Alex the Dog
Buena Vista, CO
Full Member
Joined: 10/31/2007
View Profile
 Offline
|
Anyone see a Victory Cross Country up close? Looks good from a distance of 25 feet, but when you get close, you see plenty of blunders and short-cuts.
Fairing looks great, but what are those "bat ears" doing on the windshield? And that "flying butress" engine guard? The motor could use some work as it looks like it was designed for an air compressor and unfortunately sounds like one. Mufflers look Japanese, but I guess you can fix them with a hack-saw. Front & rear fenders and saddlebags look like Victory spent all their resources styling these items. Wheels are just plain ugly. Geez!!
I know this is a first attempt of a new model, but bizaaro styling seems to be Victory's penchant--not modern engineering. C'mon Victory!
|
Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2005
View Profile
|
Well, I guess I gonna hafta go look at one after that glowing review!!!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
-Doug Larson
|
10ecjazzman
Nashville, Tennessee
Full Member
Joined: 01/24/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
I like it. Don't know if I would buy one just yet. I like the crash bar too. It is pre-drilled for lights or hi-way pegs. No way you can't like the view from the rear. All the styling touches are subjective. Everybody certainly will not like them for sure. I like the clean look of the 'air-compressor motor'. No wires, cables . or tie-wraps visible anywhere. But take a second look at the engineering. The bike has a sand cast hollow aluminum frame, a monotube rear shock, inverted front shocks, oil cooler, and floating rotor disc brakes. Thats cutting edge compared to any Harley out there. And by the way...my FLHT sounded like an air compressor before the Rush mufflers. I applaud them for at least trying something new. I would be interested to see how it rides. None of that technology matters if it doesn't perform well.
|
kzgb
Lake Effect, Indiana
Senior Member
Joined: 03/30/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Alex the Dog wrote:Anyone see a Victory Cross Country up close? Looks good from a distance of 25 feet, but when you get close, you see plenty of blunders and short-cuts.
Fairing looks great, but what are those "bat ears" doing on the windshield? And that "flying butress" engine guard? The motor could use some work as it looks like it was designed for an air compressor and unfortunately sounds like one. Mufflers look Japanese, but I guess you can fix them with a hack-saw. Front & rear fenders and saddlebags look like Victory spent all their resources styling these items. Wheels are just plain ugly. Geez!!
I know this is a first attempt of a new model, but bizaaro styling seems to be Victory's penchant--not modern engineering. C'mon Victory!
well you're not gonna confuse it with a harley, honda, yamaha or all the other look a likes. i personaly think it looks great. test drive one and you'll see and feel the difference. nice to see another american company step up and give us riders what we want.
2004 Victory Vegas
Only a Motorcyclist knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window
|
Hawg Man
Lakeland, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
kzgb wrote:Alex the Dog wrote:Anyone see a Victory Cross Country up close? Looks good from a distance of 25 feet, but when you get close, you see plenty of blunders and short-cuts.
Fairing looks great, but what are those "bat ears" doing on the windshield? And that "flying butress" engine guard? The motor could use some work as it looks like it was designed for an air compressor and unfortunately sounds like one. Mufflers look Japanese, but I guess you can fix them with a hack-saw. Front & rear fenders and saddlebags look like Victory spent all their resources styling these items. Wheels are just plain ugly. Geez!!
I know this is a first attempt of a new model, but bizaaro styling seems to be Victory's penchant--not modern engineering. C'mon Victory!
well you're not gonna confuse it with a harley, honda, yamaha or all the other look a likes. i personaly think it looks great. test drive one and you'll see and feel the difference. nice to see another american company step up and give us riders what we want.
Harleys are NOT look-a-likes.
Harley is the original V-Twin design - it's the others who are the look-a-likes.
Food for thought:
Ever wonder why, while the American auto industry is trying to make their cars look as Asian as possible - the Japanese are working 25 hours a day, 8 days a week to make their motorcycles look as much like Harley-Davidsons as possible?
Kinda looks like somebody knows us better than we know ourselves.
"$15,000, a new leather jacket, and 15 miles under your butt does NOT make you a biker."
|
10ecjazzman
Nashville, Tennessee
Full Member
Joined: 01/24/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Well yeah..maybe they spend so much time on the look..because its the look that sells. But its not just a look..its a feel, a sound, and a 'personality' that can't really be duplicated. The other manufacturers know that if they could get all those things close...and have the look close..they wouldn't have to worry about the technology so much. Everyone who rides a Harley has proven that all those intangibles are worth more than any new technology. If you stop using a Harley as the 'standard' that every bike must be measured against you can find out that there are some really cool bikes out there that are not HDs. I like my Harley for what it is and I bet I could like a Victory enough to find room for one beside my FLHT in the garage...Hmm...I wonder if the wife would mind parking her car outside???
|
Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2005
View Profile
|
10ecjazzman wrote: I like my Harley for what it is and I bet I could like a Victory enough to find room for one beside my FLHT in the garage...Hmm...I wonder if the wife would mind parking her car outside???
Only if it is to park 'her' motorcycle in the garage.
|
10ecjazzman
Nashville, Tennessee
Full Member
Joined: 01/24/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
She has a Honda VT750 Shadow in the garage already. While we are talking hypotheticals...how about I trade her Honda for my new Victory? Just slide it back in the corner..slip on the cover quietly..it could work..
|
Alex the Dog
Buena Vista, CO
Full Member
Joined: 10/31/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Well, I never thought of a Harley as a styling monster. My FLHX looks darn near like what a Hydra Glide looked like in the '50s, and I don't think HD gives a hoot about what any other manufactures are doing. They're still the original, and all others are just cheap copies. I give them credit for keeping what is a good design, and constantly refining it in every way for it's intended purpose.
Everyone's idea of what good quality is, is different. And you can't argue with the fact that there are still many thousands of 50-75 year old Harleys running down the road daily. I'm not talking about museum restorations appearing at shows on sunny days either.
I'm not trying to be harsh on Victory, it's just that I expect more from a new American design with a new "vision". A mono-shock on the rear is a nice design, and Honda was doing that 30 years ago. Kudos to them for that one. I like technology that works and is reliable--not just new. Sadly, many think new is always better.
|
Hawg Man
Lakeland, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
There's a reason why they make chocolate and vanilla.
Personally, I prefer Harley-Davidson over every other brand out there.
If you have to ask me why - you wouldn't understand my answer.
|
