Only thing I don’t like about my Victory is that I don’t have one lol. I been watching tons of Victory content and hope it’s makes Me a future honor. Subbed
Thanks for subscribing. Be sure to check out our victory playlist of content. Otherwise, good luck on finding the right victory. Which one are you hoping to get?
Cycletrader has a few that are reasonably priced. I've seen them as low as 5500. That's not bad for a full size American made v-twin touring machine that was ahead of its time.
Can relate to most everything you guys have said. Those twin air cooled jugs definitely throw a lot of heat. Still need to instal the oem air deflectors upfront. The Vision gets left in the barn a bit in high summer heat, but that’s what back up rides are for. Buffeting not so disturbing to me.
I’m gonna tell you right now, since 2005 I have owned 36 different motorcycles. My 2003 victory Vegas has 108,000 miles on it and it is absolutely the best purchase I’ve ever made.
I hear Ya, the finish can`t beat Harley and some of the little things you mentioned are also true. That`s why they were so affordable. But I`ll tell You what, I absolutely love my Victory XCT!!! It`s a rock solid strong ass Motorcycle and My Wife Loves all the amenities the Cross Country Tour has. Very Comfortable and All Kinds Of Power!!! 😎
Yep, that is a huge bummer! Parts are becoming harder to come by, and when you can find the part you need, they are way overpriced. Also, since Victory went out of the business years ago, there are few aftermarket parts made to fit them. I pretty much had to ditch my 2014 Victory Jackpot after it developed a transmission issue that was going to cost AT LEAST 5 grand to fix! The cost is so high because the transmission, instead of being a separate component, is part of the engine. Thus, the engine must be removed and then completely taken apart (what they call "split the case).
Thanks for the video. I agree with the comments on quality of finish, but they don't detract from a great bike (an Indian's finish isn't great either). I have a 2013 XC "Street" with 60,000kms on the clock in Nuclear Sunset Suede. It is the most comfortable bike I have (Victory + Indian Chief Vintage + Harley FLSS + BMW K1200RS + BMW R80GS) and is my go-to bike for my annual 4,000km round trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town (in South Africa). I don't have the lowers fitted, so no heat problem (even in our summers of 38 deg C+) and the simplest way I found to address the buffeting in a full-face helmet was to use a DOT approved open-face helmet I found at my Victory dealer. No buffeting and I can hear my music clearly - it transformed my ride.
I can relate to some of what you have said, except for the heat and buffeting. My 2010 Vision Tour does not buffet and I have ridden in 100+ degrees and found the heat no worse than expected. For all of its shortcomings the bike has a lot of soul and it talks to me. Every sound tells me what it likes and dislikes and it draws people like a magnet. Paint can be fixed but soul cannot be replicated. It is an easy bike to work on and as reliable as a sunrise. I will keep it.
All true , it seems the Vision definitely isn’t subject to buffeting. As for heat it definitely was worse after cams. But in all we love our Victory’s. Their reliability is undeniable ! Thanks for watching
I second every word you wrote, except the heat issue... but don't get me wrong and hear me clearly, I would not give up my Visions for the world. They both sing to and caress my riding soul. Shee-it, I'd probably get rid of the wife before I let my Vicky & Victoria go. 🤣 (Two 09' Victory Vision Ness' #105 & 116)
No buffering on my 2013 Cross Country Tour because I have the flip windshield and heat isn't an issue because I have a tune, still a little hot when 100° outside.
I had a 2008 Vegas 8 Ball and a 2008 Vision both when Polaris decided to kill Victory. I also was literally sick. I've kept my Vision and still love it just as much though!
Felt the same way when I learned Victory died. One of the saddest feeling in my life. I was somewhat of a leader in my community when it came to Victory running the local very active Face book and instagram accounts. It was more than a death in my family but also a feeling of betrayal.
I lost my first Vic to a Honda Accord. Totalled my '05 Kingpin (with the Polaris 50th anniversary paint). My '12 Kingpin lasted 158000 and counting. Don't ride it anymore, it really needs a rebuild (yes it still runs fine) and I spend my miles on my Indian Roadmaster now.
I have a 2012 cross country with 70,000 miles.Not once has it been back to the dealer for anything except a recall on a saddle bag latch. I Do all my own maintenance on the bike, they’re so easy to work on. When I picked up the bike new the buffeting was so bad I almost turned Around. But after owning the bike for a month or so I threw the Klock Werks windshield in the trash. I bought a 7Jrock windshield with a flip on the top edge and installed JTD lowers. Because the bike came with the forged bars. Now 80 mph on the interstate not one bit of buffeting. As far as heat I don’t have problem with heat. Drove twice to Florida with my Harley Buddies they were suffering from heat. As far as fit and finish you pay for fit and finish. My bike Brand new out the door about 22,000 try and buy a new Harley 22,000 OTD. I love my Vic. Never left me stranded. RIde Safe!
I took the hard lowers off of my XCT and did experience the buffeting you mentioned. Threw some lower deflectors on it and it is perfect. Controls the buffeting while allowing enough wind to keep the bike cool. Good content 3 Amigos. Threw up a video of my XCT if anyone wants to see the deflectors I used.
@@chasingredlineofficial I used the shut outs. Wanted the ones that had the led drive lights, but the gentleman at jtd said he could no longer get those light pods and since they were vacuum formed for molds for those specific lights he didn't make them anymore. I didn't have any heat issue (they have doors you can open/close on the engine side) I also received a maadstad (I think that's how it's spelled) windscreen from my son that I popped on. Between the two, I can wear a ball cap and it stays on just fine, same as if I were behind a big tombstone windscreen, and iam 6'2. I do have pictures of the set up.
I have an ‘07 Victory Hammer with 35k on the clock. I can’t complain too much, but I do agree about the paint/clear. I also noticed a “tinging” noise coming from my exhaust pipe. Haven’t found the root cause, so more to come on that. It’s loud and fast and very enjoyable to ride. Like most Vic owners, I do worry about the future, yet I remain hopeful we’ll be able to still find parts.
My ONLY complaint on my XCT is the rattling in the fairing when hitting bumps. I'm there with you on that one. As for the heat, get a proper Maximus tune by NOEMTZ DESIGNS and it will run cooler (and better). Drastically reduced my engine heat issue. For buffeting, I've had great luck with the Madstad shield. Not the prettiest, but you get used to it. Still think it's one of the best bikes ever made.... although the new Challenger/Pursuit is pretty amazing!
Great video guys. I own two victory motorcycles. Highball and cross country and really like this motorcycles. I had to ride through 20 miles of unpaved desert in Baja it took me 5 hours and my Highball did great. Because of this I have alot of respect for my victory.
Good stuff. 2013 XC owner here, and a tune with a PC5 richened up the mixture a bit and it runs much better and much cooler. Still warm though. I had to take apart the plastic dash and add spots of sound dampening to keep it all from moving around.
Thanks for watching. I should look into some modification to the dash and sound dampening, it would be a good winter project. I nit pick the bike, but I still love it.
I have owned all 3 bikes and everything you guys say is fair., I would add that the Cross Roads Classic I also had I think was the best all around bike of the bunch. But the Cross Roads with the hard bags would be the one If I had to do it again. Removable wind shield, Hard bags plenty of air for the big V Twin. On longer trips I used soft lowers for buffeting and added a top box from a Cross Country.
I hear you on the heat! I went from a Honda V star which gave me no issues with heat and as soon as I jumped on my 2006 victory kingpin I burnt my leg very badly the first time I was on it. Lol I have learned to keep my leg away from the exhaust.
Great video.... our xc has the inner fairing vibrations but it has 61000 miles on it (99000 kms). No heat issues, although I am looking into a slightly taller screen on the magnum. I'm 5'7 and using the factory one creates alot of buffeting! Apart from that, I agree with most of the list but they're reliable as hell and don't break. Compromise somewhere 🤷♂️
My vision is hot also. One thing I did was added fuel to the rear cylinder with my power commander 5. If you look at the rear plug it is white running lean and gets heat soaked.
Another thing you can do is advance the timing. At least 3.5 degrees. That way the combustion is more in the cylinder and less heat goes out the exhaust. The bikes are hot in the summer. I bought a hammer s for the hot days.
