Victory Motorcycles News
This fall, the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) will begin patrolling on a different American motorcycle brand – Victory Motorcycles.
The Daytona Beach City Commission unanimously voted in May to support Police Chief Michael Chitwood’s decision to switch from Harley-Davidson to Victory. The switch will take place on Oct. 1, 2014, when the lease with Harley-Davidson expires.
The DBPD, which serves during major Daytona events such as Speed Week, the Daytona 500, Spring Break and Bike Week, will patrol on a fleet of 12 Commander I Victory Police Motorcycles (VPM) models, which are based on the Victory Cross Country. The VPM unit is in Tucson, Ariz.
The 12 bikes will be equipped with LED lights, a radio box, and a siren, and they will feature the department’s striking custom paint scheme and famous logo. Volusia Motorsports, the Victory dealership in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, will provide service and regular maintenance for the fleet.
“Every other year our agency ordered new motorcycles, and we were at the mercy of whatever new advances were made to the bike itself, which usually wasn’t much,” said highly decorated DBPD Traffic Unit Officer Jason Kilker.
“By contrast, Victory Police Motorcycles provided a two-page checklist of law enforcement-only options that were available for our officers to select what suited them best. These options included, but were not limited to, full-size AR-15 rifle racks, heated grips, and a mind-blowing LED light package that no one can match.”
More and more law enforcement agencies across the USA and Canada are switching to Victory Motorcycles, the Polaris-owned company reports, due to performance, reliability, cargo space, agility, low-maintenance const and comfort.
“Victory Police Motorcycles focuses exclusively on the law enforcement industry with officer safety being Priority One,” said Victory Police Motorcycles CEO Nita Buckner. “Our continual introduction of new safety enhancements is a testament to this commitment to safety.”
VPM is known for its creation of police bikes, equipping Victory Cross Country, Cross Roads, or Victory Vision motorcycles with equipment such as lights, radio, and siren, a secondary battery to power that electronic equipment, and custom paint that features the agency’s logo. Additional accessories can include tip-over protection, a skid plate, firearms and radar gun holsters, alternate windshield styles, and more.
“We admire the great work of the Daytona Beach Police Department and are excited that they will soon enjoy the numerous competitive advantages the Victory Motorcycles provide,” said Steve Menneto, VP Motorcycles for Polaris. “It’s rewarding to have such a world-class department choose Victory Police Motorcycles.”
Starting in October, famous routes in the city such as Main Street, Beach Street, International Speedway Boulevard, Route A1A, and more will be patrolled by DBPD motor officers on Victory Police Motorcycles, Victory says.
Photos above of various Victory Police Motorcycles