This is the 15th anniversary of Victory Motorcycles, and Victory has unveiled in New York a 15th Anniversary Cross Country Tour Limited Edition model to kick off its celebration. Production will be limited to 150 units, each featuring a Sunset Red over Gloss Black paint with gold pin-striping, inspired by the first Victory built 15 years ago, the V92C classic cruiser. Chrome and other special cosmetic touches are complimented by a Garmin GPS unit, XM radio and four premium speakers for the stereo system. Additionally, a Black Blade windscreen is unique to this model, which also comes with removable saddlebag and trunk liners. Suggested MSRP is $29,999.
Here is the full rundown of standard and special features found on the 15th Anniversary Cross Country Tour LE.
15th Anniversary Cross Country Tour Limited Edition Special Features
The 15th Anniversary Cross Country Tour Limited Edition provides riders with the ultimate in touring comfort, convenience and style. Special features unique to this limited-edition model include:
- Exclusive Sunset Red over Gloss Black paint with gold pinstriping – inspired by the first Victory ever built.
- 15th Anniversary Fairing Badge, Saddlebag Graphics and Numbered Dash Badge.
- Red-letter Cam Badge and Primary Badge.
- Cut & Sew Seats with a custom-stitched 15th Anniversary Badge.
- Billet Wheels.
- Numerous chrome features, including: Front and Rear Fender Trim, Fuel Cap, Sprocket Cover, Engine Covers, Switch Cubes and Controls, Saddlebag Lid Rails, and Trunk Luggage Rack.
- Garmin GPS.
- XM Radio.
- Four KICKER® Premium Speakers.
- iPhone®/iPod® Cord.
- Black Blade Windscreen.
- Removable Saddlebag and Trunk Liners.
Victory Cross Country Tour
The Victory Cross Country Tour provides riders with an outstanding ride, integrated premium audio, excellent weather protection and the most storage space of any motorcycle in the world. Key features of this model include:
- The most storage spaceof any motorcycle in the world. The trunk, saddlebags and two front storage compartments provide a total of 41.1 gallons of space.
- The Victory Comfort Control Systemlets riders control airflow from the front end using the adjustable Upper Air Controls and Lower Air Controls.
- An Audio Systemintegrated in the fairing.
- The Victory Freedom® 106/6 V-Twin,a 106-cu. in. engine that delivers 106 ft-lb of torque, mated to a 6-speed transmission with overdrive.
- Victory Anti-Lock Braking(ABS) that provides reliable braking to help a rider stop quickly and under control.
- Cruise Controlenhances comfort with its reliable performance and easy operation.
- The 5.8-gallon (22 liter) fuel tankprovides riders with outstanding range.
- Heated Seats and Heated Handgripslet riders extend their riding seasons in comfort.
- The Tall Windshieldprovides excellent protection and reliable visibility in all conditions.
- The 26.25″ Seat Heightputs a rider comfortably and confidently in control.
- Adjustable Passenger Floorboards let a passenger customize the comfort and ergonomics.
I owned a 2008 Kingpin 8-Ball for a couple of years. I thought it was a beautiful bike, and the power, smoothness, and handling were far superior to any import cruiser or HD that I have ever ridden. The thing that caused me to sell the bike was the fact that after more than 30 minutes in the saddle, my lower back would be in agony. I tried different seats, bars, etc. and nothing helped. It was a shame because I truly loved everything else about the bike. If Victory ever builds a “standard” cruiser with upright seating like say, a 1st gen V-max, I will be all over it.
As it stands the swoopy Ness designs just dont work for me ergonomically, I wonder how many other folks fall into this category?
Have you tried the accessory backrest? It bolts right on and gives you something to lean against. That, and the optional passenger armrests (for my missus, who demands comfort on long tours) make the bike majorly comfortable.
A friend of mines wife said it best upon seeing the Victory bagger for the first time. “The rearend of that bike looks like a vagina.”
Dave
You say that like it’s a bad thing …
That is so you can make sweet love to it.