Nice video, and I cant argue with much of your critiques, good or bad. I've owned 4, 2006 Vegas (30k, 2010 XR (130+k), 2013 XC (totalled in 3 weeks), and currently a 2017 XCM (46k). My girl has currently 3 Vics. I haven't had any buffeting problems, but its very specific to every rider. Repairs have been very minimal, a starter, a fuel pump, that I broke, a couple rectifiers, and fork seals. The XC fits me like a glove and I don't see me getting anything different for a while. I do own 5 other bikes, both HD and metric. I did ride the Indian Challenger and that bike is pretty awesome. I have owned other big HD's, but they dont have the leg room and comfort of my XC's, so do see myself going that route. Keep spreading the word, just not to loudly, I'll need a few more low mile bikes before I'm done.
Thanks for watching. It's nice to see our viewers with like minds, A. people who love Victory and recognize the XC for the amazing bike it is and B. people who own a variety of other bikes. There's too many to be narrow minded. Its nice to see the loyal Victory following will keep the legend alive. Ride safe !
I can agree with all of that except for the buffeting. I don't get that on my Vision. But the rest is all true, the heat in the summer is brutal, the fit and finish is not great and it rattles like crazy. But with that being said, it's a reliable workhorse. So I think I'll keep mine around for a while. Thanks for sharing.
The Vision has the electric windshield doesn't it? That may be the reason you don't get the buffeting since it's adjustable. Does the tour have electric windshield?
Try the Madstad Adjustable windshield system. I went with their tallest one and it is a night to day difference . On a 2016 magnum so I don't have the lower fairings like you guys and my bike stays cool enough for me.
There was someone making an aftermarket throttle body adapter out of aluminum, and using radiator hose to attach it to the intakes. Its going to take indivduals like that to keep Victory faithful running.
The bigest few things i dont like is on the 2009 touring addition is the head unit for the sound system its made as a 1 of a kind no room for upgrading unless you find someone to make a different center console. Also the wierd power supplies that require a adapter to pluge anything into .
I get it with some of these issue. I have the same windshield on my XC and have never had any buffeting problems unless I get behind the turbulence in traffic. I wear a Schuberth C3 modular and it’s aerodynamics are second to none in removing buffeting. But even when I don’t wear a lid I don’t feel it. I’m 5’8” so maybe is the taller riders? Regardless, when I get on it I feel like a king! Never have I ever been on a bike that fit me better.
When you talk about future aviability of Victory pieces in the future, imagine my Vicotory Vision in Spain. Crossing fingers, but I love this unique bike every day. Ride it till the wheels fall off…
No buffeting on my cross country or vision. You have to live with the tall windshield. My only complaint is I can’t keep the compensator quiet. I have redone the compensator 3 times and it only stays quiet for a few thousand miles. Then the gear clatter comes back.
The Five Best things about the Five things you all hate are the Five Things I dont have any issue with ! haha ! I have a Cross Roads 2012 LE ! No crazy large fairing so no panel noise, no noticeable buffering as the large windshield caters for that, no problems with the paint, No heat problems as I dont have lowers etc, and we rarely get super high temps in the UK , And I wouldnt dream of having a stereo on a bike so no problem there either ! Seems like I may have hit the jackpot then ! Great Video Guys , And I drive probably more like James May also ! haha ! Thanks ! Inspirational that you have got such high mileage and you have not had any issues . Keep Up the Good Work ! And my Bike just looks so beautiful, a work of art, qudos to whoever sat there and designed it !
MadStad adjustable windshields for the CCs make a WORLD of difference for buffeting!…function over form…. It’s not ugly if it works…6’2” here, trust me….it works
100K miles…time to get the socket set out and start cinching things down 🤔 I’m thinking about picking up a Cross Country…great prices. I’m in Canada…and I drive in pretty much everything…especially fall and Spring..and on the nice winter days…one thing in may Nomad…just a windshield would freeze my ass off. So heated seat, grips and batwing with lowers is exactly what I want. However, I ride quite a bit in the US and will be making my way through 66, Death Valley Vegas etc..given my last trip through DV made the mistake of hitting it in July 😱 The saving grace was that my Nomad was liquid cooled..so moving to an air-cooled bike…I think I will just have to plan my Southern trips in the Spring. I’m 6’2” so I think a higher windshield will be a must…I really like the red and black seems to be a easier find…though that peal white is sweet…I definitely love the blacked out trim. What do you guys think about upgrading the sound system…having the speaker in the bags..do they make a huge difference..do you know anyone that has them..compared them to your bike re sound? When you say not a lot of money to get some hp…what is not a lot of money? Great information guys thanks for the content..just got a new sub 😃
My complaint would be the highball is to low to the ground and my pegs scrape, I raised it as high as I can get it. Love the bike and power. New seat was the 1st change
I had the same problem with my highball, scraping pegs and then some. I was able to lift it pretty easily. I found a OEM Kingpin ( I believe ) rear shock for $50 on ebay that was about an inch taller. Then I had Taylor Specialties from one of the Victory Forums make me fork spacers. There was another guy making them as well. Check out the video on my Highball, I talk about it some. ua-cam.com/video/t_c1Jm6BO3g/v-deo.html
bought a highball, loved it, made it faster, sold it to my son, bought a cross country... love it more! full boogie Loyd's engine mods on board, Rinehart exhaust, bought a parts bike for both, need them parts if were gonna keep em....
I have changed windshield to the one from Magnum. Zero buffeting of any kind. I ride full face helmet and even rain is not a problem just gets off the helmet with wind.
Just seeing this video. I have a 2013 Victory Vision Tour,,,Love It! Where did you get the smoked windshield? WitchDoctors doesn’t show one. Would like to swap mine out. Great videos,,,,both. Nothing rides like a Victory.
i've owned 4 harleys 2 ultras and a heritage and a sporty, a gl1500 goldwing and a few vulcans also a honda vtx 1800.......2 weeks ago i bought a 2009 victory vision tour premium with the factory reverse.....guys i feel like i found my forever bike....never rode one but 3 mins into riding it i felt like i'd owned it for years i literally LOVE THIS BIKE already has the victory performance pipes on it just turned 22k miles yesterday....you aren't wrong about the heat it has at least as much as my harley did so far looking into removing the cats and picking up a tuner...what do you recommend? i am also in CT btw right next to Norwich. hopefully i'll run into you guys somewhere
Congrats on the new bike! Yes there's something about the way a Vision rides that is hard to explain until you ride one. For tuners we are all running Power Commander 5s however, the last few years we've heard nothing but good things with Maximus tuners as well.
The only thing I dislike is the excessive heat issue. I met a guy that switched over to freedom pipes. He claims switching was the best thing ever because it alleviated the high heat issue. I would have to ride that bike from New York City to Atlanta at 80-100 miles per hour on a 90ﾟ day in order to agree with him. Yeah, my right leg was well done... "Hey Charlie, bring me the Worcestershire sauce. This side of rider is ready for the table". 🤣 BTW, Which wireless microphone are you using? It sounds great.
Ditto on some of the dislikes. At ten years, and 90k, I forgot to open my lower vents on what was to be a near 100• day this summer. My lower fairing wings were cracked slightly open and to my surprise I was not experiencing engine heat or excessive seat heat . It was venting away from me so I now ride with the lower vents closed in the heat. Only took me ten years to figure this out. My control paint is fine. But the cruise does look like an afterthought. Im not having rattle issues but everything does scratch rather easily. But when i hit the twisties… byby all my hog friends! Im not sure how many chassis parts the Persuit shares with the Vic but they are very similar. The 108 was first being developed for the next xc. I almost bought a Vision because of the seat. Especially for 2 up. The xc storage capacity swung me the other way but I did like the Vision seat way better. Im probably going to buy a Persuit because if you close your eyes you’re riding an XC, but then again, theres a lot of really nice Victory’s out there for 15k. Hmmm! Great vid. Ride on !
Ive had a 2013 Victory Judge in nuclear sunset orange for 6 months now, but the flat paint on the tank and fenders terrifies me. It is perfect mint condition but if any paint issues come up in the future then who knows (used to gloss black bikes in the past).
I had a highball with flat paint, it was easy to maintain if you get some denim paint cleaner and soap. I guess the problem is you cant buff out a scratch. But nuclear orange is an awesome color. Be sure to hit that subscribe button and check out some of our other victory content. Thanks for watching.
I sold mine. Didn't trust the company, I don't care if it's Indian. They left us hanging, so I'll buy a Honda again. I hated that you have to worry about the clutch cable, so I bought that emergency cable kit. Everyone I talked to said that theirs snapped. Mine snapped after coming back from a long trip. 4 more miles, I would have made it home. I had to call AAA. I barely got mine sold because people know about Victory and don't want to be caught having a bike they can't get parts for anymore. So with that being said, GOOD LUCK GUYS.
