Victory Judge: Specs, Features, Background, Performance & More

All  motorcycles are designed for fun trips, but nothing beats the thrill of riding a cruiser. It is not just the most comfortable and stable two-wheeler out there but also the most attractive.

Cruisers have a unique aesthetic appeal further enhanced by their lean silhouette, stylish handlebars, chromed or blacked out parts, a rumbling muscular engine, and a low-slung and spacious rider seat.

Furthermore, cruisers allow a rider to fulfill his/her dream of owning a customizable bike. While some riders modify their bikes to reflect their unique riding style, others tend to install custom parts to bring out a cruiser’s touring capabilities.

In this article, Viking Bags brings you an honest review of the Victory Judge, a great cruiser for everyday commutes and long urban rides. Moreover, it can be customized for interstate tours and motorcycle camping trips with the addition of a few Victory parts.

Read on to find out the Victory Judge’s specs, features, performance figures, and comfort level.

Victory launched its exclusive non-touring sports cruiser, the Victory Judge in 2013. For this motorcycle, the Victory’s design team drew inspiration from old muscle cars. As a result, it is often said that this fun ride is a muscle car with handlebars and mid-mounted pedals and levers.

After its debut year, the Judge underwent ergonomic changes. The details are presented in the chart below:

The Judge's fans had mixed feelings over these changes. While some liked the upgrades, most found the original seating position to be more comfortable.

During its four-year-long-production run, the Victory Judge didn’t receive any mechanical upgrades. However, the color schemes were revised almost every year.

This beautiful bike was a huge success before it was discontinued in 2017 after Polaris Inc. shut down its motorcycle wing.

The styling cues for the Victory Judge cruiser is inspired by aggressive American muscle cars as evident from the bike’s sporty feel and edgy looks. This is what makes the Judge so different from other cruisers. There is nothing old-school about this cruiser. It features no extra chrome, no embellishments, or conspicuous tank graphics.

True to its menacing muscle theme, the bike features an intense blacked-out treatment. From the front end of the frame to the engine, exhaust pipes, 16-inch wheels, and handlebars, each part has a matte black finish.

The large 1970s style mag wheels, thick Dunlop Elite front and rear tires, raised white lettering, drag handlebars, low-slung yet firm seat, muscle-style recessed rear fender, large tear-drop fuel tank, and glossy paint job sum up the bike’s exquisite style profile with a quick glance.

The glossy black paint compliments the blacked-out parts while the red paint schemes complement the look against the black background. The side covers lack the blacked-out treatment and look similar to the stylish number plates on vintage racing bikes. Not to forget, the painted stylish Victory emblem further augments the bike’s style.

Suffice to say, the sophisticated Victory Judge cruiser is a personification of what justice would look like on highways and urban roads.

The Victory Judge has a minimalistic instrument panel. It is mounted on the handlebars and consists of a simple speedometer, turn indicators, fuel gauge, ABS indicators lights, warning lights, full beam, neutral indicator, and cruise control light.

• Judge Headlight

The Victory Judge’s round headlight has a simple design. It features an all-black nacelle to complement the blacked-out parts of the bike. The headlight offers adequate lighting and also has a high beam for long-distance visibility at night.

• Judge Tail Light

The LED recessed tail light has a contemporary design. Combined with the rear turn indicators, the light offers a large road presence and improves visibility, greatly reducing the risk of accidents.

• Judge Displacement & Torque

The Victory Judge is powered by dynamic V-twin technology. The Victory Judge engine is an efficient 50° four-stroke, eight-valve motor that displaces 1731 cc and generates plenty of low-end to mid-range torque. The Judge’s engine generates a maximum torque of 130.2 Nm at 2920 rpm.

• Judge SOHC Eight-Valve Cylinders

The SOHC configuration helps with low-end torque production and greatly reduces engine size. The big-bore eight-valve cylinders greatly minimize engine load for smoother operation and better engine output.

• Fuel Injected

The Judge’s engine features a TBI fuel injection system featuring two 45 mm throttle bodies. The fuel system is more efficient compared to the carburetor as it ensures a controlled supply of air and fuel to the engine for better combustion efficiency and fuel economy.

• Judge Exhaust

Just like the engine, the staggered exhaust system also has a black paint job. The slash-cut exhaust with its dual pipes increase the horsepower by allowing a quicker and larger outflow of gasses. This improves the engine’s flow and results in greater power outputs.

The engine owes its commanding profile to its exhaust which produces a deep intimidating exhaust note that creates a pleasant noise that is essential for a true cruising experience.

• Balancers

To curb the harsh vibrations generated by large engines, Victory’s engineers installed counter-balancers on either side of the V-twin Freedom motor to reduce vibrations and ensure a smoother ride.

• Judge DriveTrain

The remarkable engine power is delivered to the manual six-speed transmission through a multi plate clutch system. The clutch system allows smooth transitions between gears, making gear shifts a seamless affair. The six-speed transmission and air cooling system work in sync to deliver the massive torque and engine power to the rear wheel via a reinforced final belt made of carbon fiber.

The Judge’s belt drive is clean, does not need lubrication, and is low-maintenance. Moreover, it has greater longevity compared with the chain drive.

• Judge Six-Speed Transmission & Overdrive

The gearbox features six carefully selected gears with close ratios for smooth transitions. The transmission system also comes with an overdrive, basically functioning as a sixth gear.

When driving at high speed, switching to the overdrive mode will reduce the revolutions per minute (rpm) and engine load. It is worth considering that this will also reduce acceleration and reverse high torque outputs obtained at lower gears.

