Victory Motorcycles Racing to the Clouds at Pikes Peak

​

Victory Motorcycles Racing to the Clouds at Pikes Peak With Roland Sands Designs, Team Cycle World and Prototype Project 156 Engine.

MEDINA, Minn., USA (June 2, 2015) – Victory Motorcycles, in partnership with Roland Sands Design and Cycle World, will race a new prototype engine at the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb on June 28.

The prototype racing motorcycle, named Project 156 for the 156 turns in the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb, also known as the Race to the Clouds, will feature a liquid-cooled engine and be piloted by Cycle World Road Test Editor Don Canet.

“We have an intense focus at Victory Motorcycles to prove the performance of our vehicles,” said Rod Krois, Victory General Manager. “Competing as an American OEM at America’s race is an exciting opportunity. The grueling conditions at Pike’s Peak provide the perfect proving ground for our new Project 156 race engine.”

​

The Project 156 motorcycle is a hand-built road-racing bike with a prototype Victory motor developed at Victory’s Minnesota research and development facility. This liquid-cooled engine represents the future performance of the Victory brand. It features intake Twin 67mm throttles with downdraft runners for maximum power and torque as well as a performance valvetrain including titanium intake and exhaust valves to allow for maximum engine speed.

The Roland Sands Design team developed and built the chassis to cradle the Project 156 motor. “This truly has been an All-American effort,” said Roland Sands. “The Race to the Clouds is a legendary event and we couldn’t be more proud to partner with Victory on the endeavor. We’ve built lots of custom motorcycles, but building a purpose-built race bike for this project has been a unique experience that we’ll remember for a long time.”

​

The Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb, an annual automobile and motorcycle hill climb to the summit of Pike’s Peak, Colorado, will take place on June 28, 2015. Having started in 1916, it is the second-oldest motorsport event in America after the Indianapolis 500. The track measures 12.42 miles (19.99 km) over 156 turns, climbing 4,720 feet (1,440 m) from the start at Mile 7 on Pike’s Peak Highway, to the finish at 14,110 feet (4,300 m), on grades averaging 7 percent.

“Ever since Victory and Roland Sands introduced me to this project I’ve been counting down the days to the event,” said Cycle World Road Test Editor Don Canet. “This will be my second time racing the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb. Now that I’ve had a taste of what it’s like I’m ready to get back and finish stronger in 2015.”

To support the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb, Victory Motorcycles has moved the 2015 American Victory Rally to Colorado Springs, Colorado from June 25–28. The weekend will feature not only Project 156, but loads of riding through stunning scenery, and a showcase of Victory Racing initiatives including the NHRA Drag Racing team. Victory owners can visit Redirecting... for more details.

To learn more about Project 156, our sponsors, and Victory Motorcycles, visit www.VictoryMotorcycles.com/en-us/project-156 or follow on Twitter @VictoryBikes and on Facebook at facebook.com/VictoryMotorcycles.

​

About Victory Motorcycles

Victory Motorcycles designs, engineers, manufactures and markets a full line of cruisers, baggers and touring motorcycles. Every Victory model delivers industry-leading performance, comfort, style, storage and reliability. The first Victory was produced on the Fourth of July, 1998, in Spirit Lake, Iowa, where every Victory motorcycle continues to be produced today. Information about Victory motorcycles, apparel and accessories is available at www.VictoryMotorcycles.com.

About Roland Sands Design

Roland Sands Design is a motorcycle, product and apparel company that has its roots in racing, custom bike building and design. Our inspiration comes from a high performance background that blends the love of two wheels with the desire to create unique products. We live the two-wheeled life and our crew is a diverse collection of road racers, off-road, dirt track, supermoto and custom bike builders and riders. It's this diversity that allows us to work with the best in the industry on a variety of projects. Information about Roland Sands Design motorcycles, product and apparel is available at www.rolandsands.com

 

HOLY.... With that many radiators will it be able to get up to operating temps (sarcastic question)? Looks bad ass. If they want to try it out in a cruiser they cons throw it in my KP!

 

Hard to say from the pictures but that looks like a bigger engine than the Scout.

 

Good lord that is sick!

I know that looks like a lot of cooling, but you can never have enough at The Peak. I run massive intercoolers, oil coolers and fuel coolers in hopes not to overheat. The air is dry, very thin and with 156 turns it's tough to get enough air to cool anything off. Plus the vertical climb just heat soaks everything.

I vapor locked my second year and never wanted that failure again so I made sure to double and triple up on anything cooling.

 

I like the hood scoop on the gas tank. They must have ported an air intake straight through it.

 

"This liquid-cooled engine represents the future performance of the Victory brand."

It's a Scout bottom end with new barrels and heads fitted. Plus that CNC clutch / engine cover. What they've done within that bottom end remains unspoken. New rods? Beefed up clutch?

It would be nice to know the nitty gritty from a Victory enthusiast perspective but let's wait as see.

Just pop me to the front on the order list please.

 

Does this all but confirm that they're going to market with a version of the Scout under the Victory label with Victory styling? Mid-weight performance cruiser, like the Scout? I've heard rumors and allusions to such.

 

That is sweet. I am hoping at some point they release some horse power and torque numbers. There are a number of directions they could go with this. A power cruiser perhaps, like the Ducati Diavel. They would not need to dumb it down much or change the aesthetics much. just a little refinement and a good accessory line and present a production model of this prototype. Best of luck to the team!

 

Part 3 of the video series. The full reveal and exhaust note can be heard... Sounds thick as hell.

 

I think this all but confirms they are not going to go to market with a version of the Scout under a Victory label. I'm thinking if this is a hint at what's to come from Victory, it will be targeted at BMW, KTM, and Ducati. Not a Sportster.

 

I think it's the begging of an adventure bike or dual sport. I love the height and the skid plate.
Oh boy - looks like a new Vic for me in a few years

 

I think that skid plate is the gas tank. While it would be cool if Victory produced a bike like this, I am thinking that more of an effort to introduce a new Victory engine than a new production motorcycle.

 

I think you'd b right. If you look at the pictures of the right side of the bike there is "something" just in front of the rear wheel. Fuel pump? And looking at the video, mark 1:09 into it, that is a serious intake for a "low" capacity twin.

This would slot in well to the Triumph Speed Triple, Ducati Streetfighter naked class.