Buffeting, my HD Ultra suffered the same issue. Stock windscreen, Klockwerks 10” and 4” didn’t make a difference other than top of my helmet or on the face shield. However with no windscreen?….perfect. Clean air on my helmet that goes between the helmet and shoulders, no air on my chest. So if you have a quality touring helmet it’s perfect. Race helmets need to be tilted a little to make the aerodynamics work correctly. I use an AGV K6, which is more touring than sport/race. Try it on the Cross Country. I’m 6’ and long in the torso, and sit bolt upright, it’s a habit from 10 years of law enforcement motor officer riding.
You have a point , I’ve been experimenting with different windshields on my KTM and it almost seems the stock(basically no windshield) is easier as it’s at least clean wind .
@@3_AM exactly! It’s just so it above the chest and flows over the shoulders. Gonna move over to a Victory when the Ultra goes away this year. Looks like there is more storage on the CC vs the Vision, but if there’s any buffeting at high speeds it’s an absolute no. Do a short video if you try it with no windscreen 👊
1. Better than Harley 2. Better than Harley 3. Better than Harley 4. Better than Harley 5. Better than Harley That is sad that even though victory is no longer, they still make Harley look bad now Indian took the crown
just bought a 2013 cross country tour site unseen being shipped from wisconsin and will be here saturday. It has 44k on it. I've heard alot about the wind and heat. do you have links to all the stuff you put on yours to cut down on the wind buffeting? I'm 6'3 so similar height as well. Also do you think highway begs are necessary? i've heard since its a bit longer than other bikes and has larger, longer floor boards it isn't necessary.
Congrats on the new bike. Highway pegs are really a personal preference. Having bought a tour version it should already come with a large windshield and lowers. Both our XC were bought as a standard model with some of the tour features added later. Enjoy the ride ! Thanks for watching.
I have a 2015 Vision tour . I took off the tour pack . I’m currently looking for the black filler panel to fill the space . If anyone knows where I can find one ? That would be greatly appreciated!
Yep, all good points. I'll add these: worst radio reception ever (my dad's 56 Chevy was better back in the early '60's when I was riding around with him); rattling side bag latches that might be the worst designed latches in the history of motorcycles, gas vapor odor no matter the level of the gas tank; and an oil checking procedure that almost seems to be designed as a cruel joke by a demonic engineer - sit on your hot bike, reach down between your scorching exhaust and engine, and unscrew dipstick while trying to remain balanced. Then try to find the level on a black dipstick that is dripping hot oil on your bike, clothes and/or garage floor! There is a video from back in the day of several Victory engineers grabbing bikes in the design stage and going for rides as a way for the team to hang out and shoot the bull about ways to improve the bikes. WTF were they smoking while doing this? Did they not notice any of the things we are all dealing with now? And now those same engineers are probably working on Indian bikes so why would we trust them? For instance, my neighbor has a new Indian and it's already been back to the dealer twice for peeling paint. Sound familiar? As a final straw, not only does Polaris NOT stand behind the bikes as far as parts, but they don't even stand behind them when it comes to the cratering value of the bikes. My local Indian dealer offered me $4,000 for a perfect condition Cross Country with 15,000 miles on it when I wanted to trade it in for a brand new Indian. That is an insult! I say screw Polaris all together and get a bike from a company that cares a little more about their customers.
Well even with their flaws we still love our Victory's overall. You could make the same list of complaints for Harley and Indian. None of them are perfect. In your case, 4k is certainly a lowball offer, it'd be worth keeping at that point. In a nutshell I think Polaris overestimated how many riders they assumed would jump ship straight to Indian and underestimated the bad taste it may leave for other owners.
@@3_AM I've had four Harley's, and other than being under-powered (mine were 88 and 96 ci and I know they've gotten much better) I didn't have any of the myriad problems I'm now going through. And yes, I will keep this bike and struggle more every year for parts and support.
If you aren't already, join some of the larger Facebook forums for Victory. There's still plenty of die hard victory guys, with knowledge and parts for sale.
I just picked up a Cross Country. I've had dozens of motorcycles in my life and I have never seen so many people look at a bike. My biggest bitch is the throttle, it is too long of a turn. I am trying to find a quarter turn setup for it .
I've seen these made with PVC pipe. I picked up the loyds but it didn't work with my Avon grips. I'll find the time to do some massaging on them, some day.
I got my XC's heat & buffering issues worked out years ago. I almost got rid of the bike because of them..but with my fixes, I've been able to ride in comfort. Hit me up if you want to know what I did for fixes. I can do a video or I'm in CT if you're close and want to see it up close an personal.
Thanks for watching. We’d be curious to hear what you did to manage some of the heat. Otherwise, I think we’ve met . I believe I bought a PC5 and maybe some other items several years back.
@@3_AM Hmm, I don't recall selling a PC5(not that what I remember or don't means anything 🤣). But now that you mention it, I believe you guys came to my house to pick up a set of pipes or something.... Anyway, I removed my PC5 a few months ago and had a Maximus remote tune done by Noemtz, its good stuff👍 I think I will make a vid for the channel on how I solved the Victory "heat & buffeting" issues and I'll post on the VOG. But, now that we have cooler temps maybe you all can get those Vics out and we can meet for a ride and I'll show you my solutions first hand.
You might be right. I believe that's where my millers came from. We're headed down to ride the dragon next week. But maybe at the end of the month we can find time to meet up for a ride.
1. I’ll take minor fit and finish issues over serious mechanical problems like even late model Harleys have. 2. Victory designed their bikes with a certain flair that you don’t need to waste time showering them with aftermarket parts 3. I could care less about heat. If you want to talk about heat ride a 2023 Indian Pursuit. After 15 minutes of riding I thought my pants was on fire when I came to a stop. Heat is just part of the deal with owning an air cooled bike. Look at it as an added plus where your riding season is longer. 4 and 5. Hand controls are not that big of a deal. I’m used to riding a naked bike cross country, so any type of wind protection is welcomed. Your gripes are minor compared to the issues I’ve seen Harley owners have with their bikes over the years. Harley owners are willing to put up with everything short of catastrophic engine failure and some will even replace the engine or the entire bike and buy another one just so they can say they ride a Harley. Reliability and ease of maintenance is far more important to me especially when all you have to worry about with a Victory is minor cosmetic issues. I could see if someone paid $30,000+ for a motorcycle, then fit and finish would be a concern but if you’re only paying $7500 give or take for a bike like a Victory it’s money we’ll spent. Find a way to deal with the squeaks and move on. Find a set of meat hangers where you can feed the wires inside and move on.
Thanks for watching. I hope you've caught our other video to counter this, "5 things we love about Victory". Deep down we all love our Victorys and there's a reason we still have them. But no bike is perfect ! I have gripes about every bike I own, including a 30k plus Harley. You are definitely correct they're an amazing bike in the used segment for $7500. Both the XCs here were bought new and have a combined 100k miles on them. Check out the other part ! ua-cam.com/video/G2GH1EvDhaE/v-deo.html
On the white cross country. He mentioned he added a centre air deflector. Did that make a change that would be worth wild purchasing the centre deflector ?
I respectfully disagree with most of your points though one thing. I do agree with is the lack of aftermarket support and some parts availability. When I park my cross country in a sea of street Street Glides, I always get noticed. That being said the fact that the motorcycle is pretty much obsolete sometimes I can be challenging
Yes, it will be interesting to see how the aftermarket holds in the future. I have no doubt that people will be able to get wear parts for repair though.
There's definitely some options out there. I can recall mustang making seats and The Ultimate seat. Otherwise, I suggest the Victory Facebook forums to find parts.
My Vision was almost unbearable to ride in the summer in Southern California due to the heat. Removing the catalic converter helped alot with the heat. Why do some Victory folks remove the tank emblems. I've seen that alot.
Mine started coming loose early on , that’s why I removed it and decided I liked the clean look. Otherwise I’ve always been a fan of the models with painted emblems. Thanks for watching
How much oil??? I’ve got a Electra glide and a vision and neither one leak oil. The oil leakers were the amf bikes and most of the oil came from the automatic chain oiler. That’s back when they still ran chains.
I disagree on the paint and the heat on my old 2006 Kingpin that owned for 14years....Mind you i didnt have the big fairing and lowers so heat didnt bother me....my paint was a beautiful shinny Solar Red that has like an orange pearl in the light....never faded and was garage kept until i sold it...and as wind buffeting i had a windvest handlebar mounted windshield...i had over 100K on it...
True, the heat complaint mostly applies to the baggers. I don't really have any complaints on my highball for heat. One could argue that the fit, finish and paint was better in the earlier days.
