The Victory Isle of Man TT racer ridden by Lee Johnston to third place in the 2015 Zero TT was stolen from the Brammo Company headquarters where it was on display following the historic race. Victory Motorcycles and Brammo Engineering wish to alert traditional and social media outlets that the historic Isle of Man TT racer piloted by Lee Johnston has been stolen overnight from Brammo Headquarters in Talent, OR. The specific time of night has yet to be determined and police are reviewing security footage for further information.
The motorcycle was on display with its complete race bodywork, as shown in the attached image. Johnstons Racer #3 was on this particular machine. However the body may have been removed or over-painted to mask its origin. The Frame VIN is stamped #004 and there is a $1000 reward for information leading to the recovery of this historically significant motorcycle.
Individuals with information or who feel they may have seen this motorcycle should contact: Investigating Officer. Bill May, Caese# 15-2149, at the Talent OR Police Department at 541-535-1253
The teams from Victory and Brammo are gutted that thieves made off with this important piece of motorcycling history, and appreciate the diligence and assistance of motorcycle enthusiasts across the country. We request in particular that those in the Pacific North West be on the lookout. We will update both the Brammo Facebook and Victory Motorcycles Facebook pages as new information becomes available.
Thank you for your assistance in spreading this information to your social media outlets and network. There are few things dirtier than a motorcycle thief and we know that the community of riders will be a key to spotting this motorcycle and bringing it back to where it belongs.
Added Monday July 20, 2015 1.30 p.m.
The stolen Victory Isle of Man TT Zero racer has been recovered.
Stolen prototype race bike never got out of town and was recovered by the Talent, Oregon Police Department Sunday night.
The first Victory electric race bike that Irishman Lee Johnston rode to the podium in the Isle of Man / SES TT Zero race event has been returned to Brammo Headquarters in Talent, OR after police tracked the machine down to a local individual. The Victory prototype electric TT motorcycle, powered by Brammo, was recovered with damaged bodywork and the rear wheel removed, but largely complete, by police in a search of an individual’s rental residence at 10:30 pm Sunday night.
The Talent Police Department worked the case aggressively throughout the weekend and were able to get information on the bikes whereabouts by late Sunday afternoon. A warrant was served for a rental residence ending in the custody of two individuals. The main suspect, who has a long history of run-ins with law enforcement, told police he intended to disassemble the bike and sell the parts, though nobody has admitted actually breaking into the Brammo headquarters where the race bike was on proud display.
No current or former Brammo Inc. employees have been implicated in this case.
HD espionage ???
Only $1000. reward?
Come on gentlemen, it is in the beginning that recovery may be possible.
I want you to get it back but offer more than that!
Make it worth someones time to put their coffee down and risk picking up the phone.
I feel this great bike is worth more than a grand.
Best of luck on recovering the machine, gents. Truly.
“Risk” picking the phone? Wow, we lead vastly different lives, you and I.
Whatever happened to doing the right thing? I should think most people would do it for no reward at all.
Or maybe I need to put it in a way that benefits YOU: You want the turd who stole it running free to steal your bike?
Why would anyone steal a prototype bike like this? Can’t scrap it, can’t ride it, can’t really do anything with it.
@CW
Maybee to investigate the techonology? Or more likely they just liked how it looks and couldn’t resist and didn’t much think of consequences like not being able to ride it on public roads.
More likely it was either stolen by someone either for an illicit underground collector [ yes they do exist ] or more likely because the thieves had no idea what it was they were stealing .
But seriously . A $1000 reward for a prototype I’d guess is valued at $250,000 or more from a company with P-V-I’s deep pockets ? Something tells me Victory really doesn’t want the thing back very badly . A $1000 indeed . Heck I’ve seen people offer larger rewards to get their lost pet back never mind a $200k plus prototype
Who would want it ? is it really a collectible or is it a technology theft ? Most likely the Chinese lol.
There were 3 prototype Quadrant’s built that were essentially 4 cylinder tridents, the original ones !
One was stolen and turned up many years latter as there was /is a statute of limitation on Automobile thefts in England, Strange but true,.
Just wait it out, seems very wrong !!
