2016 VICTORY EMPULSE TT
FIRST RIDE
P58
THE ONSLAUGHT OF NEW POLARIS-
OWNED BIKES CONTINUES, BUT THIS
ONE'S A BIT DIFFERENT.
FINGER ON
THE EMPULSE
I
t's interesting times over
at Polaris HQ. With the
rebirth of Indian and the
subsequent altering of Vic-
tory's brand image, Polaris
is positioning itself to be the
new home of performance
American motorcycling.
There's a spot in the
market that currently has
no U.S. manufacturer-level
players since the demise of
Erik Buell and the desperate
yet unconditionally passion-
ate EBR concern. Polaris
knows this, and the Victory
Empulse TT is part of their
answer to the problem.
The Empulse TT is Vic-
tory's very first electric-
powered motorcycle. With
the recent acquisition of
Brammo's motorcycle sec-
tor (Brammo will continue to
manufacture electric tech-
nologies, but not bikes),
Victory has come a very
long way in under a year.
In that time they've endeav-
ored to further develop and
manufacture this ex-Bram-
mo Empulse, and in doing
so there's a reworked dash,
bodywork and seat. Proof
of how serious Victory is
taking this electric game is
that they've also already had
a prototype electric Victory
race at the Isle of Man in
the hands of pint-sized Lee
Johnston and Briton Guy
Martin, Irishman Johnston
taking third place behind the
Mugen machines of John
McGuinness and Bruce
Anstey in the 2015 Zero TT.
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY VICTORY