Guys, you need to hold the mics closer. Can't hear you. I'm on my 5th Vic and I think you left one of my dislikes out. That is that the engine is hard-mounted and there's a lot of vibration/engine feel. The Harleys re rubber mounted and very smooth. Victorys are not smooth at any rpm.
Thanks for watching. We usually wear the mics, but DJI hasn't made it possible to use a 3rd mic yet. Otherwise, yes the Victorys have a finer vibration opposed to Harley's shake. I've found air cushion style grips eliminate a lot of the feeling in your hands.
I disagree with the paint. I have the 17 nuclear sunset orange i bought new.The heat is a bit much and in Texas can be brutal in the summer. Add some Memphis Shades lowers to control the buffering.
Agreed , we were all waiting for the next generation XC before they pulled the plug. I think Polaris over estimated how many people would easily move right to Indian.
Just hope you don't get the C - clip failure. Witchdoctors!! Ripoff artists. And the heat , you said what is wrong so what do you expect with an air cooled engine getting no air.
I appreciate the review (considering I want a cross country). But y’all realize there are bike other than cross country right? I have an 03 Vegas with 108k no major work ( that wasn’t caused by me ( hit a deer about 6 years ago replaced the fork tubes and bearings) Buffering is an issue but it’s open front. So understandable. Paint on the controls are nothing. Tell us about clutch cable’s ( I have replaced it a few times) how long the brakes or clutch (still on original clutch) last, what about bearings? How about prices for the mods? As a victory owner I know they are not cheap. Come on guys I love your videos, but there’s so much more information to be explored on these bikes.
Thanks for watching, hopefully I can answer most of this. Yes, we based this video on the XC and Vision as our tried models. I did also own a Highball for 5 years, be sure to check out that video in our Victory playlist. As far as clutch cables, bearings and wear parts... my red XC got an extended Barnet cable sometime early on with the apes. The white XC is original and the Vision snapped the original cable just last year around 90k. As for bearings and brakes, the red XC has had a set of each and the vision probably two. Those parts, who are made by others should have no worry of being able to source in the future. To your point, aftermarket or rare factory add ons, such as hard lowers are hard to find and can be expensive. I tell people all the time, the Facebook Victory forums are the best source to rely on community for help and finding parts. We all have had great support individually. Lastly, as for more Victory content, if we started this channel in the 2015 -2020 timeframe it would have been nothing but Victory. That's when I put almost 70k on mine alone. But now admittedly we own some Harleys, Yamahas, KTM and more. We just love motorcycles, period. BUT, we know our Victory viewers are some of the most diehard and loyal, so we try our best to keep relevant there and still have some ideas to film ! Thanks again for the support.
@@3_AM I appreciate the response and information. So you still think it would be worth it to buy a cross country? I have wanted one for a couple of years but was really concerned with being able to get Parts. I know that on my Vegas the parts you can get our getting more expensive as opposed to any cheaper. There was a time, when I would buy three or five bikes a year, now if I can manage to get one every five or six I’m happy
Yes, we actually plan to do a video on this very subject sometime. If you're someone who already loves Victory and can handle basic maintenance and repairs yourself I'd say there are great deals to be had on an amazing bike. Second, again if your resourceful on the forums and shopping for parts, there's stuff out there. Lastly, I would take in consideration the bikes mileage and how you plan to ride it. For instance mostly or semi local, I'd have no worry. But, being realistic I'd have a little concern traveling with a high mileage Victory across the country. Should you have an issue it could be a serious delay finding parts or service.
@@3_AM I look forward to watching the video. And yes I do all my own maintenance in fact I’m hoping to go to work for the Polaris/ Honda dealership here soon (cross your fingers for me). It will mostly be local, generally a six or seven hour ride is about all I have time for.
I've heard nothing but good things for the Penske shock. But I can also promise you the stock victory air shock with 4.5" inches of travel is still leaps and bounds better then a stock Harley !
Pre Rushmore (2014) Harleys are tough, they were definitely behind on a lot of things. I can say the Rushmore upgrades and then the Milwaukee 8 made for some much needed improvements. Victory at the time was well ahead of the competition for that matter.
and people wonder why that company went out of business after only 20 years. Personally, my beef with owning a Victory is that there is very little aftermarket for them. 99 times out of 100 you have to go for UNIVERSAL stuff. Not like owning a Yamaha or Harley where you find numerous aftermarket parts meant exactly for the bike you have.
Yes, lack of aftermarket parts is a big issue. When I went to add saddlebags to my 2014 Jackpot, I did manage to find Viking bags that fit my bike, but they ended up being crap as the one fell off while I was on the freeway, and I could see where the other one kept coming loose and would probably fall off eventually. I couldn't even get an LED headlight that fit, unless I wanted to spend $400+. Finally find a "universal" one, but needed to basically make it fit.
Only thing I don’t like about my Victory is that I don’t have one lol. I been watching tons of Victory content and hope it’s makes Me a future honor. Subbed
Thanks for subscribing. Be sure to check out our victory playlist of content. Otherwise, good luck on finding the right victory. Which one are you hoping to get?
Dude you find one get it. You'll love it.
Cycletrader has a few that are reasonably priced. I've seen them as low as 5500. That's not bad for a full size American made v-twin touring machine that was ahead of its time.
Can relate to most everything you guys have said. Those twin air cooled jugs definitely throw a lot of heat. Still need to instal the oem air deflectors upfront. The Vision gets left in the barn a bit in high summer heat, but that’s what back up rides are for. Buffeting not so disturbing to me.
I’m gonna tell you right now, since 2005 I have owned 36 different motorcycles. My 2003 victory Vegas has 108,000 miles on it and it is absolutely the best purchase I’ve ever made.
I hear Ya, the finish can`t beat Harley and some of the little things you mentioned are also true. That`s why they were so affordable. But I`ll tell You what, I absolutely love my Victory XCT!!! It`s a rock solid strong ass Motorcycle and My Wife Loves all the amenities the Cross Country Tour has. Very Comfortable and All Kinds Of Power!!! 😎
My wife still says the XC is more comfortable than my road glide too !
My major problem with Victory is that Polaris is no longer making them
Same here
Yep, that is a huge bummer! Parts are becoming harder to come by, and when you can find the part you need, they are way overpriced. Also, since Victory went out of the business years ago, there are few aftermarket parts made to fit them.
I pretty much had to ditch my 2014 Victory Jackpot after it developed a transmission issue that was going to cost AT LEAST 5 grand to fix! The cost is so high because the transmission, instead of being a separate component, is part of the engine. Thus, the engine must be removed and then completely taken apart (what they call "split the case).
That’s why you jump to the Indian. Indian taking over
Thanks for the video. I agree with the comments on quality of finish, but they don't detract from a great bike (an Indian's finish isn't great either). I have a 2013 XC "Street" with 60,000kms on the clock in Nuclear Sunset Suede. It is the most comfortable bike I have (Victory + Indian Chief Vintage + Harley FLSS + BMW K1200RS + BMW R80GS) and is my go-to bike for my annual 4,000km round trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town (in South Africa). I don't have the lowers fitted, so no heat problem (even in our summers of 38 deg C+) and the simplest way I found to address the buffeting in a full-face helmet was to use a DOT approved open-face helmet I found at my Victory dealer. No buffeting and I can hear my music clearly - it transformed my ride.
Thanks for watching . You make all valid points and have a nice variety of bikes ! The nuclear suede is a great color. Ride on !
I can relate to some of what you have said, except for the heat and buffeting. My 2010 Vision Tour does not buffet and I have ridden in 100+ degrees and found the heat no worse than expected. For all of its shortcomings the bike has a lot of soul and it talks to me. Every sound tells me what it likes and dislikes and it draws people like a magnet. Paint can be fixed but soul cannot be replicated. It is an easy bike to work on and as reliable as a sunrise. I will keep it.
All true , it seems the Vision definitely isn’t subject to buffeting. As for heat it definitely was worse after cams. But in all we love our Victory’s. Their reliability is undeniable ! Thanks for watching
I second every word you wrote, except the heat issue... but don't get me wrong and hear me clearly, I would not give up my Visions for the world. They both sing to and caress my riding soul. Shee-it, I'd probably get rid of the wife before I let my Vicky & Victoria go. 🤣
(Two 09' Victory Vision Ness' #105 & 116)
No buffering on my 2013 Cross Country Tour because I have the flip windshield and heat isn't an issue because I have a tune, still a little hot when 100° outside.
I had a 2008 Vegas 8 Ball and a 2008 Vision both when Polaris decided to kill Victory. I also was literally sick. I've kept my Vision and still love it just as much though!
