Victory Vegas 8-Ball

Posted by: admin  /  Category: News, Reviews

victory-vegas-8-ballLike many of our moto brothers, we often succumb to the power of bling. Bigger often seems better, so much so that we sometimes forget some of the appealing motorcycles that support a manufacturer’s flagships.
Case in point: the Victory Vegas 8-Ball. Cynics might say it’s simply a de-contented Vegas and therefore not worthy of consideration. However, this elitist attitude would overlook what is a very competent and stylish cruiser priced about $2,000 cheaper than a comparable Harley-Davidson Softail.

The Vegas 8-Ball first appeared in 2005, but it’s since had plenty of updates. Key among them is the addition of the powerful 100 cubic-inch engine which now produces a claimed 85 hp and 106 ft-lbs of torque. This mill got a host of enhancements in ’08, including larger 45mm throttle bodies as part of a new, sequential, closed-loop fuel-injection system.

A reduction in the compression ratio to 8.7:1 allowed more aggressive ignition timing, bumping up power marginally. A redesigned oiling system allowed the use of a smaller oil cooler that is less obtrusive. An annoying ticking sound from early Freedom motors was alleviated by slower valve closing speeds and longer closing ramps, and extraneous noise is further damped by additional sound-deadening ribbing on the engine’s primary cover.

Read more…