A Victory-powered Tremendous Hooligan racebike from Acquired Your 6 Racing…
“Hooligan racing” acquired its begin within the Sixties and 70s, when flat-track racers would carry out their road bikes to compete for enjoyable and bragging rights throughout race intermissions — it was “run what ya brung” racing at its greatest.
Quick ahead to the post-2000 period, and “Tremendous Hooligan” heavy bike racing caught hearth in SoCal, slowly spreading to the remainder of the nation:
“What’s now generally known as ‘Tremendous Hooligan’ got here out of the Harley nights at Costa Mesa Speedway in Southern California. Between these and the Hell On Wheels guys internet hosting all types of inappropriate racing exhibitions, Southern California motorbike tradition developed round this concept of racing large, heavy twins.” –Cycle World
Roland Sands began the RSD Tremendous Hooligan collection, which has leapt from grime tracks to highway programs, with eight rounds of racing for 2023, showcasing among the baddest production-based roadsters and bare bikes on the planet:
“The Roland Sands Design Tremendous Hooligan Nationwide Championship and MotoAmerica have joined forces to carry racers and followers 8 rounds of Tremendous Hooligan Street Races at 4 venues throughout the nation. This 12 months’s collection will characteristic the most well-liked 750cc and up watercooled twin road bikes from iconic producers. Indians FTR 1200, Harley Davidson Pan America, KTM 890, BMW Boxers and Ducati’s Monster in addition to limitless aircooled twins with no weight or chassis limits.” –SuperHooligan.com
Whereas Indians and Harley-Davidsons are the most typical sight within the collection, there’s one other American V-twin you would possibly catch on the observe as of late — the Victory “GY6R.001” of Kevin Burnett, a U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer and privateer racer whose household is the center, soul, and spine of Acquired Your 6 Racing.
Kevin purchased his first Victory greater than a decade in the past, a used 2007 Victory Vegas that includes the Polaris-owned firm’s “Freedom” engine, an air-cooled 50-degree V-twin with single overhead cams and a four-valve head.
It was Kevin’s first road bike and a far cry from a sporting machine, however Kevin, his dad, and his cousin quickly discovered themselves modifying their Victory V-twins for quick mountain driving, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Kevin was doing observe days on his modified cruiser:
“This was earlier than I used to be on Instagram so I didn’t understand the identical development was actually being pushed within the Harley group on the West Coast. Guys have been monitoring and racing their Harleys for years and over time, it grew into what it’s at this time with collection’ like Tremendous Hooligans and King of the Baggers. I all the time admired what Eric Buell did with the Harley platform and that is my Victory model.”
After going by way of a handful of various Victory race bikes — a 2007 Vegas, 2008 Kingpin, and 2013 Highball — Kevin got down to create the scratch-built monster you see right here, leveraging the limitless chassis guidelines for air-cooled twins. The 4130 body and swingarm have been custom-built in Kevin’s storage to carry the huge 265-lb Victory engine.
Different highlights embrace an underseat / tail aluminum gasoline tank, Dymag wheels, GSXR forks with Traxxion Dynamics cartridges, Penske rear shock from a Triumph 675R, full equal-length stainless exhaust, a gasoline and oil system primarily constructed from automotive components, and way more — all of which Kevin particulars under.
“There may be nothing fairly like driving a motorbike that you just’ve constructed from scratch, particularly when it’s a novel platform. An American V-twin sounds so good on a race observe at full music…considerably like an older Nascar engine again within the late 80’s and early 90’s. They’ve a lot character and whenever you’re the one man on the market on a Victory, it makes it just a bit bit extra particular.”
Racing as a privateer is hard work at any degree, however it’s a household affair for the Acquired Your 6 Racing crew — a manner for them to spend time collectively, whether or not it’s within the truck, the paddock, or the storage.
Whereas an surprising deployment might be taking Kevin to Africa this summer time, throwing a wrench into the household’s racing plans, we all know Kevin might be again on the observe as quickly as potential.
Under, we discuss to Kevin for the complete story on Acquired Your 6 Racing, their previous Victory race bikes, and the Vegas-powered beast you see right here. Take pleasure in!
Victory Tremendous Hooligan: Builder / Racer Interview
• Please inform us a bit about your self, your historical past with bikes, and your workshop.
