That’s hard CORE

Motorcycle design is a strange business, especially so in the US. The Japanese and European manufacturers frequently roll out wildly styled concept bikes for the major shows. These outrageous machines often get watered down before production, but they do at least showcase new and interesting ideas. If only we could say the same of Harley.

It seems to me that Willie G just keeps looking at the past through rose tinted glasses for his ‘new’ designs, just think Cross Bones. Need I say more? What about America’s second biggest motorcycle maker Victory?

Thankfully there’s a spark of ingenuity there. Remember, this is the company that has worked with three generations of the Ness family on special editions of its bikes and has tapped the talents of custom wunderkind Roland Sands too. Not that it‘s lacking in in-house design talent. Just look at the Buck Rogers spaceship inspired Vision for evidence of that. It could be argued that the Vision itself owes a debt to Japanese and European ideals; after all, it was launched as a radical concept design in 2005 as the Vision 800 and then, thanks to favourable public reception, made it into production in a somewhat tamer version.

Well, it looks as though it could happen again, this time with a very different concept – the CORE. While the silhouette of the CORE is traditional American cruiser the execution is anything but. To quote the man behind the concept, Michael Song, “CORE is pure motorcycle. We wanted to strip everything not critical and build a motorcycle that uses some of the production technologies we have incorporated into the Victory Vision. The frame and engine architecture of the Victory Vision was our inspiration – but we wanted to make a statement beyond ‘custom’ and create something completely unique.”

It's certainly safe to say that they’ve achieved that. How many motorcycles can you name that use a five-piece aluminium frame? A frame that's cast in sand from AL 356-T6 aluminium and holds which the petrol, airbox, battery box and electrics, leaving the bike free of conventional bodywork.

Even braver is the idea of building the bike as a rigid. Will it make it to production without any rear suspension, or will the design be tempered for the sake of sales? Only time will tell.

What can’t be denied is that running an adjustable 48mm WP inverted fork loaded with radial four-pot brakes suggests serious sporting pretensions that a rigid frame would have trouble backing up. There’s certainly no worry about there not being enough power to support the performance aspect though, thanks to the latest version of the Freedom engine. The 106/6 with its closed-loop fuel injection is already proven in the company’s Vision, Hammer and Jackpot models and is already 50-state legal in the US should production go ahead.

Pulling a set of 18in wheel from its aftermarket parts catalogue and slipping 130/70 and 150/70 tyres on them further suggests that Victory is looking at performance and ease of slipping the CORE into production.

Somehow though, if my prayers are answered and Victory do put the Core out to the market, I can’t see the seat being carried over. While mahogany may look good and work for a dining chair, it’s not the sort of thing many people would want underneath them while putting the miles in. However, it would be good if the integrated LEDs in the rear edge of it are retained.

I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to see the idea of the CORE taken further. Let’s face it, the US is finally waking up to the idea that a V-twin can be a sporting bike - just look at the reaction to the XR1200 from H-D, first launched in Europe and then the States due to the demand for it. So to me it looks as if there's a potential market for a sporting if radical bike like Victory’s CORE.

“We are all about the future of American motorcycles. I believe CORE clearly represents that philosophy and attitude,” is what Victory head honcho Mark Blackwell says about the design. He continues, “Victory appeals most to motorcycle enthusiasts who love motorcycles and appreciate performance and innovation. To them, it’s all about the bike and riding. I believe motorcycle enthusiasts will be as excited about this new concept as we are.”

I’ll hold my hand up and say I am. Now, what about you?

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