There is nothing you can tell me about a Harley. The fact that Victory designed their bikes so well that they’re still running strong long after Polaris shut them down speaks volumes.
If you have an old BSA or triumph or any of the other British motorcycles that have been gone for 70 years or more the fact that you can still get parts and the fact that you can tear down an engine with the tools you have in your Craftsman toolbox 🧰 is a point in there favor. I am not talking about modern motorcycles but vintage ones that were put together by hand as they went down and assembly line not being assembled by robots. They also took great care to make sure their motorcycles looked gorgeous 😍. From any angle they speak of beauty and functionality with nothing extra.
Not getting the point? What manufacturer builds a bike that doesn’t have most on the road a decade later? Reliability isn’t really an issue these days, across the industry. Probably other manufacturers have is the 99% of people that do not ride consider every touring V Twin an HD, no one mistakes a Street Glide for a Victory or Indian. HD is ingrained in our culture. It takes more than making a reliable bike, with bad fit and finish.
@@freebehindbars8654 HD has a lot of reliable ity issues . There are a ton of videos on the subject.Honda makes more motorcycles in a month than HD makes in a year.My Sportster is a good bike. 25 years old and still going strong.lndians are restyle Victory.Same dependability just prettyer.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 Tbh, we’re not talking sportsters here, as far as touring bikes, the only bike close to HD Glides fit and Finish would be the BMW, but it’s still not there. There’s a reason HD sells more motorcycles in America than any other manufacturer. People vote with their dollar.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 For every video you see I could show you 10 bikes with 80k miles on the original motor. I’m not an HD simp, just see too many bikes through our shop to take your word.
Agreed, there was some well though out engineering. I always liked this video showing some of the design advantages. th-cam.com/video/RGkFPUeNUqc/w-d-xo.html
@@3_AM You my friend are 100% correct. Just like you, a bike for adventure and bike for long distance rides. Not one bike can do it all. Love you content, keep up the great work.
I'm a Victory XC guy myself , but would have to say you gave a FAIR assessment overall. I really like victory xc because has a unique look and it turns heads. I just like being different.
I love my 14 Cross Country Tour!! Never done work on it, ABS modules went out, but still runs just fine! Made a Sturgis trip from Georgia twice, when brand new in 2015 and again in 2024 with 60,000 miles! Still rocked like a champion
The thing I love about Victory above and beyond what has been mentioned is Victory has very few seals compared to the HD which makes it less prone to lose / leak oil. Plus the Vic has a closed system for the oil so it cycles the same oil through the entire bike and HD has multiple reservoirs to have to keep track of Also, if leg room is important, Vic wins hands down. If you're 5'5 or 6'5, the Vic has far better leg room. I felt cramped sitting on an HD for any length of time. Love my Cross Country Tour (had a Kingpin also) and it was just top to bottom designed better than a HD IMO. I have nothing against HD personally, but I'll give my nod to Victory all day long. Great review
All valid points ! I believe the 106 only has 7 gaskets or something like that. Otherwise, absolutely changing one fluid for the victory service is so simple it does make things easy.
My 2011 CrossCountry has 122,000 miles. I like the Madstad windshield. Stock otherwise. Haven't checked the sparkplugs or air filter yet. Change oil about 8,000 miles. The left turnsignal only works sometimes. I like it better than my Road King.
Ive ridden Harley’s since I was 14ish. From shoveheads to street glides (and everything in between). I just bought a 2010 Victory Vision 8ball. I’ve never ridden anything as balanced, smooth, malleable, or efficient. I still love my ironhead and 1200, but this bike is something else.
Polaris screwed up with their advertising of the Victory. Instead of going after HD, they should have just concentrated on their amazing design and reliability. Here in the UK, hardly anyone knew they existed. No matter where I go, people always come up to me to talk about my bikes. Well done, Polaris, for dropping one of the best-looking bikes to hit the road.
I have a 2014 CRC Victory for 4000 mile road trips...dependability. Also have a Harley 1200 Custom for short trips. Love them both. If i could only choose one...Victory without hesitation.
Keep both motorcycles. The Sportster is good for running errands and day trips and the other one is good for going cross-country with so I have four hundred thousand miles on my Forester so I've gone around the world more than once. 37 back tires 17 front tires in 25 years. I just put it back on the road
Victory was ahead of the game for a lot of technology. The one thing Harley has always had is its culture and following, there's just something about them.
I bought a used 2016 Magnum X1 Stealth with 9K miles in 2018 for $15K and love it. It replaced my 2010 Street Glide which I loved but experienced almost every older Twin Cam failure that exists. I've done a lot of upgrades to Magnum including cams, Bassani pipe, under drive pulley, Penske shock, windscreens etc. Since I bought the bike used it was cheaper when "done" than any of the six HDs I had. I still haven't solved the buffeting and have to wear a half helmet to compensate. My solution for wearing a full helmet on long road trips was to buy a 2016 Vision Tour with 7K miles for $9K. Left it mostly stock with some minor upgrades. Best of both worlds. I don't hate on Harley anymore since I've recovered from my Street Glide heartbreak but I probably won't ever buy an HD bagger again, mostly due to price. Indian Challenger would be on my list if I found one used for a good deal. I rented one a few years ago and it really feels like an upgraded Victory. Nothing competes with the sound or feel of a Harley Big Twin however.
Thanks for watching. It sounds like your setup with the Magnum and Vision is really the best of both worlds. Otherwise, much like how we feel, it takes owning both to appreciate them differently. The Victory's are great for a lot of reasons, but as you said there is still something about the sound a feel of a Harley.
I love everything about my 2014 Crossroads except the seat. I am having a Russekk day long put on in about 3 weeks. Having ridden through 13 states so far this year, my old boney butt is ready for a chage.
I've been so impressed with U'r videos on the Victory Brand that I finally pulled the plug & I'm picking up a 2010 Cross Country this Friday. I've road Harleys for years & still have a 1983 Harley FLHT that has a Mototek Trike Conversion on it. But want a change & have been really impressed with the research I've done over the last few months. So I'm giving the nod to Victory. Wish me luck & Thanks for the great video's!
That Cross bike is beautiful. Im on my second Victory cruiser and wouldn't trade it for anything. This is a very good video that points out the good and not so good things about both brands. I agree with everything that you said too.
I’ve got a 16magnum. Loyd’s upgrades with cams n such. Maximus tune. I just love it. All my boys have new Harley’s and as much as I do love them, my Vic is the best bike I’ve ever rode.
I am on my 109th motorcycle. I never had a Harley. The reliability stories kept me from ever trusting one. good review. You answered my main question I was searching for. There is a victory for sale near me, and you mention how hot the victory gets. That’s all I wanted to know, I’m going to pass on the victory for sale near me.. I wish Harley made something I liked, and trusted. I thought they were on the right track when they made the V rod engine. I don’t know why they gave up on that because Harley is going to have to water cool their machines because of future emissions regulations, especially in Europe. Honda has already said they are no longer going to make the Goldwing because it will not pass the EU future regulations, and Honda has dropped eight other models that will not pass the future emissions testing in Europe. at the same time, Harley sales in India, where they are also making Harleys now, besides Brazil and Thailand, Harley sales in India are up over 1000%.. I don’t know if they are the same kind of motorcycles for sale here in the United States, that we know, they may be just Mahindra or royal Enfield motorcycles with Harley emblems on the tank..