My title is Kevin Burnett, 38 years previous, and I’m from New Fortress, Delaware. I’ve all the time had an curiosity in automobiles, vans, and bikes as a child and wished to develop up and be a mechanical engineer. We acquired a basket-case 1979 Kawasaki KD100 from my Uncle Terry and my cousin Chris once I was eleven years previous and that lit the hearth. My dad and I rebuilt the KD that winter and I used to be hooked. My dad, my brother Kenny, and I raced some motocross and hare scrambles up till I graduated highschool. Across the identical time we acquired the KD, I began my very own garden enterprise, saved some money for just a few years and picked up my first actual venture, a 1985 Chevy S-10, which I acquired from my grandfather once I was fourteen years previous. Sadly, the truck continues to be unfinished…therefore the Instagram title!
The mini-truckin’ scene was large throughout that very same time and the S-10 venture continued to evolve. It was fundamental at first…static 5/7 drop, roll pan, shaved door handles, V-8 swap, and many others. however when these month-to-month truck magazines would present up within the mail, I simply wished to maintain pushing the venture to the following degree.
It was simply my dad and I engaged on it at first however we met just a few guys from the native truck membership, Low Rollers, and so they helped level me in the proper course. We ended up doing a conventional physique drop on the cab, back-halfed the rear of the truck with 2” x 4” field tubing, full air-ride suspension, suicide doorways, and a {custom} proper hand drive steering conversion to high it off.
That’s how the truck stays at this time. Sept. 11 occurred whereas I used to be in highschool and serving my nation turned my high precedence after commencement. I used to be lucky to obtain a nomination to america Naval Academy, which supplied me the chance to not solely serve my nation but in addition earn a mechanical engineering diploma.
I spent 14 years Lively Obligation as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer and through that point, picked up my first road motorbike in 2011. I actually wished a Harley Nightrain however simply couldn’t afford one so after some analysis, I purchased a used 2007 Victory Vegas. Paradoxically, that’s the engine that’s in our race bike at this time.
The Victory platform was inexpensive and the engine had first rate efficiency for an American made, air-cooled V-twin. My cousin Chris and my dad have been additionally driving Victory bikes and we’d hit the east coast mountains each likelihood we acquired. Though the Victory engine was robust, the chassis had severe limitations with its lengthy wheelbase, lazy rake, and minimal floor clearance.
Just like the S-10, the Victory become a endless venture and issues simply continued to progress. We began with swapping out the 21” entrance wheels for 18” wheels and including twin disc inverted entrance ends off the Victory Hammer S fashions.
By 2017, we have been relocating onerous components like pegs and exhausts as excessive and tight to the chassis as we might to assist in the corners. We additionally fabricated rear suspension hyperlinks to boost the rear ends and added lengthened fork cartridges up entrance to realize a pair inches of floor clearance. With these adjustments the Victory platform was really very succesful on the road, however the mountain driving was getting too dangerous and I knew one among us might get harm.
I nonetheless keep in mind the day we rode over to Street Atlanta and so they simply so occurred to have a observe day occurring. I informed Chris and my dad that I used to be heading dwelling to prep the Victory for the following observe day and so they thought I used to be loopy however it simply made sense to me. What higher manner to enhance than on observe? In a bizarre manner, dangers are considerably decreased on a race observe. Riders are correctly geared, everyone seems to be heading the identical course, no oncoming visitors, and repeatable turns are just some of the advantages that permit the rider and bike to be safely pushed to their limits.
This was earlier than I used to be on Instagram so I didn’t understand the identical development was actually being pushed within the Harley group on the West Coast. Guys have been monitoring and racing their Harleys for years and over time, it grew into what it’s at this time with collection’ like Tremendous Hooligans and King of the Baggers. I all the time admired what Eric Buell did with the Harley platform and that is my Victory model.
Again to me from a private standpoint, I’m nonetheless a Navy Reservist at this time, and I’ll really deploy once more this summer time to Africa. It’ll be nearly 10 months lengthy and it actually threw a wrench into the household and racing plans so I’m hoping that it’s my final deployment!
My household and I’ve needed to battle a ton of adversity throughout our navy profession and people experiences have constructed a really robust basis and degree of resilience that we’ll be perpetually grateful for. We’ve carried this over to our racing program, Acquired Your 6 Racing.
The backstory on the crew title is an effective one in case you ask me. I returned from a fight deployment to Afghanistan in 2013 and my spouse stunned me with a 2013 KTM 250 SX that was ridden by Robbie Marshall throughout just a few AMA nationals that 12 months. I began operating the quantity 326 as a nod to my twin sister Kristy, who has needed to battle her justifiable share of adversity. We have been born on March 26 and it was a small reminder that it doesn’t matter what, she all the time has me to lean on.