“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,…
that form ever follows function. This is the law.” Louis Sullivan, 1896
So, if you stripped off everything off of that bike that contradict this mantra, all you would have left is a crankshaft with 2 pistons and the front and rear tires.
Would really like to know total sales volume for Victory, not percentage increase.
Love to ride, but in 41 years of riding, have never spent more than $4K for a bike, and have not sold a bike in 30.
IMO this bike represents a bygone era of bubble-inflated (low interest) desire for something of very little usefulness. My analogy of this current financial sea change is the passing of the so-called “Gilded Era.” Historians often mark the beginning of the end of the Gilded Era as the sinking of the Titanic, soon followed by WW1.
That rear view in the pic above is simply odious. clean all that swoopy mess off of there, put on a simplified functional rear end treatment and get rid of the funky high-rider spaceballs spacepod trunk.
I like it, as giant worthless motorcycles go. Good colors and cleaner looking than most with crap hung all over them.
Sure don’t want one BUT next time I’m looking to buy I do think Victory is a viable alternative in the cruiser market. Of course first thing I would do is chop it…no not big ass tire BS chop, real deal, just hack off anything that doesn’t belong there. I like the motor a lot.
“I like it, as giant worthless motorcycles go.”
Do I detect some sarcasm? LOL I generally agree, BTW.
150 units! That’s a little optimistic, isn’t it? I don’t think they’ve sold 150 units before.
Another Beauty ! Looking forward to the new Indians.
It’s too bad that VIctory is married to this “Nessie” design. It just looks dated. Not classic, dated.
Victory owners keep trying to convince us that all the Victory “Ness Lookalikes” are not really a Ness creation, but you can clearly see how he corrupted their design studio with his ridiculous input. I know, I know, Ness has nothing to do with it…
Goofy. Garish. If they want to sell these things they are going to have to depart from this need to shock people.
+1
Another giant motorcycle
For people interested in a BIG *ss motorcycle, 30 large is in the ballpark with other large tourers with all the farkles. This one made in limited quantities also which will have its own appeal. There are people out there with the money to easily buy at these prices. So those more into sport bikes, dual sports, or adventure tourers at half that price or less need not apply. This bike is not aimed at you.
I realize V-twins are in many ways an optimal motorcycle engine, but I would hope that Polaris uses the Indian nameplate to build something sui generis.
As for the Victory special, meh. Still ugly, still not my cup of tea. For riding position, give me a giant dual sport. For sport touring, my 99 VFR, and for anything else, I don’t really care.
Agree way to many v-twins out there, how about a inline 4 like the other Indians for something different in the market
I like it. Colors are great and Victory builds a very solid bike. Certain design elements I don’t like when I see these bikes in showrooms. Many ugly exposed cables are visible on right side of neck area (on picture here cables hide well due to being black color, same color as the plastic behind them but in person are very visible), and I also think the mounting hardware for trunk is ugly – could have been designed much more elegantly and still remain sturdy. Also, that short black windscreen looks great on the bike but is not going to protect much from the wind while riding. I wish Victory engineered an electrically adjustable windscreen.
I also do not like the high price of this bike even though I can afford it. I would rather buy more than one bike for that price and have different type of rides available (I currently own 1800 Goldwing, Road King Classic and V Rod Muscle). But I think I am probably not the type of buyer Victory is looking for. These bikes will sell just fine and they should. It is good to have a variety of choices out there.
I hope Victory breaks out of cruisers-only mold and starts making other types of motorcycles, especially now that they’re acquired Indian as well. Harley seems to be stuck in the cruiser world, even though the V Rod engine could be a perfect choice for a lighter sport-touring bike, such as BMW RT or the new Triumph copy of RT, as well as Kawi Concours, Yamaha FJR and Honda ST. But, Harley management seems afraid to do it – maybe Victory has an opening there? Why be a follower all the time?