On the other hand, overdrive is quite advantageous when riding through interstates as it gives you better mileage and makes cruising effortless. So, if you are in a rush, avoid override; but if you want a better fuel economy and a relaxed cruising experience, then overdrive is your best bet.

• Judge Chassis

The Victory Judge features a lightweight, robust, and inexpensive double-cradle steel frame. The long lean frame and low seat height offers a low center of gravity for good stability.

Due to its handlebars and front fork, the bike is nimble and easy to maneuver on tight turns and sharp corners. But try not to lean your bike harshly because the controls and footpegs will scrape against the ground. Have fun while cruising in a straight line and avoid pushing the bike’s limits on tight turns.

• Judge Suspension

The front suspension is a well-damped telescopic fork that is 43 mm in diameter while the rear suspension is a monoshock with an adjustable spring preload. Both the front and rear suspension ensure smooth wheel travel. The suspension helps to keep the ride smooth but conditions can get a bit choppy if you ride on an ill-maintained road.

The Judge boasts stylish five-spoked cast-aluminum wheels that are blacked out to augment the cruiser’s style. You will find tubeless tires attached to these wheels. The 130 mm front tire and the 140 mm rear tire have great traction and look awesome due to the white Dunlop branding.

Just like its other counterparts, the Judge cruisers feature 300 mm single disc brakes at the front and rear. Both brakes come with flying rotors for efficient heat dissipation, reduced friction, and reduced risk of brake fades. The front brake is comparatively better with four-piston calipers while the rear brake is fitted with two-piston calipers.

• Judge Anti-Lock Braking System

Since the rear brakes are kind of lacking, the Judge comes with a standard ABS system to increase the bike's stability and boost a rider’s confidence.

The Judge cruiser boasts a remarkable ergonomic configuration. Riders of all heights can ride this bike comfortably for long hours. Artfully designed for a fun-filled experience, the Victory Judge allows you to relax and enjoy the scenery with its unmatched riding comfort.

• Seat

The seat is soft and firm, and you will stay in place for hours even when swerving around at high speeds.

• Handlebars

The drag handlebars are positioned just right for a laid-back stance and effortless steering.

• Footpegs

The footpegs are well-designed to keep the rider’s feet relaxed and secure. You won’t have to overextend your arms and legs to reach the upper controls or lower shifters.

The Judge is a perfect example of comfort and versatility. For solo rides, it features a stylish passenger cowling to cover the unoccupied section of the seat. Whenever you plan to ride with a passenger, remove the cover to convert it into a two-seater motorcycle.

The 2014 Victory Judge is a heavy middleweight sports cruiser with a dry weight of 660 lbs.

All models of Victory Judge possess a large fourstroke 50° V-twin big-bore engine with a displacement of 1731 cc.

The Victory Judge’s fuel tank has a fuel capacity of 4.5 gallons.

The Judge is a fast motorcycle that can attain a maximum speed of 130 mph on open roads.

The Judge’s powerful fuel-injected Victory engine produces a maximum horsepower of 80.8 hp at 4810 rpm.

The Victory Judge is a fuel-efficient bike thanks to its six-speed overdrive, fuel injection system, and dual exhaust system. The Victory Judge offers an average mileage of 42.5 mpg.

The Victory Judge graced shiny showroom floors in 2013 and cost $13,999 in its debut year. With this competitive price, the company managed to attract their target audience successfully. Till 2017, the base price for all new models was maintained at $13,999. However, the bikes in colors other than gloss black were priced at $14,399 throughout the production cycle.

Unfortunately, buying a brand new Victory Judge is no longer an option because manufacturing has been discontinued due to Victory being closed down. Your best bet is to find a good deal in the used market.

The Victory Judge is an awesome bike that has it all. The bike boasts stylish sporty cruiser looks, an intimidating 1731 cc engine with a SOHC configuration for low-end torque production, an advanced six-speed transmission system with overdrive, functional suspensions, adequate brakes, and a standard ABS system.

The bike is admired by test riders for its nimble handling and great riding comfort, with both beginners and experienced riders being able to enjoy a fun ride.

All these features considered, the Judge will prove to be a worthwhile investment and the best road companion for a long time.

If you are not sure about buying this black beauty, consider renting it from your nearest rental service to test it first.

The Victory Judge is a performance-oriented sporty cruiser that is just as good as more expensive cruisers featuring the latest technology and features.

Victory introduced the Judge as its first non-tourer motorcycle, but riders still used it extensively for touring due to Judge’s powerful engine, comfortable ergonomic design, and exceptional fuel economy when ridden on a six-speed overdrive.

The bike has superior adaptability as with a few custom parts, you can convert it from an urban commuter to a tourer.

Worried about the expense? Not to worry as Victory cruisers were launched at less than $15,000. You can get an even better deal in the ever-growing Victory second-hand market. To customize your bike, go to high-quality brands that offer the best travel essentials at a great price.

Here is a list of travel amenities to get you started. The Judge is a naked bike with zero wind protection. Installing a fairing should be first on your list as high speed highway winds can be staggering. Adding crash bars would provide maximum safety in case of an accident.

The next in line are the lightweight, spacious, key-lockable and waterproof Victory saddlebags and motorcycle luggage racks to mount the bags.

Saddlebags are the most convenient way of lugging your essentials around. If you find saddlebags too heavy, you can choose from a wide selection of motorcycle luggage which includes light-weight tail bags, small windshield bags, handlebar bags, and sissy bar bags.

Installing sissy bars and rider and passenger backrests would improve the comfort of your bike allowing you to explore scenic roads.