My son Jaxson was solely 4 years previous once I returned from deployment and all he wished was to be like Dad. I had few bikes and initiatives by then and he wished something and all the things to do with bikes and grime bikes. Each day he would ask my spouse Ranae if she might discover him a shirt with “Dad’s bike” on it.
She ended up discovering this shirt that had a classic boardtracker on it with the quantity 32 on the quantity plates however Jaxson was so upset that the quantity didn’t match my race quantity! He was practically crying and saved saying, “Sorry, Dad, it doesn’t have a six on it!” I informed him, “Don’t fear buddy, I’ve acquired your six!” Clearly, that had a ton of that means to it. Within the navy, we be taught to all the time have one another’s again, or their “six” and that the person or lady to your left and proper are extra vital than your self.
That very same precept carries over to my household and Jaxson. He is aware of it doesn’t matter what, his Dad will all the time have his six and he’ll have mine! Discovering a shirt with “326” was close to unattainable and hindsight, we might have simply designed some {custom} tees however then we could by no means have ended up the place we’re at this time.
My spouse Ranae took the race program to a different degree when she talked about we should always swap our quantity to 987. See, we have been married on September 8, 2007 at 6pm as a result of she wished the sample 9, eight, seven, six. You clearly can’t run all 4 digits on a race bike so we run the primary three digits and say, “9, eight, seven, and we acquired your six!” The crew title and quantity are very significant to our household and our navy background.
Our workshop is out of our dwelling storage. It isn’t something particular however it is rather clear and arranged. Most gear and instruments have been sourced used to incorporate hand instruments, cupboards, welding desk, bike lifts, handbook tubing bender, and TIG welder.
9 occasions out of ten, I knock out my fab work with a few 4 ½” grinders, one that’s fitted with a cut-off wheel and the opposite with a flap disc. Probably the most subtle items of apparatus I’ve are a small horizontal benchtop bandsaw, Eastwood lathe, and an Eastwood milling machine. Actually, it’s fairly easy however efficient.
• What’s the make, mannequin, and 12 months of the donor bike?
2007 Victory Vegas.
• For what class of racing was the bike constructed?
MotoAmerica Tremendous Hooligans
AHRMA Battle of Twins 1 (BOT1)
AHRMA Sound of Thunder 2 (SOT2)
• What {custom} work/upgrades have been achieved?
We solely saved the OEM engine, ECM, and a part of the wiring harness for the construct so all the things else is hand constructed or sourced from one other bike.
- One-off {custom} 4130 chassis and swingarm that I in-built my storage. The outer diameters are 1 ¾”, 1 ¼”, and 1” with varied wall thickness starting from 0.049” to 0.095” relying on location.
- The aim of the chassis was to attenuate the prospect of cracking entrance cylinder heads (extra on that later) and to enhance the geometry for the race observe. Rake, path, wheelbase, and swingarm angle have been fastidiously chosen to greatest go well with this platform.
- The Victory engine is large in each facet. It’s taller than each different v-twin engine, could be very large on the base, and weighs in at 265 lbs! We needed to decide one of the best location and it was a compromise of floor clearance and heart of gravity.
- The gasoline cell is underneath the seat and flows into the tall part, which most folk don’t understand at first. My buddy Dale completely crushed it on this a part of the construct. I can weld aluminum however not that good, and relating to a gasoline cell, I didn’t need to take any possibilities. I took some poster board and constructed a mock tail for Dale and informed him I actually wished to drive dwelling the truth that we’re a navy household / race crew. The one tips have been that I wanted a minimal of three gallons and that it wanted sharp edges like an MRAP, fighter jet, or Navy warship. He did simply that and my spouse Ranae hit it out of the park with the paint job.
- Sourced a used set of GSXR forks off eBay, labored with Dan at Traxxion Dynamics to take the cartridges out of my Victory forks and put in them into the GSXR forks. We then paired them with a {custom} steering stem, race triple clamps, and risers from Devin and the crew at Cognito Moto.
- Handlebars and grips are motocross components from Mika Metals.
- Sourced used R6 entrance calipers off eBay, rebuilt them, and paired them with some Galfer pads and rotors.
- Caroline, Jo, and the remainder of the Dymag crew have been completely wonderful and helped me match some UP7X wheels on this bike. The entrance is a 17” x 3.5” that matches the GSXR entrance finish whereas the rear is a 17” x 6.0” that additionally suits my Indian FTR.