Harley Davidson addressed the oil problem with a external breather and recycling the oil back. I believe that's covered under warranty. My local dealership stated after 2017 to 2020 should be covered. Because it was overlooked. Buy I would definitely ask. Love that Red Victory.
I’ve got 4 bagger motorcycles. In Florida I ride my 18 Goldwing DCT Tour as it by far coolest to ride in hot weather. My Victory CCT stays in Vermont as my daily rider/shopping bike as it’s enormous carrying capacity allows me to load up on groceries at Walmart which is a relaxing 15 miles away. Last summer I picked up a like new 18 Yamaha Star Venture TransContinental that I’ve ridden and enjoyed for 2000 miles. My BMW F700 GS is reserved for VT gravel backroads. I’ve owned 2 ElectraGlide Ultras up until 2 years ago but never felt the passion for them. So many bikes with so little time! Enjoy your videos. 😎👍
I owned a Vic Hammer S for 9 years and it was very reliable with great power. Now I have a 21 HD Heritage and love it for its power, looks, fit and finish.
I have one of the first 2010's cross country. Still got it and have done lots of travel. Launched her through the air once fully packed with gear, blew belt in front tire, bent exhaust, bent the hell out of center link, otherwise bike held up well and still going. Love the bike with no issues. Very dependable.
Great video! I’d look into getting a Maximus tune from Noe. It improves the low end under 3k (501 cams in mine) as well as the on/off throttle smoothness, still won’t be as strong as the HD though at low RPM. My main reason for holding onto my XC is that it does everything the new baggers do, just without the in dash screen which can be seen as a positive. To me it’s hard to justify $30k+ on a new bike that isn’t head and shoulder better. Plus it stands out in a crowd no matter where you’re at! Not a single bike out there with larger saddlebag capacity either!
I bought a Harley becuse i wanted a Harley. Plain and simple. The heritage, the support when you're on the road, aftermarket support AND even cheaper parts on marketplace (everyone's always changing something out), model availability, the sound, the feel, the compliments from folks, everyone knows Harley Davidson. All my brother in laws ride victories and we all have a blast.
Awesome to hear how reliable the Victory has been. Would be curious to know if you looked at the Indian Challenger when considering your Road Glide. The Indian has good suspension travel and a lot of other nice features that come from its Victory heritage that you seem to appreciate.
Yes, I've always said the challenger has the most victory DNA in it. I don't know, that bike just doesn't do it for me. I was partially still sour about Polaris when I bought my Harley. None the less, the Challenger is an awesome bike.
My 2016 VXCT Miss Valhalla has NEVER let me down, since buying her brand new in 16....I'm bummed that Polaris did what they did to what is arguably a top end dependable bike! Looking at the 2023 Indian Pursuit, you can see where Polaris used Victory's styling and possible parts? If it comes a time when I can no longer get parts for Valhalla, I will turn to Indian for my next ride! I honestly tried going to HD before finding Valhalla, but the extras that I would have had to buy and have put on the Street Glide I was looking at, would have ran me up another $3k+, on top of an already high priced bike! The only thing I had to do to Valhalla, was adjust the factory bars up! That speaks volumes.....
I think most Vic riders would like the pursuit, it seems to have the most victory DNA. Its a great bike, and yes there's some old parts on there such as brake rotors, I believe. Otherwise, Harley's have come a long way, but they do leave you wanting some immediate upgrades like suspension.
@3_AM Until HD gets progressive with their bike designs (lengthen like Vics, cleaner lines, larger tanks, bring their production of parts back to US, etc..), they will succumb to other brands, like Indian and foreign models! Just my opinion.....been riding since 1973'ish....
Victory looks like it was rolled into Indian. The Challenger and Pursuit are Victory's with the Indian name on the side. The power plus 108 is the liquid cooled version of the 106. My Judge has pretty good fit and finish compared to my Harley but the paint is deeper on the Harley and the bolt on signal lights are better. That being said I think Polaris made those things as sacrificial in an accident so they would be easily replaced. That is their off-road blood coming through. No comparison for the power plants. I think Polaris makes a better metal flake flat paint. I like the RG for its fixed fairing and was thinking of getting one until the Challenger came out. I was holding out form Harley to put an overhead cam power plant in their touring bike but it never happened. Not a fan of the M8. I am a fan of the air cooled pushrod sportster motor. It makes better power by the cubic inch.
All valid points . I definitely agree the pursuit / challenger has the most victory DNA. They certainly outperform the road glide stock. Thanks for watching!
Parts are easy to get but Victorys don't need parts. I've been riding Vics for ten years and haven't needed anything but a kickstand spring. You also didn't mention that the Victory engine is hard mounted and I think the Harley is rubber mounted, so you'll get a little more engine feel on the Vic.
Great video,,I have a '13 XCT with 40K on it and would not trade for anything! My brother was in the market for an upgrade, looking at V's and found it was the last year of them. Opted to the Road King as was always a Harley fan. Happy he did but still looks at mine and drools a bit! Mine has a Kicker stereo upgrade just to keep up with the pipes!!
Thanks for watching, The kicker was a nice upgrade for the price, I have it in mine. Hopefully you'll check out some of our other victory content and ride safe !
Great video can tell you really love the victory. Too bad they went out of business you make you want to buy one even though I have a new road glide as well.
I’m still trying to my wind buffeting on my cross country. Put a better windshield on now I think I need fork deflectors because it’s definitely coming from below. Nice content amigos!
Taller windscreen and fork deflectors fix the buffeting on my Victory’s. I run a 11” Windvest and I’m 6-3. I have three Victory’s and have owned 4. Hate to hear you sold your Highball, I don’t know if I could sell my Highball because it’s just such a different ride and feel than my Magnums. Great content and love seeing other Victory owners and lovers out here!
I have a 2011 Hammer 8ball that I got new, love her but she isn’t made for long trips. Seriously considering a XC Tour because while I would love to grab a new Challenger, the price just isn’t in the budget. Back during the Victory demo days where the semi would pull up with all the models, I would go ride every one. I felt very comfortable on the Cross Country and wouldn’t mind having one in the garage.
Out of the two here id take the harley purely because of the fixed front cowling because that large cowling attacched to your front forks acts as a wind sail however for style, id take the Victory hands down.
There are only around 600 Harley dealers left in the United States down from 800 because they closed all the mom-and-pop shops. Of course if you are including independent shops that it is another story but I am speaking or dealerships
I love my Victory XC because it’s the only bike that comes ready to ride for tall guys too. Everything else is set towards 5’8”. Also the bags hold more and the styling is just there own not trying to be something else along with reliability handling and no gotta have a Harley me too snobbery 😊 that was really good can you do a vision vs xc comparo? Thanks again
Agreed, the XC has a lot of leg room for taller people at the same time they fit shorter people as well being narrow in the front of the seat / tank. Thanks for watching, hopefully you've hit that subscribe button. We'll have some Victory content in the works for this season.
Agreed... FAIR assessment. One thing tho. The XC was direct competition to the street glide. Wind management would have been a true apples to apples review. Another thing to note. Victory was making 96hp when the 106 came out. It took harley 10 years to catch up. Harleys are a sloth in performance. As far as reliability goes, harleys in the same era were lucky to get 1/3 of the miles that the vics did due to cam chain tensioner alone in harley which caused catastrophic damage to the enigines. Fit and finish goes to HD hands down. But vics are beauties in their own way.
Agreed on all your points. Stay tuned in the future, bob plans to compare his XC to his Street glide, both bikes he's had for a number of years. Thanks for watching.
