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Copyright 2011 Domenick Yoney/ AOL
Copyright 2011 Domenick Yoney/ AOL
Copyright 2011 Domenick Yoney/ AOL
Copyright 2011 Domenick Yoney/ AOL
Copyright 2011 Domenick Yoney/ AOL
Well, this is an unexpected development.
Victory Motorcycles just announced it will participate in the upcoming
TT Zero on the Isle of Man, with rider William Dunlop in the saddle of a newly developed electric bike. Last we heard – in
a reply Tweet from its PR account last month – the
Minnesota-based company was limiting its battery-powered racing to Pikes Peak this year.
Christened the Victory RR, this new bike is the best kind of surp
rise. Developed and built by its strategic partner Brammo, the bike moves away from the extruded aluminum, twin-spar
chassis of previous designs in favor of a steel trellis set up. Inside that cage sits a freshly designed battery pack that takes advantage of the latest lithium cells to hold more energy than previous boxes. The exact number of kilowatt
-hours (kWhs) is, of course, a closely-guarded secret.
As with previous machines, Brammo turned to Parker Hannifin for its power source. Just eight inches in diameter and five inches long, the AC motor is said to be good for 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, while boasting a peak efficiency in excess of 97 percent. Yowsa!
With the whole package lovingly wrapped in a matte black carbon-fiber cloak, it’s a dark horse that on paper makes it a serious contender for the top step of the TT Zero podium. Last year, in its first appearance, Victory played spoiler to Sarolea taking third and forth place behind the twin Mugen machines. For 2016, it will put all its eggs in one Victory RR package, while it sends a single 2015 Empulse RR to Colorado to chase the 10:00.694
electric motorcycle record set by Lightning Motorcyclesin 2013.
Given that this bike has been in development for at least a year, and that the motorcycle manufacturer
had so recently denied participation in the 2016 TT Zero, we see this announcement as evidence of a further commitment from Victory to work with Brammo on new product, and to promote those efforts on an international stage. Victory currently offers the Empulse TT, a revised version of the Brammo Empulse, for retail sale, but we expect to see more models in the future that take advantage of the collaboration between the two firms.
Show full PR text
Victory Motorcycles racing for a return to the podium at the Isle of Man TT with all-new Victory RR electric motorcycle
- William Dunlop confirmed as the rider
- All-new electric race bike called the Victory RR
- Race bike is a test bed for Victory’s future powertrains
Victory Motorcycles is returning with the Victory Racing team to compete in the Isle of Man TT Zero race with an all-new electric race bike called the Victory RR.
The Victory RR electric motorcycle has been developed over the past year using data gathered during last year’s TT Zero and will be ridden by William Dunlop.
It means Victory Racing is fielding entries in two of the world’s most gruelling road races – Pikes Peak in the USA and the Isle of Man TT in Europe.
Commenting on the return to the Isle of Man TT, Alex Hultgren, Director of Marketing for Victory Motorcycles said: “One way we continuously push ourselves in performance is through our Victory Racing initiatives. The Isle of Man TT is one of the most challenging motorcycle races in the world, so of course we have to be there.”
Victory’s international R&D development program is well underway and the Victory RR bike, as well as the ones racing at Pikes Peak, are test beds for technology that will be used in the firm’s future products.
Victory Racing’s team manager, Brian Wismann said: “Our electric Empulse RR race bike placed third on the podium in the TT Zero race last year, which we were thrilled with. Using the data we gathered on our laps of the TT course has helped us to develop a new battery module as well as improving the powertrain. We feel like we can return to the TT with more performance as well as being able to test this technology for our future products.”
Alex Hultgren adds: “This year with a new machine and new technology behind us we continue to have high expectations. We are working to develop the best platform for our racer, William Dunlop, who is familiar with the view from the podium.”
Brian Wismann gives a further insight in to what is new on the RR. “The newly developed battery leverages the lessons learned from our entry in last year’s TT Zero event,” he explains. “The battery is a ground-up new design with the help of our technical partners at Brammo and necessitated a big change in the chassis design – from an extruded aluminum twin spar to a steel trellis frame. The biggest difference in the battery itself is an improvement in both the overall energy / capacity we’re carrying on board the bike, as well as a marked improvement in the energy density of the battery itself. As you know, lithium-ion battery technology is improving every year and with the Victory RR we are leading the way to batteries that will provide more performance, greater range and less cost in future vehicles.”
Some enhancements have also been made to the electric motor too. Developed in partnership with Parker Hannifin, the motor is called the Parker GVM. It boasts world-class specific power (the power to weight ratio), producing a peak of over 170hp from a package that is only eight inches in diameter and five inches long. With peak efficiencies topping 97 percent, it is clear to see why Victory gets excited about the potential of this powertrain for future products.
Brian Wismann adds: “Compared to the electric motor we used in the TT Zero event last year, this year’s version features an even further optimised winding configuration based on the data gathered from last year’s bikes. Coupled with the increased energy on board in the battery, William Dunlop will have access to more of the power available from this motor than in 2015.”
The first practice for the SES TT Zero is scheduled for Friday 3rd June at 20:40 with second practice on Saturday 4th June at 17.15 and a final qualifying session on Monday 6th June at 16:25. The race is scheduled at 16:25 on Wednesday 8th June.
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TECH SPEC VICTORY RR
Length/Width/Height (mm) 2089 / 680 / 1218
Seat Height (in.) 32
Weight (kg) 240
Front Tire Metzeler 120/70 R17
Rear Tire Metzeler 200/60 R17
Frame Trellis Steel and Composite Monocoque
Motor Parker GVM Water-cooled, 3-phase, IPM AC
Max Power (kW/HP) 130 / 174
Max Torque (Nm) 240
Battery Brammo Power Lithium-Ion
Battery Voltage (Vdc) 370 or more
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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 and on Facebook at facebook.com/VictoryMotorcycles
ABOUT POLARIS INDUSTRIES
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence in adjacent markets globally with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com
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