- Warren and the Bridgestone crew helped us get these Dymag wheels wrapped in a recent set of slicks for our shake-down take a look at at Street Atlanta. We are able to’t wait to attempt them out in an upcoming spherical with AHMRA earlier than my deployment.
- Sourced a used rear Penske shock off eBay from a Triumph 675R and had my good buddy Mike do a fast service. Paradoxically, the valving and spring fee have been within the ballpark for our preliminary testing so we’ll advantageous tune that as we go.
- The bike makes use of a one-off {custom} entrance countershaft sprocket in addition to a particular rear sprocket spacer that works along with the Dymag service. My good buddy Brandon is an exceptional machinist and my dwelling lathe and milling machine weren’t able to machining these components so he knocked them out for me.
- Sourced a used Indian FTR rear brake caliper, bracket, and rotor off eBay that we modified so that they could possibly be run on the other facet of the bike for the reason that Victory is considerably odd with its proper facet drive configuration.
- The bike makes use of all {custom} and/or modified cables and contours, to incorporate components from 1FNGR, Barnett, Movement Professional, and Galfer.
- Customized Vortex rear sprocket, chain and rear units.
- Customized Woodcraft handlebar swap, rear spools, and lever guard.
- Customized gasoline system and oil cooling system that makes use of principally automotive components sourced from locations like Summit Racing, Jegs, and Speedway motors.
- Customized stainless exhaust that I constructed three completely different occasions. It nonetheless doesn’t present sufficient floor clearance so I’m going to construct the fourth model earlier than my subsequent observe day! It’s equal size and stepped from 1 ¾” to 2 ⅜” and is capped off with a used muffler from an Aprilia RSV4.
- I additionally sourced a used rear axle, steering stabilizer, throttle cables, and throttle housing off the identical Aprilia RSV4. I needed to modify the OEM Victory throttle physique to make that work however it was value it ultimately.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
GY6R.001
Our crew is Acquired Your 6 Racing (GY6R) and that is our first full construct so we wished to maintain our naming conference easy and conventional since there might be many extra! The long-term aim is to race a number of variations of the Victory platform for years to come back. Hopefully possibly even a commissioned construct or two sooner or later.
• Any thought of horsepower, weight, and/or efficiency numbers?
Present weight is 457 lbs with out gasoline however we made fairly just a few compromises on weight simply to get the bike achieved earlier than my deployment. We didn’t begin the construct till late July so it was a dash! We are able to simply get the bike all the way down to 425 lbs however the finish aim is 400 lbs.
The bike has a totally inventory 100ci engine from a 2007 Victory Vegas that places downs roughly 80 hp and 100 ft-lbs to the rear wheel. Moreover, we’ve got a race engine that wants rebuilding. Lengthy story brief, it was the final engine we utilized in a earlier Victory race bike that also used the inventory chassis. That engine made roughly 130 hp and 130 ft-lbs of torque however we cracked a entrance cylinder head at Daytona with AHRMA in January of 2022.
The OEM Victory chassis makes use of the engine as a confused member and the entrance cylinder head mount sees a ton of load and torque that will get amplified whenever you attempt to use this bike on the race observe. That was the third entrance cylinder head that cracked on the observe so we needed to make a change. By the point you construct a brand new chassis, you would possibly as properly change all the things else on the bike that limits its efficiency so that’s what we did.
Josh Baird and Lloyd Greer from Lloydz MotorWorks are supporting this system and we predict we are able to construct a dependable race engine that’s even higher than the present race engine, so if we are able to get that right into a 400 lbs bike, we ought to be in fine condition!
• Are you able to inform us what it’s prefer to journey/race this bike?
There may be nothing fairly like driving a motorbike that you just’ve constructed from scratch, particularly when it’s a novel platform. An American V-twin sounds so good on a race observe at full music…considerably like an older Nascar engine again within the late 80’s and early 90’s. They’ve a lot character and whenever you’re the one man on the market on a Victory, it makes it just a bit bit extra particular.
We’ve been on observe with a Victory for over 5 years now and this bike is leaps and bounds above the earlier Victory race bikes, particularly within the dealing with division. The improved chassis geometry and decreased weight make such a giant distinction when in comparison with driving a Victory with the inventory chassis.
• Anyone you’d prefer to thank?
