Earlier this year, Victory Motorcycles->ke1801 launched its “Operation Octane” initiative, and now it's time to share the fruits of that labor with the world. Similar to Indian Motorcycles->ke3292' “Project Scout” that had dealerships the world over building custom Scouts, Victory had select dealerships build custom creations using the Octane for the base vehicles.

Continue reading for more on Operation Octane.

Which to Choose?

The brave and ambitious builders that tackled this project had a scant three-month window in which to complete the work. I don't have to tell you this is a short amount of time to build a project, especially if custom sheet metal/plastic/carbon fiber/whatever is involved, and the time limit has expired. The results are in, and you can vote once a day between now and end-of-day November 21st. Once you fill out the little form and vote for whatever your favorite bike is today, you are automatically entered in the drawing for a brand-new, 2017 Victory Octane, three grand worth of accessories and access to Bryan Fuller who is standing by to help you make your new ride uniquely yours.

With 26 entries to choose from, I had my work cut out for me. My initial favorite was the “Desert Racer”, a kind of gritty, post-apocalyptic, homemade dual-sport kind of machine with a kind of weathered look and road-knobby tires. What looks to be canvas throw-over bags straddle the luggage rack atop the rear fender to give the bike some cargo capacity and give it some actual utility.

Then mine eyes did find the “General Lee Cafe,” a clear tribute to “The Dukes Of Hazzard” of eighties television fame. As a Southern boy born-and-bred, I grew up with the show, but I was a little surprised to see this bike coming from a Canadian builder, albeit one with excellent taste in American television shows. The orange and black sets the mood, but the squarish tail fender with the “01” on both sides seals the deal. What a fun little bike.

As I wrestled with these, I found my Huckleberry with “Evil Ethel.” At first I thought it just a kind of “meh” bike, but the more I looked at the details, the more intrigued I became. The paint and graphics were moderately sinister without trying too hard, and the teeny-tiny taillight is really cool, but it was the two-into-four-into-one exhaust that sealed the deal. I mean yeah, it's a completely useless modification that if anything probably diminishes performance, but you have to appreciate and respect the work that went into putting that together. I know I do, and for that I cast my vote on this dark sled.

As for the rest, go to the website and check out all 26 entries we have for this little battle, and cast your own vote. Don't forget to vote every day up till the 21st, and good luck on the Octane drawing.