Victory Motorcycles Thanks Deployed Troops with Free 2011 Victory Vegas 8-Ball

Victory Motorcycles, working with Calif.-based Operation Gratitude, earlier this week donated a 2011 Victory Vegas 8-Ball motorcycle to be included as one of the items in Operation Gratitude’s 600,000^th care package. The keys to the motorcycle, which will be discovered among the other donated items in the package, were placed in the 600,000^th package in a ceremony at the California Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, Calif.

The donation of a brand-new motorcycle is a first for Victory’s partnership with Operation Gratitude. Both organizations are excited about the opportunity to offer the motorcycle as a thank you to one of our troops deployed overseas this holiday season.

"We have the greatest respect for both those currently serving in the military and our veterans,” said Victory Motorcycles General Manager Steve Menneto. "We encourage everyone to join Victory in supporting Operation Gratitude and help make the holidays more special for military personnel who are away from home.”

"Operation Gratitude Care Packages are an expression of respect and appreciation for those who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedom," said Carolyn Blashek, founder of Operation Gratitude. "We are honored to send this package with the Victory Motorcycle keys to a young Service Member, currently deployed in harm's way, who represents all our courageous heroes – past, present and future – from all branches of the Military."

The motorcycle, a 2011 Victory Vegas 8-Ball, will feature a special military badge on the gas tank, giving a unique twist to the sleek-looking, all-black bike. Including the badge on the donated bike is Victory’s way of publicly honoring its recipient and thanking this individual for his or her service.

Since October 1, Victory has invited the public to support military personnel by dropping off items for Operation Gratitude at Victory dealerships. These items, along with the keys to the Victory motorcycle, have been packaged with other donated items and will be distributed to military personnel deployed around the world during the holidays.

Operation Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-based corporation, funded entirely by private donations. Items collected can include letters of appreciation, hygiene products, entertainment items such as CDs and DVDs, and toys such as Beanie Babies, which troops commonly use as goodwill gifts for children in the foreign countries where they’re deployed.

Details about Operation Gratitude and the most popular care package items are available at www.VictoryHeroes.com and www.OperationGratitude.com.

Victory’s partnership with Operation Gratitude is just one part of Victory’s ongoing support for military personnel and veterans. Military personnel who ride Victory Motorcycles are featured regularly in Victory Rider magazine and on the Victory website (www.victorymotorcycles.com), and all military personnel and veterans are invited to pick up their free Victory Military Rider Pins from any Victory dealer.

About Polaris

Victory Motorcycles is a division of Polaris (NYSE:PII). With annual 2009 sales of $1.6 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER™, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use and has recently introduced a new on-road electric powered neighborhood vehicle.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ORVs in the world. Victory motorcycles established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American-made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are rapidly making impressive in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships.

Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P MidCap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.