But, ultimately I am happy to see more choices for all of us and it sure is a pretty bike to look at and ride. And I am about to sell my Road King, maybe Victory will find it’s way into my garage, too…
It would be difficult for Victory to compete against Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW and Ducati in the sport bike market. The market is relatively thin, the younger people who buy sport bikes aren’t at the top of their earning ability, and a domestic manufacturer can compete against the prices of bikes made in Asia.
Victory was able to enter and succeed in its market because its one major competitor – HD – is a domestic corporation that has a similar manufacturing cost.
HD’s v-rod engine is not going to power anything other than a v-rod. The engine, excellent as it is, is too long and too heavy to be used in any other motorcycle frame. HD could futz a bit with the fork angle and suspension and so forth to make a sportier v-rod, but the size of the motor and the location of the radiator makes taking rake out of the fork a problem.
Victory could shrink its engine to a 1 liter v-twin and install it in a smaller frame to build a Sportster competitor, perhaps. On the other hand, Victory already sells bikes that begin at $12,500, so it may not make sense to invest in design, engineering tooling and manufacturing space for a bike that prices at $9,999.
That third line should read “can’t compete….”
I’m sorry, but I just can’t get excited about another Harley wannabee. I wish some American manufacturer would try thinking outside the box for a change and make a bike that is not based on a 1920’s design.
+1
+1
How is that Victory a Harley wannabe? It has a v-twin engine, but its v-twin has substantial differences from the HD v-twin. Its body styling is decidedly not like a Harley.
Chevrolet made the ohv V-8 engine popular, but that doesn’t mean that every other make that uses an ohv V-8 is a Chevrolet wannabe.
All the “hard points” are Harleyesque as are the metric clones. How ’bout an American bike to compete with the likes of a Yamaha FJR, or Kawasaki Concours, Honda CB1100, Triumph Bonneville, etc. etc. You may think that the Victory styling is enough differentiation from Harley, but I do not. How ’bout an American bike that ergonomically correct seating and foot placement. There is soooo much more that could be done. I am hopeful that Polaris will take up this challenge when they reintroduce Indian.
It would be nice if Polaris came up with some new models that would help build up their customer base. I have nothing against Victory except that they continue to build only huge V-Twins, JUST LIKE HARLEY. There are other engine configurations out there and they should look into building other types of bikes and not just behemoth 900# monsters.
It already exists: Motus.
So, if Polaris/Vic compete with HD, they’re a wannabe…but you’d respect them if they competed with EVERYBODY else…yeah, nice strategy there…maybe they’re not the wannabe afterall.
“Competing” with and “cloning” are two very different marketing principles. For example, Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper compete with each other in the soft drink market, but I’m sure you’d agree that they are very different beverages. Now do you understand my point?
“I wish some American manufacturer would try thinking outside the box for a change and make a bike that is not based on a 1920′s design.”
Victory did with the Vision. It is too different for the motorcycle crowd. My wife rides the tour model in burgandy. I can tell you this, the non motorcycle crowd from high school boys to old ladies love it. I have never seen a motorcycle that gets this much attention.
Last year I had a choice between a much cheaper Vision and the 2012 CrossCountry Tour. Wanted to get something me and my gal could ride comfortably on. I really wanted to like the Vision because of the price, tipover protection, looked different. It came down to a few practical things I didn’t like. Saddlebags on the vision were much smaller, handlebars came too far back and I didn’t like the cockpit view (felt too much like a Goldwing). In the end, I haven’t regretted my choice.
Ah, Motus Motorcycle perhaps?
Bingo, we have a winner! 165 hp, 530 pounds with a full tank of gas and people still don’t seem to get what a remarkable motorcycle this just might be.
Remarkable is one thing. Affordable is quite another.
You could argue that the Harley is a Vincent wanna-be. And that Ducati is a Harley wanna-be. But that would all be kinda silly, wouldn’t it?
