Victory To Debut Virtual Ride Experience At Chicago IMS

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

At the Chicago Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Victory is set to debut a new kind of riding experience: virtual reality. Using Oculus Rift, tactile transducers, realistic real-time 3D graphics, custom-recorded motorcycle motor audio, throttle control, and a custom motorcycle stand with range of motion, Victory Motorcycles is the first motorcycle brand to offer fans a virtual ride experience – something Chicago riders don’t get to do much this time of year.

“Victory is always in pursuit of enhancing the ride experience,” said Rod Krois, Victory General Manager. “It’s tough to do this during the winter months in a cold climate, but not impossible. By combining VR with the physical elements of a ride, we’re able to transport riders for a few minutes into a sun-filled summer Sturgis ride. It’s unlike anything motorcycle riders have experienced and proves the exhilarating performance of Victory Motorcycles in a different way.”

At this weekend’s event, fans will be seated on a Victory Gunner, fitted with both an Oculus Rift VR headset and headphones that play custom audio of the bike’s motor through a 2-minute pre-dusk ride through the Badlands transitioning into Needles Highway near Sturgis, South Dakota. A tactile transducer fixed to the bike connected to audio simulates the motor running throughout. Riders will have throttle control, allowing them to accelerate the experience, and a custom motorcycle stand with motion allows riders to lean into their virtual ride.

The Victory Motorcycles Virtual Ride Experience will be available to all event attendees at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Friday through this Sunday, February 13 – 15. Fans can visit www.motorcycleshows.com/chicago to see event hours and purchase tickets.

To learn more about the #VictoryVR experience and where it will go next, visit victorymotorcycles.com or follow on Twitter at twitter.com/VictoryMotorcycles and on Facebook at facebook.com/VictoryMotorcycles.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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