That decision made me resolve never to buy another Polaris product again (I already had the Vic XC and an Indian Chief Vintage).
Best Scooter I have owned thus far...
Felt the same way when I learned Victory died. One of the saddest feeling in my life. I was somewhat of a leader in my community when it came to Victory running the local very active Face book and instagram accounts. It was more than a death in my family but also a feeling of betrayal.
Definitely a feeling of betrayal, but at least know the diehards are still loyal.
Quit crying. Enjoy the bike. Polaris will continue parts support until 2027 , after that Tons of aftermarket companies will supply us parts.👍
I liked the victory lineup, never owned one. I'm glad to see buell back and independent of Harley Davidson.
I lost my first Vic to a Honda Accord. Totalled my '05 Kingpin (with the Polaris 50th anniversary paint). My '12 Kingpin lasted 158000 and counting. Don't ride it anymore, it really needs a rebuild (yes it still runs fine) and I spend my miles on my Indian Roadmaster now.
158k is impressive!
I have a 2012 cross country with 70,000 miles.Not once has it been back to the dealer for anything except a recall on a saddle bag latch. I Do all my own maintenance on the bike, they’re so easy to work on. When I picked up the bike new the buffeting was so bad I almost turned
Around. But after owning the bike for a month or so I threw the Klock Werks windshield in the trash. I bought a 7Jrock windshield with a flip on the top edge and installed JTD lowers. Because the bike came with the forged bars. Now 80 mph on the interstate not one bit of buffeting. As far as heat I don’t have problem with heat. Drove twice to Florida with my Harley
Buddies they were suffering from heat. As far as fit and finish you pay for fit and finish. My bike
Brand new out the door about 22,000 try and buy a new Harley 22,000 OTD. I love my Vic. Never left me stranded. RIde Safe!
Same for our XC , the latch recall was the only time they ever saw a dealer!
I took the hard lowers off of my XCT and did experience the buffeting you mentioned. Threw some lower deflectors on it and it is perfect. Controls the buffeting while allowing enough wind to keep the bike cool. Good content 3 Amigos. Threw up a video of my XCT if anyone wants to see the deflectors I used.
My 2013 cc has the forged bars. Popped the JTD Cycle parts lowers and no more buffet.
@@robmiller5818 Did you use lower deflectors or the forged bar shutouts?
@@chasingredlineofficial I used the shut outs. Wanted the ones that had the led drive lights, but the gentleman at jtd said he could no longer get those light pods and since they were vacuum formed for molds for those specific lights he didn't make them anymore. I didn't have any heat issue (they have doors you can open/close on the engine side) I also received a maadstad (I think that's how it's spelled) windscreen from my son that I popped on. Between the two, I can wear a ball cap and it stays on just fine, same as if I were behind a big tombstone windscreen, and iam 6'2. I do have pictures of the set up.
@@robmiller5818 Nice! glad it works for you!
I have an ‘07 Victory Hammer with 35k on the clock. I can’t complain too much, but I do agree about the paint/clear. I also noticed a “tinging” noise coming from my exhaust pipe. Haven’t found the root cause, so more to come on that. It’s loud and fast and very enjoyable to ride. Like most Vic owners, I do worry about the future, yet I remain hopeful we’ll be able to still find parts.
I think we will be able to find parts just might take some hunting!
My ONLY complaint on my XCT is the rattling in the fairing when hitting bumps. I'm there with you on that one. As for the heat, get a proper Maximus tune by NOEMTZ DESIGNS and it will run cooler (and better). Drastically reduced my engine heat issue. For buffeting, I've had great luck with the Madstad shield. Not the prettiest, but you get used to it. Still think it's one of the best bikes ever made.... although the new Challenger/Pursuit is pretty amazing!
Thanks for watching. We’ve heard a lot of good things about he madstad as well. The challenger has a lot of Victory DNA for sure !
Great video guys. I own two victory motorcycles. Highball and cross country and really like this motorcycles. I had to ride through 20 miles of unpaved desert in Baja it took me 5 hours and my Highball did great. Because of this I have alot of respect for my victory.
Thanks for watching, enjoy those victory’s !
Good stuff. 2013 XC owner here, and a tune with a PC5 richened up the mixture a bit and it runs much better and much cooler. Still warm though. I had to take apart the plastic dash and add spots of sound dampening to keep it all from moving around.
Thanks for watching. I should look into some modification to the dash and sound dampening, it would be a good winter project. I nit pick the bike, but I still love it.
I have owned all 3 bikes and everything you guys say is fair., I would add that the Cross Roads Classic I also had I think was the best all around bike of
the bunch. But the Cross Roads with the hard bags would be the one If I had to do it again.
Removable wind shield, Hard bags plenty of air for the big V Twin. On longer trips I used soft lowers for buffeting and added a top box from a Cross Country.
The Cross Roads is a nice setup. Thanks for watching, Ride Safe !
I hear you on the heat! I went from a Honda V star which gave me no issues with heat and as soon as I jumped on my 2006 victory kingpin I burnt my leg very badly the first time I was on it. Lol I have learned to keep my leg away from the exhaust.
Great video.... our xc has the inner fairing vibrations but it has 61000 miles on it (99000 kms).
No heat issues, although I am looking into a slightly taller screen on the magnum. I'm 5'7 and using the factory one creates alot of buffeting!
Apart from that, I agree with most of the list but they're reliable as hell and don't break. Compromise somewhere 🤷♂️
Exactly, reliability and so many great features. No bike is perfect. Thanks for watching.
@@3_AM they are great bang for buck when compared to other bikes
@@Carcyclechronicles 100%
I have a Jackpot. No issues with it at all. No complaints. 🤘😎🤘thanks guys.
My vision is hot also. One thing I did was added fuel to the rear cylinder with my power commander 5. If you look at the rear plug it is white running lean and gets heat soaked.
Another thing you can do is advance the timing. At least 3.5 degrees. That way the combustion is more in the cylinder and less heat goes out the exhaust. The bikes are hot in the summer. I bought a hammer s for the hot days.
National Cycle VStream Windshield N20702 (Amazon) along with Victory's lower fairing deflectors solves the eyeball shakes from the OEM windshield.
Got 24k on my octane and still love her
Nice video, and I cant argue with much of your critiques, good or bad.
I've owned 4, 2006 Vegas (30k, 2010 XR (130+k), 2013 XC (totalled in 3 weeks), and currently a 2017 XCM (46k). My girl has currently 3 Vics.
I haven't had any buffeting problems, but its very specific to every rider. Repairs have been very minimal, a starter, a fuel pump, that I broke, a couple rectifiers, and fork seals. The XC fits me like a glove and I don't see me getting anything different for a while. I do own 5 other bikes, both HD and metric. I did ride the Indian Challenger and that bike is pretty awesome. I have owned other big HD's, but they dont have the leg room and comfort of my XC's, so do see myself going that route.
Keep spreading the word, just not to loudly, I'll need a few more low mile bikes before I'm done.
Thanks for watching. It's nice to see our viewers with like minds, A. people who love Victory and recognize the XC for the amazing bike it is and B. people who own a variety of other bikes. There's too many to be narrow minded. Its nice to see the loyal Victory following will keep the legend alive. Ride safe !
When it comes to buffeting, try moving your knees towards or away from the tank
Just bought a 2009 kingpin with 4,900 miles on it!
These are awesome bikes!
Congrats, that's not even broken in yet.
I can agree with all of that except for the buffeting. I don't get that on my Vision. But the rest is all true, the heat in the summer is brutal, the fit and finish is not great and it rattles like crazy. But with that being said, it's a reliable workhorse. So I think I'll keep mine around for a while. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching !. You hit the nail on the head, reliable as can be.
The Vision has the electric windshield doesn't it? That may be the reason you don't get the buffeting since it's adjustable. Does the tour have electric windshield?
@@stellarida8797 just the vision has the eclectic windshield and it certainly helps.
Try the Madstad Adjustable windshield system. I went with their tallest one and it is a night to day difference . On a 2016 magnum so I don't have the lower fairings like you guys and my bike stays cool enough for me.
There was someone making an aftermarket throttle body adapter out of aluminum, and using radiator hose to attach it to the intakes. Its going to take indivduals like that to keep Victory faithful running.
Good to know it's not just me constantly looking down at oil temp, which can get up to 260+ in Los Angeles on the 2011 Cross Country.
Right!
The bigest few things i dont like is on the 2009 touring addition is the head unit for the sound system its made as a 1 of a kind no room for upgrading unless you find someone to make a different center console. Also the wierd power supplies that require a adapter to pluge anything into .
