victory cross country tour 2012

2012 Victory Cross Country Tour

Posted by Rider Magazine on November 17, 2011

Road Test Review

A year ago this fall, as I was riding a 2011 Victory Cross Country to New Mexico and back from Southern California, I wondered, “What could make this bike even better?” The cruise control worked great, its luggage system held a huge amount and I was enjoying the radio—but we always want a little more now, don’t we? Well, on the other hand, its lowers were really not much more than gussied-up crash bars, and since they did not blunt the wind, my legs became cold in the higher elevations. On those rain-soaked roads anti-lock brakes would have been a welcome addition, and the bike could have used a few additional creature comforts. All of these were on my wish list.

It’s almost as if the good folks at Victory read my mind, since for 2012 it has introduced an upgraded model called the Cross Country Tour that keeps all the good stuff from the original, and incorporates substantial improvements in terms of comfort and function, the sound system and safety considerations. It now presents itself as a state-of-the-art machine with all the amenities any dresser rider could possibly want.

As for the basics, the Cross Country Tour is still powered by the same air/oil-cooled, 50-degree V-twin motor with single overhead cams and four valves per cylinder that debuted several years ago. It displaces 1,731cc—that’s 106 cubic inches for bikes made in American places like Victory’s Spirit Lake, Iowa, factory. This bad boy has a 9.4:1 compression ratio, and sips 91-octane fuel through a pair of 45mm throttle-body injectors. Bore and stroke are 101 x 108mm. The whole shootin’ match is counterbalanced for vibration control, and then set into a two-piece, sand-cast, hollow aluminum frame. Power is leveraged through a six-speed transmission, the top gear of which is an overdrive; it all hooks to the rear wheel by means of a belt final drive.

The first thing you notice about the Cross Country Tour as compared with its predecessor is its new set of lowers, enclosed pieces replacing last year’s open framework. A glove box on each side will easily hold a pair of gloves and more behind its little door, and the left one includes an iPod hookup. Below these is an enclosed section that can fully block the windblast to the legs, or the rider can grab the hand lever on either side and rotate this section out of the way to allow the wind to blow through. Likewise, that clear deflector at the lower edge of each side of the fork-mounted fairing can be positioned to deflect the wind away from the body in cool weather, or pivoted to direct it toward the torso when it’s hot.

Another change this year is the new windscreen, which is even taller than the previous accessory tall screen. My only complaint with the Tour’s amenities is that even though I’m 6 feet tall I still had to look through the screen rather than over it, which can be a problem at night, or in rainy or misty weather. Taken together, however, the lowers, deflectors and windscreen combine to offer nearly total wind control and protection.

Hit the starter button and the Victory comes to life with a muted, throbbing idle. Chunk it into gear and note that this model has an unusually heavy clutch pull. I don’t recall that the bike I rode last year required near as much clutch effort, so this may have been a peculiarity of our test bike.

The rider sits in the bucket of the cushy one-piece, two-up seat, feet on long floorboards, hands holding widely spaced grips. If the ride becomes chilly the rider can close all the wind controls and turn on the new heated grips, which have a high and low temperature setting. Still cold? Activate the heated seats via separate toggle switches for the rider and passenger portions, which are located on the base of the dual seat’s left side; each also has a high and low setting. In a minute or so you’ll feel the seat begin to ooze warmth, which will be downright cozy on those evening rides.

Passenger amenities include the padded backrest mounted on the trunk as before, but new this year are the three-position footboards. They can be placed at any of three heights by unbolting and reinstalling their brackets. This not only varies their height within a 2-inch range, but depending upon how you turn the brackets the ’boards can also be tilted 10 degrees.

Despite its bulky appearance and hefty wet weight of 868 pounds with a full tank of gas, the Cross Country Tour has a relatively light feel on the road. Part of this is its 29-degree rake with 5.6 inches of trail. Still, with that 65.7-inch wheelbase, it’s solid on the road. Another plus is that despite its relatively low seat height of 26.3 inches, the bike has an acceptable level of cornering clearance and doesn’t usually drag parts while cornering.

Victory boasts that the Cross Country Tour provides “the most storage of any bike in the world,” more than 41 gallons worth, and I could not dispute that. The bags are huge, their lids open outward and their flat inner walls make them easy to pack. The rear-opening trunk will swallow a pair of full-face helmets and most of whatever else you wish to carry. Factor in the glove boxes in the new lowers and if the Tour doesn’t provide enough storage for you, you’ve probably over packed. The bags and trunk are all lockable with the ignition key, and unlined, but your Victory dealer will cheerfully sell you a set of liner bags for them.

That trunk has a “Lock & Ride” feature that allows it to be removed or installed quickly and easily without tools. To do so, the rider begins by unhooking the wiring harness for the trunk (located behind the left side cover), then pivots two handles upward that are located below the trunk. This releases the trunk and the entire unit can be removed.

The 106-inch motor has a pleasant note, and with its counterbalancer is a model of smoothness. When last we tested a Victory 106 in a Cross Country, in our May 2010 issue, it cranked out 87.5 horsepower at 4,900 rpm, and generated 97.5 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm, and this engine is identical. Shifting requires some effort and produces some satisfying clunks, especially when stuffing it into first gear. Power delivery is very controllable, and at 60 mph in sixth gear the motor is turning a lazy 2,300 rpm. For simplified maintenance it features self-adjusting cam chains, utilizes hydraulic lifters and oil-change intervals are 5,000 miles.

On my New Mexico trip last year I noted that while riding the highway for hours on end in sixth gear with the cruise control set at 70-75 mph, this big-incher returned a surprising 50 mpg. That, coupled with its 5.8-gallon tank, gave it a potential range of 290 miles. This year, in more conventional all-round city/country usage, our test bike averaged 38.6 mpg.

The bike is suspended by a 43mm male-slider cartridge fork that provides 5.1 inches of travel, but offers no adjustments. The rear single air shock offers 4.7 inches of travel. Access the Schrader valve located behind the bike’s right side cover, consult the small chart in the right saddlebag lid specifying the recommended air pressures for various loads and weights, and use the hand pump provided to adjust the shock’s air pressure. I found the suspension well controlled, short of plush, and very acceptable for a bike this size and heft.

Another upgrade on the Tour model is anti-lock brakes, a nonlinked system that utilizes a pair of 300mm front discs activated by four-piston calipers, and a single 300mm rear with a two-piston caliper. Utilize either brake while upright in a straight line and you’ll feel the wheels repeatedly come to the point of near lockup, then release.

The sound system offers an AM/FM radio standard, with an iPod cord and satellite radio available as an option. Four speakers, a pair in the fairing and a pair on the trunk, surround you with sound. Audio quality is good, but at highway speeds most of the sound is lost in the wind.

The bike offers a high-intensity discharge headlight that Victory states is four times brighter than a standard halogen light, and lasts 10 times longer. We now tend to carry cell phones and GPS, and for charging such devices, the Tour offers three 12-volt plugs, one in the dash, a second in the left glove box and a third in the trunk.

Complaints are minor. I’ve already mentioned the tall windscreen. Also, the control pods for the sound system below the left grip and the cruise control on the right are not illuminated. Until you become familiar with them, you will be fumbling around for them in the dark.

In addition to its large speedometer and tach, the Cross Country Tour’s instrument panel includes a fairly accurate fuel gauge and ammeter, gear indicator and clock. Repeatedly pull a switch near the left grip and the LCD display will cycle through two tripmeters, ride time, average mpg, average mph, range, current mpg, running time and odometer.

With all this luggage capacity and passenger amenities, it’s comforting to know that the CC Tour has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 1,360 pounds. Subtract its wet weight and you find the bike offers 492 pounds of load capacity.

If you’re ready to spring for a 2012 Cross Country Tour, the bike’s MSRP is $21,999, and color options include the Solid Sunset Red shown, plus Solid Black or Solid Pearl White. An option is the more basic Cross Country model, which is essentially last year’s model without the trunk and this year’s updates, but it does have ABS; it sells for $18,999.

On last year’s long ride I put more than 3,000 miles on the Cross Country, and really came to appreciate its handling, power, luggage capacity and sound system. Now that it has been upgraded with the new airflow controls, heated grips and seats, and the rest, the Cross Country Tour can match other top-line dressers for comfort features, while its ABS provides an additional safety margin. Put it all together, and Victory has a bike that now excels in every functional category of long-distance travel. Hmmm, now where’s my map of New Mexico?

Victory Cross Country Tour Review

A Season on the 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour

Here in the Northeast, it’s just about the time that I add fuel stabilizer to the tank, run the bike for a few minutes, and call it a season.

The now-motionless bike in my garage is a Victory Cross Country Tour, and the season in question was my first on it.

Since the Cross Country Tour was new, not only to me but to everyone else, you might be interested in my impressions.

Here’s how that season went, how the bike performed, what’s particularly good about it, and what needs work.

A Short History of the Cross Country Tour

For the 2010 model year, Victory introduced a couple of fraternal twins, the Cross Roads and the Cross Country.

These “Cross” models – generally designated “XR” and “XC,” respectively are traditional-looking V-twin baggers.

They have the same 106 cubic inch (1731 CC) air/oil-cooled, fuel-injected, SOHC, four valves per cylinder engine (whew!).

Victory uses this powerplant across-the-board now.

The XR and XC also share Victory’s six-speed transmission, belt final drive, twin disks up front and single disk out back, ABS, and both have an 18″ front and a 16″ rear wheel (although the XR’s are spoked and the XC’s cast, with tubeless radials on the latter).

The XR has a fork-mounted windshield and minimalist instrumentation; soft saddlebags are now standard.

The XC, on the other hand, has a fork-mounted “bat-wing” type of fairing, more extensive readouts and sound system, and hard saddlebags; the XC also adds cruise control as standard these days.

