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2010 Victory Cross Country and Cross Roads First Look: Two Cruisers Ready…

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2010 Victory Cross Country and Cross Roads First Look: Two Cruisers Ready to Take on Harley-Davidson

October 1, 2009 12:00 AM

LOS ANGELES In recent years, Victory has unleashed some serious design firepower. The company’s swoopy Vision touring model dropped jaws when we took it on a Southern barbecue road trip last year. This year, the Minnesota-based manufacturer has unleashed two more aggressively designed bikesthe all-new Cross Country and Cross Roads.

Powered by the same 106-cubic-inch (1731-cc) V-twin found in the Vision, the new models stick to the air-cooled engine formula. The hard baggers’ fuel-injected powerplants deliver 92 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque, and act as stressed members with the chassis. Their six-speed transmissions incorporate a true overdrive gear.

And 5.8-gallon fuel tanks with a 1.0-gallon reserve should enable plenty of riding between fill-ups.

The new models use two-piece, sand-cast, hollow aluminum frames, incorporating mass centralization and a low center of gravity with a seat height of 26.25 inches. Wet weights come in at 800 pounds for the Cross Country and 780 for the Cross Roads. Victory claims the bikes are lightest in their class.

The touring-oriented Cross Country ($17,999) is clad with a large fork-mounted fairing that incorporates digital multifunction display instrumentation, alongside an analog speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and battery-charge meter. An AM/FM, iPod-ready audio system comes standard on this model, and MP3 devices can be stowed in the right saddlebag and played through the system. A tall accessory windshield and lower wind deflectors are available for added insulation, and the Cross Country comes equipped with forged aluminum highway bars that can be outfitted with accessory pegs or driving lights.

The Cross Roads ($15,999) is also touring friendly, but it takes a less overt approach to long distance riding by replacing the fairing found on the Cross Country model with a Lexan windshield equipped with extended sideburns for minimized wind buffeting. The windshield can be easily removed via four fasteners on the triple clamps.

As with the Cross Country, the 26.25-inch seat height is claimed to be lowest in class, and the bike features the same air shock/coil spring rear suspension setup found on the Vision, which can be stiffened or softened using a Schrader valve on the bike’s right side. Four-piston, dual 300-mm disc brakes are found up front, and a dual-piston, single 300-mm rotor setup stops the rear wheel.

Saddlebags on both models have a total of 21.3 gallons of capacity, which is 70 percent more than the Yamaha Stratoliner and 25 percent more than the Harley-Davidson Street Glide. The weatherproof bags have a lockable latch that can be operated with one hand, and a quick-release mechanism facilitates bike cleaning and access to the rear wheel.

In other Victory touring-bike news, the Vision Tour is now available with ABS. The system uses a control module near the side storage compartment, and under moderate-to-heavy application of the two-piston rear brakes, the three-piston front units become hydraulically actuated. Also improved on the Vision is a more universal cigarette-lighter-style power outlet and an airbox silencer intended to decrease intake sound levels.

The new Vision 8-Ball model ($17,999) features blacked-out components, rear suspension that’s 1 inch lower and a seat that’s also cut down an inch, reducing the overall seat height by 2 inches. The rider now sits 1 inch closer to the handlebars too, which should make the bike more comfortable to ride and maneuver for smaller cyclists.

The new Hammer 8-Ball ($14,499) is equipped with black wheels, handlebars, mirrors and triple trees, among other parts. This model’s seat is half an inch lower than the standard Hammer, and the forward-mounted foot pegs are moved 2.25 inches closer to the rider, making the bike more beginner-friendly. The Hammer 8-Ball is motivated by a 100-cubic-inch (1634-cc) air-cooled V-twin that produces 85 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque, mounted to a five-speed transmission.

Despite a softening in discretionary spending on items like heavyweight touring bikes, Victory’s new Cross Country and Cross Roads are impressive and should be priced competitively enough to draw more buyers to the American brand. We’ll see how Harley-Davidson counterpunches when the company reveals its 2010 lineup later this year. Basem Wasef

For more information on Victory’s lineup, check out Hell for Leather.