Opinions on Victory Cross Country Tour?

[joneil]

Not that anybody on this forum is opinionated, but if you have any experiences with the Victory line and specifically the Cross Country Tour I
would love to hear from you. My HD has seen its better days and I need to start thinking about retiring it from active duty. This past weekend I had a chance to take a demo ride on the bike in question and liked it.

It's stretched out which I like being taller. Well balanced. Good power. Had some factory upgrade pipes that sounded great from behind. The rep told me the Victory engine is a copy of a Yamaha engine......so I like that. Lots of standard stuff that makes the bike cool.

I'm one of these guys that enjoys the buying process and kind of drag it out a little. But that gives me time to research and learn.

Thanks in advance for any shared knowledge.

 

[OkState]

I've been researching a touring bike too, but thats the first I've heard anyone claim the Victory engine is similar to anything Yamaha. They do look like good bikes, just not sure they have any Yamaha DNA.

 

[joneil]

That's what the rep told me and he's a guy I know personally so I tend to trust him. Not to say he's not wrong, but it would be intentional.

 

[HoebSTer]

Is that like saying the Chinese Mini-bike knock offs of Honda have Honda DNA as well? Don't think so!!! Oh geee, if it looks like, and sounds like, then hmm, it must be like. Nope, I don't believe so anyway!!!

If I was going into a cruiser market (please someone knock me on the head) I would surely look at the STAR cruisers, but first I think I would go for the Honda Fury, or even the new F6B as a cruiser, or even an older Honda Rune. I don't think you will be pulling me away from Japanese for quite some time.

 

[OkState]

Just know the victory is 50deg overhead cam V twin. The star V twin engines look to be pushrods. I'm no expert just not sure what Yamaha engine looks like the victory. Would be interested if he had a specific compare- but not a big deal either way.

And to compare Victory to a Chinese knockoff is just silly. Surely was a joke.

 

[OkState]

Maybe a couple of YZ450s glued together in a v twin, I can see that

 

[JohnB]

Just know the victory is 50deg overhead cam V twin. The star V twin engines look to be pushrods. I'm no expert just not sure what Yamaha engine looks like the victory. Would be interested if he had a specific compare- but not a big deal either way.

And to compare Victory to a Chinese knockoff is just silly. Surely was a joke.

I think the Vstar 1300 is a 60 degree single overhead cam V twin:
http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelspecs/672/0/specs.aspx

 

[autoteach]

http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelspecs/586/0/specs.aspx

Vance & Hines Monster Ovals on Yamaha (Star Royal Venture)

Worlds first 8 second Vmax - 8.87 @ 156.82 Mph

Not much sounds better than a v-4


like the looks of the f6b, but the seat sucks. Definitely would need to be changed.

kawasaki Vulcan?

 

[MurphCO]

I had a Vic Hammer for a couple of years right before I bought the Tenere


I would still own it if I wasn't moving at the time and had such limited garage space. I LOVED that bike and the power, best cruiser I ever rode. As soon as I get settled I'm looking for another one


All the Vic's have basically the same motor now don't they? They were producing a 100 CI and a 106 CI a couple of years ago, but I thought I saw that they were all the 106 now.....


Sweet motor, sweet bike absolutely recommend it

 

[justbob]

I researched the Victory Cross Country for 2 years before buying a Tour model last June. I am impressed with the motorcycle, for a cruiser type bike it performs and handles well. It just rolled over 13,000 miles and has not been back to the dealer for anything.
The scheduled maintenance requirements for this bike are probably the least of the many bikes I have owned, the older I get the less I want to work on or pay someone else to work on them. The early models suffered from horrible buffeting, the newer models have made some air management improvements, I still had to change the windshield to suit myself.

 

[Xdriver]

Nice bike. I was just at Iron Pony in Ohio, and they had a couple touring Vic's next to a Yamaha. The Vic's were really nice. I really liked the "suede" paint.

 

[HoebSTer]

Just know the victory is 50deg overhead cam V twin. The star V twin engines look to be pushrods. I'm no expert just not sure what Yamaha engine looks like the victory. Would be interested if he had a specific compare- but not a big deal either way.

And to compare Victory to a Chinese knockoff is just silly. Surely was a joke.

It was making fun of the comment that the Victory had some DNA as Japanese made Yamaha. MOst people never new years past that some of the Lincoln MkVIII and Taurus SHO used Yamaha motors. IN a Ford, but surely no Ford.

 

[jrb_nw]

I think the Victory Tour is a gorgeous bike, in the vein of the old "Streamliners" from the 1930's. A real art deco look. I would buy one in a heartbeat.

 

[twinrider]

There are a few comparisons out there between the Yams, the Vics and HDs.

Personally I'm not crazy about the Vics' looks. A bit like someone from the Jetson's set design crew put their spin on an HD. )

I'm pretty curious about what HD has up its sleeve for 2015, I have a feeling it will be the new motor with the liquid-cooled heads. If it works as well as BMW's system, which the design resembles, they should be putting out some pretty good power.

If you can't wait till then, do some comparison test rides, the '09 and up HDs are very different from your '07.

 

[Dallara]

It was making fun of the comment that the Victory had some DNA as Japanese made Yamaha. MOst people never new years past that some of the Lincoln MkVIII and Taurus SHO used Yamaha motors. IN a Ford, but surely no Ford.

What Lincoln Mk VIII used a Yamaha engine?

Taurus SHO's - both the original V-6's and the later V-8's - used Yamaha built engines (though there is some question as who did the initial designs), but then again a ton of Toyota's have used Yamaha built engines, as have some Volvo's, along with other makes. A large portion of Yamaha's business is building engines for automotive manufacturers.

But all the Lincoln Mk VIII's (built from 1993 to 1998) used different iterations of Ford's own 4.6 liter Intech "modular" V-8, which was designed and built by Ford. These engines were first built in Romeo, Michigan, and later some additional capacity for building them was added in Ford's Windsor, Canada engine plant.

Just FYI...

Dallara



~

 

[Danno]

I am seriously considering trading my ST on a Cross Country Tour. I've only sat on one but the riding position is much more comfortable for me. I also want cruise control. Yes I know I could get it for the ST but at $1,000 and still not being comfortable it's not worth it. I have two riding friends that have Victory's. One has a new Cross Country and the other has a 08 Vision. Both of them are VERY happy with their choice. I've never owned a cruiser but at my age I think it is time. Good luck with your decision.

 

[klunsford]

I ride with a few gentlemen (use that term very lightly) who ride the Victory Cross Country Tourers. They love them. Good well made bike with lot's of creature comforts. It's funny though, when they need or want to stop, I'm on my Tenere and want to keep going. I find my S10 is a much more comfortable seating position in my advanced age... ::025::

 

[JohnB]

I am seriously considering trading my ST on a Cross Country Tour. I've only sat on one but the riding position is much more comfortable for me. I also want cruise control. Yes I know I could get it for the ST but at $1,000 and still not being comfortable it's not worth it. I have two riding friends that have Victory's. One has a new Cross Country and the other has a 08 Vision. Both of them are VERY happy with their choice. I've never owned a cruiser but at my age I think it is time. Good luck with your decision.

Sitting on a cruiser is a lot different from riding one, especially for any distance. I had one once (a Kaw 1500 Classic) and the riding position was great on the showroom floor but not my favorite on the road. You give up a bunch of control with the feet forward stance and the seating is generally restricted to one location. Suspension is generally short on travel which tends to transmit road shock directly to your spine. Then there's the fact that most weigh more than 700 lbs and don't have the greatest brakes. It might not be difficult to tailor the S10 to be more comfortable for you.