You can read all the specs and pricing as you work your way through the  Victory Motorcycles web site .

One of the options for the XC was a top case. (It doesn’t seem to be offered for the XC for 2013, which is just as well – it added almost 10% to the price of the base bike).

For the 2012 model year, Victory started with the XC, did a little tweaking, added a bunch of options, and called their new creation the Cross Country Tour (or “XCT”).

The major additions to the Cross Country that comprise the Cross Country Tour are:

• Top case is standard.
• Heated seats and grips.
• Adjustable passenger mini-floorboards.
• A taller windshield (more about that in a minute).
• An HID low-beam for the headlight (and more on that, too, later on).
• Tubular front crash bars (like the XR; the XC has flat-style bars).
• Storage-pod lowers.
• An air-management system, which includes adjustable fairing-mounted winglets and adjustable openings in the lowers.

In 2012, the Victory Cross Country Tour list price was $21,999 in black, $22,499 in red or white.

And my simplistic color names don’t do the paint job justice, as we’re talking a sort of metal-flake, even in black…

For 2013, the choices are now black ($21,999, as before), or blue and a kind of bronze (all upped $100 to $22,599).

Keep in mind, however, that Victory runs a lot of special promotions, e.g., if you take a demo ride, go to a show, get on their mailing list, etc.

Also, there’s some bargaining room, or at least there was, back in January, 2012, when I actually signed the paperwork; at that time, there was a rebate program, and a discount for veterans, and a dealer incentive kickback, so I saved a lot of money.

Putting the Cross Country Tour Through Its Paces

I picked up my XCT, fresh from the crate, in late March. During the season, I did about 2,000+ miles of super-slabs, including a 600-mile day and a couple of 400-mile days.

At the other extreme, I rode The Dragon at Deals Gap, forward and back, along with many of that area’s great roads en route. Mostly, however, I did a lot of 200- to 300-mile day trips.

I live in the Albany, New York region, so my rides include the back roads of the Catskill, Adirondack, and Berkshire mountains or two-laners to Connecticut or Massachusetts to check out pizza and hot dog places for lunch and so forth.

Most of my riding was solo, but some was two-up with my wife, often for more than an hour at a time in between stops. Ambient temps ranged from 50 or so to the high 90s.

Some – not much, but some – of the riding was in mild rain, and some in pretty heavy rain. In short, I put the XCT through its paces. All told, I put about 8,400 miles on it in seven months.

So, how did it do?

Ride Quality and Handling

The ride quality of the Victory Cross Country Tour is great.

It’s stable in a straight line, but I don’t know what the top end is, but I “cracked the ton” a few times (professional rider, closed course, etc.), easily and without any drama.

It’s neutral in turns, and it has excellent ground clearance… yes, you can add the caveat “for a cruiser” or “for a tourer,” but, after all, that’s what we’re talking about here.

The floorboards fold up 5 or 6 degrees (I put an angle gauge on them a while back).

After that, the next thing to touch down will be an exhaust shield (my experience) or some part of the bag guards (others’ experiences).

The Cross Country Tour, by the way, uses a sensible (for handling) 180/60R16 rear tire (although Victory does offer some special phat-tired, hard-to-steer cruiser models, if that’s what you’re looking for).

No tracking of rain grooves, wobbling, or other handling anomalies.

There is minimal vibration (except when cracking it WFO, of course), even – and here’s a novel concept – at idle.

The XCT employs an aluminum frame and inverted forks (more rigid and less unsprung mass than “conventional” forks, don’tcha know).

Further, it has real suspension: there’s approximately 5″ of travel in both the front and rear.

The front suspension is non-adjustable, and seems well set up to me; the rear is a single air shock, adjustable via a Schrader valve under the right side-cover.

The size of the Cross Country Tour is in the same realm as most other full-dressed touring rigs. Victory lists its “dry weight” as 845 lbs.

I have no idea what it really weighs, when you add on such frippery as 5.8 gallons of high-test, five quarts of oil, and whatever else “dry weight” excludes (fork oil? battery?).

But both the seat and center of gravity are extremely low, so if you’re used to big bikes at all you’ll have no problem here.

The seat height is listed as 26.25″, and it’s definitely low; not only can I flat-foot it at stops, but my knees are bent, as well.

(By the way, I believe that H-D lists measures height with some person of some weight actually sitting on the bike. So, cross-brand “seat height” comparisons may be as meaningful as, oh, weight comparisons).

What looks like a fuel tank actually is a fuel tank on the XCT.

While the fuel is up high, the bike is not top heavy; I guess the engine’s weight and placement, and the frame geometry, renders that a non-issue.

Even the battery is nicely placed for handling and C of G; it’s at the very bottom front of the bike, underneath the oil cooler (and you can get to it by removing four bolts, underneath the bike, that hold its covering panel in place).

If you’re not familiar with bikes of this ilk, I won’t give you any baloney like, “Once underway, it feels 500 lbs. lighter.” It’s still a big bike, and you won’t be out-carving the nearest supermotard.

And you may want to practice hanging off for U-turns in some vacant parking lot (no, not hanging off the inside – the outside, you young crotch-rocket whipper-snappers).

Getting the Power Down

The engine has plenty of power and torque.

Some folks feel that there’s never enough motor, this side of a blown Boss Hoss, or maybe whatever that concoction was where someone put a Dodge Viper engine in a concept that sort of looked liked a bike.

Back on Earth, however, the basic 106 cubic inch engine is more than adequate.

There’s never a problem getting underway from a standstill, even with a passenger.

You don’t need to shift down to pass, but if you’re in an absolute rush on two-lane blacktop, dropping down to fourth will take you past 100 in a hurry.

Sixth gear is used for loping along the Interstates.

I’ve been consistently getting low 40s for an MPG reading, whether on the highways or briskly riding back roads; I imagine you can get more than 50 MPG if you ride leisurely in 55MPH zones all day. Premium fuel is specified.

The transmission is not a “snicker,” but it’s not a “clunker,” either.

Works fine, no noticeable drive-line slop, no missed shifts. The cable-operated clutch has a good engagement range.

As an extra added attraction, there’s a trick neutral-assist function, akin to that of some Kawasakis of the last few years.

When you’re below 5MPH – stopped, for instance – all you have to do is shift up from first, and there you are.

That is, instead of maybe going into neutral or maybe going into second, you’re most definitely put in neutral.

There’s no gingerly playing around with the clutch, or rolling the bike a few inches back and forth; you just shift up to neutral.

Once the light turns green, you shift down to first, get underway – at which point hopefully you’re doing more than 5 MPH – and then just shift up to second, etc.

The triple-disk brake system gets the job done. I’d like a little more initial bite from the front brakes, but they’re linear and up to the task. The brake lever has a thumbwheel for reach adjustment.

The front tire is a braking-and-handling-sensible 130/70R18. The ABS is unobtrusive.

I don’t believe I’ve gotten the front to kick in yet. If you’re experimenting in this regard, it’s much easier, and safer, too, just to stomp on the rear-brake peddle.

To me, this is a highly significant part of the touring equation. The Victory Cross Country Tour seat is very comfy, fore and aft. Up front, nothing, um, gets squashed.

There’s an upturn before the pillion area, which I think should be positioned just a tiny bit more rearward. By the way, I’m 5’9″, with a 30″ inseam. The reach to the handlebars is just about right.

On the one hand, I’m thinking of replacing them with some 2″ pullbacks.

On the other hand, I’ve used bar-backs/risers on every bike I’ve owned, so I seem to prefer a more straight-up riding position, or at least have significant bend in my arms in normal riding.

Incidentally, as a result of the dash configuration, you can’t add risers – a bit of a shame – so you have to replace the handlebars if you want to bring them closer.

The floorboards are class-leading (long), according to Victory; they’re certainly the longest I’ve ever seen. You can move your feet from about straight down to straight out, depending on your inseam.

Of course, you 6’4″ types may still want highway pegs added up front. But the point is, as sold, this is quite a relaxing environment.

The shift lever is three-position fore-and-aft adjustable, and its height can be adjusted via a threaded rod; you have to let it come up pretty far on the uptick, so I guess a little shorter throw would be nice.

Out back, my wife tells me that she’s never had a better view, because the pillion portion is raised up (she considers this both a plus and a minus, as she sometimes doesn’t want to see what I’m doing, in terms of what’s ahead).

Anyway, the seat’s also comfy for her, and the modest wrap-around curvature of the top case makes her feel sufficiently secure. The backrest is well padded and its angle is fine.

By contrast, we rode a Valkyrie Interstate for seven years, and although I kept the stock seat, I replaced the backrest on the top case, essentially just to change that angle.

And for my former 650 Burgman Exec, I had a backrest for the Givi top case custom made by a local upholsterer…

Last and most assuredly not least, the Cross Country Tour passenger gets mini floorboards, adjustable for height (three positions) and angle (through a modest arc).

We have availed ourselves of these adjustments, to the point where I know the torque value for the two-bolt adjustment.

Victory also offers a reasonably priced option for passenger grab handles. Well, you might be thinking that these should be stock, and I might agree with you.

On the other hand, these are really nice handles, and they’re the most robust grab rails I’ve ever seen; with the proper straps and hoist, you could probably lift the back end of the bike off the ground with them – maybe even the whole bike.

Disclamer #1: The passenger grab rails you see on my bike are not stock!

Air Management

Let’s start with the windshield. Recall that the XCT one-ups the XC by adding a new, tall, windshield (along with some new brackets, to hold it in place). I did some demo rides on the XCT prior to buying it, and that windshield is too tall for me.

Pretty much everyone has to look through it, even if you shop at the Big and Tall stores.

