Words: Kenn Stamp

Pictures: Kenn Stamp

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Torque. One very simple little word that, either by it's absence or it's presence, can decide how much fun a bike is to ride on the street. Since it had been awhile since I had out any real time on a cruiser and the last big twin bike that I did ride (2007 Road Glide) left me a little cold when it came to engine power, I approached this review with reserve. I knew I wasn't going to be overly impressed by the motorcycle as it had a 250mm rear wheel (so handling would be impacted) and “only” 85hp. I mean if HD can't impress me with 96 cubic inches then how could Victory do it with 100? That's only a measly 4 cubic inches more.

I failed to take into consideration one very important thing:

Victory is not Harley Davidson. Overall this is both a good and bad thing but in the case of the motor it is very good.

My eyes were opened and my previous reservations about the “fun” factor of this bike went right out the window the first time I cranked the throttle wide open. The Hammer S’s 100 cubic inch motor likes to rev and, right up to about 500rpm short of it's redline, produces enough motive force that short shifting is not needed. Not only is short shifting not needed to stay in the power-band, but if you insist on doing it you are robbing yourself of one of the best sounding motors around. Now I'm not talking about the exhaust alone, but the motor, exhaust, and intake all working together to produce a sound that is part V-8 staccato and part jet engine rumble, with a little bit of manic blow-dryer thrown in to spice things up. I actually started riding the bike without my earplugs in just to hear the motor at full song.

While the motor, when running, sounds great, starting it is another thing altogether. The first time I started the bike at the Victory tent in Daytona I actually looked around to see if any of the Victory employees were running over to stop me from riding an obviously sick sounding bike. The best way to explain the sound the starter makes is to have you envision a 250cc bike starting at the same time a turbine is spooling up, then mix in a dentist's drill for good measure. I kid you not. Please Victory; fix the starter so it sounds better.

The same dichotomy that exists between the engine sound and the starter sound can be found in many other places on the bike as well. For every beautifully designed item there is an item that makes you scratch your head and wonder. Take for instance the nicely faired-in brake line splitter under the front triple clamp. On most bikes with dual front discs, the splitter is little more than a small aluminum block with hoses running to it. On the Hammer S though, it is a full width piece of rounded aluminum with the hoses run into each end. This gives an area that is often overlooked some real ascetic value. After you are done admiring the extra work and expense that Victory went to making that piece, you look up and realize that the mirror housings are made of plastic.

Another example would be the bullet shaped front brake master cylinder reservoir which looks so much better than the standard rectangular unit found on most other cruisers. Now look at the “100” emblem on the side cover and you'll find that it is stuck on with double-sided tape, but only in the center of the emblem. This leaves a gap in the corners that is very noticeable. Again, one high-end piece is offset by a low-end piece.

All those details start to fade away when you step back and look at the bike's design as a whole and not as a collection of parts. It was a unanimous vote amongst everyone who laid eyes on the bike no matter their age or motorcycle preference, the Hammer S is a looker. From its rakishly styled headlight to its faired-in taillight and blacked-out PM wheels, the Hammer will not blend in at your local bike night. I had all types of people, from sportbike riders to a guy in a Harley Edition Ford truck stare and comment favorably on the looks of the bike. Yep, there's no blending in while riding a Hammer S.