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2012 Victory Cross Country Tour Review

45K views 33 replies 26 participants last post by  KSxct 
#1 ·

Victory's Cross Country has left a positive impression on the motorcycle-buying public as well as the moto media in the past two years, earning Best Cruiser in our Best Of 2010 awards. For 2012 Victory has expanded the Cross Country into the Cross Country Tour.

Voluminous hard saddlebags, a robust fork-mounted fairing, class-leading power from Victory's Freedom 106/6 V-Twin, sure-footed and confidence-inspiring handling from a stout but lightweight cast-aluminum frame, generous-for-a-cruiser air-adjustable rear suspension travel and sharp, distinctive styling lines have all added up to a winning combination for Victory in the Cross Country.

We're not too surprised to hear of the success Victory is having with the groundbreaking Cross Country. We knew from our first trip with the CC in 2010 that it was, and still is, an impressive bagger. It offers a lot to the rider and leaves little to complain about.

Now, only a couple short years following the CC's introduction, Victory has elevated the Country's status to that of flagship model in the form of the new Cross Country Tour.

More: 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour Review on Motorcycle.com
 
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#2 ·
Dealerships

Will there be a Victory dealership opening in northern Virginia anytime soon? The closest one to where I live is 50 miles away. If I were to buy a Victory motorcycle, I would like to have a Victory dealership closer by so that I would not have to travel too far for maintenance and repairs.
 
#5 ·
Will there be a Victory dealership opening in northern Virginia anytime soon? The closest one to where I live is 50 miles away. If I were to buy a Victory motorcycle, I would like to have a Victory dealership closer by so that I would not have to travel too far for maintenance and repairs.
50 miles would give you just that much more fun time riding. Take what you can get
 
#3 ·
clearance

I guess I'm gonna have to ride one to find out if it will go thru the twisties. I love to cruise but cuttin a few corners is always a good thing to. It appears in the pictures to not have the clearance needed to really flop side to side. If you happen to find yourself in West Virginia or N Carolinas on some of the greatest M/C roads ever you may find yourself doin the switchback thing more than once.
 
#4 ·
600 miles on my new XCtour

I just got my first Victory, XC tour 2 weeks ago. Now IT Rains!!!
I'm really enjoying this bike. Did a 500 mile weekend throught the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The ride is smooth the Sunset Red is stunning in the sunlight, The power far exceeds the Electra Glides, I tried those and a Road Glide, The twisties are a blast. Heck I didn't even mine the bumper to bumper traffic around Laconia. The leaf peepers are out full force. I'll probably post a new thread to give everyone my opinion of why I chose the XCT over the Harleys, but for now lets just say I'm patting myself on the back for making a very good decission. If anyone is considering this bike, go find one and ride it. It won't disappoint. Oh yah, bring a fat checkbook.
 
#8 ·
I just got my new Cross Country Tour in White. Had it 1 month and I Love it. Traded from a Harley Ultra Classic 2007 and this is a much better bike. More get up a go, easier to ride and more fun. Have driven in the 24 to 28 degree days and with heated seat and grips it works great. Looking forward to warmer days and a lot more riding.
 
#10 ·
I Love It!!

This is my seventh bike and my second Victory. I had a 2007 Vision, but it cannot touch the 2012 XCT. Power, handling and comfort are phenomonal. I have owned Harleys, a Goldwing, a Boss Hoss and Thunder Mountain Custom but nothing beats my Cross Country Tour.
thumb up
 
#11 ·
agree

I have to agree with you. When they came out with the Cross Country it caught me eye then when they came out with the CCT I said I got to take one of them for a ride and about two weeks later I bought one. I have had numerous motorsickles about 12 Harleys since I started riding them in 82 and this one is nice. Rode it up to Napalm MotorSports Austin,Tx this afternoon for the 500 mile checkup and to do the Stage I on it decided to go ahead with that since they giving me 15% off. Gonna be a cool ride home 78 miles tomorrow cause cold front is coming thru down here tonight but I will have the wind to me back most of the way home so it want be bad.
 
#12 ·
I sure love mine so far. Got the 500 mile checkup this weekend. It is a lot more fun to ride then my glide. And it has a lot more power. Been riding down to 24/25 deg. and its been fine. Seems to give the rider a lot more protection then the harley did.
 
#13 ·
I now have 900 miles on this bike and still love it. Changed out my mirrors and have 2" pull backs on order. I am a short round guy. Still in love and riding as much as the weather will let me. Ride on my friends.
 
#14 ·
got my xct in dec, the weather has been great hear and put some 700 miles on it already, all around town not been out for a trip just yet planing one this summer, the wife and i just love it, still learning however not been on one in 15 years and it was kz1000 so big jump up for me, so far this bike is perfect, would not change a thing, except the mirrors wonder who came up with them ( working on them right now) :confused:
 
#17 ·
Wind buffeting

How does the Cross Country fare in wind gusts and cross winds, like those coming from semi-trucks balsting past you? I have read that the Harley Road Glide with its frame-mounted fairing does very well, but the the Street Glide with its fork-mounted fairing moves around a bit, whihc I find unsettling. Since the Cross Country has a fork-mounted fairing, I wonder if it to moves around when blasted by truck winds.
 