It’s a nice looking bike. Hell, every bike is visually interesting and beautiful in its own way, for me at least. But for 30 grand, I’d have a new Ninja ZX-14 and 15 large salted away for alternative fun. As for the equipment, I don’t want a radio with the “share your music with everyone at the intersection” speakers(hate when that happens). I guess I’m just intellectually challenged, but the mental gymnastics I perform to stay alive out there is about all I can handle when I ride. Don’t need to be listening to Pearl Jam or chatting on my cell while I’m dodging the cage-dwellers and fighting to keep my ’08 Ninja from lighting up the overheads on trouper’s cruisers. Come to think of it, cruise control would be nice…
Nice, clean looking bike. Far better looking than the HD’s and likely superior in all respects.
Of course, most HD riders are looking for an identity and not a good motorcycle. That’s why the negative comments – the Victory is an affront to their delicate egos.
Nice bike, I still love my ’03 V Rod, the best HD built to date.
Really like this bike! If I had the dough I’d be all over it.
Very classy and it’s been around long enough to really be refined.
Like the Victory but the damn foot controls are to far forward.
I don’t have legs that long.
That’s probably the real reason I bought mine. I’m 6ft3in and this is the most comfortable bike I’ve ever sat on.
Victory touring motorcycles are equipped with foot controls that can be adjusted up to 4 inches fore or aft to suit the needs of the rider. Takes less than five minutes.
What is 150, about 2 per dealer???
That is a very, very attractive motorcycle. Victory will easily sell all 150 of the special editions they plan to manufacture. The price point is interesting – about $3,000 below a HD Electra CVO.
I test rode the Victory CCT twice last summer. I looked for something to not like, and found nothing. They are very well made motorcycles, with excellent fit and finish, comfort, handling, brakes and performance. That motorcycle is on the short list of bikes I may buy this summer.
The Victory Owners Group website has a thread for owners who have put high miles on their Victories. Many have well over 100,000 miles. Their reports are unanimous in that their Victories are dead reliable, low maintenance, durable machines.
Polaris should be applauded for designing and building great motorcycles that have their own identities, have a high level of quality, and have a rapidly growing owner base and dealer network.
“Production will be limited to 150 units”…Yes, and sales will be limited to 50 units.
I trade in my ’07 Goldwing for ’12 CCT for one reason, COMFORT. Those 18″ floorboards make long distance riding a breeze.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Different strokes for different folks. I’m sure the Victory is a great motorcycle, but definitely requires a certain taste in style. My 09 Ultra Classic fills my kind of motorcycle style preference and I love riding it. I previously owned an 05 Goldwing, which was a great bike with awesome power, but it never felt comfortable riding and the design is not the traditional style of motorcycle that I prefer. Good luck to Victory with this model.
It’s nice to see some real competition for Harley-Pukidson.
That is an UGLY motorcycle! No wonder Harley outsells Victory 17 to 1!
at least its got real brakes and suspension unlike the average HD.
Harley touring bikes come with Brembo 4 piston brakes and regularly record 60-0 stopping distances in the 120 foot range, the same range as most super sport bikes in spite of weighing nearly twice as much and having tires that last more than 2K miles. My XR1200 also has 4 piston Brembos and has been shown to be able to stop in less than 110″ from sixty.
Suspension? OK, sometimes junk on Harleys, see Softtails and most Sportsters. The touring bikes, however, have decent suspension. Not great but decent. Harley even discovered cartridge fork dampers a few years ago.
Real enough for you?
Goose
I like the XR 1200. Shame Harley killed it. I was talking about the *average* Harley. You don’t see Brembos on much of anything past the XR 1200 and their upper echelon models. I guess if suspension and serious stopping power are just not important to the *average* Harley buyer. If it were, Harley would be putting higher spec suspension and brakes on some of the more basic models. Hmm, seems I just answered my own question. I don’t think I’ll ever get the “HD thing”. If you want a cruiser or a full dress tourer then HDs make sense. There’s so much more diversity out their than these two classifications of bike though. Apparently there is enough national pride out their for American made goods that HD continues to do well, and, lets face it, Harley sells what a lot of people are apparently willing to buy. But when it comes to model diversification, Harley is stuck on two model types–cruisers and full dress tourers. Ok, maybe you can throw in the VRod as a “drag style” bike but that is it. I don’t know why it is so hard for an American motorcycle company (read: HD and Victory) to diversify their line ups like say Triumph does. Like I said I don’t get it. Maybe I am not supposed to get it. Rant over.