Me, I already wear glasses, and then look through at least the shield on my modular helmet, and maybe its internal sun visor, too.

That’s enough.

Regardless, I’m a look-over rider, not a look-through one. So the stock windshield was a non-starter.

Luckily, the XCT is shipped in a crate  sans  windshield. The dealer agreed to install a different windshield for me, for free, since he had to put one on, anyway.

(By “free” I mean there wasn’t a charge for labor, just for the new windshield. I sold the stocker on eBay).

I bought the KlockWerks “Flare.” Don’t confuse this with the Victory-brand “Flip,” both of which are sold through Victory dealers.

The Flip is just a “shorty” type of windshield, while the Flare is a little larger and adds a curved-up top edge.

The Flare works, in terms of moving any significant buffeting over my head, and my wife says that it’s fine even way back there.

Disclamer #2: The pictures you see here do not depict a stock windshield!

Some people might actually like the stock windshield, especially if you’re already a look-through person. I’ve ridden behind it at several demos, as well as some extended stints on a friend’s Cross Country Tour.

It’s clear, and it creates an extremely calm pocket of air. I find it too calm; almost stagnant.

However, if you don’t wear a full-face helmet, or generally don’t like a breeze, it may be your cup of tea, especially in cold weather.

And if you want to add some air to the mix, you can open the winglets (see below).

For those of you who haven’t experienced electrically adjustable windshields, they’re a very nice feature for touring.

Unfortunately, I’ve never seen that functionality on bikes with fork-mounted fairings, and the XCT is no exception: it doesn’t have that capability.

You can, however, get a mount (with or without their windshield) from MadStad (see Victory Resources, below) that has a manual adjustment system; that mount has recently been redesigned and looks sleeker, as well as being a useful option in the windshield arena.

Next, regarding air management, there are winglets attached on either side of the fairing, just above the storage pods in the lowers.

They can be rotated from a blocking position – an adjunct to the fairing itself – around to an on-edge position, in terms of incoming air.

In conjunction with a scooped area between the pods and the tank, they do a great job of letting you control the airflow to the upper torso.

Last, the storage pods/hard lowers have their own air-control doors.

These are less intuitive: opening them all the way does not provide the most cooling relief to your legs on hot days. What happens is that if you do that, you’ll mix too much engine heat with the incoming air.

Instead, given a lip at their inner rearward edge, you have to experiment with partial openings for maximum unadulterated fresh air.

This also depends on how you position your legs, i.e., forward or back on the floorboards, and toward the inside or outside of them.

Some Cross Country Tour owners just remove the entire pod/lower package in hot weather (seven bolts each, as I recall). Both the winglets and lower vents can be adjusted on the fly, so to speak.

However, it’s a long reach to those lower vent handles, and you may have to take your eyes off the road while bending forward, so be careful. If I do that, I need a clear road and the cruise control on.

Given the wide fairing, wide and tall lowers, and the fairing winglets, rain protection is excellent, by the way.

This is an area where the Cross Country Tour positively shines. The two saddlebags are huge – class-leading, according to Victory and I’ve seen my share of saddlebags, and don’t dispute that. The top case easily holds two full-face helmets.

Total storage, including the pods in the lowers, is said to be 41.1 gallons (c. 156 liters for the rest of the world; put another way, about 22% more than an Electra Glide).

Per Victory: “The Cross Country Tour has the most storage space of any motorcycle in the world.”

The saddlebag lids swing outward on a hinge, with the locks next to and below the passenger’s portion of the seat.

The top case is hinged by the passenger backrest on it; yeah, Harley’s TourPak side hinge is probably a better idea – you can’t have everything.

The pods just snap close. If you want to spring for them, Victory sells pod locks.

Other Amenities

The Victory Cross Country Tour cruise control is excellent.

If you’re holding the throttle steady and you press and release the cruise control “Set” button, and loosen your grip, there is absolutely no change in speed, no hiccup, nothing.

And it holds the speed nicely, even in sixth gear on steep grades.

The controls for the cruise are accessible via the right thumb, on a small plate by the throttle grip.

The heated grips have a low/off/high rocker switch on the dash, and do a fine job.

After a stop in a recent ride, I switched from cool-weather gloves to lighter gloves, and left the grips on low; after a few minutes – the temperature had gone up to 60-something by then – the heat was definitely too much, and I turned off the grips.

The heated seats have low/off/high toggle switches – one for the front and one for the back – located in a nook-and-cranny area just aft of the rider’s portion of the stepped seat, on the left side.

I tend to ride in cold weather with over-pants (FirstGear HT version), and add their liner if it’s really cold, so this doesn’t matter that much to me.

We were doing a day-long leaf-peeping ride recently, and at our first stop I reminded my wife, who was in jeans, about the switches; at the second stop, she remarked how well the system worked, and how welcome it was.

The XCT has a built-in radio, with four speakers: two in the fairing and two in the top case (on the outside of the passenger backrest area). There’s also an iPod (or, I suppose, iPhone) connector in the left pod.

There are functions for AM, FM, Aux, the iPod, and a CB, if you add one. The switchgear for all of this is inboard of the left grip, on a little mounting plate.

But, forgive me (or not), I admit it: I can’t tell you beans about how good any of this is, or how well it works. Simply, I don’t do tunes while riding.

There are three cigarette-lighter style outlets on the Cross Country Tour: one in the fairing, one in the top case and a third resides inside the left pod (corrected from two in the original posting).

Both are covered by rubber flaps, and both are “hot” with the engine on or off.

Victory sells Powerlet outlets, or you can add them yourself; there are two areas that seem intended for them, both on the left side: one under the tank, near the seat, and one way down low, in the front, by the battery.

The high beam on the Victory Cross Country Tour is a halogen bulb, and the low beam was an HID light. For 2013, Victory deleted the HID in favor of a halogen low beam, too.

All of the other lights are LEDs, and they are all very bright: the amber front and rear turn signals (with a four-way flasher switch by the left grip); the white license-plate light; and the red rear running/brake lights.

Regarding those last two, one is about 13″ tall, and “Frenched” into the rear fender, and the other is integrated into the top case lid, and is about 13″ wide. Nice job, all around.

I’d prefer, if I were to nit pick, that the turn signals were also running lights, and that the top case light was split in two, so that it could also function as a duplicate, high-eye-level, turn signal.

Disclaimer #3: Those lights you see down by the front brake calipers are not stock, and are not sold by Victory; they are Motolights (whose halogen bulbs I’ve replaced with 5-watt LEDs, if you must know).

Last, the dash gauges – speedo, tach, gas, and volts – are very readable in daylight. At night, they retain this readability with nice blue backlighting.

Maintenance

The Victory Cross Country Tour has an air-cooled engine, so there’s no coolant to change. It has hydraulic valve adjusters, so there are no valves to adjust.

And you don’t have to worry about final-drive gear oil, nor is there a chain to adjust or lubricate.

It has one engine oil drain plug, and one place to put in a fresh supply of oil. There is no bodywork to remove to get at the oil filter.

OK, so the final-drive belt is supposed to be replaced every 30,000 miles. And the air filter is under the fuel tank.

And, of course, you’ll have to change the two spark plugs once in a while, flush and refill the brake system, and replace the fuel filter. But that’s it.

What Victory Needs to Improve

What you might have picked up on by now is that Victory sometimes backslides, and sometimes needs to be reminded to keep it classy.

There are some nice touches on the Cross Country Tour; the fenders are steel, and you certainly don’t need to add a fender extender or mud flap to the front (or rear, for that matter).

The gas tank is smooth and without a flange along the bottom. The seat flows into the tank.

The saddlebag crash bars are standard, as are the ones up front (which the pods/lowers attach to).

But…What’s up with dropping the HID low beam? You have a unique feature, and you ditch it?

I noticed in one of the magazines that the H-D CVO Road Glide gets LED headlights this year. Maybe Victory is getting ready to join suit?

And what’s up with a cable-operated clutch? My 2000 Valkyrie had a hydraulic clutch, for cryin’ out loud, and it was hardly the top-of-the-line for Honda.

I carry a replacement cable, which can easily get lost in one of the cavernous saddlebags, but still…

In typical bike fashion, the Cross Country Tour horn is of the Road Runner “meep, meep” variety. I replaced mine with a relay-triggered  Stebel Nautilus air horn (review) , inside the fairing.

The switches for the heated seats ought to be rocker switches, not toggle switches. While they’re tucked out of the way, it’s possible to bump them, and you certainly can’t tell at a glance what position they’re in.

And you can’t tell from the photos, but those fork guards are plastic. About $30 apiece, and many owners have broken them. (You can buy metal fork guards from KewlMetal – see Victory Resources – for $143).

There are a few other plastic parts that really should be metal, too, such as what’s known as the “cheese wedge,” which is that part that says “106” on it, between the cylinders on the right side.

The saddlebag lids are a source of forum complaints, and rightfully so. If I didn’t wear hearing aids off the bike and custom-molded ear plugs on it, along with a modular helmet, their rattling would bother me, too.

And while they have sufficient sealing and overhang to prevent any problem with rain, they let dust in quite easily.

There is no adjustment capability in either the hinge or latching mechanism.

The bottom line is that Victory needs to refine its tolerances in this area, or provide adjustment capability, or both.

Along those lines, the locking mechanism on the top case lid is a little weird. It’s a separate mechanism, i.e., not part of the snap closers. This is nice in that you don’t need to lock the top case (or the saddlebag lids) in order to close them.

However, the top case lid lock allows a good deal of travel, if some miscreant unsnaps the lid – very inviting for something used to pry it open.

The dash has a gear indicator, but the clutch must be engaged for it to work.

To find out if you’re in, say, first or second, you have to let out the clutch.

My buddy’s R 1200 RT has no problem indicating the gear with the clutch disengaged, and I’ve read that when the XC first came out, its gear indicator worked that way, too.

This maxim comes to mind: if you’re going to do something, do it right or don’t do it at all.

The gas gauge of the Cross Country Tour drops to the bottom about the same time the “Low Fuel” warning comes on, which is about when you have 50 or 60 miles left in the tank.

The warning is fine, but the fuel gauge pointer should be recalibrated such that it should then point to the top of the red-outlined warning area, not at its bottom.

Last, the engine puts out a lot of heat, and that’s especially noticeable when you’re not moving on a really hot day (say, 90 and up).

I don’t know whether Victory has any wiggle room left with this engine, in terms of EPA approval; if they do, they should use it to make the engine less lean… and as I understand the matter, therefore generally less hot.

That R 1200 RT I mentioned runs about 20 degrees cooler in the cylinder-fin area than the Cross Country Tour – I’ve checked periodically, with a non-contact thermometer.

Yes, the Beemer has a smaller engine, but it’s also very powerful, too. Now, for you folks who are used to air-cooled twins, this may not be an issue.

Forum posts indicate that H-Ds get even hotter, and Victory has not felt the need to shut down the rear cylinder, by using something akin to Harley’s “parade mode” on certain bikes.

I ride Harleys every year at Americade (in large measure because they’re the only vendor who lets you go out on your own – on a prescribed route – on everything but V-Rods).

Americade weather is usually not hot enough for a good test of heat output, but every once in a while it is.

I rode a Buell Ulysses a few years back on a very hot day, and at the first stop was wondering whether I should’ve been wearing a Nomex suit, especially on my right leg (although the ride itself was a joy).

The Bottom Line

Let’s say my wife and I are going on a two- or three-week trip, which will include plenty of scenic by-ways, some Interstate traveling, and a dash of everything else found in on-road riding.

If I were to have my pick of any bike, I’d choose the Victory Cross Country Tour. You’re probably asking yourselves, “What the heck is he smoking?”

No, really, I’m serious. Let’s review: Fine handling, suspension, and ground clearance. Very good power, shifting, and ABS braking.

Very good weather protection, and air-management adjustability. Excellent ergonomics – seats (front and back), feet options (front and back), etc.

Excellent amenities – heated grips and seats, cruise control, etc. Superb storage capacity.

You want to relax and stretch out? Check. The Gold Wing, Harleys,  et al ., don’t have those expansive floorboards.

My wife thinks the ‘Wing has the best passenger accommodations going, but admits that the back seat of the Cross Country Tour is actually pretty good, including the back support.

And then there’s the adjustable mini boards back there.

Comfort is covered, front and back. And I’ve ridden on Road Glides, Road Kings (even rented one), Electra Glides, etc., and I feel cramped on them. Yeah, I know, the aftermarket has plenty of seats.

And longer floorboards? And Harley’s web site doesn’t even bother to list the suspension travel. And I don’t like how they shake at idle, either…

You want to pack multiple pairs of jeans and a hair dryer? The Cross Country Tour has it covered. You want a bike with as little as possible that can go wrong? Tubeless tires, too?

Check that off, as well. Not too shabby, huh?

A nice touring addition would be an electrically adjustable windshield (see my buddy’s RT, or my former Burgman Exec, or a current Connie, or…), but even a Gold Wing doesn’t have that, and it doesn’t have a fork-mounted fairing like the Cross Country Tour.

So that’s not a unique flaw, and at least you can add a manually adjustable one.

Now, I probably have a different definition of a “tourer” than most of you, anyway.

I’d insist that a tourer have a feet-forward riding position, or at least straight down. If you think that’s a strange requirement, how do account for all the highway peg sales in the world?

And if you’re going to stretch out that way, you might as well have the controls up there, too. Yes, that almost excludes the ‘Wing.

Hey, I rode a feet-straight-down Valkyrie for seven years; while that’s comfortable, any one position gets old after an hour or two, in my opinion. I’d exclude the ‘Wing on the basis of trying to get at its oil filter, too.

And it does exclude every Beemer.

I’d leave out BMW, anyway; their  K 1600 GTL (report)  has a back seat that covers half of the passenger grab rails (design by committee? multiple committees?) and that top case backrest is simply inadequate (as are the top case backrests on a lot of other tourers).

The one caveat I would add is that if that three-week tour’s destination is, say, New Orleans in August, I would opt for something water-cooled…maybe the Vulcan 1700 Voyager.

I rode the Vaquero (essentially the same thing, sans topcase) at Americade last June, and it was a similar experience to riding the XCT or an XC… but just a bit less so, in whatever feature you’re talking about.

On the other hand, one of the “less” categories was definitely engine heat. Sure, the Cross Country Tour is not perfect; no bike is.

Having said that, it has what you need, and most of what you want, to go for a long ride, and do it in style and comfort and ease. Just fire it up, and roll. So I’m sticking with my choice.

Victory Resources

Victory, the “other” American motorcycle company, seems to be doing well.

At any rate, it has done well enough that a cottage industry of Victory-exclusive or at least Victory-oriented aftermarket suppliers has sprung up. Here are the ones I’m aware of.

Victory-Oriented Aftermarket Companies Lloyd’z Motor Workz   |   KewlMetal   |   CycleOps USA   |   WitchDoctors   |   Heavy Metal Designz   |  Rick Fairless’ Strokers Dallas

Aftermarket Windshields for the Victory Cross Country Tour MadStad Engineering    |   Gustafsson Plastics   |   Clearview Shields   |   Cee Bailey’s Aircraft Plastics   |   7Jurock Plastics

Victory Internet Forums VictoryForums   |   TheVOG.Net

Owner Comments and Feedback

From “C.N.” (March 2014):  “I felt compelled to drop you a line and thank you for such a well thought out and comprehensive review of your Victory Cross Country. Hands down the best one I’ve read, and the most extensive (not to mention open and honest).

I nearly bought a XC myself last year, but financially I decided it was best to wait until this year.

The new changes to the HD’s have caught my eye though (“Project Rushmore”), and after riding my father’s 2013 Ultra Classic I put HDs back on the table.

Having said that, I’ve never ridden a Victory as the only local dealer doesn’t seem terribly interested in offering one.

Your review has definitely reminded me of why I was interested in the XC in the first place — they just seem to be better thought out. I’ve been a sportbike rider since my late teens (I survived!), so this is my first foray into the cruiser/touring world.

I still have my sportbike (a mint Suzuki GSXR1K5, best sportbike ever made if you ask me), but it simply is not up to the task of the longer rides my girlfriend and I are interested in. A proper trip on a sportbike can be pretty torturous.

Going back to the XC, one of the things that still gets my goat is the cheap looking trim (e.g. the “chrome” surrounding the headlight).  It just looks flimsier than it should.

Compare that to a new HD’s proper fit and finish, and some of the Victory’s cockpit/fairing bits just looks like they should have a “MADE IN CHINA” label half-stuck to the bottom.

The cruise control buttons and whatnot I’m not terribly thrilled with either. If I had one other complaint about the XC, it’s the ignition position/key setup. The HD just seems much sturdier and well made.

Anyhow, if you’ve read my blurb up until this point, thanks again for your write up. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any feedback, suggestions, or warnings as I continue my research and pondering is welcome and appreciated. Thanks again and take care.”

Bill’s Reply:  Having ridden the Tour for another year now after writing the review, I still think it’s a terrific bike.

I completely agree with you regarding H-D, though: they have better paint, more attention to detail, and seem to put more thought into overall integration.

Victory falls short in these aspects, and I agree that items such as the cruise-control and radio buttons look kind of just tacked on.

That said, I think the Victory is still a much better long-distance mount, with its better handling and clearance, better suspension, smoother (at idle, anyway) and more powerful (stock) engine, larger storage capacity, and roomier ergos.

I have an H-D dealer about two miles from me, which I often visit, and I continue to test-ride all the Harleys at Americade (less than an hour away) each summer.

And I have a Victory dealer 14 miles away, where I go every time the factory demo fleet is in town, so I keep up with developments.

Since the perfect bike still awaits both of us, it’s a matter of deciding on priorities while we’re waiting.

Also: See  this thread  on the Victory forum. The poster wanted responses from current Victory owners who had switched from H-D, asking why they switched, and got a couple dozen cogent answers.

Since I’ve only ridden and rented — but never actually owned — a Harley, they provide insight that I can’t.

From “S.O.” (August 2013):  “Great article Bill. I too drive a ’12 XCT, red, just like yours. Love it. 15K in 1.5 seasons and it’s been great. Just today in the ship for the first “repair” for my ABS light coming on.

One thing I don’t have is the passenger grab rails. Vic wants $300. You mentioned yours were not Ma Vic’s. Where’d you get them and how much dinero??

Bill’s Reply:  I see now that — if you can imagine this! — I wrote a statement that was unclear. I wrote: The passenger grab rails you see on my bike are not stock!

What I meant by that was that the grab rails are not part of what you get when you buy a Victory “Cross” bike.

That is, I didn’t want readers to think that if you buy an XCT, what you see (in the wBW pictures) is what you get (with regard to the grab handles or the windshield).

On the other hand, the grab rails are made by Victory — you just have to pay for them. Maybe I should have said, the way they do in car commercials, “optional equipment shown.”

As I stand by my description of the grab rails — they’re extremely robust and well-made — I think they’re worth the money.

In addition for use by an actual passenger, you can use them to grab onto if you ever need to “back-walk-up” a dropped bike and also for luggage tie-down points.

I have not read about any aftermarket supplier for grab rails for the Victory “Cross” bikes, so I think it’s Victory or nothing. Sorry about the confusion.