@3_AM thank you for the content! I had an 03 v92 that my oldest son now owns. 130,000 miles and counting. Engine/trans internals have never been touched. Most reliable bike I've ever owned!!!
Victory is Beautiful. I Love my Victory XCT! My Wife Loves it too 😃 So much Power and Comfort. 48,000 miles front fork seal starting to show a bit of oil gonna try seal mate, see how that goes. Had a drive pulley strip out at around 37,000 miles other than that going strong. Though my front brakes have some shimmy to them, been that way since I bought it with only 4,500 miles on it. Would like to have that issue fixed if I only knew what the problem is. Basically got used to it. By far the Best Bike I ever owned. I will never part with it, I'll keep her forever. Great Bikes, Sad they are no longer made. Love Your Victory content 😎
Great review. I have a 21 road glide limited. Best bike I've owned. I find the stock suspension to be adequate. Now I have it dialed up in the back to about 15 to 20. It's a stiff ride but it handles great. Victory makes good bikes I was sad to see them go. I do think the new Indian bikes have a lot of the victory style and engineering. The challenger engine is rumored to be a victory design , but not sure about that one.
Comparison should have been between the same year, mileage, and the harley street glide with its pathetic 103. The Vic is also much cheaper bike to get more performance out of. $2500 bucks and you can easily gain 20-30 hp. You cannot come close to that price with a Harley. Hands down the Vic wins. Harley had to go with the 131 to keep up with the liquid cooled 106 aka Indian’s Challenger 108. I could go on all day about Vic over Harley but what is the use. I have windshields on my 13 & 15 XCT that do not buffet around the semis. Victory all day long.
As for wind management fixed fairings are generally better at wind management. However it is easy to correct on the Victory by putting on the Witchdoctors fork wind deflectors. Then I put chaps on the engine guards and you are in for a very smooth wind wise ride. I have that same Havasu Red 2014 Cross Country, expect for chrome tri flow pipes. I compare mine to the Harley Street glides and the Street Glides are much more cramped for my near 6 foot height. To get an extra 25 or more horse power is achieved by cams, mine are 501s, and then Lloyds air filter, ande then an ECU Maximus tune and now at 115 hp and 115 torque. The Victory is less top heavy and extremely nimble with a superior suspension, and definitely more trouble free. In all its years I have only done normal maintenance, and oil changes cost 30 to 35 dollars. A lot of the Victory DNA went into the Indian Challenger and Pursuit and those are the only bikes that would get me out of my Victory. That said by what you like.
Years ago I bought them used and had them painted. They are hard to find today. I would suggest looking in Facebook forums if you haven’t already. Thanks for watching, be sure to hit that subscribe button!
Very good non biased review. Have put miles on both of these and your review is spot on. Think if I was to buy one I’d still get the Vic. Can find one for less than 10k pretty easily and know it’ll be solid performer. Did notice on the Vic the lowers made a huge difference in buffeting. Took them off once and after about a 5 minute ride they went right back in. Haha Ride safe man!
Thanks for watching, you absolutely right about the Victory for someone on a budget. A 10k cross country is a lot more bike for the money compared to an older Harley. Otherwise, I had the same dilemma with the lowers. Took them off to help heat and then put them back on. Now having both bikes, I tend to ride the Vic in cooler weather.
@@3_AMDefinitely! Another thing to check out to help with heat is the beaded seat covers. They help a bit with getting air flow under your butt and make warm weather riding much more enjoyable, would work great on both the Harley and the Vic.
I've got a 2009 kingpin, I love the power and sound, especially with the lloyd's fuel controller and victory performance pipes, I got it a couple months ago, it came with the switchblade windshield, honestly I think that windshield all it does is create more turbulance at 75+ mph, it has under 25k miles, I will change the oil a week from now, other than that I'm not an expert, I fiddled with 250 cc chinese bikes but I'm affraid to do that with this one, going to probably take it to indian or a small shop for the 30k maintenance, I will eventually migrate to an Indian Scout in a couple years, I know they have less torque but more HP, and weigh less, the fact that I can get one that even my wife will like to sit on is a plus, because she's under 5 feet!
Its been a curse of my life that things i own and places i go close down or stop being produced and its just kinda funny. But having a XC and victory closing down bothered me. I love the Red i have the Grey and i dream about White.
It’s funny you say that, the 3 of us always say the same , places or things we love shut down. We usually joke saying things we like are trash as to not jinx it.
I own a zx14r my new wife and stepdaughter have learned to love riding but to me them being backpacks sucks for them. Which would you say (I know it's only opinion) would be the better bagger to go with since I want to get them something more comfortable to ride on? It won't be my primary ride. I'm a big guy 6' 4 and they're both tiny @ 4'10
The Victory Vision is the bike for you. I came off a CBR1000rr and a Kawasaki H2, just sold both and now have two Visions--thinking about getting a Cross Country now.
Nice review of both bikes. As soon as I heard Polaris was dumpling Victory for Indian I drove my 06 Hammer down to my dealer and bought a 2016 Magnum for a stable mate. Having now owned 3 and currently 2 Vics, the power and reliability definitely won me over. Love the look of your Harley and would consider a new Fatboy on looks alone . Took one out for a test drive and liked it but not enough to replace either of my Vics. I have not experienced the heat issue on my bikes that you mention. I have the standard tubular crash bars as opposed to what your running. Do you think maybe they allow better air flow around the motor? Your right about the oil. I've never had to top up my oil on either bike. they simply don't consume it like the Harleys. I'm told the new M8 motor is a vast improvement and those water cooled heads resolved the overheating issue of the twin cam motor.Two friends recently drove their ten year old Harleys from Ontario to Texas where they both overheated. Fit and finish on the Harleys definitely are second to none but if I go for another new bike, I'm leaning heavily in favor of the Indian Challenger.
Thanks for watching, your opinion runs very close to our own. To answer some questions, yes it certainly runs cooler without the hard lowers, but they're a trade off to fix the buffeting and my helmet bobbling on the highway. Now with owning the Harley, I tend to ride my Victory more in cooler weather. I would agree the M8 is a huge improvement over prior Harleys. They're also capable of making big power, it just doesn't come cheap. A challenger in my mind, has the most Victory DNA of any Indian, but I wouldn't necessarily be in a hurry to trade in a Vic. Hopefully you've subscribed and check out some of our other Victory content.
Back in 2015 I test rode 3 HD including my dream bike Far Boy but I ended up with a Victory CrossCountry. At that time those HD imo were all over priced, overrated & build quality was barely acceptable. Walked into Victory showroom, 1 test ride & I took out my cash immediately 😂. Over the pass 8yrs I brought my XC for multiple trips, literally CrossCountry into Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia & soon to Laos & Myanmar. 45,000 km, besides the usually wear & tear it never once failed me
Wow, those are some awesome trips! I did the same in 2014, I rode a street glide back then and the Cross Country and ended up with the Victory. Ride on!
They are the OEM clear ones that I covered in black 3M vinyl. I also replaced the bottom plastic hinge pin with a SS bolt and nylon lock nut. That allowed me to get just the right amount of tension to keep them from rattling!
I’m at 108k on my 03 victory. 3clutch cables, 2 belts, second set of bearings, 1 voltage regulator, and countless tires. It’s is starting to feel like neck bearings soon though.
There are some very nice Victory's here for sale around me with lower miles. I am worried about them breaking down and not being able to get parts for them though.
I think break downs are few in far between. Victorys have proven to be reliable. My thought is you'll always be able to find maintenance parts, but aftermarket and well stocked service shops are another story. I find it depends on what type of travel you plan and if you're ok with servicing the bike yourself.
I have both, a Fatboy screamin' 110 and a Victory 106; the Fatboy is way a better sled in almost every aspect, my fave!, the Fatboy has more horsepower but the Victory feels like it has more torque, ride on!
@@3_AM but sadly in China, motorcycle has only 13 years to use, mine is 4 years left, have to switch to Harley when the time is up, but i will keep my vic for sure
Honestly, you can gut the stock exhausts with a hole saw at the end and pull everything out but the outer perforated metal that lines the outer wall. Bob and I both had this setup right from the dealer when we bought our Cross Country's. They are deep and loud. If they still make them, Vic baggers makes straight 4" tips.
2019 Harley Davidson ultra Limited 114 engine. At 40,000 miles it started using almost 2 quarts of oil every 5000 miles. Fortunately, I have the extended warranty. Because of 50,000 miles the internals of the engine were so damaged due to the lack of oil That the entire engine is now being replaced. This bike was maintained meticulously over those miles. I just don’t think Harley Davidson expects you to really use their motorcycles. I think they’re better motorcycles if you ride about 50 miles in the weekend and spend a lot of times in bars bullshitting. Yes I do know people have 100,000 on Harley Davidson‘s, how many of those have the new M8 motor? However, even with all of its faults, using oil, transmission fluid, moving into the primary, arbitrarily smoking like a cropduster in the freeway, and never quit running, even though it made all sorts of crazy noises when it started up, it actually never quit running, so I’ll give it that.
I do enjoy my Harley thoroughly, but there is always the reliability suspicion. For that reason I went with all Harley parts for the cam and tune in order to maintain factory warranty and also purchased 4 years extended. I agree the warranties make money for Harley from the average bar hopper. For me I'm at 30k and counting with 3 years extended still. My mileage slowed a bit by adding some other bikes to the garage, but I'm glad to be covered. It's a weird thing though, you spend all the money on a warranty and "hope to get your money's worth" but that's also saying "I hope my bike breaks". Either way I stay up on maintenance always and keep racking miles. Thanks for watching.
We plan to make other variations of this video in the future. Bobby from the channel owns a Street Glide and Cross Country for a comparison. Otherwise, Tony owns a Vision and had a Road Glide that was traded in after a deer hit. Thanks for watching !
I did have one of their early prototype sets. They handles absolutely amazing but I found them kind of stiff for the long haul. I ended up with the fox with more of a compromise. I’d be curious to know myself if the current production sets are any different. The rears are great !
Look at how much money you have to fork up to just compare to the Victory's power, torque, and handle ability. But ppl still believe HD is the superior bike, lol!
There is nothing you can tell me about a Harley. The fact that Victory designed their bikes so well that they’re still running strong long after Polaris shut them down speaks volumes.
If you have an old BSA or triumph or any of the other British motorcycles that have been gone for 70 years or more the fact that you can still get parts and the fact that you can tear down an engine with the tools you have in your Craftsman toolbox 🧰 is a point in there favor. I am not talking about modern motorcycles but vintage ones that were put together by hand as they went down and assembly line not being assembled by robots. They also took great care to make sure their motorcycles looked gorgeous 😍. From any angle they speak of beauty and functionality with nothing extra.
Not getting the point? What manufacturer builds a bike that doesn’t have most on the road a decade later? Reliability isn’t really an issue these days, across the industry. Probably other manufacturers have is the 99% of people that do not ride consider every touring V Twin an HD, no one mistakes a Street Glide for a Victory or Indian. HD is ingrained in our culture. It takes more than making a reliable bike, with bad fit and finish.
@@freebehindbars8654 HD has a lot of reliable ity issues . There are a ton of videos on the subject.Honda makes more motorcycles in a month than HD makes in a year.My Sportster is a good bike. 25 years old and still going strong.lndians are restyle Victory.Same dependability just prettyer.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 Tbh, we’re not talking sportsters here, as far as touring bikes, the only bike close to HD Glides fit and Finish would be the BMW, but it’s still not there. There’s a reason HD sells more motorcycles in America than any other manufacturer. People vote with their dollar.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 For every video you see I could show you 10 bikes with 80k miles on the original motor. I’m not an HD simp, just see too many bikes through our shop to take your word.
Victory was way ahead of its time. With its design, and reliability no other american made bike came close. My opinion.
Agreed, there was some well though out engineering. I always liked this video showing some of the design advantages.
th-cam.com/video/RGkFPUeNUqc/w-d-xo.html
That Victory is still so good looking. I like Harley and i am not a brand loyal guy but i prefer the Vic!
There’s too many great bikes out there to be brand loyal
@@3_AM You my friend are 100% correct. Just like you, a bike for adventure and bike for long distance rides. Not one bike can do it all. Love you content, keep up the great work.
@@Vidadereyes Thank you . Ride on
I'm a Victory XC guy myself , but would have to say you gave a FAIR assessment overall. I really like victory xc because has a unique look and it turns heads. I just like being different.
Agreed, my XC especially in red stands out and always turns heads. Thanks for watching !
I love my 14 Cross Country Tour!! Never done work on it, ABS modules went out, but still runs just fine! Made a Sturgis trip from Georgia twice, when brand new in 2015 and again in 2024 with 60,000 miles! Still rocked like a champion
Thanks for watching. Ride on!
The thing I love about Victory above and beyond what has been mentioned is Victory has very few seals compared to the HD which makes it less prone to lose / leak oil. Plus the Vic has a closed system for the oil so it cycles the same oil through the entire bike and HD has multiple reservoirs to have to keep track of Also, if leg room is important, Vic wins hands down. If you're 5'5 or 6'5, the Vic has far better leg room. I felt cramped sitting on an HD for any length of time. Love my Cross Country Tour (had a Kingpin also) and it was just top to bottom designed better than a HD IMO. I have nothing against HD personally, but I'll give my nod to Victory all day long. Great review
All valid points ! I believe the 106 only has 7 gaskets or something like that. Otherwise, absolutely changing one fluid for the victory service is so simple it does make things easy.
The victory is the better looking bike. Shame they stopped building them. I wish someone would buy victory from Polaris and start building them again
Anything's possible I suppose. Otherwise, we've always said the Indian Challenger seems to have the most Victory DNA in it.
I normally don't like the Batwing look but I really like how Victory did it and their tins always looked more aggressive
I didn’t like it at first at all, but now love that it has a look of its own.
The XC is the greatest big bagger ever manufactured 🏆
My 2011 CrossCountry has 122,000 miles. I like the Madstad windshield. Stock otherwise. Haven't checked the sparkplugs or air filter yet. Change oil about 8,000 miles. The left turnsignal only works sometimes. I like it better than my Road King.
how tall are you
Started with a cross country, then went to a roadglide ultra, back with victory for good with a vision ttwfo
The vision is in a league of its own for comfort !
Ive ridden Harley’s since I was 14ish. From shoveheads to street glides (and everything in between). I just bought a 2010 Victory Vision 8ball. I’ve never ridden anything as balanced, smooth, malleable, or efficient. I still love my ironhead and 1200, but this bike is something else.
Thanks for watching. The vision is probably one of the most underrated baggers out there. People simply have to ride one to understand it.