Tom,
Please read my post. All touring Harleys come with Bermbo 4 piston calipers (and have for years). They stop very well, especially considering they come with touring tires and weigh on the wrong side of 800 pounds.
Sure, you can buy a softtail and get crappy brakes and, yes, the people who buy them probably don’t care.
It is far past time for you and people like you to forget what Harley built 40 years ago. Yes, they are built to different standards but modern Harleys are well built products that are great fun to ride. You just have to get over chasing GSXRs on twisty roads.
Hey, I was anti Harley for decades. I rented an FLH in 2006 and bought my fist Harley a month later. Since then I’ve owned a Honda, a Ducati, a Moto Guzzi, a Kawasaki and two BMWs. All are gone, I bought an XR1200 in 2010 and it is parked next to my 2006 Road Glide. No plans to sell either. I spent last week end doing the 20K tune up on my XR.
Goose
What a terrible lie to spread so frivolously!
I think it closer to 16.2 to 1.
Actually for 2012 it’s 19.3 to 1.
Really love my 2012. Don’t think I’ll be upgrading.
Like, Dude, I could by a GT Mustang for that much dough.
re: “I could by a GT Mustang for that much dough.”
welcome to the niche business of motorcycling…!
How is this relevant? I have heard this comparison a thousand times, “gee, I could buy a car for that much money”. Then do it, and go spend your time at Car & Driver. But comparing the value of a motorcycle to a car, as if you’re making some astute economic observation is ridiculous.
*If you can’t afford this bike, fine, move along as there is nothing here for you to see.
*If you are comparing emotional value, the two are not remotely related. Whoever purchases this bike is likely a motocycle enthusiast. As such, a car is no substitute for the intrinsic emotional value that a motorcycle has.
*If you are questioning the economics of it, I’m confident Ford will sell more Mustangs than Victory will sell Cross Countries, therefore lower volume means higher fixed costs per unit.
Enjoy your car.
“Like, Dude, I could by a GT Mustang for that much dough.”
Or a $30K backyard pool.
Or a $30K piece of Cartier jewelry.
Or 60 big screen TVs @ $500 apiece.
What is your point?
If the object to tour, then, I would sooner drop 30g to tour in a fast car and enjoy year round heating and ac than on a comparably priced mc. For me, that’s the point. Sorry, but, in my opinion no mc is worth 30g–especially in this economy. I aint no trust fund baby. As far as “economics” go neither one makes sense really as both will lose one-third of their value in two to three years. That’s why I bought a used dual sport for next to nothing and farkled it out for very little money too. To each his own.
This will probably be my next bike. Great cross country comfort and stone reliable. I was thinking about the BMW six-cylinder, but I don’t think it is as comfortable.
Gary,
I have to wonder if you are the only one deciding between a hyperactive I-6 in a quick steering chassis and a big, mellow American style touring cruiser. I’m not being critical, I just think it is interesting. If I was rich I’d probably have one of each.
Anyway, the new Victory is probably a great bike and I like a lot of the functional things Victory has done, big saddle bags, modern (cruiser standards) frame and engine, etc. But, to my eye, they just can’t seem to get the styling right.
Moot anyway, $30K bikes are out of my price range.
Goose
Goose … I dunno. I am attracted to the BMWs power but it does not look as comfortable to me as the Vic tourer. And not the special edition … the regular Cross Country. Should’ve stipulated that.
I’ve got a K1200LT and I like BMWs … but it looks to me like they sacrificed comfort on the shrine of performance with that six cylinder. But maybe not. The nice thing about Beemers is that they let you test drive them. Vics too, for that matter. When I am ready to buy you can bet I’ll sample both.