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Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle races toward production
 
Fresh from strutting its high-voltage stuff at the 2015 Isle of Man TT Zero race, Victory has unveiled the production Empulse TT electric motorcycle. On sale in late 2015, the Victory Empulse TT marks a dramatic shift from the large-displacement cruisers the American brand is best known for.
Where Victory has positioned itself as an alternative to Harley-Davidson, the Empulse TT is an interesting counter to the Harley LiveWire concept—an electric motorcycle that has been on a high-profile marketing (and customer research) tour. Victory accelerated into this segment when corporate parent Polaris purchased Brammo, an electric motorcycle specialty company, about a year ago. The Victory Empulse TT is said to drawn from the Brammo Empulse R. (The two companies have worked together since 2011.)
The Victory Empulse TT features a 54-hp motor, matched with a six-speed gearbox. Power comes from a 10.4 kW lithium-ion battery pack. The company says a 65-mile range is typical, although it says ginger throttle application and regenerative braking could make 100 miles possible. (The Empulse TT demonstrated a 94-mile city range on the Motorcycle Industry Council test, with an overall 57-mile rating for city and highway combined.)
A complete recharge takes 3.9 hours with 240 volts, or 8.9 hours with standard 120 volts. The Victory Empulse TT battery is backed by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
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The 470-lb. Victory Empulse TT has two modes: Eco and Sport. In Sport, the driver is able to tap 20-percent more battery power to boost acceleration. Conversely, it also makes regenerative braking more aggressive, thereby aiding stopping distances and capturing more energy.
The gearbox is a twist, as not all electric motorcycles even use one. Here, shifting is only necessary when underway; from take-off or coming to a stop, shifting is not necessary. Neutral is positioned between second and third gears. Victory says riders can simply leave the transmission in third gear for most riding speeds and conditions. In riding other electric motorcycles, we found that their ease of use is especially appealing for less-experienced riders, just as this simplified operation promises. That said, the Victory Empulse TT clearly skews toward performance, with a top speed of over 100 mph.
At launch, the Victory Empulse TT will be offered with a variety of performance and customization options, including forks, frame sliders, panniers storage bins, and tall and short windscreens. Pricing starts at $19,999—a few thousand dollars more than the sporty offerings from Zero Motorcycles, which lowered prices by $1,350 across its 2015 line.
Read our ride with Zero motorcycles.
—Jeff Bartlett
Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.
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