Two for the Road

When it comes to long-haul motorcycle travel, Victory proves it has a pair.
By Bill Heald

If you long for the open road and like to roll on two wheels, there are a couple of ways to go. You can buy a full-boat touring bike that’s just slightly smaller than a cruise ship, or you can go with something smaller that’s not really designed for coast to coast runs but can be loaded down with ample accessories.

Victory Motorcycles has addressed your travel jones by designing a brace of cruisers that are suitable for comfortable travel, while at the same time not so cumbersome that motoring around in heavy traffic is a pain. The Victory Cross Roads and its slightly larger sibling, the Cross Country, are beautifully stylish machines that use the company’s impressive engineering to deliver a great riding experience—whether you’re traveling five miles to the barbecue joint or 1,500 to Daytona Beach. Both bikes are powered by a very torque-happy 1,731-cc air- and oil-cooled Freedom V-twin, which is Victory’s big-bore trademark engine and features four-valve heads and electronic fuel injection. This mill can be found on Victory’s most powerful bikes, and in this 92-horsepower application it’s specially tuned for two up touring duty, thanks to an all-new split dual exhaust with a hydroformed crossover pipe. The transmission is a six speed, and in top gear drops the rpms down for smooth, effortless highway cruising. This big V-twin is loaded with character and muscle, and very satisfying to crank open coming out of corners no matter what gear you’re in.

Both bikes are built on a 65.7-inch wheelbase and feature an innovative frame design that delivers the strong foundation that a loaded touring mount requires. The unique two-piece structure uses technology derived from the company’s CORE concept motorcycle, and Victory claims these bikes are the lightest in their class. That said, bikes bearing two riders and packed with gear for serious travel carry a good bit of mass, so Victory has armed the rides with stout 300-mm dual front disc brakes and a likewise sizable single unit in the rear for excellent stopping power.

So what differentiates this brace of touring vessels? The Cross Roads has a removable windshield with sideburns for aerodynamic efficiency, where as the Cross Country has a larger, fork-mounted full fairing. Both bikes sport huge integrated saddlebags. The Country also has an AM/FM radio as standard equipment, and a boat load of options are available, including GPS. Both the Country and the Roads feature relaxed upright ergonomics for all-day comfort and generous pillion accommodations for your companion. From the sculpted fuel tanks to Victory’s unique exhaust note, these are serious travel partners that just get better as the miles roll by.