2005 Victory Hammer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2005 Victory Hammer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine228.6%
- Suspension228.6%
- Transmission228.6%
- Fuel system114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS A VICTORY MOTORCYCLE. WHEN DOWNSHIFTING TO ARRIVE AT A LIGHT I HEARD A CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. SHIFTING BECAME IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO A VICTORY DEALER IN HARRISONBURG, VA AND 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT ONE OF THE SHIFT FORK BROKE AND FELL INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND GROUND UP 2 GEARS. ALSO INFORMED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS BURNED. ALTHOUGH THIS MOTORCYCLE IS 10 YEARS OLD, IT ONLY HAD 5330 MILES ON IT AND WAS REGULARLY SERVICED. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING SHIFT FORKS DO NOT JUST BREAK. I BELIEVE EITHER THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE OR THE DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND THROWN ME OFF IF THE BREAK HAD OCCURRED WHILE I WAS MOVING AT REGULAR HIGHWAY SPEED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DANGEROUS PART AND CONDITION. THANK YOU. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW UPDATED 12/12/2017*CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VICTORY HAMMER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AS IF THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF THE CORRECT DRIVESHAFT. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER FOR INSPECTION. HE NOTICED THAT THE LOWER BELT OF THE BELT SYSTEM SPONTANEOUSLY FRACTURED AND BECAME JAMMED IN THE MOTOR. HE PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN REVERSE IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE BELT FROM THE MOTOR. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,894. UPDATED 06/25/08. *LJ UPDATED 06/25/08
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING A ROUTINE TIRE CHANGE, THE TECH NOTIFIED ME OF A CRACK IN MY SWINGARM. AFTER HE SHOWED IT TO ME THEY LOCATED A TAKE OFF (A USED) FROM SOMEONE WHO WANTED A CHROME SWINGARM INSTEAD OF BLACK. I WAS OFFERED THAT USED SWINGARM AT A GOOD PRICE AND HAD IT SWAPPED. I WENT BACK AND BROUGHT HOME THE ORIGINAL (CRACKED) SWINGARM. I HAVE IT AND HAVE PICTURES TOO. *TR
2005 VICTORY HAMMER PREMIUM BEING DRIVEN ON AN INTERSTATE TRAVELING 65 MPH WENT OVER A DIP IN THE ROAD. THE REAR TIRE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DRAG AND LOCK; ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROADWAY. INSPECTION SHOWS THAT CAST ATTACHMENT POINT ON SWINGARM FOR SHOCK LINKAGE FRACTURED ON BOTH SIDES, RESULTING IN SWINGARM NO LONGER BEING SUPPORTED BY SHOCK LINKAGE. RESULTED IN COMPRESSION OF REAR OF BIKE WITH REAR FENDER AND SUBFRAME RESTING ON REAR TIRE. DEEP GASHES IN TIRE FROM STRUCTURES ON UNDERSIDE OF FENDER, MELTED RUBBER, AND DISCOLORED PAINT ON FENDER FROM HEAT, AND TORN WIRING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
13 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY VICTORY HAMMER NEW THE 2ND GEAR BEGAN TO SKIP BETWEEN 3200 AND 3600 RPM'S. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE 2ND GEAR TRANS RACK. PARTS FREE. LABOR $1500. THAT HAPPENED AROUND 8,000 MILES. 24 MONTH LATER @18,000MILES 2ND GEAR STARTED TO SKIP AGAIN BUT THIS TIME IT LOCKED UP ON ME IN TRAFFIC. I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK AND A LOT OF CLATTER SO I QUICKLY GOT OVER TO THE SIDE AND THEN IT LOCKED UP. $4,000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. ALL PARTS REPLACED. ALL BROKEN PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. THEY INCLUDE A BROKEN SHIFT FORK, AND TEETH BROKEN ON 4 OF THE 6 GEARS. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSIOIN SEIZED CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK. THE DRIVE BELT HAD TO BE CUT IN ORDER TO ROLL THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE SEIZURE WAS DUE TO FRACTURED TEETH ON THE 2ND GEAR PLATE AND A BENT AND BROKEN SHIFT FORK SUPPORT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 11/09/06. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS A VICTORY MOTORCYCLE. WHEN DOWNSHIFTING TO ARRIVE AT A LIGHT I HEARD A CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. SHIFTING BECAME IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO A VICTORY DEALER IN HARRISONBURG, VA AND 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT ONE OF THE SHIFT FORK BROKE AND FELL INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND GROUND UP 2 GEARS. ALSO INFORMED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS BURNED. ALTHOUGH THIS MOTORCYCLE IS 10 YEARS OLD, IT ONLY HAD 5330 MILES ON IT AND WAS REGULARLY SERVICED. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING SHIFT FORKS DO NOT JUST BREAK. I BELIEVE EITHER THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE OR THE DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND THROWN ME OFF IF THE BREAK HAD OCCURRED WHILE I WAS MOVING AT REGULAR HIGHWAY SPEED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DANGEROUS PART AND CONDITION. THANK YOU. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW UPDATED 12/12/2017*CN
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .