Latest Forum Topics

Glad to be here

cocheese72 — Fri, 18 May 2012 02:36:05 +0000

Picked up my Victory XC on Monday.

Sidecar Cycle Rear Bag speaker kit

SurreyVIC — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:29:17 +0000

Here is the finished product

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4wnbHlQGvU&feature=youtu.be

Middle TN Ride for Kids this Sunday!

Mikeebiker — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:53:31 +0000

In case anyone in Middle TN or nearby did not know about it here's info on a great ride for a great cause this Sunday in Franklin, TN. Please give! Click here: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/mikecatey-henning/2012-middle-tennessee-ride-for-kids?fge=ask

Or if you're uncomfortable giving online send donations toBTF, 302 Ridgefield Ct., Asheville, NC 28806. Just mark your donation with "Middle TN ride Mike and Catey H.".

Ride info: http://www.pbtfus.org/rideforkids/

Look for a ride in your area and check it out! Ride once and you will keep coming back!

Got my shorty back...

WillDawgz — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:12:12 +0000

Well...

Like everyone else, I believe the XC is the best production bike every built. But also like everyone else, I have felt from DAY ONE the wind management on the XC left MUCH to be desired. So much so, that I ended up buying a Bell Mag 9 three-quarter helmet just to keep my head from jarring so much. I much prefer the shorty helmet, so I started adding stuff to fix the problem.

Installed the Klock Werks OEM Flip windshield, the OEM lower deflectors AND Baker Air Wings. Whola!!! I put my shorty helmet back on and went for a 75 mile ride. I got up to 70 miles per hour, and sunglasses were NOT flying all over my face. I still get some wind, but it's the desired type for me. Light "swirling" air to help keep me cool (it got up to 85 in my neck of the woods today).

I'm 6'0" with a 34-inch inseam, and this is a good fix for me. Could probably use another two inches on the windshield, but will upgrade when Klock offers more options for our ride.

And the three-quarter bowling ball (uh helmet), well, it's still a great option when colder weather sets in.

Weenie Horn

Bhayes — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:15:34 +0000

Somebody cut me off, (turned right across 2 lanes from the left lane), and I jumped on the horn as I went by and gave em my fish eye. It was actually embarrassing because the horn sounded like it should be on a scooter or Moped, not a big black Cross Roads rumbling by. It really failed in delivering my frustration at the driver's stupid and dangerous maneuver.
I searched 'horn' and got no results in the forums, any suggestions on where to find a real horn?

Has Anyone Tried This Waterproof Audio System?

Andy — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:39:46 +0000

What's your opinion on this low priced bike audio system?

Comments?

New Vision Tour owner...almost anyway.

jrleslie — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:01:45 +0000

Hey VOG,

First post so go easy on me

I am on my way to pick up a Steel '08 Vision Tour Premium with all the chrome goodies, accessory panel, inner fairings, front fairing trim etc. AND stage 2 exhaust AND unbelievably low miles, only 1475, no typo 1475 miles! It also has an extra seat, standard and blade shields and the trunk panel for when the trunk is off. It's been a garage queen it's whole life and I can't wait to get it on the road where it belongs. I think I got a pretty good deal on the low end of the 12-13k range, but I don't want to post an exact number if that is a forum no-no.

Thanks for all of your posts about reliability, build quality, and the video series highlighting Victory's superior design mechanics compared to other American made bikes I was considering too. I have learned so much here and can honestly say this forum helped assuage my nerves about how a 900 lb bike would handle for daily use. This is a gigantic step up in weight from my Mean Streak, but it is a step I'm excited to be taking. The aesthetics took awhile to grow on me since I saw my first one in '09, but now I can't wait to be the guy riding 900 lbs of modern art down the highway...

I'll post pics later, it seems all a bit too good to be true. Any advice for a newbie VV pilot would certainly be welcome. I'd especially be interested in hearing a "what to look for if she's been sitting for a while" as I now that is going to apply.

I look forward to being a part of the community and sharing as I learn.

Ryan

your suggestion on boots

ColbyCurtis — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:57:18 +0000

Hello fellow Vic riders. I thought I would get your opinion on footwear before I buy. I am a Instructor on a Military base and wear comfortable sneakers every day since I am on my feet 8 hours a day in a classroom. Now I want to start riding my bike to work and the base has strict rules to get on base you have to wear boots that cover over the ankle. I really don't want to carry an extra pair of sneakers to work in my backpack and change everyday so I am looking for some sort of boot that feels more like a comfortable pair of tennis shoes I can wear all day once at work. I am thinking about these hoping I get the best of both worlds do you guys have any other suggestions?
http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcycle-Boots/Speed-and-Strength-Mens-Hard-Knock-Life-Boot/333609.html
or these
http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcycle-Boots/Speed-and-Strength-Mens-Black-Moment-of-Truth-Shoes/141108.html

Biking route from Lake George NY to Central PA

alexandede — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:50:14 +0000

We'll be heading out for a nice 10-day banger coming up this summer. Looking roadway suggestions from the Upper NY / Central PA bikers.

We generally try to avoid highways and najor cities secondary roads when it comes to leisure cross-country rides... especially since that's the time to check out what the country has to offer. Our general route is from Lake George NY, possibly pass through the Finger Lakes in NY, and end up in Central PA near Williamsport.

A quick topographical look at Google maps shows some really cavernous twisties in north central PA. So here's my first stab at a route.

- Start at Rte 8-W through the Adirondacks.
- Hop onto 365/175/20-W to go under Syracuse (this part looks like it could backfire)
- Bang over Cayuga Lake and take Rte 89-S along the west side of the lake
- Jump over to Rte 79 to hit Rte 414-S below the Finger Lakes
- Then jump onto 15-S for a while just to get into PA.
- Then hook up Rte 287 and 414-S through the wicked twisty PA State Forests
- End around Williamsport.

Feel free to make suggestions if you can recommend to avoid any of these particular roads or have suggestions for roads we just gotta hit.

Thanks!

Removing faring

johnah5 — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:17:43 +0000

Hi all, I am going to remove the faring and install iPod cable. I saw some of the posts on this thank you for encouragement, question is is there a torque spec for tighteining the faring/headlights/etc bolts?

Thanks

Jh

2012 XC picked up in late March and already have 1165 miles on it!

X-Bow Exhaust

Compass — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:10:07 +0000

I'm interested in buying the black x-bow exhaust for my 2011 KP 8. Has anyone purchased this kit and can provide some constructive feedback? Thanks.

Cee Bailey's Dragon for XC

bubba — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:45:09 +0000

I just purchased a CB Dragon 18 inch shield from a VOG member a few days ago. He had issues with the distortion looking through the shield. I was using the 15 inch normal CB tinted shield prior to the change.

I rode yesterday about 75-80 for a long period of time. I have to say that I love this thing!!! I have zero wind problems at all and I can see over the top much better.

When buying this shield, ( I rode his bike before I purchased it a while back) you really need to be spot on with the size. I am 5'11" but have a large torso and easily see over the top. Someone with a shorter torso but the same height could have issues.

Ride before buying if you can

My Thoughts After The First Thousand Miles

Xlr8 — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:55:53 +0000

I looked through the pages of threads here and only saw one persons review of their bike and that was after a year. So I thought I would share my thoughts of the Cross Roads now that I have put the first 1,000 miles on it.

I bought my 2010 Cross Roads just under 2 months ago. I had 780 miles on it at the time. Yes that was the actual milage. Long story short guy bought the bike, 2 months later his work sent him over seas, comes back, wife gets pregnant with their first child, bike get parked in the garage. I know everyone's experiences differ. I don't have a lot of experience on a lot of different bikes. I've owned a Suzuki 800 Marauder, a Honda VTX 1300 Retro and now the Cross Roads. I haven't even ridden a lot of different bikes. In addition to the bikes I've owned I've ridden a Honda CRB600f4i and a Harley Dyna Low Rider. That's it! So take this for what it's worth. Hopefully it will be helpful to someone looking at a Cross Roads (XR) and a decedent read to those of you who own one. I have not ridden in about four years before getting the XR so this comparison to the other bikes is as best as I can remember.