I get it with some of these issue. I have the same windshield on my XC and have never had any buffeting problems unless I get behind the turbulence in traffic. I wear a Schuberth C3 modular and it’s aerodynamics are second to none in removing buffeting. But even when I don’t wear a lid I don’t feel it. I’m 5’8” so maybe is the taller riders? Regardless, when I get on it I feel like a king! Never have I ever been on a bike that fit me better.
If the bike fits you, that's all that matters. Ride on
When you talk about future aviability of Victory pieces in the future, imagine my Vicotory Vision in Spain. Crossing fingers, but I love this unique bike every day. Ride it till the wheels fall off…
That's all you can do. Enjoy the ride.
No buffeting on my cross country or vision. You have to live with the tall windshield. My only complaint is I can’t keep the compensator quiet. I have redone the compensator 3 times and it only stays quiet for a few thousand miles. Then the gear clatter comes back.
The Five Best things about the Five things you all hate are the Five Things I dont have any issue with ! haha ! I have a Cross Roads 2012 LE ! No crazy large fairing so no panel noise, no noticeable buffering as the large windshield caters for that, no problems with the paint, No heat problems as I dont have lowers etc, and we rarely get super high temps in the UK , And I wouldnt dream of having a stereo on a bike so no problem there either ! Seems like I may have hit the jackpot then ! Great Video Guys , And I drive probably more like James May also ! haha ! Thanks ! Inspirational that you have got such high mileage and you have not had any issues . Keep Up the Good Work ! And my Bike just looks so beautiful, a work of art, qudos to whoever sat there and designed it !
Thanks for watching. All true about the cross roads. Ride on!
I agree !#239 in Mathews ,VA What # is yours?
Thank Arlen Ness for most of the design work on the '05 and up Vics.
MadStad adjustable windshields for the CCs make a WORLD of difference for buffeting!…function over form….
It’s not ugly if it works…6’2” here, trust me….it works
100K miles…time to get the socket set out and start cinching things down 🤔
I’m thinking about picking up a Cross Country…great prices. I’m in Canada…and I drive in pretty much everything…especially fall and Spring..and on the nice winter days…one thing in may Nomad…just a windshield would freeze my ass off. So heated seat, grips and batwing with lowers is exactly what I want.
However, I ride quite a bit in the US and will be making my way through 66, Death Valley Vegas etc..given my last trip through DV made the mistake of hitting it in July 😱 The saving grace was that my Nomad was liquid cooled..so moving to an air-cooled bike…I think I will just have to plan my Southern trips in the Spring.
I’m 6’2” so I think a higher windshield will be a must…I really like the red and black seems to be a easier find…though that peal white is sweet…I definitely love the blacked out trim.
What do you guys think about upgrading the sound system…having the speaker in the bags..do they make a huge difference..do you know anyone that has them..compared them to your bike re sound?
When you say not a lot of money to get some hp…what is not a lot of money?
Great information guys thanks for the content..just got a new sub 😃
Great video guys, thanks for providing both lists! Looking at buying a Cross Country or Magnum over the winter months.
Thanks for watching. We'll always say the XC is a great bike !
Ride both, slightly different setup.
My complaint would be the highball is to low to the ground and my pegs scrape, I raised it as high as I can get it. Love the bike and power. New seat was the 1st change
I had the same problem with my highball, scraping pegs and then some. I was able to lift it pretty easily. I found a OEM Kingpin ( I believe ) rear shock for $50 on ebay that was about an inch taller. Then I had Taylor Specialties from one of the Victory Forums make me fork spacers. There was another guy making them as well.
Check out the video on my Highball, I talk about it some.
ua-cam.com/video/t_c1Jm6BO3g/v-deo.html
bought a highball, loved it, made it faster, sold it to my son, bought a cross country... love it more! full boogie Loyd's engine mods on board, Rinehart exhaust, bought a parts bike for both, need them parts if were gonna keep em....
So true! We keep a couple spare engines on hand!
I have changed windshield to the one from Magnum. Zero buffeting of any kind. I ride full face helmet and even rain is not a problem just gets off the helmet with wind.
Just seeing this video. I have a 2013 Victory Vision Tour,,,Love It! Where did you get the smoked windshield? WitchDoctors doesn’t show one. Would like to swap mine out. Great videos,,,,both. Nothing rides like a Victory.
i've owned 4 harleys 2 ultras and a heritage and a sporty, a gl1500 goldwing and a few vulcans also a honda vtx 1800.......2 weeks ago i bought a 2009 victory vision tour premium with the factory reverse.....guys i feel like i found my forever bike....never rode one but 3 mins into riding it i felt like i'd owned it for years i literally LOVE THIS BIKE already has the victory performance pipes on it just turned 22k miles yesterday....you aren't wrong about the heat it has at least as much as my harley did so far looking into removing the cats and picking up a tuner...what do you recommend? i am also in CT btw right next to Norwich. hopefully i'll run into you guys somewhere
Congrats on the new bike! Yes there's something about the way a Vision rides that is hard to explain until you ride one. For tuners we are all running Power Commander 5s however, the last few years we've heard nothing but good things with Maximus tuners as well.
The only thing I dislike is the excessive heat issue. I met a guy that switched over to freedom pipes. He claims switching was the best thing ever because it alleviated the high heat issue. I would have to ride that bike from New York City to Atlanta at 80-100 miles per hour on a 90ﾟ day in order to agree with him. Yeah, my right leg was well done... "Hey Charlie, bring me the Worcestershire sauce. This side of rider is ready for the table". 🤣
BTW, Which wireless microphone are you using? It sounds great.
I’ve heard the same thing for the freedom duals. The mics are from DJI. Thanks for watching!
I bought ceramic insulation from ebay and put it under the seat and that helped alot with crotch heat.
I have some bubble foil type stuff I did the same with. But I do wonder if the ceramic stuff may work better . Thanks
You've really helped me, I'm deciding on a cross country, 2015 with 24k miles, anything specific I should look for while testing it?
They're super reliable machines. I think as long as someone took some effort to generally take care of it you'll be good.
Ditto on some of the dislikes. At ten years, and 90k, I forgot to open my lower vents on what was to be a near 100• day this summer. My lower fairing wings were cracked slightly open and to my surprise I was not experiencing engine heat or excessive seat heat . It was venting away from me so I now ride with the lower vents closed in the heat. Only took me ten years to figure this out.
My control paint is fine. But the cruise does look like an afterthought. Im not having rattle issues but everything does scratch rather easily. But when i hit the twisties… byby all my hog friends!
Im not sure how many chassis parts the Persuit shares with the Vic but they are very similar. The 108 was first being developed for the next xc.
I almost bought a Vision because of the seat. Especially for 2 up. The xc storage capacity swung me the other way but I did like the Vision seat way better.
Im probably going to buy a Persuit because if you close your eyes you’re riding an XC, but then again, theres a lot of really nice Victory’s out there for 15k. Hmmm! Great vid. Ride on !
Thanks for watching. The challenger and pursuit definitely have a lot of victory DNA
Ive had a 2013 Victory Judge in nuclear sunset orange for 6 months now, but the flat paint on the tank and fenders terrifies me. It is perfect mint condition but if any paint issues come up in the future then who knows (used to gloss black bikes in the past).
I had a highball with flat paint, it was easy to maintain if you get some denim paint cleaner and soap. I guess the problem is you cant buff out a scratch. But nuclear orange is an awesome color. Be sure to hit that subscribe button and check out some of our other victory content. Thanks for watching.
What bothers me about my cross country is that the mirrors are uneven heights.
There was a company that made a short mirror stem extension to correct this... and to even my mirrors out, I installed a hydraulic clutch.
I sold mine. Didn't trust the company, I don't care if it's Indian. They left us hanging, so I'll buy a Honda again. I hated that you have to worry about the clutch cable, so I bought that emergency cable kit. Everyone I talked to said that theirs snapped. Mine snapped after coming back from a long trip. 4 more miles, I would have made it home. I had to call AAA. I barely got mine sold because people know about Victory and don't want to be caught having a bike they can't get parts for anymore. So with that being said, GOOD LUCK GUYS.
Buffeting, my HD Ultra suffered the same issue. Stock windscreen, Klockwerks 10” and 4” didn’t make a difference other than top of my helmet or on the face shield.
However with no windscreen?….perfect. Clean air on my helmet that goes between the helmet and shoulders, no air on my chest. So if you have a quality touring helmet it’s perfect. Race helmets need to be tilted a little to make the aerodynamics work correctly. I use an AGV K6, which is more touring than sport/race.