#19 ·
I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on the XCT. I wanted a Harley, tried them all. The Road Glide is better vs. 18 wheelers for the reason you mentioned. The street glide is a fun bike to drive on short weekend trips and around town. You'd need a Electra Glide or Road Glide for a long haul. Taller guys like the Road Glide. BUT, once I road the Cross Country Tour, the Harley dream began to fade fast. No buffeting, especially at high speeds. Can't say that with HD. I have never had to brace myself, white knuckle the grips or correct a wabble form a tractor trailer. But I do have a habit of keeping to the right side of my lane with an on coming big truck. Mostly because I'm avoiding sand blasting and small rocks. With the taller windshield the air blows right over my head and the B_#*h's. I have rarely used the heated grips because the air passes around my hands not right on them. Great aerodynamics. I'm on;y 5-7 but felt like I was humping the tank of the HD. I'm stretched out on the Vic and so is the wife. There is actually air space between me and her. With the HD's, she was my backrest. So more power, more room, smoother ride, no brainer. I finally realized I only wanted the Harley for the sound. D&D slip-ons solved that. OH, saved $4000 compared to the HD Limited.

Get the Vic.
 
#20 ·
went for test drive

I went and test drove a cct don"t think I rode it a long enough distance to make my mind up yet. I am going back and take another drive. I really love the looks and features of the bike. I have always ridden a harley. thinking of buying a new bike looking for a reason not to buy a harley. the only noticeable thing on the cct was the passenger floor boards kept hitting my legs when stopping. any suggestions?
 
#21 ·
Funny you mention the passenger floorboards. That was one of my complaints and concerns riding the Electra Glide I tried out. The back of my legs got caught every time I had to stop. The wife thought it was her fault. There is more space between the front and rear boards on the Vic than the HD. For her comfort and mine I also raised the passenger boards up a notch with a slight up angle at the toe. I almost never hit her boards unless I leave my feet down too long from a dead stop. You will naturaly make the necessary adjustments to prevent this as I'm sure I would have had I got The HD.
 
#22 ·
Also, do what I did. Go drive a new Harley Electra Glide (I drove a Limited), Then get off it and go directly to the Vic dealer and ride the XCT. I did a loop with straight smooth road, rough side roads, some twisties and a short stretch of turnpike. It really helped me decide. And how knows you may still prefer the Harley. But at least you'll be out there riding.
 
#24 ·
I guess I never wanted to be that Harley guy. I did not go out an test drive the latest models. Have had the chance to ride Harley’s in the past and have never been impressed. Have always been a Honda person and thought for sure the Goldwing was what I would end up on. While the wing handled well had a ton of features that I liked many I did not need the price was comparable and it would give the passage a great ride which was the main idea for us. I am about 6 foot and I felt cramped on the wing. I spent the winter coming in and sitting down for long periods asking a bunch of question about all the bikes that were in the running. Then took the opportunity to ride a Cross Country and was impressed from the start. Smooth ride handled well (since then I would say it handles excellent) low wind buffeting for myself and the rider. Handles very well in high winds (30 +) have had no issues with semi’s wind blasting. So purchased the XCT first part of June have almost 1500 on it. I thought the top weight would be a issue and it has not. For me the only issue is the turn signal it’s smarter then I am.
 
#25 · (Edited)
The Victory demo truck is in town, so the GF and I decided to test ride a white CCT. Neither of us was very impressed. She said the passenger seat wasn't nearly as comfortable as my Vision, and actually made her ass a little sore. She also commented that the ride wasn't as smooth, but I didn't check the air pressure in the CCT's shock, so I have no idea if it was properly inflated. The bike just felt smaller, not as solid, and less nimble than my Vision. Also, being forced to look 'through' the CCT's fixed windshield made me appreciate my motorized shield that much more. I won't draw a comparison between the stock CCT's engine and my cam'd one.... I am glad I took the test ride though, as it validates my decision to go with the Vision. :)
 
#26 ·
My GF on the XCT test ride said the trunk vibrates, did yours feel the same? She said the seat seems good though. How about the Vision in comparison? Windshield I am getting the Flare, so the stock isn't relevant. I do know that the air pressure must have been good on our ride because going over train tracks was no problem while the non-touring model riders were complaining.
 
#27 ·
Wind buffering

I do get pushed around a little by semis, but gust will lift the frame mounted fairing, tried three different windshields and still can’t quiet the buffering around the driver and rider. This is my second victory and since my riding buddies blow me away on BMWs it will be my last.
 
#28 ·
Don't misunderstand where I'm coming from on this. I respect Beemers. I honestly thought I would buy the big inline instead of the CC Tour which I ended up buying. There is a whole lot of muscle in those K's. But then, there's big muscle in other inlines too, stupid wikid muscle in the Trump trips, there's punch your ticket muscle in Boss Hoss's. The age of 150 horse V twins is close so BMW only owns the muscle niche for Eurotrashy sport touring shtick. Not me.
If what I wanted is to blow doors off my buds, there's a whole lot more horses out there for the buck without all the pretention, the stiff ride, and unexceptional creature comforts.
 
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