering with a
more modern feel at the rear of the bike. The slick rear fender bulges around
wide, 250mm rubber specially designed by Dunlop, and the instrumentation
assembly is chromed. (Click image to enlarge)
The Hammer S is fairly intuitive to ride, in spite of
its hulking rear tire and feet-forward ergonomics. Thanks to a relatively low
seat that sits close to the engine, mass is reasonably centralized. Handling is
above average for a power cruiser, and turn-in has been improved for 2007.
Though turn-in feels diff-erent enough to have been instigated by altered
suspension geometry, the solution was a simple one—the handlebars were
reconfigured, resulting in better leverage and more control of the bike’s front
end. A thin 130mm front tire changes direction easily, and the bike—which is
lighter than the Honda and Suzuki, but a touch more portly than the Hog—acts as
one would expect a bike with a dry weight of 657 lbs to behave.
 The
suspension does not offer much travel, and dampening is rather firm, though the
bumps are not harshly transmitted until road conditions deter-iorate
significantly. Lean angles must be managed judiciously, as footpegs scrape
during tight turns. Not surprisingly, the lack of a fairing allows for ample
wind buffeting, though the handlebars feel close enough to avoid the annoying
“sail in the wind” sensation. (Click image to enlarge)
In keeping with the American cruiser paradigm,
the lower end of the Hammer S powerband is rife with torque, peaking just past
the 2,400-rpm mark. Twist the throttle, and thrust rolls on smoothly,
accumulating revs steadily to the 5,500 rpm redline. While the Suzuki M109R
boasts Gixxer-inspired reviness that redlines 2,000 rpm higher than the Hammer
S, Victory has adhered to a traditional vision of the cruiser, which begs for
heavy throttle at low engine speeds, producing a tug of thrust more usable in
short bursts of real-world riding, rather than interstate-scorching, high-speed
cannonballs.
Incidentally, there really is no correct answer here; extra
velocity is always a thing of beauty, no matter how the power curve arcs.
Connoisseurs of speed and its perceived signifier, sound, ought to opt for the
Stage 1 slip on exhaust kit, which adds a bit more horsepower and a lot more
decibels.
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