Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/771039
IN THE WIND P30 VICTORY MOTORCYCLES CLOSING DOWN P olaris Industries an- nounced it will cease operations of Victory Motor- cycles, effective immediately. The news is a bombshell for the American motorcycle marketplace and comes on the back of revelations that Polaris was unable to make Victory profitable, given the enormous financial resources required to be competitive in the market. "This was an incredibly difficult decision for me, my team and the Polaris Board of Directors," said Polaris Industries Chairman and CEO Scott Wine. "Over the past 18 years, we have invested not only resources, but our hearts and souls into forging the Victory Motorcycles brand, and we are exceptionally proud of what our team has accomplished." Recent years have seen Polaris shift an ever-increasing amount of attention and re- sources to the rebirthed Indian Motorcycle marque, one that has immediately found favor with riders worldwide thanks to a strong heritage and well- engineered machines, only now it's apparent this growth has come at the expense of Victory Motorcycles. "This decision will improve the profitability of Polaris and our global motorcycle business, and will materially improve our competitive stance in the indus- try," said Wine. "Our focus is on profitable growth, and in an environment of finite resources, this move allows us to optimize and align our resources behind both our premium, high perform- ing Indian Motorcycle brand and our innovative Slingshot brand, enhancing our focus on ac- celerating the success of those brands. Ultimately this decision will propel the industry-leading product innovation that is core to our strategy while fostering long-term growth and increased shareholder value." The decision to close Victory is still nonetheless surprising, given Polaris' recent attempts to move the brand into a more sporting realm while re-estab- lishing Indian and its rivalry with Harley-Davidson. The factory developed and raced their own Project 156 race bike at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the hands of Cycle World journalist Don Canet and Jeremy Toye, and competed at the Isle of Man with a factory team in the Zero TT with riders William Dunlop and Lee John- ston after acquiring the Brammo concern in January 2015. Regarding the Polaris facility at Spirit Lake in Iowa, Polaris says it "remains committed to maintaining its presence in the Spirit Lake, Iowa community with Indian Motorcycle pro- duction and in the Huntsville, Alabama, community with its Slingshot production." CN No more Victory. Polaris will now focus on making sister brand Indian as big as possible.