No matter how fast I went...
No matter how fast I went I couldn't get the forged aluminum highway bars on the Cross Country to provide lift for the frontend.
When Victory Motorcycles introduced its new touring model, the Vision, the company proved to the entire motorcycling community that it wasn't afraid to push the boundaries with the bike's futuristic design and styling. While the Vision may have been somewhat polarizing to the average American V-Twin traditionalist, Victory had done its research and had a specific target audience in mind. Well, once again, Victory has thoroughly studied the market and it's pretty evident with its two newest models the Cross Roads (CR) and the Cross Country (CC), that the company has set two specific target audiences in its sights that Harley has owned for years.
Same-O, Same-O
While the CR and CC models might not be as futuristic looking as the Vision, that doesn't mean Victory held back in the overall design of the bikes. Under the skin the Cross models are based on a hollow, sand-cast aluminum frame that not only acts as the sub structure, but is the airbox as well with an inlet built into the top of the backbone. The hollow design of the two-piece frame helps lighten the overall weight of the bike while still providing a solid chassis. The dropped seating area and rear suspension design puts the rider in a lower center of gravity for better control and that "in-the-bike" feeling. Cradled between the frame is the rigid mounted, 106ci, SOHC, 50-degree, Freedom V-Twin which acts as a stressed member of the chassis. Backing up the engine is a six-speed overdrive transmission, while on the left side is a gear-drive primary setup with a torque compensator to help reduce drilveline vibration. The bikes feature electronic fuel injection, with dual 45mm throttle body, and split dual exhaust with a hydro formed crossover and collector, which according to Victory aides in a balanced exhaust flow.
Suspension for both bikes includes 43mm inverted telescopic cartridge style forks with just over 5 inches of travel up front while at the rear of the frame is a single mono-tube coil/air shock vertically mounted between the swingarm and seating area. The rear suspension provides a little more than 4 1/2 inches of travel and can be adjusted for rider/cargo load via the Schrader valve hidden behind the cover on the right side. Rollers include, 18x3-inch front and 16x5-inch rear wheels with black finish and machine-cut accents. Both are wrapped in Dunlop rubber-a 130mm front and 180 rear. Keeping things in control are dual 300mm floating rotors and four-piston calipers on the frontend while a two-piston grabber bites on a 300mm floating rotor in the rear.
In the skin, both models sport a newly designed 5.8-gallon gas tank that stretches back into the seat pocket for a smooth streamlined look. On top of the tank a flush-mounted, locking gas cap is slightly offset to the right side to make it easier to fill the tank. Aerodynamics, balance, and performance were integral concepts when Victory designed these bikes, therefore they placed the battery up front and behind a chin fairing that acts as structural reinforcement. Placing the battery up front allowed for better weight distribution, low center of gravity, and the packaging of the rear suspension. The finned chin fairing also allows air to flow through to the oil cooler hidden behind it. The oil cooler comes standard on both bikes. At the rear of the bikes, are weather sealed, lockable, quick-release saddlebags with a storage capacity of 21 gallons. The saddlebags are made of glass-filled nylon, which Victory states was the strongest moldable material they could find.