Either it was stolen to investigate the technology or so that someone could have this ultra-rare item in their collection much as art thieves steal unique and easily identifiable paintings, etc.
Either that or some dumbass just thought that it looked cool and had no idea that nothing from it can be sold on the open market…
Hope that it’s found and the thieves get their just deserts!
I hope it falls on the thief while unloading and suffocates him to death. Thieving piece of crap.
Suffocates him to death? No, that actually leads to a state of euphoria right before death. If you really want him to suffer, (I don’t particularly but hey, it’s your story) his lung gets punctured by a brake grip or kickstand, or something else silly, to add to the humiliation, and he dies of tension pneuothorax. Not pleasant.
What ever happening to motorcyclist helping motorcyclist. Sorry to hear of the loss of the bike. I live in Ireland just ten miles from the NW 200 circuit. I hope the people that took return it soon. Good luck 😄
Insulting to the bike and the IOM that such a rare and historic piece, stolen by people so stupid as to not realize it can never be used as is and to paint to disguise it will harm the value.
Low life people who do things like this are generally motivated by $$, a sizeable reward might encourage one of the theives to sellout someone in his band of low life mental midgets.
This is not some low dollar “garage team”having their bike stolen. Make the reward $50K, a small amount compared to the value of this bike to their companies history and museum.
50Gs may cause one rat to turn on another rat…..
OK BC , BD , Kiwi James et all . Here’s a clue or two to open your eyes
1) This bike is nothing more than a Brammo with a few suspension mods and a Victory logo slapped on it and everybody in the industry knows it . So if you really wanted to examine the tech all you’d have to do is buy a used Brammo …. at pennies on the dollar I might add which’d be a whole lot easier than stealing this
2) Which is to say BC this is anything but rare and historic is a matter of perspective . Hysterical coming closer to the truth
3) The Chinese no doubt already have every build sheet , engineering and design documents along with anything else you can think of in their hands … needing to steal this like they need a hole in the head
4) 1.2 &3 no doubt being the reason for such a paltry reward . e.g. It aint worth anything so why offer any more !!!!
5) In the future examine the facts and evidence rather than accepting the corporate rhetoric .
Congratulations TJ, you have managed to out do yourself this time – at least you got one right – about the Chinese.
I say, in keeping with the theme of the bike, the thieve(s) should be given the Electric Chair 🙂
Added Monday July 20, 2015 1.30 p.m.
The stolen Victory Isle of Man TT Zero racer has been recovered.
Stolen prototype race bike never got out of town and was recovered by the Talent, Oregon Police Department Sunday night.
The first Victory electric race bike that Irishman Lee Johnston rode to the podium in the Isle of Man / SES TT Zero race event has been returned to Brammo Headquarters in Talent, OR after police tracked the machine down to a local individual. The Victory prototype electric TT motorcycle, powered by Brammo, was recovered with damaged bodywork and the rear wheel removed, but largely complete, by police in a search of an individual’s rental residence at 10:30 pm Sunday night.
The Talent Police Department worked the case aggressively throughout the weekend and were able to get information on the bikes whereabouts by late Sunday afternoon. A warrant was served for a rental residence ending in the custody of two individuals. The main suspect, who has a long history of run-ins with law enforcement, told police he intended to disassemble the bike and sell the parts, though nobody has admitted actually breaking into the Brammo headquarters where the race bike was on proud display.
No current or former Brammo Inc. employees have been implicated in this case.
For Goodness sake Two joints, my technology theft accusation was dripping with sarcasm, hence the remark about the Chinese and lol at the end of statement !!
Check the colour of the pill you took this morning and flush the rest away, You need to stop self medicating and go to your Cuckoo doctor …….at great speed I might add.
Ps Great to see MotorCycle has been recovered.
MotorCycle thieves should be like horse thieves and liberally hanged from a tall tree with a not so slippery rope
Great news on the recovery, though a bummer that they damaged it. Keeping with the “dripping with sarcasm” theme, it’s great to see an electric vehicle being recovered at a reasonable price without a giant tax subsidy 😉
DOUGZ CUSTOM…………to funny man….exactly what should happen!
Over & Out,
Jeff