From “J.T.M.” (January 2013):  “Nice bike, but: (1) It’s $22,600! These toys are getting a bit pricey. You can get a pretty nice 2013 Honda Accord Coupe for that much. Or, a real Harley-Davidson.

(2) I’ll never appreciate the looks of the Victory. The “Nessie” style just looks dated, to me. Not classic, dated.”

Bill’s Reply:  “If you start with a similar H-D dresser — fork-mounted fairing, hard saddlebags, and a top case — you’re looking at the $19,699 Electra Glide Classic.

Add (single-color, non-black) paint, ABS (available only as part of the security package), cruise-control, and freight, to make the bikes more or less equivalent, you’re now up to $22,139.

You’ll have better security on the Classic, but you still won’t have the Victory’s suspension travel, cornering clearance, long floorboards, and storage volume.

And you’re more likely to get a greater discount at a Victory dealer, so we’re probably talking less money for the Tour.

I don’t know what makes a Harley any more “real” than a Victory, but they’re certainly in the same price range.

I agree that “these toys are getting a bit pricey.”

Not much you can do about that if you want a full-dressed touring rig. If you want to buy an Accord instead, that’s certainly an option, but it’s not nearly as much fun.”

From “J.K.” (November 2012):  “I am on my second Victory Cross Country. I had an early 2010. I now have a 2012 Tour. I have a few quick comments.

I have not had my saddlebag lids rattle on either bike. There is a small amount of adjustment that is available on each lid (not sure if it will help or not).

I have ridden in very warm weather as well as quite cool weather. There seems to be some variance with peoples experience with heat.

I have ridden in the south during the summer and 100 degree days have not had any significant heat issues (100 degrees just standing is quite warm).

It seems that there may be some variation in some of the bikes that causes this issue for some people.

The HID lighting can easily be remedied for about $50 from Victory HID (it includes both the high and low beam — it makes daylight out of the night).

I had added to the 2010 and replaced the HID bulb in the 2012 with one of their bulbs as well.

Lastly, there are actually 3 power outlets. The two mentioned in the article, but also one next to the iPod connector in the left pod.”

I see you used to be a Valkyrie rider, I am still riding my 97 tour which I love but am considering the cross country tour to finally replace it. I would like your thoughts on comparing the two bikes. Power, ride, reliability, comfort on the long haul.

Comments are closed.

wBW is an A07 Online Property

• Advertising
• Privacy Notice
• Review Policies
• Terms and Conditions

2012 Victory Cross Country Tour

When Victory->ke1801 introduced the Cross Country->ke3486 in late 2009, it didn't take long for the bagger to become a market favorite. This bike provided a fresh face in the factory bagger segment with the edgy lines of its fork-mounted fairing, a beautifully crafted tank with a raised spine, sharp lines and strategic recesses, and handling that its competitors wished they could match.

Now that the Cross Country has its legs under it in the segment, 2012 offered the perfect opportunity to release its full touring credentials in the Cross Country Tour.

As a take on the Cross Country, the Cross Country Tour comes with plenty of new features, including a taller windshield, the addition of a big top-case that doubles as a passenger backrest, extra speakers for the stereo system, new lower fairings, and a slick new system of vents and deflectors which allow riders to channel air flow to their liking. The Tour’s tall, wide windshield helps pocket the rider in a cocoon in mostly still air while the new topcase provides a contoured, padded backrest. When passengers are kicking back in the improved accommodations of the bike, the extra speakers integrated into the top-case makes for a great listening experience as their hair is being blasted off by the wind.

The large fork-mounted fairing of the Cross Country Tour now wears new, clear wind deflectors located on the fairing’s lower edge. The deflectors, along with the airflow controls in the lowers, are what Victory calls the Comfort Control System.

Find out more about the Victory Cross Country Tour after the jump.

• Make: Array
• Model: 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour
• Engine/Motor: 4-stroke 50° V-Twin
• Transmission: 6-speed overdrive constant mesh
• [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

106 CUBIC-INCH FREEDOM V-TWIN

At the heart of the Cross Country Tour sits the Freedom V-Twin power plant, expertly balanced for the perfectly controlled explosion that delivers 109 ft lbs of hole shot torque. Maestro of the motorcycle world, it’s what keeps man, machine and highway working together in perfect harmony.

6-SPEED OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION

The highest performing transmission on the road receives the power generated by the massive V-twin and seamlessly turns it into something you can use. Neutral Selection Assist and helical-cut gears ensure every shift is as quiet and smooth as the one before it.

Standard on the Cross Country Tour, the Victory Anti-Lock Brake System doesn’t discriminate between dry, wet or rock-strewn pavement. No matter what the conditions, ABS monitors what the wheel is doing and gives you consistent, smooth braking from the handlebar lever down to the rubber on the road.

VICTORY COMFORT CONTROL SYSTEM

Since Mother Nature seldom listens to the weather requests of motorcycle enthusiasts, we’ve taken means to accommodate her. Down below the knees, we’ve given the Cross Country Tour dual fairing vents (as well as a storage box). Close ‘em for complete protection in cold or rain, open ‘em wide when the weather’s more agreeable.

CRUISE CONTROL

After making every other aspect of going the distance as effortless as possible, the throttle hand still had a beef about being overworked. By adding precise, automotive-style cruise control, the right mitt can now simply hang on and enjoy the ride.

4.7 INCHES OF REAR SUSPENSION TRAVEL

Just in case the open road gets too lonely the class-leading rear suspension features an easily adjusted air shock and coil spring, ensuring a smooth ride for you and any adventure seeking passenger.

TOTAL STORAGE

Add up lower faring space, trunk and saddlebags and you get an amazing, best-in-class 41.1 gallons of storage space.

SADDLEBAG AND RAILS

With lockable latches and 21.3-gallon capacity, the Cross Country Tour can protect from theft and accomodate a passenger that doesn't follow the "travel lightly" rule. Exquisitely designed chrome rails provide style as well as tip-over insurance that you’ll be grateful for when your brother-in-law asks to ride.

HEATED SEATS AND GRIPS

The Cross Country Tour lacks for nothing in the comfort category, and as proof we offer up heated seats and handgrips as exhibit A. Together they offer the best means of enhancing your road warrior reputation by adding precious road time to both sides of summer.

TALL WINDSHIELD

To maximize comfort, we’ve raised the windshield, resulting in reduced buffeting and increased wind and rain protection.

26.25” SEAT HEIGHT

Rule of the road: the lower the seat height, the more control. The Cross Country Tour has the lowest seat in its class. Unless you admit having the toe strength of a ballerina, you want to be able to plant both feet firmly on the ground.

HID LIGHTING

A machine that looks this good deserves to be seen. The High Intensity Discharge headlamp shines four times brighter than standard halogen headlamps and shouts ‘HERE I COME’ four times louder. Since it also lasts 10 times longer, you can see your way ocean to ocean with every mile marker perfectly illuminated.

Power from the engine can now be sipped to charge phones, cameras, or anything that uses a 12v socket. Sometime during your long distance cruise you may need to call in support for that rider stranded with a lesser motorcycle.

Specifications

Motorcycle-Usa ---- "For 2012, Victory Motorcycles gave the Cross Country full touring credentials and dubbed it the 2012 Cross Country Tour."

Cycleworld ---- "Having learned from that exercise, Victory put the Cross Country into the lineup. It’s a more conventional big-inch American touring rig, though the Vision’s sense of sweep and the artful eye of Arlen Ness are everywhere you look."

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

•   by Brand
•   by Year
•   by Category
• New 2024 models
• All 2023 models
• Newest additions
• 50cc motorcycles
• 125cc motorcycles
• 150cc motorcycles
• Electric motorcycles
• 1960s motorcycles
• 1950s motorcycles
• 1940s motorcycles
• 1930s motorcycles
• Contribute your specs / pics
• MC of the Year
• Advanced search
• Unit converters
• Words & terms
• Riding safety
• Insurance quotes
• News & reviews
• General topics
• Motorcycle brands
• Motorcycle categories
• Best forum for your bike
• Latest discussion posts
• Free classifieds

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• Victory Forums
• Victory Motorcycle News

2012 Victory Cross Country Tour Review

• Add to quote

Dealerships Will there be a Victory dealership opening in northern Virginia anytime soon? The closest one to where I live is 50 miles away. If I were to buy a Victory motorcycle, I would like to have a Victory dealership closer by so that I would not have to travel too far for maintenance and repairs.  

RC_Rock68 said: Will there be a Victory dealership opening in northern Virginia anytime soon? The closest one to where I live is 50 miles away. If I were to buy a Victory motorcycle, I would like to have a Victory dealership closer by so that I would not have to travel too far for maintenance and repairs. Click to expand...

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

600 miles on my new XCtour I just got my first Victory, XC tour 2 weeks ago. Now IT Rains!!! I'm really enjoying this bike. Did a 500 mile weekend throught the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The ride is smooth the Sunset Red is stunning in the sunlight, The power far exceeds the Electra Glides, I tried those and a Road Glide, The twisties are a blast. Heck I didn't even mine the bumper to bumper traffic around Laconia. The leaf peepers are out full force. I'll probably post a new thread to give everyone my opinion of why I chose the XCT over the Harleys, but for now lets just say I'm patting myself on the back for making a very good decission. If anyone is considering this bike, go find one and ride it. It won't disappoint. Oh yah, bring a fat checkbook.  

thanks for such a valualble info..really happy to know about bike sales..  

Nice looking bike.  

I just got my new Cross Country Tour in White. Had it 1 month and I Love it. Traded from a Harley Ultra Classic 2007 and this is a much better bike. More get up a go, easier to ride and more fun. Have driven in the 24 to 28 degree days and with heated seat and grips it works great. Looking forward to warmer days and a lot more riding.  

There's very little maintenance, oil changes take 5 minutes and the only repairs you'll have is if you fell over.  

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

agree I have to agree with you. When they came out with the Cross Country it caught me eye then when they came out with the CCT I said I got to take one of them for a ride and about two weeks later I bought one. I have had numerous motorsickles about 12 Harleys since I started riding them in 82 and this one is nice. Rode it up to Napalm MotorSports Austin,Tx this afternoon for the 500 mile checkup and to do the Stage I on it decided to go ahead with that since they giving me 15% off. Gonna be a cool ride home 78 miles tomorrow cause cold front is coming thru down here tonight but I will have the wind to me back most of the way home so it want be bad.  

I sure love mine so far. Got the 500 mile checkup this weekend. It is a lot more fun to ride then my glide. And it has a lot more power. Been riding down to 24/25 deg. and its been fine. Seems to give the rider a lot more protection then the harley did.  

I now have 900 miles on this bike and still love it. Changed out my mirrors and have 2" pull backs on order. I am a short round guy. Still in love and riding as much as the weather will let me. Ride on my friends.  

I hear ya on the stock mirrors, look they belong on a Kmart bicycle.  

this is great full information for me. thanks for sharing.  

Wind buffeting How does the Cross Country fare in wind gusts and cross winds, like those coming from semi-trucks balsting past you? I have read that the Harley Road Glide with its frame-mounted fairing does very well, but the the Street Glide with its fork-mounted fairing moves around a bit, whihc I find unsettling. Since the Cross Country has a fork-mounted fairing, I wonder if it to moves around when blasted by truck winds.  

Well as compared to my Kaw 900LT the Cross Country Tour does VERY well. Granted you still get shook some but not bad at all. And as for windy days I don't notice them near as much! Great improvement.  

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

went for test drive I went and test drove a cct don"t think I rode it a long enough distance to make my mind up yet. I am going back and take another drive. I really love the looks and features of the bike. I have always ridden a harley. thinking of buying a new bike looking for a reason not to buy a harley. the only noticeable thing on the cct was the passenger floor boards kept hitting my legs when stopping. any suggestions?  

Funny you mention the passenger floorboards. That was one of my complaints and concerns riding the Electra Glide I tried out. The back of my legs got caught every time I had to stop. The wife thought it was her fault. There is more space between the front and rear boards on the Vic than the HD. For her comfort and mine I also raised the passenger boards up a notch with a slight up angle at the toe. I almost never hit her boards unless I leave my feet down too long from a dead stop. You will naturaly make the necessary adjustments to prevent this as I'm sure I would have had I got The HD.  

Also, do what I did. Go drive a new Harley Electra Glide (I drove a Limited), Then get off it and go directly to the Vic dealer and ride the XCT. I did a loop with straight smooth road, rough side roads, some twisties and a short stretch of turnpike. It really helped me decide. And how knows you may still prefer the Harley. But at least you'll be out there riding.  

@ rc-rock68. Coleman motorsports in Woodbridge just started selling Victory's in Jan. I actually bought their first bike- Hammer S. love the ride. I live in Crystal City if you're up for riding!  

I guess I never wanted to be that Harley guy. I did not go out an test drive the latest models. Have had the chance to ride Harley’s in the past and have never been impressed. Have always been a Honda person and thought for sure the Goldwing was what I would end up on. While the wing handled well had a ton of features that I liked many I did not need the price was comparable and it would give the passage a great ride which was the main idea for us. I am about 6 foot and I felt cramped on the wing. I spent the winter coming in and sitting down for long periods asking a bunch of question about all the bikes that were in the running. Then took the opportunity to ride a Cross Country and was impressed from the start. Smooth ride handled well (since then I would say it handles excellent) low wind buffeting for myself and the rider. Handles very well in high winds (30 +) have had no issues with semi’s wind blasting. So purchased the XCT first part of June have almost 1500 on it. I thought the top weight would be a issue and it has not. For me the only issue is the turn signal it’s smarter then I am.  

My GF on the XCT test ride said the trunk vibrates, did yours feel the same? She said the seat seems good though. How about the Vision in comparison? Windshield I am getting the Flare, so the stock isn't relevant. I do know that the air pressure must have been good on our ride because going over train tracks was no problem while the non-touring model riders were complaining.  

Wind buffering I do get pushed around a little by semis, but gust will lift the frame mounted fairing, tried three different windshields and still can’t quiet the buffering around the driver and rider. This is my second victory and since my riding buddies blow me away on BMWs it will be my last.  

Don't misunderstand where I'm coming from on this. I respect Beemers. I honestly thought I would buy the big inline instead of the CC Tour which I ended up buying. There is a whole lot of muscle in those K's. But then, there's big muscle in other inlines too, stupid wikid muscle in the Trump trips, there's punch your ticket muscle in Boss Hoss's. The age of 150 horse V twins is close so BMW only owns the muscle niche for Eurotrashy sport touring shtick. Not me. If what I wanted is to blow doors off my buds, there's a whole lot more horses out there for the buck without all the pretention, the stiff ride, and unexceptional creature comforts.  

wind on a ride Saturday I was remined of why I bought the big vic, several good looking woman complimented on the bike while we all were parked outside out lunch stop, just got to tweek it somemore, ride safe  

• ?            
• 497.9K posts
• 48.8K members

Top Contributors this Month

• [ April 12, 2024 ] Liqui Moly Beta Trials team is ready to start its 2024 campaign News
• [ April 12, 2024 ] Inspiration Friday: Handbuilt Motorcycle Show & 4/14 Day party! Events
• [ April 12, 2024 ] MXGP and MX2 teams all set to tackle first back-to-back Grand Prix of 2024 season News
• [ April 12, 2024 ] 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship bursts into action next week at Le Mans News
• [ April 12, 2024 ] Portuguese GP: First event of the 2024 FIM EnduroGP World Championship News
• [ April 12, 2024 ] Title sponsor of the 42nd running Crestview Construction Southwick National News
• [ April 12, 2024 ] AMA HALL OF FAMER RICKY JOHNSON NAMED LEGEND OF THE SPORT AT 2024 QUAIL MOTORCYCLE GATHERING News
• [ April 11, 2024 ] METZELER ROADTEC 02: NEW SUPER-SPORT-TOURING TIRE WITH DYNATREAD News
• [ April 11, 2024 ] Yamaha R7 European SuperFinale Takes Place alongside EWC at Legendary Bol d’Or News
• [ April 10, 2024 ] MotoGP Ducati Favorite on the calendar: Circuit of The Americas in Texas News
• [ April 10, 2024 ] WINNERS IN THE RED DOT DESIGN AWARD: PRODUCT DESIGN 2024 News
• [ April 10, 2024 ] Sustainable event management ISO20121 for Yamaha’s R3 bLU cRU World Cup and WorldSBK News
• [ April 10, 2024 ] Fight for Victory at 2024 Morocco Desert Challenge News
• [ April 9, 2024 ] Two additional options for Moto2 & Moto3 COTA unknowns News
• [ April 9, 2024 ] BMW Group and Rimac Technology agree long-term partnership News

2012 Victory Cross Country

Back to 2012 Victory Motorcycle Model Review Page

Click photos to enlarge. They make great desktop wallpaper.

2012 Victory Cross Country Review

Performance, check. Comfort, check. Styling, check.

Bold road warrior, this bagger is ready for the long haul.

Choose the Cross bikes for traditional styling with the modern technology only Victory brings to riding enthusiasts. It starts with the 106 cu. in Freedom V-Twin with power and torque for exhilarating speed at the twist of the wrist. With a 6-speed overdrive transmission these bikes have the long legs for all-day cruising.

Our all-aluminum backbone frame provides light low-speed handling and impressive stability in corners and at speed. Combined with a range of windshields and storage choices and you have a bagger for everyone who wants to travel in style and comfort.

NEW TRUNK FOR VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY/CROSS ROADS

Touring riders can put away their tools. The new Lock & Ride® Trunk from Pure Victory can be installed on a Cross Country or Cross Roads in seconds, and removed just as quickly – without tools.

To install a trunk, a rider simply aligns the trunk mounting legs with mounting points at the rear of the bike and snaps down the locking arm. The trunk’s power cord connects easily to the bike’s electrical system to power the taillight at the rear of the trunk lid, the audio speakers and the accessory power outlet inside the trunk. To remove the trunk, simply reverse the process. When the trunk is on the bike, a locking pin can be added for theft prevention and additional peace of mind. oThe trunk has more than enough room for two full-face helmets.

oThe trunk lid seals securely, is lockable and provides the bike with a high-mounted taillight.

o The front face of the trunk has a comfortable, padded passenger backrest and dual audio speakers.

o Each 2011 Cross Country and Cross Roads comes with a spare lock cylinder so a trunk can be locked with the bike’s ignition key.

oTrunk-related accessories available from Pure Victory include: Passenger Armrests, Trunk Luggage Rack (mounts atop lid), and Trunk Liner

PROVEN OUTSTANDING RELIABILITY

Victory has a track record of consistently outstanding reliability and dependability, which has led to the industry’s highest customer satisfaction ratings. This proven reliability, along with the new transmission design, allows Victory to recommend extended oil service intervals for 2011 drivetrains. oThe recommended oil change interval for 2011 models is every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).

oLess-frequent oil changes results in a lower cost of ownership.

NEW TRANSMISSION

The Victory drivetrain team scrutinized every component of the engine and transmission and fine-tuned the designs and performance of numerous parts. Approximately 40% of the drivetrain is new for 2011, with the transmission receiving so many improvements it is virtually a new transmission.

The changes: improved manufacturing efficiency and quality assurance; enhanced drivetrain’s already-impressive reliability; improved engine performance; and, for riders, improved ridability and delivered a more appealing-sounding transmission. oIn terms of operating sound, selected modulation frequencies have been eliminated. This produces a more-appealing sound – consistently in each gear. In 4th and 6th gears in particular, gear whine has been reduced.

oDriveline lash has been reduced by 66%.

o”Neutral Assist” has been added to make it easier for a rider to shift into neutral when stopped. This will reduce the rider’s effort, will reduce clutch wear and will lessen the performance demands on the oil.

ENHANCED INSTRUMENTATION

All cruisers now have instrumentation similar to that of the Victory Cross Roads, which provides a rider with a wealth of information in one, easy-to-read location. The new instrumentation includes: o An analog speedometer, which may be set to show MPH or KPH.

oBlue backlighting.

oA large LCD that displays: Clock (time of day is viewable at all times), gear position, tachometer and diagnostic readouts for Victory dealership service technicians.

o The gauge face includes lights such as high-beam and neutral indicators and the oil warning light. Cruisers no longer have these indicator lights atop the triple clamps.

oThe Cross Roads instrumentation also has an always-viewable fuel gauge.

CHASSIS CHANGES ACROSS THE LINEUP

All brake calipers, rotors, lower belt guards, and floorboards are black. oAll left- and right-hand switch cubes are black, as are the audio control switch block and cruise control switch block.

o The triple clamp is black on all models except the Vegas Jackpot (which retains its chrome triple), and the Victory Cross Roads (which retains its brushed finish).

o A new side stand on each model features an integrated hooked-end design for easy locating and easy control of the side stand. o All cruiser exhausts have a larger outlet for improved sound quality and a lower exhaust note.

VICTORY CROSS ROADS

The Victory Cross Roads is an extremely smooth, powerful and comfortable touring model. Multiple options allow the rider to tailor this motorcycle for any type of touring.

All Victory Cross Roads Series Models Features

o Strong, innovative two-piece, sand-cast hollow aluminum frame.

o Air-adjust rear suspension with 4.7 inches/120 mm of rear travel.

o Dual disk front brakes and inverted forks.

o 22.0-liter fuel capacity.

o Instrumentation includes analog speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip meter, and indicator lights.

o Ultra-bright, multiple-LED turn signals and flush-mounted taillight.

Cross Roads

o 69 litres leather soft bag capacity

Cross Roads Deluxe

o79 litres Lockable hard bag storage capacity

o Easily detachable screen

o Touring seat

2011 Cross Roads Series Colour Options o Crimson Red

o Solid Black

New Colour-Matched Lock & Ride® Trunk Available

o New Lock & Ride® Trunk available as a Pure Victory accessory.

o Trunk can be installed or removed in seconds – without tools: Align its mounts, lock it in place, connect power cord and ride.

o Spacious trunk can hold two full-face helmets and have room to spare.

o Trunk features comfortable passenger backrest and two audio speakers.

o Trunk lid seals tight, is lockable and provides bike with a high-mounted taillight.

o Available trunk accessories: Passenger Armrest Kit, Trunk Cargo Rack, Trunk Liner.

Pure Victory Accessories for the Cross Roads Include: o Lock & Ride® Trunk, Trunk Cargo Rack, Trunk Liner, Passenger Armrest Kit, and Chrome Saddlebag Protectors.

o Stage 1 Exhaust, Cross Roads Light Bar, Tach Kit and more

2012 Victory Cross Country Model Highlights

– 106 cubic-inch Freedom V-Twin Engine

– 6-speed overdrive transmission

– Optional Lock & Ride trunk

2012 Victory Cross Country Features and Benefits

106 CUBIC-INCH FREEDOM V-TWIN At the heart of the Cross Country sits the Freedom V-Twin power plant, expertly balanced for the perfectly controlled explosions that deliver 97 horsepower and 113 ft lbs of hole shot torque. Maestro of the motorcycle world, it’s what keeps man, machine and highway working together in perfect harmony. 6-SPEED OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION The highest performing transmission on the road receives the power generated by the massive V-twin and seamlessly turns it into something you can use. Neutral Selection Assist and helical-cut gears ensure every shift is as quiet and smooth as the one before it. ABS BRAKES Standard on the Cross Country, the Victory Anti-Lock Brake System doesn’t discriminate between dry, wet or rock-strewn pavement. No matter what the conditions, ABS monitors what the wheel is doing and gives you consistent, smooth braking from the handlebar lever down to the rubber on the road. CRUISE CONTROL After making every other aspect of going the distance as effortless as possible, the throttle hand still had a beef about being overworked. By adding precise, automotive-style cruise control, the right mitt can now simply hang on and enjoy the ride. 560 LB TOTAL LOAD CAPACITY Ideal for both 2-up or solo riding, the Cross Country weighs in as the packhorse of the touring line. But don’t be fooled by its 560 lb load capacity. A rigid reinforced frame, adjustable rear air suspension and 96 hp V-Twin allow it to prance as lightly as any sure-footed thoroughbred. 21-GALLON STORAGE Saddlebags constructed of sturdy glass-filled nylon offer plenty of room to include the stuff that long hauls are made of. Lockable latches make sure that stuff stays on the bike you while you’re off having lunch. 4.7 INCHES OF REAR SUSPENSION TRAVEL Just in case the open road gets too lonely, the class-leading rear suspension features an easily adjusted air shock and coil spring, ensuring a smooth ride for you and any adventure seeking passenger. OPTIONAL LOCK & RIDE TRUNK If you can’t stand leaving all your worldly possessions behind, the optional roomy, protective trunk installs in seconds without the need for tools. The trunk also doubles as a comfortable backrest for your significant other. MP3 COMPATIBLE AM/FM TWO-SPEAKER STEREO There are times when the Freedom V-Twin’s dulcet toned pipes prefer not playing solo. With a high-quality mp3 player/radio embedded in the fairing, you can have your own rolling roadhouse hoedown. It’s just one more way to let freedom ring.

2012 Victory Cross Country – USA Specifications/Technical Details USA MSRP Price: $18,999 USD

Engine Battery 12 volts / 18 amp hours Bore x Stroke 101 x 108 mm Charging System 48 amps max output Clutch Wet, multi-plate Compression ratio 9.4 : 1 Cooling System Air / oil Displacement 106 ci / 1731 cc Engine Type 4-stroke 50° V-Twin Exhaust Split dual exhaust with crossover Final Drive Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt Fuel Capacity 5.8 gal / 22 ltr Fuel System Electronic Fuel Injection with dual 45mm throttle body Oil capacity 5.0 qts / 4.75 ltr Primary Drive Gear drive with torque compensator Transmission 6-speed overdrive constant mesh Valve train Single overhead camshafts with 4 valves per cylinder, self-adjusting cam chains, hydraulic lifters

Chassis Dry Weight 765 lbs / 347 kg Ground Clearance 5.8 in / 148 mm GVWR 1360 lbs / 618 kg Length 104.4 in / 2652 mm Rake/trail 29.0o / 5.6 in / 142 mm Seat Height 26.25 in / 667 mm Wheelbase 65.7 in / 1670 mm

Suspension Front Suspension Inverted cartridge telescopic fork, 43 mm diameter, 5.1 in / 130 mm travel Rear Suspension Single, mono-tube gas, cast aluminum with constant rate linkage, 4.7 in / 120 mm travel, air adjustable

Brakes Brake System Type Conventional Front braking system Dual 300mm floating rotor with 4-piston calipers Rear braking system 300mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliper

Wheels & Tires Front Tire 130/70R18 Dunlop Elite 3 Front Wheel 18 x 3.0 in Rear Tire 180/60R16 Dunlop Elite 3 Rear Wheel 16 x 5.0 in

Color Colors Solid Black; Solid Imperial Blue; Two Tone Sunset Red & Silver Graphics

2012 Victory Cross Country – Canadian Specifications/Technical Details Canada MSRP Price: $20,699 CDN

Colour Colours Solid Black; Solid Imperial Blue; Two Tone Sunset Red & Silver Graphics

Be the first to comment

Leave a reply cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Copyright © 1999 - 2024 | Total Motorcycle ∙ 13 Billion Hits ∙ 25 Years ∙ 425 million Readers ∙ 1 Great Motorcycling Community!

Moscow Metro Tour - With Ratings

• Moscow Tours
• Sightseeing Tours

Moscow Metro Tour

• See more images

Tour Information

Key Details

• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 1 Hr 30 Mins
• Language: English
• Departure Details : Get to the Biblioteka imeni Lenina (Lenin's Library, Red Line) or Alexandrovsky Sad (Alexander Garden, Light Blue Line) metro station. Use any exit. Find the Kutafia Tower of the Kremlin. The guide .. read more

The Moscow Metro has a long history to it. Also, the city has an extremely beautiful subway. It is very well maintained and is also extremely decorated. Each station and spot has a different artistic aspect to it. On this tour, experience the efficiency of Moscow Metro.

• Roam around the Revolution Square, with magnificent sculptures of the Soviet people
• Visit the Kurskaya Station Lobby, the Hall of Fame of the WWII
• Be awestruck at the Komsomolskaya , with impressive mural mosaics of Russian glorious victories
• See the artistic side of Novoslobodskaya , with the stained glass, although under the ground.

Know More about this tour

Take our Moscow Metro Tour and discover why our subway is recognized as the most beautiful in the world!

"They used to have palaces for kings, we are going to build palaces for the people!" said one of the main architects of the Soviet subway.

With us you will see the most beautiful metro stations in Moscow built under Stalin: Komsomolskaya, Revolution square, Novoslobodskaya, Mayakovskaya. Our guide will tell fascinating stories and secrets hidden underground, urban legends and funny stories.

How many babies were born on the Moscow metro? Where is the secret Metro 2? How deep is the Moscow metro? And where did Stalin give his speech in November 1941? Join out Metro tour and find out!

