VOL. 52 ISSUE 31 AUGUST 4, 2015 P63
one. The speed of every electric
bike I've ridden can be modulated
just fine with throttle position—and
what makes me think this gear-
box is a waste of time is the fact
the company's Zero TT machine,
a real performance electric ma-
chine, doesn't have one.
There's ample torque from the
10.4kW/Hour Internal Perma-
nent Magnet Induction motor,
combining with the gearbox
to get its claimed 460 pounds
and me to an indicated 104
mph down the High Plains back
straight. You can tune the regen-
erative braking by the two differ-
ent motor modes of Sport and
Standard, which returns some
residue power to the battery.
Victory claims about 140 miles
on a charge in "highway riding,"
but as we were riding on track
and using max power most of
the time, it was hard to say just
how far it would go on a charge.
The Victory also claims to have
THERE'S
AMPLE
TORQUE
FROM
THE 10.4KW/
HOUR INTERNAL
PERMANENT
MAGNET
INDUCTION MOTOR,
COMBINING WITH
THE GEARBOX TO
GET ITS CLAIMED
460LB AND ME
TO AN INDICATED
104MPH DOWN
THE HIGH PLAINS
BACK STRAIGHT.
sible to stall. Once you get over
the clunk of the drivetrain that
comes from when you open a
fully closed throttle, and realize
that it's not a loose chain but how
the bike actually operates, the
Victory is a pleasant enough bike
to ride. Sport mode gives you
the full power and this is where I
spent all my time, working up and
down a gearbox that oddly gives
pretty much the same perfor-
mance in third, fourth and fifth
gears, making me question why
this machine was graced with the
extra weight and complexity of
a gearbox when it doesn't need
the fastest charge of any produc-
tion electric bike from flat to full
in 3.5 hours by using the 240V
supercharger (up to eight hours
on the standard 120V charger),
and 0-80 percent charge can be
attained in two hours. You also
charge the bike like you would
filling up a gas tank, which is
another nice touch.
The Victory's powertrain is also
yours with a five year warranty. Not
bad for a bike that's brand new to
the company and a sure sign Vic-
tory believes in its product.
But the way the Victory corners
is not like that of a sports ma-
chine. Despite having the claimed
highest ground clearance of any
electric production bike, the foot-
pegs and gear/rear brake levers
would scrape very early on in the
lean, necessitating me to hang off
more and stand the bike upright
earlier in a corner. Tip in was
fast as the weight is carried a bit
higher in the chassis than optimal,
Like the brains of a robot—this
isn't a bike you're going to fix
with a screwdriver and hammer.
Note the 240V charge point at
the top of the battery.