Try it on the Cross Country.
I’m 6’ and long in the torso, and sit bolt upright, it’s a habit from 10 years of law enforcement motor officer riding.
You have a point , I’ve been experimenting with different windshields on my KTM and it almost seems the stock(basically no windshield) is easier as it’s at least clean wind .
@@3_AM exactly! It’s just so it above the chest and flows over the shoulders. Gonna move over to a Victory when the Ultra goes away this year. Looks like there is more storage on the CC vs the Vision, but if there’s any buffeting at high speeds it’s an absolute no. Do a short video if you try it with no windscreen 👊
1. Better than Harley
2. Better than Harley
3. Better than Harley
4. Better than Harley
5. Better than Harley
That is sad that even though victory is no longer, they still make Harley look bad now Indian took the crown
just bought a 2013 cross country tour site unseen being shipped from wisconsin and will be here saturday. It has 44k on it. I've heard alot about the wind and heat. do you have links to all the stuff you put on yours to cut down on the wind buffeting? I'm 6'3 so similar height as well. Also do you think highway begs are necessary? i've heard since its a bit longer than other bikes and has larger, longer floor boards it isn't necessary.
Congrats on the new bike. Highway pegs are really a personal preference. Having bought a tour version it should already come with a large windshield and lowers. Both our XC were bought as a standard model with some of the tour features added later. Enjoy the ride ! Thanks for watching.
I have a 2015 Vision tour . I took off the tour pack . I’m currently looking for the black filler panel to fill the space . If anyone knows where I can find one ? That would be greatly appreciated!
Yep, all good points. I'll add these: worst radio reception ever (my dad's 56 Chevy was better back in the early '60's when I was riding around with him); rattling side bag latches that might be the worst designed latches in the history of motorcycles, gas vapor odor no matter the level of the gas tank; and an oil checking procedure that almost seems to be designed as a cruel joke by a demonic engineer - sit on your hot bike, reach down between your scorching exhaust and engine, and unscrew dipstick while trying to remain balanced. Then try to find the level on a black dipstick that is dripping hot oil on your bike, clothes and/or garage floor!
There is a video from back in the day of several Victory engineers grabbing bikes in the design stage and going for rides as a way for the team to hang out and shoot the bull about ways to improve the bikes. WTF were they smoking while doing this? Did they not notice any of the things we are all dealing with now? And now those same engineers are probably working on Indian bikes so why would we trust them? For instance, my neighbor has a new Indian and it's already been back to the dealer twice for peeling paint. Sound familiar? As a final straw, not only does Polaris NOT stand behind the bikes as far as parts, but they don't even stand behind them when it comes to the cratering value of the bikes. My local Indian dealer offered me $4,000 for a perfect condition Cross Country with 15,000 miles on it when I wanted to trade it in for a brand new Indian. That is an insult! I say screw Polaris all together and get a bike from a company that cares a little more about their customers.
Well even with their flaws we still love our Victory's overall. You could make the same list of complaints for Harley and Indian. None of them are perfect. In your case, 4k is certainly a lowball offer, it'd be worth keeping at that point. In a nutshell I think Polaris overestimated how many riders they assumed would jump ship straight to Indian and underestimated the bad taste it may leave for other owners.
@@3_AM I've had four Harley's, and other than being under-powered (mine were 88 and 96 ci and I know they've gotten much better) I didn't have any of the myriad problems I'm now going through. And yes, I will keep this bike and struggle more every year for parts and support.
If you aren't already, join some of the larger Facebook forums for Victory. There's still plenty of die hard victory guys, with knowledge and parts for sale.
I just picked up a Cross Country. I've had dozens of motorcycles in my life and I have never seen so many people look at a bike. My biggest bitch is the throttle, it is too long of a turn. I am trying to find a quarter turn setup for it .
Llyodz Motorworks makes exactly that , we all have them !
lloydz.com/product/engine-accessories/lloydz-quarter-turn-throttle-ring/
I've seen these made with PVC pipe. I picked up the loyds but it didn't work with my Avon grips. I'll find the time to do some massaging on them, some day.
my cross roads doesnt have any of the buffeting, my boardwalk was awful with it. i dont expiriance any of the high heat either.
The heat is definitely more of an issue with lowers. Never got the chance to ride a Cross Roads .
I got my XC's heat & buffering issues worked out years ago. I almost got rid of the bike because of them..but with my fixes, I've been able to ride in comfort. Hit me up if you want to know what I did for fixes. I can do a video or I'm in CT if you're close and want to see it up close an personal.
Thanks for watching. We’d be curious to hear what you did to manage some of the heat. Otherwise, I think we’ve met . I believe I bought a PC5 and maybe some other items several years back.
@@3_AM Hmm, I don't recall selling a PC5(not that what I remember or don't means anything 🤣). But now that you mention it, I believe you guys came to my house to pick up a set of pipes or something....
Anyway, I removed my PC5 a few months ago and had a Maximus remote tune done by Noemtz, its good stuff👍
I think I will make a vid for the channel on how I solved the Victory "heat & buffeting" issues and I'll post on the VOG. But, now that we have cooler temps maybe you all can get those Vics out and we can meet for a ride and I'll show you my solutions first hand.
I’d like to see On the line we should have a meet up.
@@FlyTyingNewEngland .. I haven't met up with a group for a road ride in years. It would be nice to spin around with some new and old buds.
You might be right. I believe that's where my millers came from. We're headed down to ride the dragon next week. But maybe at the end of the month we can find time to meet up for a ride.
1. I’ll take minor fit and finish issues over serious mechanical problems like even late model Harleys have.
2. Victory designed their bikes with a certain flair that you don’t need to waste time showering them with aftermarket parts
3. I could care less about heat. If you want to talk about heat ride a 2023 Indian Pursuit. After 15 minutes of riding I thought my pants was on fire when I came to a stop. Heat is just part of the deal with owning an air cooled bike. Look at it as an added plus where your riding season is longer.
4 and 5. Hand controls are not that big of a deal. I’m used to riding a naked bike cross country, so any type of wind protection is welcomed.
Your gripes are minor compared to the issues I’ve seen Harley owners have with their bikes over the years. Harley owners are willing to put up with everything short of catastrophic engine failure and some will even replace the engine or the entire bike and buy another one just so they can say they ride a Harley.
Reliability and ease of maintenance is far more important to me especially when all you have to worry about with a Victory is minor cosmetic issues. I could see if someone paid $30,000+ for a motorcycle, then fit and finish would be a concern but if you’re only paying $7500 give or take for a bike like a Victory it’s money we’ll spent. Find a way to deal with the squeaks and move on. Find a set of meat hangers where you can feed the wires inside and move on.
Thanks for watching. I hope you've caught our other video to counter this, "5 things we love about Victory". Deep down we all love our Victorys and there's a reason we still have them. But no bike is perfect ! I have gripes about every bike I own, including a 30k plus Harley. You are definitely correct they're an amazing bike in the used segment for $7500. Both the XCs here were bought new and have a combined 100k miles on them.
Check out the other part !
ua-cam.com/video/G2GH1EvDhaE/v-deo.html
On the white cross country. He mentioned he added a centre air deflector. Did that make a change that would be worth wild purchasing the centre deflector ?
It makes a difference but it’s very very minimal.
Is it worth getting a victory now? Ive seen a few on marketplace i really like, but hearing parts are near impossible to get
We fortunately haven’t had any troubles yet but it is a concern!
117 cross tour no heat or buffet issues just ride it and go
That rattle migrate as you find it😅.
VISION trunk lid!😅 😊
Penske 😲
Hot yes but not like skin peeling
I don't get the heat at all on my 16 magnum. But then again I don't have lowers.
Side by side of the same year of each manufacturer?
Victory motorcycles are still my fav .
They will always be one of our favorites. Thanks for watching
Where can I buy side cover for the battery for my 08 Victory Jackpot
I would keep an eye out on eBay and the Facebook victory forums
I respectfully disagree with most of your points though one thing. I do agree with is the lack of aftermarket support and some parts availability.
When I park my cross country in a sea of street Street Glides, I always get noticed.
That being said the fact that the motorcycle is pretty much obsolete sometimes I can be challenging
Yes, it will be interesting to see how the aftermarket holds in the future. I have no doubt that people will be able to get wear parts for repair though.
Yes, the heat. I will only ride my Vegas between 60-90°.
The heat is a blessing in the cold!
Do you know if anyone makes a taller seat for Victory. I have a 2012 Victory Cross Country and I'm around 6' 2 and trying to get some more leg room
There's definitely some options out there. I can recall mustang making seats and The Ultimate seat. Otherwise, I suggest the Victory Facebook forums to find parts.