• Metro ticket

Cancellation Policy

• If you cancel between 0 hrs To 24 hrs before scheduled tour departure, the cancellation charge will be 100%
• If you cancel between 1 days To 180 days before scheduled tour departure, the cancellation charge will be 0%
• Please note that in case of No show, the cancellation charge will be 100% of the listed tour fare.
• Please note tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.
• Culture & Theme Based Tours
• Food & Nightlife Tours
• Outdoor & Nature Tours
• Aerial Tours
• Adventure & Sports
• Tickets & Passes
• Transfers & Transportation
• Holiday & Seasonal Tours
• Luxury & Special Occasions Tours
• Shore Excursions
• Weddings & Honeymoons Tours
• Day Trips & Excursions
• Multi Day & Extended Tours
• Private & Custom Tours
• Shopping & Fashion
• Walking & Biking Tours
• What to do in Moscow
• Best time of year to visit Moscow
• How to reach Moscow
• Restaurants in Moscow
• City Map of Moscow
• Moscow Itineraries
• Moscow Hotels
• Itinerary Planner

Moscow Metro Tour

• Page active

Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

Nearby tours

Soviet-Era Walking Tour in Moscow: Lubyanka Square and the Gulag History Museum

If you love history, would like to know more about Russia’s past, or just want to take an interesting walk, book this guided Moscow walking tour of Soviet-era sites. With your expert guide, walk through Lubyanka Squ...

Walking Tour of Moscow's Kolomenskoye Estate

On this walking tour through the Kolomenskoye Estate in Moscow, immerse yourself in Russia’s interesting royal history. Walk around the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ascension Church, built in 1532, and enter the Hou...

Moscow Cultural Walking Tour: Red Square, Kitay-Gorod and St Basil's Cathedral

Take a guided walking tour of Moscow's cultural highlights, like the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage-listed Red Square, said to be the central square of Russia. Walk through the adjoining district Kitay-Gorod, one of ...

Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palace Tour from Moscow

A great three hour tour exploring the Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palaces in Moscow! The small city in the center of Moscow, once the residence of Czars and Patriarchs, contains Russia's main cathedra...

Moscow City Tour

The Moscow City Tour covers all the highlights and most beautiful places in the enchanting Russian capital. The tour begins with a stop at the Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece and w...

Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

2024 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships

• About Us Overview Leadership Team Board of Directors Finances Governance DEI Contact Us
• Quicklinks Join / Renew Membership Results & Rankings Category Upgrades Rule Book & Policies Resources Search Events Find A Club Plan An Event Officials Coaches USA Cycling Foundation

2024 Tour of the Gila Stage Five Report

Paredes, Dixon Ascend to Gila Monster Road Race Victory; Stites, Stephens Take Overall Wins

Stephens Goes Home With Mimbres Trophy Bowl

Elizabeth Dixon clenched victory on the final Gila Monster Road Race to wrap a tough, five days of racing in Silver City. The FOUNT Cycling Guild rider finished over a minute ahead of the Tour of the Gila 2024 overall leader, Lauren Stephens of Cynisca Cycling. Dixon’s teammate, Eleanor Wiseman finished third to wrap the podium.

Having not only hung onto the New Mexico True leader jersey, Stephens used the fifth stage to increase the margin of her win as well. “This feels really incredible to do so well in this race. My first time here was in 2012, and it’s a race that makes you decide if you really want to bike race or not. I kept at it, and here I am many, many years later, winning the race.”

With plans to race in the 2024 Olympics this summer, Stephens affirmed that Tour of the Gila provided training that will be essential to her performance in Paris. Her team, Cynisca, also took the team GC with, trailed by FOUNT Cycling Guild then DNA Pro Cycling.

Going into Sunday’s UCI Women’s Stage 5 Gila Monster Road Race, excitement was understandably at an all-time high Not only would this stage determine final rankings for the pro women overall at the 2024 Tour of the Gila, but it’s also an incredibly advanced course that even the strongest riders face with some trepidation.

With a background in ballet, FOUNT’s Dixon had warmed up for the stage with a few pirouettes in the Town of Silver City administration building parking lot—her teammates the audience. FOUNT Cycling Guild’s Alia Shafi came in fourth place on the stage, and taking three of the top four spots on one of the nation’s most difficult road race courses is a testament to the program, which provides the support to talented athletes working their way up in the sport.

Jennifer Wheeler and David Richter, who are the owners and founders of FOUNT Cycling Guild, said, “There’s no way to prove yourself unless somebody’s willing to invest in you before you get the big results.”

A result on the Gila Monster Road Race is huge. The 65.9-mile course started in Gough Park in downtown Silver City, followed US 180 and NM 152 through the Mimbres, then took NM 35 to the intersection with NM 15 before turning up the climb from Sapillo Creek towards Pinos Altos for the finish. Only the first 20 miles of the course includes wide roads with paved shoulders; the remainder of the stage consists of narrow, curved roads, two incredibly technical, high-speed descents, and three climbs that totaled 5,487 vertical feet ascended.

Paredes Ascends to Gila Monster Road Race Victory for Team Medellín

Team Medellín’s Wilmar Paredes conquered the Gila Monster Road Race presented by Gila Regional Medical Center, cresting the finish for victory over a minute ahead of second place Ian Lopez of Aevolo Cycling and Tyler Stites in third for Project Echelon. On the final stage of Tour of the Gila 2024, the Colombian also secured the King of the Mountains classification and polka-dot jersey.

Stites crossed the line a short time later celebrating his first overall victory at a UCI race, with a 54-second margin ahead of Team Medellín’s Walter Vargas and Paredes in third. “The team was just amazing today,” Stites said. “I didn’t touch the wind a single time until the last 200 meters. We controlled the race from start to finish, which made it easy on me. This win is big for me and the team; it’s the team’s first UCI GC victory which was a big goal for us this season, so we’re very happy.”

The pro men faced 100.6 miles with 9,957 vertical feet of climbing on the final day of racing at the Tour of the Gila. As the peloton saw the flag drop at kilometer zero, many teams tried to establish a break, but the field refused to allow anything to stick. First, Aevolo jumped, then CS Velo attacked the field, they gained a slight advantage before being joined by Team California, finally getting caught once again.

As the field made the turn entering the Mimbres Valley, Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline), Ulises Castillo (Above & Beyond Cancer), and Fabio Duarte (Team Medellín) escaped to gain a slight advantage. They held up to a 1:25 gap before getting caught rounding Lake Roberts as they began to scale the mountains.

The final stage saw a head-to-head battle in the King of the Mountain classification, between Heiner Parra of Canel’s-Java and Team Medellín’s Paredes. A three-point margin separated the two Colombians at the start, with Paredes in the lead. Parra had won the classification the previous two years and was just shy of leading the points en route to his third.

Paredes notched the first two KOM sprint points before Parra attacked just shy of the third. Paredes countered with one kilometer to go, catching Parra as the two eyed each other. Paredes launched once again within 500m to crest the mountain first, securing the mountain classification sponsored by Freeport McMoRan. Waiting to greet his team at the finish, disappointment was apparent on his face despite winning the stage.

“Heiner [Parra] made the race very difficult,” Paredes said. “My teammates did everything they could, and in the end, I was able to win the mountain points. I am happy except that in the time trial I lost a lot of time losing the GC lead. I had problems with my bike, but we did what we could.”

Project Echelon’s Cade Bickmore secured the green points classification jersey for a second year running, while Jonas Walton of Team EcoFlo Chronos held on to win the Best Young Rider Classification finishing fourth on GC. Team Medellín earned the overall Team Classification, seeing five riders finish within the top ten: Walter Vargas, Wilmar Paredes, Brayan Sánchez, Óscar Sevilla, and Róbigzon Oyola in that order.

The Gila Monster Road Race wrapped another successful edition of Silver City’s Tour of the Gila, a race that attracts the top talent throughout the Americas and the world each season. In 2024, the race was able to boost fan engagement by providing live video coverage throughout the road race stages, showcasing a week of exciting and explosive racing in southwest New Mexico.

Photo: Velo Images

This Article Updated April 30, 2024 @ 09:00 AM

For more information contact: [email protected]

Athlete Category Upgrades April 2024

• Account Settings

Classifieds

Bike reviews, product reviews.

• Best Motorcycle Cameras
• Best Motorcycle Earplugs
• Best Motorcycle Oil
• Best Leather Jackets
• Best Winter Gloves
• Best Sportbike Tires
• GPS Buyers Guide
• Adventure Touring
• On-Off-Road
• Sport-Touring
• Touring Scooter
• Harley-Davidson
• Royal Enfield

New Rider's Hub

Top stories.

2012 Victory Cross Country™ Corey Ness

Identification

Transmission, wheels & tires, technical specifications, instrumentation, audio & communication, paint & finish, convenience.

Find your Motorcycle

Specs classifieds, similar motorcycles, you may also be interested in.

2012 Victory Cross Roads® Classic LE $17,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Hard-Ball™ $18,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Cross Country™ Tour $21,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Cross Country™ $18,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Cross Roads® $15,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Vision™ Arlen Ness $27,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Vision™ Tour $20,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Vegas® $14,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Vegas® Jackpot $18,499 MSRP

2012 Victory Vegas® Zach Ness $16,999 MSRP

2012 Victory Vegas® 8-Ball $12,499 MSRP

2012 Victory Kingpin® $15,299 MSRP

2012 Victory Hammer® S $18,499 MSRP

2012 Victory Hammer® 8-Ball $14,499 MSRP

2012 Victory High-Ball™ $13,499 MSRP

2016 Victory Magnum® X-1 Stealth Edition $23,499 MSRP

2017 Victory Vision® $21,099 MSRP

2017 Victory Cross Country® Tour $21,999 MSRP