There are such a lot of of us to thank…
It begins with the Lord above for offering me the chance and maintaining me secure all these years, not solely on the bikes however by way of my navy profession.
An enormous because of my spouse Ranae, and my two kids, Jaxson and River, particularly since I actually needed to burn the midnight oil to construct this bike. We didn’t begin this construct till late January so that they didn’t see me a lot for these two months! My household is so important in my life and they’re the explanation we race, as racing is only a conduit that lets us spend time collectively. Lengthy drives within the truck and sitting across the paddock permit a household to bond and that’s one of the best half. Moreover, there’s no higher feeling as a husband or father than when your spouse and youngsters are happy with you. Nae, Jax, and Riv see how a lot I’ve needed to grind and claw to get the place I’m and to have their continued assist is priceless.
It’s the little issues that basically matter, like when Jaxson walks to tech with me pulling the wagon of substances or when he helps get the tire heaters on and off the bike…he does these issues as a result of he genuinely loves the method and he’s happy with his Dad. Or when River is so excited that Dad is selecting her up from college in our truck…our race truck that hauls our bikes that she is happy with as a result of she is aware of nobody has a truck prefer it! We wouldn’t have these possibilities or alternatives if we didn’t race, and extra importantly, if we didn’t race collectively as a household. I do know I’ll by no means be knowledgeable rider just like the entrance runners and that’s okay. We’re only a privateer household who does this for enjoyable. Hell, I’m constructed extra like a linebacker than a bike racer so it doesn’t matter what bike I construct sooner or later, I’ll all the time be at a drawback resulting from my dimension.
A particular because of my Mother, Dad, and Step-Dad, who did all the things they may to offer for Kelly, Kristy, Kenny, and I rising up and we wouldn’t be the place we’re with out their assist and sacrifice. They set the instance in so some ways. There have been some actually robust occasions and we discovered to battle adversity early on. They taught us to care for each other, stay constructive even after we wrestle, and above all, to by no means stop.
Due to my cousin Chris for being part of this complete “Victory” factor! I can’t inform you what number of conversations we’ve had about these bikes. It began again in 2008 when Chris purchased his first Victory and I really feel like we’re simply getting began. Chris is now on observe too and I can’t wait to see what he’ll do sooner or later.
My buddy Dale did an incredible job on the gasoline cell and aluminum covers. His aluminum welding and fab abilities are gentle years forward of mine and it actually exhibits on this construct. That gasoline cell and tail part actually set the bike off. I knew I wished it to characterize the navy so I did a fast mock-up with poster board and informed Dale it wanted sharp edges like an MRAP, ship, and fighter jet…..I feel he hit the nail on the top! To high it off, my spouse Ranae took it to the following degree with the paint. It’s only a rattle can paint job however her consideration to element on the celebrities and stripes is unimaginable. Low cost storage tip….she used tape to determine the stripes and really positioned little gold stickers, such as you’d get from a instructor in elementary college, to do the celebrities!
Due to Mike for doing a last-minute service on the rear shock and vapor-honing some aluminum brackets. My Eastwood lathe and milling machine have restricted functionality so because of Brandon for machining the {custom} rear sprocket spacer and modifying the entrance countershaft sprocket for correct alignment.
We have been actually brief on time so my neighbor and good buddy Colby spent a pair weekends within the storage to assist with the wiring, oil strains, and gasoline strains and that acquired us to the end line. With out his assist, I’d most likely nonetheless be out within the storage making an attempt to complete the construct!
My buddies Josh and Lloyd are one of the best relating to Victory engine efficiency and so they’ve been in my nook for just a few years now. This was my first bike that used a one-off oil cooling and gasoline system and so they helped out tremendously.
There are just a few other people who helped and so they’d like to stay unnamed. You guys know who you’re and I can’t thanks sufficient!
Final, however actually not least, because of all of the sponsors who assist Acquired Your 6 Racing. I’m honored to characterize your manufacturers and look ahead to progressing the Victory and GY6R race program within the years to come back!
● Antigravity Batteries
● Barnett Clutches and Cables
● Bell Helmets
● Bridgestone Tires
● Cognito Moto
● Dymag Wheels
● Galfer USA
● Lloydz MotorWorks and Lloydz Storage
● Mika Metals
● Movement Professional
● Penske Racing Shocks
● Traxxion Dynamics
● Vortex Racing
● Woodcraft Applied sciences
● 1FNGR
Observe the Builder
Instagram: @unfinished_projects | @gotyour6racing