My Vision was almost unbearable to ride in the summer in Southern California due to the heat. Removing the catalic converter helped alot with the heat. Why do some Victory folks remove the tank emblems. I've seen that alot.
Mine started coming loose early on , that’s why I removed it and decided I liked the clean look. Otherwise I’ve always been a fan of the models with painted emblems. Thanks for watching
What exhaust sytem yall have on your bikes?
The red XC is running Vance and Hines slip ons, while the other two are using gutted stock pipes. Thanks for watching.
Change that Factory Exhaust out for Freedom True Duals and your Heat Issue will be gone! Done it to both of my Cross Bikes....
What about the left side by the kickstand. That pipe is really close to your leg now. My neighbor has them and now his heat issue is on the left side.
How much oil in your drive way Harley boy
How much oil??? I’ve got a Electra glide and a vision and neither one leak oil. The oil leakers were the amf bikes and most of the oil came from the automatic chain oiler. That’s back when they still ran chains.
I think i would still take one of the Cross Country over the Street Glide if they still made them.
I disagree on the paint and the heat on my old 2006 Kingpin that owned for 14years....Mind you i didnt have the big fairing and lowers so heat didnt bother me....my paint was a beautiful shinny Solar Red that has like an orange pearl in the light....never faded and was garage kept until i sold it...and as wind buffeting i had a windvest handlebar mounted windshield...i had over 100K on it...
True, the heat complaint mostly applies to the baggers. I don't really have any complaints on my highball for heat. One could argue that the fit, finish and paint was better in the earlier days.
@@3_AM Yes it was...Shinny paint...good chrome...Brembo brakes...and alumiumn hand controls on the handlebars not plastic
My 06 Kingpin has beautiful. Paint on it also. No chips or scratches.
Harder and harder to find vic parts, like my heated handgrips, even after Polaris said they'd support parts
It is tough , but there are still some solid providers and the forums are often helpful .
Check out. The vic guy. Lots of parts updates often. Learned about him from vic baggers at sturgis rally a few yrs ago
Avon makes a set of heated grips, if you can't find, or don't want the factory setup.
Guys, you need to hold the mics closer. Can't hear you. I'm on my 5th Vic and I think you left one of my dislikes out. That is that the engine is hard-mounted and there's a lot of vibration/engine feel. The Harleys re rubber mounted and very smooth. Victorys are not smooth at any rpm.
Thanks for watching. We usually wear the mics, but DJI hasn't made it possible to use a 3rd mic yet. Otherwise, yes the Victorys have a finer vibration opposed to Harley's shake. I've found air cushion style grips eliminate a lot of the feeling in your hands.
I disagree with the paint. I have the 17 nuclear sunset orange i bought new.The heat is a bit much and in Texas can be brutal in the summer. Add some Memphis Shades lowers to control the buffering.
The nuclear orange is a great color !
@@3_AM I agree.
I think I have to call BS on the first topic. "I have a Harley with 40,000 miles....." When has anyone seen a HD last that long😂
lol, there's a few. Mines climbing in miles. Thanks for watching!
If they had stayed around, those things may have been changed, Harley Davidson has been around how long?
Agreed , we were all waiting for the next generation XC before they pulled the plug. I think Polaris over estimated how many people would easily move right to Indian.
great videos. Where do you get the best tacos in New England?
Thanks . Some of our local favorites are Mexicali and Puerto Vallarta.
Burned a lot pants with my Vic
That'll happen lol
Just hope you don't get the C - clip failure. Witchdoctors!! Ripoff artists. And the heat , you said what is wrong so what do you expect with an air cooled engine getting no air.
Def interested in a vision without the trunk. Ugly ass bike. But I dig it.
Complaining about cross country I ride an older v92 still after market parts you can get lots of used parts
I appreciate the review (considering I want a cross country). But y’all realize there are bike other than cross country right? I have an 03 Vegas with 108k no major work ( that wasn’t caused by me ( hit a deer about 6 years ago replaced the fork tubes and bearings) Buffering is an issue but it’s open front. So understandable. Paint on the controls are nothing. Tell us about clutch cable’s ( I have replaced it a few times) how long the brakes or clutch (still on original clutch) last, what about bearings? How about prices for the mods? As a victory owner I know they are not cheap.
Come on guys I love your videos, but there’s so much more information to be explored on these bikes.
Thanks for watching, hopefully I can answer most of this. Yes, we based this video on the XC and Vision as our tried models. I did also own a Highball for 5 years, be sure to check out that video in our Victory playlist.
As far as clutch cables, bearings and wear parts... my red XC got an extended Barnet cable sometime early on with the apes. The white XC is original and the Vision snapped the original cable just last year around 90k. As for bearings and brakes, the red XC has had a set of each and the vision probably two. Those parts, who are made by others should have no worry of being able to source in the future. To your point, aftermarket or rare factory add ons, such as hard lowers are hard to find and can be expensive. I tell people all the time, the Facebook Victory forums are the best source to rely on community for help and finding parts. We all have had great support individually.
Lastly, as for more Victory content, if we started this channel in the 2015 -2020 timeframe it would have been nothing but Victory. That's when I put almost 70k on mine alone. But now admittedly we own some Harleys, Yamahas, KTM and more. We just love motorcycles, period. BUT, we know our Victory viewers are some of the most diehard and loyal, so we try our best to keep relevant there and still have some ideas to film !
Thanks again for the support.
@@3_AM I appreciate the response and information. So you still think it would be worth it to buy a cross country? I have wanted one for a couple of years but was really concerned with being able to get Parts. I know that on my Vegas the parts you can get our getting more expensive as opposed to any cheaper. There was a time, when I would buy three or five bikes a year, now if I can manage to get one every five or six I’m happy
Yes, we actually plan to do a video on this very subject sometime. If you're someone who already loves Victory and can handle basic maintenance and repairs yourself I'd say there are great deals to be had on an amazing bike. Second, again if your resourceful on the forums and shopping for parts, there's stuff out there. Lastly, I would take in consideration the bikes mileage and how you plan to ride it. For instance mostly or semi local, I'd have no worry. But, being realistic I'd have a little concern traveling with a high mileage Victory across the country. Should you have an issue it could be a serious delay finding parts or service.
@@3_AM I look forward to watching the video. And yes I do all my own maintenance in fact I’m hoping to go to work for the Polaris/ Honda dealership here soon (cross your fingers for me). It will mostly be local, generally a six or seven hour ride is about all I have time for.
@@randallhackworth421 in that case, I thinks you’d be very happy finding the right deal on a XC !
The air shock sux. I replaced mine with a Penske. Much better.
I've heard nothing but good things for the Penske shock. But I can also promise you the stock victory air shock with 4.5" inches of travel is still leaps and bounds better then a stock Harley !
Buy a massage windshield. You won 't be sorry.
100 k miles and body panels fall off. 😂😂😂😂You can’t even get a Harley to run 100k miles. Imagine my suprise.
Drove harleys for 20 years an since 2 years a victory cross country
Someone once said a victory is everything a harley should be.
And yess it is.
Thanks for watching, enjoy that XC they're amazing bikes.
My cousins 2013 street glide. Rides like ass. And sounds like a bucket of bolts going over bumps
Pre Rushmore (2014) Harleys are tough, they were definitely behind on a lot of things. I can say the Rushmore upgrades and then the Milwaukee 8 made for some much needed improvements. Victory at the time was well ahead of the competition for that matter.
Strong engines but they looked cheap.
Useless video... no real identity when choosing a bike
Thanks for watching. I’m not sure what identity you’re looking for…
@@3_AM
Just a troll looking for attention, like a 12 yr old girl that just got a perm.
and people wonder why that company went out of business after only 20 years. Personally, my beef with owning a Victory is that there is very little aftermarket for them. 99 times out of 100 you have to go for UNIVERSAL stuff. Not like owning a Yamaha or Harley where you find numerous aftermarket parts meant exactly for the bike you have.
Yeah it doesn’t compare to the other big motorcycle company’s aftermarket choices. Glad there were a few company’s out there making Victory parts!
Yes, lack of aftermarket parts is a big issue. When I went to add saddlebags to my 2014 Jackpot, I did manage to find Viking bags that fit my bike, but they ended up being crap as the one fell off while I was on the freeway, and I could see where the other one kept coming loose and would probably fall off eventually.
I couldn't even get an LED headlight that fit, unless I wanted to spend $400+. Finally find a "universal" one, but needed to basically make it fit.