When I first got on the XR and rode it the first thing that I thought is, "this thing is a beast." The 106ci engine is so strong. It pulls hard from down low to well up in the revs and well above legal Texas highway speeds. It just flat runs. The other thing I noticed was the weight and how it sits in the bike. The taller jugs shift the center a gravity up just a little bit compared to the VTX. It feels a little more top heavy. I like the feel of the seat and how I feel to be sitting "in" the bike rather than "on" it. That feeling, is one of the reasons I bought the VTX. I always felt like I was just stuck up on top of my Marauder but sat down in the bike and part of the machine on the VTX. I have that same feeling on the XR. I'm 6'1" and wear a 35" sleeve or size long jacket. I found the reach to the bars very comfortable. The stock bars on the VTX just pulled my shoulders "over" to far. I stuck some 39" beach bars on it and man was it comfortable. I sat on a Stratoliner today at the dealership and the bars on it were just a little to wide and up a bit at an awkward angle compared to the XR. I like the width and the height of the bars. To me It's very comfortable. The stock seat is pretty good for a factory seat. I had to go through 3 on the VTX before I settled on the Saddleman gel seat. I have not done a multi-hour trip yet but it has been good for 100+ mile trip so far. I like the Speedometer (especially the blue back lighting) and the function of the info that you toggle through with the left finger trigger. That's a pretty convenient way to go through the menus. I usually leave it on the tach or clock. I feel the bike has a good mix of materials between chrome, satin, and dark finishes (i.e. handlebar switch housings). I learned my lesson about a lot of chrome on my previous bike. It takes a lot of work and time to keep tons of chrome shiny. The floorboards are awesome. I can just move my feet all over the place. What an abundance of positions. But even at that I think I will get some highway pegs to kick my feet up. My wife is super comfy on the back. The previous owner bought the Victory quick release passenger back rest. She just sits back and chills. Although she did say to me the other day she feels more distance between us than on the VTX and she kind of wishes she were a little closer to me. She hasn't said anything negative about the seat yet. She has mentioned she wants floorboards back there. When I got the bike there was a little vibration in the seat and boards and it was a little harsh over bumps. I weigh 225 lbs. and the wife weighs 13..OUCH (smacked in the head) anyways I put about 20 lbs. of air in the rear shock and that really smoothed things out. The ride is real silky now and seems to be getting even more so as the engine continues to break in and smooth out (that or I'm getting use to it). The front shocks "to me" seem a little soft. This is a heavy bike and I think I would prefer them a little stiffer. I don't like the nose dive under heavy braking. I wish there were some Progressive springs to replace them with. And speaking of Braking. I am disappointed with the brake feel. I thought those free floating dual disc would give more feedback than they do. I think the single disc front brake on the VTX had more feel and feedback than the brakes on my XR. I do get the buffeting from the mid-height windshield. I haven't ridden without it yet but I probably will replace it come next fall. Also it seems soft and prone to scratching unless I'm just cleaning it wrong. My Memphis Shades windshield on the previous bike seemed indestructible. This one already has a few rock chips/ scrapes and a large scratch across the top in my sight line. :-/ Aesthetically the only thing I don't like about the bike is the large gap between the front of the tank and the triple trees. (the frame neck area) That seems to be a little too drawn out and a bit of an eye sore to me. The rest of the bike is gorgeous. I especially like the rear taillight treatment.

The bike is a dream to ride. With the gobs of torque, the smooth linear revs, 6 speed tranny, and well sorted fuel injection I just love cruising down the road on this thing. The lean angle is phenomenal compared to the easily scrapped floorboards of the VTX. Corning is good with a "on rails" feel and track through the corners. (*disclaimer, I'm not an aggressive rider).

I would like to add some floorboards for the Mrs. also cruise control since the 2010 year didn't come with it. Also looking at adding some lighting out front. Either HID or Light bar. My preference is light bar. Which brings me to one of the let downs about this bike. I do not like Victory's pay through the nose price on the accessories for what I feel is not top quality stuff. I have washed my bike once and been caught in one little rain shower and the back rest is starting to rust. The welds on the engine guards show signs of rust. The mirror stems have rust spots on them. That should not be for a bike of this caliber and accessories of this price. I'm glad Victory is selling a lot of these Cross Bikes because it seems the aftermarket is starting to sit up and take notice. Which is good. The Honda had loads of accessories available for it shortly after it's release. I just hope the aftermarket for this bike continues to increase strongly. A few more things I would like to add are some pipes because this things stock pipes are way to quiet. Also I will change the front tire to a different brand because this one is noisy... which just may be a byproduct of to quiet pipes. ;-)

Hope you enjoyed.
Xlr8

$28,995. Dollar Cross Road !

Crossroad — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:55:28 +0000

Why are Australian's charged $28,995 dollars for a $14,495 dollar bike. $14,500 dollars more. Can victory explain How it cost's double the price in Australia.? Shame on you victory. Talk about PRICE GOUGING and Greed. What is the Compleate BREAKDOWN OF COST'S ?

guage face color change?

jaredbiz — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:32:32 +0000

I have an 06 vegas, the speedo has a white background that illuminates orange numbers. Problem is, Im colorblind. At night/dusk, all I see is a messy orangy white blur!! I have searched and cannot find anywhere that has a a color change/ replacement faceplate. Anybody know of where a guy can pick one up? I know the new bikes have a blue illumination, I can see that setup much better. Was there an option or different setup between american and canadian bikes ( mine is out of the states, i live in canada ) Any help would be great guys. Cheers!!