I have 15 cross country and a 13 ultra limited. Victory by far reliability and power. Harley fit and finish.
Agreed 👍🏻
Polaris screwed up with their advertising of the Victory.
Instead of going after HD, they should have just concentrated on their amazing design and reliability.
Here in the UK, hardly anyone knew they existed. No matter where I go, people always come up to me to talk about my bikes.
Well done, Polaris, for dropping one of the best-looking bikes to hit the road.
Yes, even here a lot of people don't know about them. Even being in a Victory dense area as we live near what were some of the largest dealers.
I have a 2014 CRC Victory for 4000 mile road trips...dependability. Also have a Harley 1200 Custom for short trips. Love them both. If i could only choose one...Victory without hesitation.
Keep both motorcycles. The Sportster is good for running errands and day trips and the other one is good for going cross-country with so I have four hundred thousand miles on my Forester so I've gone around the world more than once. 37 back tires 17 front tires in 25 years. I just put it back on the road
The Victory does three things out of the box that HD doesn't; stop, go, and turn. I've never understood HD's appeal.
Victory was ahead of the game for a lot of technology. The one thing Harley has always had is its culture and following, there's just something about them.
Victory made several models that stop, go and turn and so has Harley.
I bought a used 2016 Magnum X1 Stealth with 9K miles in 2018 for $15K and love it. It replaced my 2010 Street Glide which I loved but experienced almost every older Twin Cam failure that exists. I've done a lot of upgrades to Magnum including cams, Bassani pipe, under drive pulley, Penske shock, windscreens etc. Since I bought the bike used it was cheaper when "done" than any of the six HDs I had. I still haven't solved the buffeting and have to wear a half helmet to compensate. My solution for wearing a full helmet on long road trips was to buy a 2016 Vision Tour with 7K miles for $9K. Left it mostly stock with some minor upgrades. Best of both worlds. I don't hate on Harley anymore since I've recovered from my Street Glide heartbreak but I probably won't ever buy an HD bagger again, mostly due to price. Indian Challenger would be on my list if I found one used for a good deal. I rented one a few years ago and it really feels like an upgraded Victory. Nothing competes with the sound or feel of a Harley Big Twin however.
Thanks for watching. It sounds like your setup with the Magnum and Vision is really the best of both worlds. Otherwise, much like how we feel, it takes owning both to appreciate them differently. The Victory's are great for a lot of reasons, but as you said there is still something about the sound a feel of a Harley.
Man that victory looks like a classic hot rod....! 🔥
I hate that Polaris scrapped Victory in favor of their other brand. I think they were on to something with Victory
We were devastated the day Polaris pulled the plug!
Got two harleys and six victories, victory is by far the "better" bike, but I do agree with your assessment
Thanks for watching, ride on!
Bang for buck would go to Victory
Certainly, especially in today's market. Thanks for watching.
Having both ,I can say without a doubt victory is a better build bike and more comfortable
I love everything about my 2014 Crossroads except the seat. I am having a Russekk day long put on in about 3 weeks. Having ridden through 13 states so far this year, my old boney butt is ready for a chage.
Not bad, a seat is a easy compromise to change a least. Ride safe !
Give us a review of that Russell Day Long seat, I’ve thought a lot about going that route myself.
I've been so impressed with U'r videos on the Victory Brand that I finally pulled the plug & I'm picking up a 2010 Cross Country this Friday. I've road Harleys for years & still have a 1983 Harley FLHT that has a Mototek Trike Conversion on it. But want a change & have been really impressed with the research I've done over the last few months. So I'm giving the nod to Victory. Wish me luck & Thanks for the great video's!
Good choice! Enjoy your new ride. Thanks for watching.
Victory forever!!
I rode mine this morning. I still love to take it out.
Just a great video 🎉. I own an Indian. Polaris knows what they are doing. Victory will be missed. A great bike.
Thanks for watching. Hoped you’ve subscribed!
@@3_AM of course. 💪🏻
That Cross bike is beautiful. Im on my second Victory cruiser and wouldn't trade it for anything. This is a very good video that points out the good and not so good things about both brands. I agree with everything that you said too.
Thanks for watching. I love both my bikes, but no bike is perfect.
I own a 08 victory Vegas Low and a 2013 victory vision. Love them both ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Nice combination. Enjoy them.
I’ve got a 16magnum. Loyd’s upgrades with cams n such. Maximus tune. I just love it. All my boys have new Harley’s and as much as I do love them, my Vic is the best bike I’ve ever rode.
In that case hold on to the bike and enjoy it. Ride Safe !
@@3_AM the plan
I am on my 109th motorcycle. I never had a Harley. The reliability stories kept me from ever trusting one.
good review. You answered my main question I was searching for. There is a victory for sale near me, and you mention how hot the victory gets. That’s all I wanted to know, I’m going to pass on the victory for sale near me.. I wish Harley made something I liked, and trusted. I thought they were on the right track when they made the V rod engine. I don’t know why they gave up on that because Harley is going to have to water cool their machines because of future emissions regulations, especially in Europe. Honda has already said they are no longer going to make the Goldwing because it will not pass the EU future regulations, and Honda has dropped eight other models that will not pass the future emissions testing in Europe.
at the same time, Harley sales in India, where they are also making Harleys now, besides Brazil and Thailand, Harley sales in India are up over 1000%.. I don’t know if they are the same kind of motorcycles for sale here in the United States, that we know, they may be just Mahindra or royal Enfield motorcycles with Harley emblems on the tank..
Harley Davidson addressed the oil problem with a external breather and recycling the oil back. I believe that's covered under warranty. My local dealership stated after 2017 to 2020 should be covered. Because it was overlooked. Buy I would definitely ask. Love that Red Victory.
Thank you and thanks for watching !
I’ve got 4 bagger motorcycles. In Florida I ride my 18 Goldwing DCT Tour as it by far coolest to ride in hot weather. My Victory CCT stays in Vermont as my daily rider/shopping bike as it’s enormous carrying capacity allows me to load up on groceries at Walmart which is a relaxing 15 miles away. Last summer I picked up a like new 18 Yamaha Star Venture TransContinental that I’ve ridden and enjoyed for 2000 miles. My BMW F700 GS is reserved for VT gravel backroads. I’ve owned 2 ElectraGlide Ultras up until 2 years ago but never felt the passion for them. So many bikes with so little time! Enjoy your videos. 😎👍
Thanks for watching. Sounds like you have a well thought out collection of bikes as well. VT has so much great riding !
I owned a Vic Hammer S for 9 years and it was very reliable with great power. Now I have a 21 HD Heritage and love it for its power, looks, fit and finish.
Both are great bikes. Thanks for watching.
Indian dealers should work on Victorys
Yes, a lot do
Really? I did not know that
@@michaelroy925 we’ve heard many will , may be worth asking the one near you. Personally we’ve been lucky to not need a dealer for much .
Thanks for an honest review...
Love my 2016 CCT!
I have one of the first 2010's cross country. Still got it and have done lots of travel. Launched her through the air once fully packed with gear, blew belt in front tire, bent exhaust, bent the hell out of center link, otherwise bike held up well and still going. Love the bike with no issues. Very dependable.
Great to see people holding on to their Vics for the long haul. Also a airborne XC must have been a site to see!
@@3_AM Ha! Not a sight I want to see again anytime soon. Wish it was on video though. Take care.
For me the lean angle and how easily you can throw the XCT around absolutely runs rings around the Harleys.
Out of the box it does for sure. With the suspension work I added to my Harley its a tough comparison. Thanks for watching.
Great video! I’d look into getting a Maximus tune from Noe. It improves the low end under 3k (501 cams in mine) as well as the on/off throttle smoothness, still won’t be as strong as the HD though at low RPM. My main reason for holding onto my XC is that it does everything the new baggers do, just without the in dash screen which can be seen as a positive. To me it’s hard to justify $30k+ on a new bike that isn’t head and shoulder better. Plus it stands out in a crowd no matter where you’re at! Not a single bike out there with larger saddlebag capacity either!
Chris, all valid points. Nothing wrong with keeping that Victory rolling. Thanks for watching, hopefully you've hit that subscribe button.
I bought a Harley becuse i wanted a Harley. Plain and simple. The heritage, the support when you're on the road, aftermarket support AND even cheaper parts on marketplace (everyone's always changing something out), model availability, the sound, the feel, the compliments from folks, everyone knows Harley Davidson. All my brother in laws ride victories and we all have a blast.
Getting out to ride is the important part, regardless of what you ride. Thanks for watching.
Three years riding a Kingpin. Zero issues. Smooth and plenty of power. So reliable. Don't miss my FLH.
Ride on ! Thanks for watching
Excellent video!! Love you guys!!!
Awesome to hear how reliable the Victory has been. Would be curious to know if you looked at the Indian Challenger when considering your Road Glide. The Indian has good suspension travel and a lot of other nice features that come from its Victory heritage that you seem to appreciate.
Yes, I've always said the challenger has the most victory DNA in it. I don't know, that bike just doesn't do it for me. I was partially still sour about Polaris when I bought my Harley. None the less, the Challenger is an awesome bike.
My 2016 VXCT Miss Valhalla has NEVER let me down, since buying her brand new in 16....I'm bummed that Polaris did what they did to what is arguably a top end dependable bike! Looking at the 2023 Indian Pursuit, you can see where Polaris used Victory's styling and possible parts? If it comes a time when I can no longer get parts for Valhalla, I will turn to Indian for my next ride! I honestly tried going to HD before finding Valhalla, but the extras that I would have had to buy and have put on the Street Glide I was looking at, would have ran me up another $3k+, on top of an already high priced bike! The only thing I had to do to Valhalla, was adjust the factory bars up! That speaks volumes.....
I think most Vic riders would like the pursuit, it seems to have the most victory DNA. Its a great bike, and yes there's some old parts on there such as brake rotors, I believe. Otherwise, Harley's have come a long way, but they do leave you wanting some immediate upgrades like suspension.
@3_AM Until HD gets progressive with their bike designs (lengthen like Vics, cleaner lines, larger tanks, bring their production of parts back to US, etc..), they will succumb to other brands, like Indian and foreign models! Just my opinion.....been riding since 1973'ish....
Victory looks like it was rolled into Indian. The Challenger and Pursuit are Victory's with the Indian name on the side. The power plus 108 is the liquid cooled version of the 106. My Judge has pretty good fit and finish compared to my Harley but the paint is deeper on the Harley and the bolt on signal lights are better. That being said I think Polaris made those things as sacrificial in an accident so they would be easily replaced. That is their off-road blood coming through. No comparison for the power plants. I think Polaris makes a better metal flake flat paint. I like the RG for its fixed fairing and was thinking of getting one until the Challenger came out. I was holding out form Harley to put an overhead cam power plant in their touring bike but it never happened. Not a fan of the M8. I am a fan of the air cooled pushrod sportster motor. It makes better power by the cubic inch.
All valid points . I definitely agree the pursuit / challenger has the most victory DNA. They certainly outperform the road glide stock. Thanks for watching!
Victory’s a way better bike , they don’t break and they have a lot of power compared to the Harley in the 107 & I’ve beat many 110s and a few 114’s
Thanks for watching, the Victory is faster out of the box for sure.
Parts are easy to get but Victorys don't need parts. I've been riding Vics for ten years and haven't needed anything but a kickstand spring. You also didn't mention that the Victory engine is hard mounted and I think the Harley is rubber mounted, so you'll get a little more engine feel on the Vic.
That's a good point. Hopefully maintenance parts will remain available. Thanks for watching.
Great video,,I have a '13 XCT with 40K on it and would not trade for anything! My brother was in the market for an upgrade, looking at V's and found it was the last year of them. Opted to the Road King as was always a Harley fan. Happy he did but still looks at mine and drools a bit! Mine has a Kicker stereo upgrade just to keep up with the pipes!!
Thanks for watching, The kicker was a nice upgrade for the price, I have it in mine. Hopefully you'll check out some of our other victory content and ride safe !
Great video can tell you really love the victory. Too bad they went out of business you make you want to buy one even though I have a new road glide as well.
I do love my victory, I was torn letting my Highball go. A steel frame victory would be a nice addition next to a road glide!
I’m still trying to my wind buffeting on my cross country. Put a better windshield on now I think I need fork deflectors because it’s definitely coming from below. Nice content amigos!
Thank you . Yes a lot of wind rolls up from below . We’ve always heard great things about the fork deflectors.
Does your cross country have lowers ? I put the lower fairings on my crossroads, from JTD cycles , night and day difference
Taller windscreen and fork deflectors fix the buffeting on my Victory’s. I run a 11” Windvest and I’m 6-3. I have three Victory’s and have owned 4. Hate to hear you sold your Highball, I don’t know if I could sell my Highball because it’s just such a different ride and feel than my Magnums. Great content and love seeing other Victory owners and lovers out here!
Do a leak down test with the victory at 75000 mi and the Harley at 25,000 miles see which one passes the leak down test.
I have a 2011 Hammer 8ball that I got new, love her but she isn’t made for long trips. Seriously considering a XC Tour because while I would love to grab a new Challenger, the price just isn’t in the budget. Back during the Victory demo days where the semi would pull up with all the models, I would go ride every one. I felt very comfortable on the Cross Country and wouldn’t mind having one in the garage.
The vision is a closer competitor to the harley you're on in this video.
I would agree for the fixed fairing aspect, but otherwise I'm just comparing what I own. Thanks for watching
Out of the two here id take the harley purely because of the fixed front cowling because that large cowling attacched to your front forks acts as a wind sail however for style, id take the Victory hands down.
I loved my fixed fairing for eating up highway miles. Otherwise the Victory has a style of its own.
There are only around 600 Harley dealers left in the United States down from 800 because they closed all the mom-and-pop shops. Of course if you are including independent shops that it is another story but I am speaking or dealerships
After another google check, you are correct. Not sure where I got the other number from. Thanks for watching!
I love my Victory XC because it’s the only bike that comes ready to ride for tall guys too. Everything else is set towards 5’8”. Also the bags hold more and the styling is just there own not trying to be something else along with reliability handling and no gotta have a Harley me too snobbery 😊 that was really good can you do a vision vs xc comparo? Thanks again
Agreed, the XC has a lot of leg room for taller people at the same time they fit shorter people as well being narrow in the front of the seat / tank. Thanks for watching, hopefully you've hit that subscribe button. We'll have some Victory content in the works for this season.
