During CIMA Motor 2023 in Chongqing, China, an interesting motorcycle appeared. Standing out from the unknown Chinese brands scattered around the exhibition, the Victoria Simplee V7 is a motorcycle named after a century-old motorcycle manufacturer from Germany. The trademark rights to the Victoria Motorrad brand were obtained by a Chinese company and the Simplee V7 is the result of that acquisition.
Victoria-Werke began manufacturing motorcycles in 1901 in Nuremberg, Germany. It was considered one of the key players in the German motorcycle industry, alongside companies such as Zundapp (a brand that has now shifted its focus to electric bikes). In fact, the Victoria Simplee V7 uses the historic emblem with an eagle and a crowned human head, representing the coat of arms of Nuremberg.
Needless to say, the similarities between historic motorcycles and the 2024 Victoria Simplee V7 end there, and the bike is clearly a Chinese creation. From a styling point of view, the Simplee V7 is a low-slung cruiser that mixes elements of retro and modern motorcycles. It is by no means a classic-looking bike and could be described as a neo-retro design. We find a large LED headlight at the front, a fairing that surrounds the oil cooler that extends to the belly of the bike and a rear section that looks quite chunky.
In terms of performance, the bike has a 700 cc twin-cylinder engine, air-cooled and oil-cooled, with Bosch electronic fuel injection. It produces a modest 43.5 hp of power and 50.1 Nm of torque thanks to a bore of 82.6 millimeters and a stroke of 63 millimeters. It has a very low compression ratio of 9:1, which explains its modest power.
In technical terms, we find a KYB inverted front fork and a pair of shock absorbers with adjustable preload at the rear. The bike brakes with a Nissin braking system equipped with two-channel ABS. In addition, traction control has been added for added safety, although its low power and 223 kg weight suggest that it’s not really necessary. Other features include a 3.5-inch TFT color screen, as well as a USB charger for added convenience.
That said, this is usually the case with bikes manufactured in China, and it is not known whether or not Victoria has any plans to market its products outside of China.