Building on the innovative design and engineering that produced
the fastest U.S. electric motorcycle at the 2015 Isle of Man TT
Zero race; Victory Motorcycles has introduced the 2016 Empluse TT,
the first all-electric addition to the Victory lineup.
The Victory Empulse TT is a fully electric street-legal sport
bike that is as capable of carving tight lines on twisting roads as
it is powering the daily commute. Building on Victory Motorcycle's
focus on performance, the Empulse TT features a sport bike-style
aluminum beam-frame, adjustable suspension, and aggressive brakes.
With a combination of advanced technology and stylish, modern
design, this unique new motorcycle delivers outstanding overall
performance, zero-emission output, and a torquey motor.
"We have always been known for great handling and power, so the
Empulse TT is an ideal fit in the expanding Victory lineup," said
Motorcycle Product Director Gary Gray.
"The Empulse TT was developed primarily as an electric
motorcycle delivering a sporty ride," said Victory Electric Product
Manager Joshua Katt, "but with dual ride modes –
ECO and SPORT – to choose from, and the addition
of a gearbox, the Empulse TT is a versatile motorcycle that can be
used for impressively sporty riding or as a casual commuter."
The key features that allow Empulse TT to deliver a sporty
riding experience include: a fully adjustable suspension featuring
a single rear shock and upside down forks; dual-disk front brakes
that deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power; lightweight new
cast aluminum wheels; the greatest lean angle in the electric
class; and a sportbike-style riding position.
Steve Menneto, VP Motorcycles, said Victory Motorcycles is
committed to expanding brand awareness and sales globally, and the
Empulse TT will allow the brand to reach more markets. "This is a
company that does not fear technology and progressive products, and
we want to be strong in the electric motorcycle segment," he
said.
The Empulse TT shares some DNA with the original Brammo Empulse
R motorcycle. Victory has been working with Brammo since 2011, but
in January 2015 Victory's parent company, Polaris Industries,
acquired Brammo's motorcycle assets. Since then, Victory engineers
worked with the Brammo product team to achieve improvements in
battery capacity, display function, and handling. The result is a
Victory Empulse TT with advanced technology, impressive
performance, and sporty styling that draws from the Isle of Man
Zero TT race bikes.
The Victory Empulse TT is capable of top speeds of over 100 mph,
and it has a high-capacity 10.4kWh battery. The bike has a built-in
battery charger and an easily accessible SAE J1772 plug atop the
bodywork in front of the seat. The bike's Brammo Power Lithium Ion
battery fully charges in just 3.9 hours using a Stage 2 charger
(available as an accessory utilizing a 240V outlet).
In typical riding, the Empulse TT battery provides a rider with
a range of about 65 miles (104 km), and a range of 100 miles (161
km) is possible with throttle management and use of the bike's
regenerative charging. In preliminary testing, the bike
demonstrated a Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) city range of 94
miles (151 km). The bike delivered an MIC "combined 70 mph highway
and city range" of 57 miles (92 km).
Riders can make the most efficient use of the battery's 10.4kWh
of electricity by using the six-speed gearbox. Shifting and
downshifting help to create regenerative power (under
deceleration), and also produce a feeling familiar to experienced
riders of the compression braking on gasoline-powered
motorcycles.
The rider only needs to use the clutch when shifting between
gears, not for taking off or coming to a stop. When coming to a
stop, a rider can leave the bike in gear, or choose to click the
shifter down (without pulling in the clutch) to put the bike in
neutral. To take off from a stop, the rider simply needs to twist
the throttle to unleash the liquid-cooled electric motor's
impressive torque.
In the Empulse TT's proprietary transmission, neutral is found
between 2nd and 3rd gears, and the transmission can be left in 3rd
gear for most riding speeds and conditions. To begin riding, a
rider can simply turn the bike's power on; select 3rd gear (without
the clutch), twist the throttle, and go.
Not all competitive electric motorcycles have gearboxes, so the
Empulse TT gearbox gives the bike a significantly sportier feel,
and it enhances a rider's engagement with the bike.
In everyday riding conditions, the Victory Empulse TT can be
operated in ECO mode, but it also has an optional SPORT mode for
high-performance riding. In SPORT mode, 20 percent more battery
power is released to the motor, resulting in enhanced
acceleration.
SPORT mode also increases the amount of regenerative braking
– or "regen" – which further
increases the feeling similar to compression braking when the rider
rolls off the throttle. Regen uses the inertia of the motorcycle to
return energy from the motor back into the battery pack, which
increases available energy. To select SPORT mode, a rider presses
and holds the start button for 1 second.
The bike's LCD data display features a speedometer, tachometer,
gear indicator, and clock. It also displays the battery level as a
horizontal bar accompanied by the percentage of battery energy
remaining, and provides an estimate of remaining riding range.
Genuine Victory Accessories immediately available for the
Empulse TT include Victory performance forks, frame sliders, tall
and short windscreens, and side luggage bags.
The new Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle is scheduled to
be available for purchase in the United States only in late
2015.
Victory Motorcycles Australian Country Manager, Peter Harvey said
"it is certainly an exciting time at Victory; this bike embodies
one of the new directions the brand is taking to deliver on
performance and modern American muscle. We will go through a local
evaluation process with riders before announcing our plans for the
Empulse TT in Australia."
Additional specifications and high- and low-resolution images
are available at our media site: www.VictoryPressKit.com
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Visit www.victorymotorcycles.com.au
Media Contact:
Adrian Givoye
Marketing Manager – Motorcycles
Mobile: 0418 506 301 Email: adrian.givoye@polaris.com