2005 Victory Hammer

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › manual transmission. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Rear2
000
Power Train › Manual Transmission2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys1
000
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings05V326000
Filed Jul 19, 20054,244 vehiclesPolaris Industries, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, SOME OF THE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE LEADING FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FUEL RAIL MAY BE INCORRECT FOR USE IN A PRESSURIZED FUEL SYSTEM APPLICATION.

Risk. INCORRECT HOSES MAY LEAK FUEL OR CRACK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MARKINGS ON THE FUEL HOSE TO DETERMINE IF REPLACEMENT IS REQUIRED. IF NECESSARY, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE WITH A NEW ONE OF THE CORRECT MATERIAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VICTORY AT 1-763-417-8650.

Power Train05V252000
Filed May 31, 2005712 vehiclesPolaris Industries, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN DRIVE SPROCKET LOCATED ON THE CRANKSHAFT MAY HAVE CRACKED UPON INSTALLATION.

Risk. IF CRACKS ARE PRESENT, THE SPROCKET MAY FAIL DURING OPERATION. SPROCKET FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF OPERATOR CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE LOWER RIGHT ENGINE COVER, INSPECT THE SPROCKET FOR CRACKS, AND REPLACE THE ENGINE OR THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 10, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VICTORY AT 763-417-8650.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Jul 28, 20155,330 milesNY

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

Suspension › Rear
Filed May 11, 20099,000 milesIL

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

Suspension › Rear
Filed May 11, 200971,000 milesFL

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

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Dec 20, 200818,000 milesMO

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

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Jun 2, 20088,894 milesTX

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

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 16, 200631,060 milesFL

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

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20171000Routine
20130100Routine
20120100Routine
20101000Routine
20081000Routine
20062000Routine
2005 — this page6200Routine

Compare every Hammer year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 19, 2005. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.