You guys ever make it to WNC on a trip give me a shout and we can hit all the good rides around here. Murphy, NC
Agreed... FAIR assessment. One thing tho. The XC was direct competition to the street glide. Wind management would have been a true apples to apples review. Another thing to note. Victory was making 96hp when the 106 came out. It took harley 10 years to catch up. Harleys are a sloth in performance. As far as reliability goes, harleys in the same era were lucky to get 1/3 of the miles that the vics did due to cam chain tensioner alone in harley which caused catastrophic damage to the enigines. Fit and finish goes to HD hands down. But vics are beauties in their own way.
Agreed on all your points. Stay tuned in the future, bob plans to compare his XC to his Street glide, both bikes he's had for a number of years.
Thanks for watching.
@3_AM thank you for the content! I had an 03 v92 that my oldest son now owns. 130,000 miles and counting. Engine/trans internals have never been touched. Most reliable bike I've ever owned!!!
@@joebiker5992 thanks for watching. You may like a few other of our Victory videos. Keep that Victory rolling 🤘🏻
Victory is Beautiful. I Love my Victory XCT! My Wife Loves it too 😃 So much Power and Comfort. 48,000 miles front fork seal starting to show a bit of oil gonna try seal mate, see how that goes. Had a drive pulley strip out at around 37,000 miles other than that going strong. Though my front brakes have some shimmy to them, been that way since I bought it with only 4,500 miles on it. Would like to have that issue fixed if I only knew what the problem is. Basically got used to it. By far the Best Bike I ever owned. I will never part with it, I'll keep her forever. Great Bikes, Sad they are no longer made. Love Your Victory content 😎
Thanks for watching
It's actually an easy Victory win. Seat time on a Victory is way more enjoyable than on a Harley. No matter what the model tbh
Great review. I have a 21 road glide limited. Best bike I've owned. I find the stock suspension to be adequate. Now I have it dialed up in the back to about 15 to 20. It's a stiff ride but it handles great. Victory makes good bikes I was sad to see them go. I do think the new Indian bikes have a lot of the victory style and engineering. The challenger engine is rumored to be a victory design , but not sure about that one.
Thanks for watching. Agreed about the Indians still carrying some Victory engineering's. We've always said the challenger has the most Victory DNA.
Comparison should have been between the same year, mileage, and the harley street glide with its pathetic 103. The Vic is also much cheaper bike to get more performance out of. $2500 bucks and you can easily gain 20-30 hp. You cannot come close to that price with a Harley. Hands down the Vic wins. Harley had to go with the 131 to keep up with the liquid cooled 106 aka Indian’s Challenger 108. I could go on all day about Vic over Harley but what is the use. I have windshields on my 13 & 15 XCT that do not buffet around the semis. Victory all day long.
You're correct on the performance part for sure! Thanks for watching, ride on!
A fair comparison would be against the street glide
Stay tuned!
The same year and mileage
As for wind management fixed fairings are generally better at wind management. However it is easy to correct on the Victory by putting on the Witchdoctors fork wind deflectors. Then I put chaps on the engine guards and you are in for a very smooth wind wise ride. I have that same Havasu Red 2014 Cross Country, expect for chrome tri flow pipes. I compare mine to the Harley Street glides and the Street Glides are much more cramped for my near 6 foot height. To get an extra 25 or more horse power is achieved by cams, mine are 501s, and then Lloyds air filter, ande then an ECU Maximus tune and now at 115 hp and 115 torque. The Victory is less top heavy and extremely nimble with a superior suspension, and definitely more trouble free. In all its years I have only done normal maintenance, and oil changes cost 30 to 35 dollars. A lot of the Victory DNA went into the Indian Challenger and Pursuit and those are the only bikes that would get me out of my Victory. That said by what you like.
Glad to hear you love your Victory!
Where you guys at in CT I’m near UCONN and would love to be able to improve my XCT. Thanks in advance.
I have a 2013 XCT and im in love with it. I have a few questions though. Where did you get your hard lowers?
Years ago I bought them used and had them painted. They are hard to find today. I would suggest looking in Facebook forums if you haven’t already. Thanks for watching, be sure to hit that subscribe button!
Very good non biased review. Have put miles on both of these and your review is spot on.
Think if I was to buy one I’d still get the Vic. Can find one for less than 10k pretty easily and know it’ll be solid performer.
Did notice on the Vic the lowers made a huge difference in buffeting. Took them off once and after about a 5 minute ride they went right back in. Haha
Ride safe man!
Thanks for watching, you absolutely right about the Victory for someone on a budget. A 10k cross country is a lot more bike for the money compared to an older Harley. Otherwise, I had the same dilemma with the lowers. Took them off to help heat and then put them back on. Now having both bikes, I tend to ride the Vic in cooler weather.
@@3_AMDefinitely!
Another thing to check out to help with heat is the beaded seat covers. They help a bit with getting air flow under your butt and make warm weather riding much more enjoyable, would work great on both the Harley and the Vic.
I have a Vic cross roads 4 sale
i will take the victory any day
I've got a 2009 kingpin, I love the power and sound, especially with the lloyd's fuel controller and victory performance pipes, I got it a couple months ago, it came with the switchblade windshield, honestly I think that windshield all it does is create more turbulance at 75+ mph, it has under 25k miles, I will change the oil a week from now, other than that I'm not an expert, I fiddled with 250 cc chinese bikes but I'm affraid to do that with this one, going to probably take it to indian or a small shop for the 30k maintenance, I will eventually migrate to an Indian Scout in a couple years, I know they have less torque but more HP, and weigh less, the fact that I can get one that even my wife will like to sit on is a plus, because she's under 5 feet!
Congrats on the new ride, enjoy it !
Thanks@@3_AM
Interesting that the Vic is 7 years old and still comparable to the new HD. I think that is where you see the real winner. Just my .02
It’s a valid point !
Looking at your backdrop, I noticed the foothills. Where are you guys located?
We’re in northern Connecticut. This video was overlooking Bradley Airport.
Two killer bikes! I'm in love with both. I own a 13' Vic CCT and was wondering what kind of wheels (Brand/Model/size) you have on your Victory? Thx
They are just the stock wheels powder coated gloss black. Thanks for watching, ride on!
Its been a curse of my life that things i own and places i go close down or stop being produced and its just kinda funny. But having a XC and victory closing down bothered me. I love the Red i have the Grey and i dream about White.
It’s funny you say that, the 3 of us always say the same , places or things we love shut down. We usually joke saying things we like are trash as to not jinx it.
@@3_AM 😅 well I'm thrilled to know I'm not alone.
I own a zx14r my new wife and stepdaughter have learned to love riding but to me them being backpacks sucks for them. Which would you say (I know it's only opinion) would be the better bagger to go with since I want to get them something more comfortable to ride on? It won't be my primary ride. I'm a big guy 6' 4 and they're both tiny @ 4'10
Thanks for watching. I would say the victory’s offer much more leg room if you are a taller person.
The Victory Vision is the bike for you. I came off a CBR1000rr and a Kawasaki H2, just sold both and now have two Visions--thinking about getting a Cross Country now.
@@p.russell5597 the vision is a league of its own
Sad Vic stopped making bikes.
Yes it is
Nice review of both bikes. As soon as I heard Polaris was dumpling Victory for Indian I drove my 06 Hammer down to my dealer and bought a 2016 Magnum for a stable mate. Having now owned 3 and currently 2 Vics, the power and reliability definitely won me over. Love the look of your Harley and would consider a new Fatboy on looks alone . Took one out for a test drive and liked it but not enough to replace either of my Vics. I have not experienced the heat issue on my bikes that you mention. I have the standard tubular crash bars as opposed to what your running. Do you think maybe they allow better air flow around the motor? Your right about the oil. I've never had to top up my oil on either bike. they simply don't consume it like the Harleys. I'm told the new M8 motor is a vast improvement and those water cooled heads resolved the overheating issue of the twin cam motor.Two friends recently drove their ten year old Harleys from Ontario to Texas where they both overheated. Fit and finish on the Harleys definitely are second to none but if I go for another new bike, I'm leaning heavily in favor of the Indian Challenger.
Thanks for watching, your opinion runs very close to our own. To answer some questions, yes it certainly runs cooler without the hard lowers, but they're a trade off to fix the buffeting and my helmet bobbling on the highway. Now with owning the Harley, I tend to ride my Victory more in cooler weather. I would agree the M8 is a huge improvement over prior Harleys. They're also capable of making big power, it just doesn't come cheap. A challenger in my mind, has the most Victory DNA of any Indian, but I wouldn't necessarily be in a hurry to trade in a Vic. Hopefully you've subscribed and check out some of our other Victory content.
2016 victory cross country only 16k miles I love my bike
you'll have a great bike for a long time!
What oil are you using for your victory, I use Victory OEM oil. 30,000 miles.
You can't go wrong with the OEM, but for the last couple of seasons I've been using Amsoil in almost everything.
Back in 2015 I test rode 3 HD including my dream bike Far Boy but I ended up with a Victory CrossCountry.
At that time those HD imo were all over priced, overrated & build quality was barely acceptable.
Walked into Victory showroom, 1 test ride & I took out my cash immediately 😂.
Over the pass 8yrs I brought my XC for multiple trips, literally CrossCountry into Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia & soon to Laos & Myanmar. 45,000 km, besides the usually wear & tear it never once failed me
Wow, those are some awesome trips! I did the same in 2014, I rode a street glide back then and the Cross Country and ended up with the Victory. Ride on!
I have a '12 XCT. Where did you get the black winglets for the fairing, mine came with clear.
They are the OEM clear ones that I covered in black 3M vinyl. I also replaced the bottom plastic hinge pin with a SS bolt and nylon lock nut. That allowed me to get just the right amount of tension to keep them from rattling!
Man I'm glad you threw that out there, one of mine rattles too, I'll try that. Also, the black vinyl. Thanks for the reply...@@3_AM
Great video
Thanks for watching !
I’m at 108k on my 03 victory. 3clutch cables, 2 belts, second set of bearings, 1 voltage regulator, and countless tires. It’s is starting to feel like neck bearings soon though.
That's not a bad list for 108K ! Ride on till the wheels fall off
@@3_AM I’m not gonna lie… I hope the wheels don’t fall off. But I’m gonna see just how far the bike will go
haha, valid point
Good video, but my Victory Magnum is a good bike
For sure it is, We've always been a fan of the Magnums
I have 43k on my 2015 XC. I think my stator might be shot. The only thing that I’ve ever heard breaking on a Victory is the infamous C-clip failing.
There are some very nice Victory's here for sale around me with lower miles. I am worried about them breaking down and not being able to get parts for them though.
I think break downs are few in far between. Victorys have proven to be reliable. My thought is you'll always be able to find maintenance parts, but aftermarket and well stocked service shops are another story. I find it depends on what type of travel you plan and if you're ok with servicing the bike yourself.
Great content I love all bikes but mostly Harley even though the MOCO sucks!!
Thanks for your continued support.
What's the cam you used.. I have the same bike and year for the victory!! Sexiest bike ever
It has a llyodz intake his mid range cams, timing wheel and a power commander .
@@3_AM I have a timing wheel and a power commander, just waiting to do cams
@@hjc3917 I believe they are the 501 cams.
@@hjc3917 You won't regret it. You should also look into getting a 1/4 turn throttle both are game changers.
I have both, a Fatboy screamin' 110 and a Victory 106; the Fatboy is way a better sled in almost every aspect, my fave!, the Fatboy has more horsepower but the Victory feels like it has more torque, ride on!
I got a victory boardwalk 2015 in China, not too many people know victory in China but vic is definitely better than Harley
That's cool to have something so unique in a foreign country. Ride safe, thanks for watching.
@@3_AM but sadly in China, motorcycle has only 13 years to use, mine is 4 years left, have to switch to Harley when the time is up, but i will keep my vic for sure
Interesting comparison. An observation, you say "...that being said..." too much. But 'that being said,' a good video. 👍
Lol , I think I say “umm” to much ! Thanks for watching.
What windshield is that in the XC?
Klockworks
Looking into a 2012 cross country. Can you point me in a direction of some loud ear bleeding pipes lol?
Honestly, you can gut the stock exhausts with a hole saw at the end and pull everything out but the outer perforated metal that lines the outer wall. Bob and I both had this setup right from the dealer when we bought our Cross Country's. They are deep and loud. If they still make them, Vic baggers makes straight 4" tips.
2019 Harley Davidson ultra Limited 114 engine. At 40,000 miles it started using almost 2 quarts of oil every 5000 miles. Fortunately, I have the extended warranty. Because of 50,000 miles the internals of the engine were so damaged due to the lack of oil That the entire engine is now being replaced. This bike was maintained meticulously over those miles. I just don’t think Harley Davidson expects you to really use their motorcycles. I think they’re better motorcycles if you ride about 50 miles in the weekend and spend a lot of times in bars bullshitting. Yes I do know people have 100,000 on Harley Davidson‘s, how many of those have the new M8 motor? However, even with all of its faults, using oil, transmission fluid, moving into the primary, arbitrarily smoking like a cropduster in the freeway, and never quit running, even though it made all sorts of crazy noises when it started up, it actually never quit running, so I’ll give it that.
I do enjoy my Harley thoroughly, but there is always the reliability suspicion. For that reason I went with all Harley parts for the cam and tune in order to maintain factory warranty and also purchased 4 years extended. I agree the warranties make money for Harley from the average bar hopper. For me I'm at 30k and counting with 3 years extended still. My mileage slowed a bit by adding some other bikes to the garage, but I'm glad to be covered. It's a weird thing though, you spend all the money on a warranty and "hope to get your money's worth" but that's also saying "I hope my bike breaks". Either way I stay up on maintenance always and keep racking miles. Thanks for watching.
Ive had 3 victorys wish i had them back ..im on my 2nd roadglide.wish i had my victorys back.
There's always good deals to be found on Victorys now. Thanks for watching, ride safe.
May only problem with this video is comparing a fix fearing with a moving one. I know u don't have one but the Harley should be compared to the Vision
We plan to make other variations of this video in the future. Bobby from the channel owns a Street Glide and Cross Country for a comparison. Otherwise, Tony owns a Vision and had a Road Glide that was traded in after a deer hit. Thanks for watching !
Didn't you have RWD front suspension?
I did have one of their early prototype sets. They handles absolutely amazing but I found them kind of stiff for the long haul. I ended up with the fox with more of a compromise. I’d be curious to know myself if the current production sets are any different. The rears are great !
The Harley has a taller windshield also
True
Chicken cookin' due to hard lowers. Big difference when removed in summer.
Yes' I've run without then before, but then deal with the buffeting on the highway. I guess it's one or the other. Thanks for watching.
I like how nimble the victory feels it's like im on a sports bike
That low center of gravity definitely helps. Ride safe
Look at how much money you have to fork up to just compare to the Victory's power, torque, and handle ability. But ppl still believe HD is the superior bike, lol!