All Tests – Test Victory Cross Country Tour: Electra shock! – The other vision of American custom

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Victory Cross Country Tour test: the Electra shock !

All Tests - Test Victory Cross Country Tour: Electra shock! - The other vision of American custom

So like that, the Victory Cross Country Tour would be able to cast a shadow over the chrome of a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide? MNC sheds light on this challenge with a 1,300 km duo test on the other American custom-tourer. Verdict !

The other vision of American custom

Then comes the moment to activate the starter in order to set in motion the two large bowls of 101 mm in diameter. And there, another small disappointment: far too muffled by the (extremely) silent, the sound of the V-twin at 50 ° does not deliver the expected score of such an instrument … The Victory Freedom, in European version. , lack of acoustic power but also musicality.

The soundtrack gains in intensity at the approach of 3000 rpm, but its unspecified tone hardly moves. The direct counterpart of this phonic discretion: mechanical noises, in particular the rattling of the distribution, are quite perceptible at idle, while they are covered by the muffled backs of the Twin Cam 103 on the

The gearbox, it is up to the standards of the category: the first pass by delivering a resounding "klong", especially when cold. Slow but precise, the selection would be more comfortable to handle with a double-branch control, while the left hand would welcome a less hard clutch lever. Especially since its spacing is not adjustable, nor that of the brake lever: we are not on a little girl’s motorcycle !

But this observation is quickly swept away by the enormous torque and punch delivered by this 1731 cc engine. The V-Twin designed by the brand of the Polaris group literally tears the Cross Country Tour off the ground, then responds to all revs. Forget the notion of downshifting: this air-oil cooled unit has a sufficiently low threshold of flexibility to avoid having to keep your eyes on the instrumentation, to monitor the engine speed or the gear engaged.

Well helped by an excellent connection between the accelerator and its perfectly calibrated injection, the Victory Freedom has the necessary breath to gently tow the (heavy!) Crew at 50 km / h in fourth at around 1600 rpm. Impossible to be more precise: the graduations of the very readable tachometer go in increments of 500 revolutions !

Like the lines of the motorcycle, this instrumentation reconciles traditionalism and modernism: four dials beautifully surrounded by chrome indicate the fuel level, speed, engine speed and battery amperage, while a digital window provides information in particular on the gear engaged, the time, the air temperature or the average and instantaneous consumption.

A bluish backlight, activated automatically, gives a futuristic touch to this dashboard, which is as complete as it is well-appointed. And as a bonus, all the information is accessible without letting go of the handlebars, with a short flick of the left index finger on the headlight call control. A long press will reset the two partial trips, the various indicators, and access the clock settings. Simple, intuitive, practical: many manufacturers would do well to be inspired by it !

Finally, a second digital screen brings together all the information of the audio installation, the quality and power of which would force the admiration of any DJ! Controlled by the satellite located under the left stalk, this exceptionally sound sound system is one of the major strengths of the Cross Country Tour: the four large speakers installed on either side of the dashboard and top- case allow the pilot and his passenger to follow a talk show or capture practically all the tones of a good rock song up to 130 km / h (without wind) !

At this pace, the twin purrs at 3000 rpm in sixth. Although of the "overdrive" type (all the details in our Technical report), this report allows frank overtaking – even muscular – without this lethargy often felt when engaging an "Overdrive". As long as it does not drop its speed below 2000 rpm in 6th gear (i.e. at 85 km / h), the large twin has enough reserves to wipe out a retiree who dawdles on the secondary network with a stroke of gas. !

Without any downtime up to 4,500 rpm, acceleration then impresses with its consistency and consistency. In short: it grows hard, all the time, and continuously! Some will not fail to reproach him for the lack of sensations resulting from this linearity, but others will appreciate on the contrary this predictability and this side "inexhaustible force" which finally befits perfectly to the cutting of terminals in large slices, especially in duet !

An armchair for two

Speaking of duo, the time has come to take a break to hear Madam’s opinion, especially since a steady rain has been pouring out for a while now … Totally sheltered, it is hardly if you You noticed that the temperature had dropped below 10 ° C and that it was raining heavily: only your gloves and the top of your knees are wet !

Between the senatorial comfort of its heated pilot saddle and low perched (667 mm) and the efficiency of its heated grips, the Cross Country Tour keeps you like a cocoon, even in these depressing weather conditions. In reality, from a certain speed, the volume of air pushed by the windshield creates around you a kind of "comfort zone" that heavy rain and turbulence have difficulty crossing..

The only downside is visibility in rainy weather: when the drops accumulate on this high and wide glass surface, it sometimes becomes difficult to distinguish every detail through it. Applying a more hydrophobic treatment would undoubtedly help matters. Or, why not, the installation of a small wiper ?!

Behind, the passenger is not exactly housed in the same boat: nothing to say about the comfort of the saddle and the backrest, but the protection is not as complete as that which we enjoy on the handlebars. Because yes, it is quite enjoyable to ride a motorcycle in a downpour without going through the "waterproof clothing" box! More exposed because of its elevated position, your guest is far from having "full the quiche" but his arms and thighs are more quickly soaked and cooled in case of rain…

In addition, if Madame appreciates the roundness of the V-twin as much as you do, the slight jerks of the transmission on the go-around and the vibrations that it distils please her much less. Despite the presence of a balancing arm, the Freedom tickles the feet of the pilot and his passenger just before the 3000 rpm mark, especially on the right side..

Then these tingling (too marked to be called "Good Vibes") extend to the handlebars and scramble the mirrors. Too bad: despite their small size, these were surprisingly effective! Finally, the side wind is a component which the dimensions of the machine require to be taken into account. On the highway, loaded and in duo, the Victory can be sensitive to the whims of Aeolus, like almost all motorcycles of this size..

Above 130 km / h, the direction presents a slight blur when large gusts shake the crew. The phenomenon is not really worrying and disappears by lowering the speed maintained by the governor by a few km / h. This also helps reduce the appetite of the big twin, which can sip almost 9 liters per 100 km (see conditions and route above right) when a headwind is invited on a motorway route. !

And that’s good: the time has come to leave this long, expensive and monotonous strip of asphalt in favor of the small roads crisscrossing the countryside around Le Havre (76). Good pick, because the Cross Country Tour reveals another facet of his talents: dynamic, almost sporting behavior – all things considered! – and irreproachable rigor. Unsuspected qualities with regard to its size and orientation !

Forget the cliches of the big custom that brakes badly, twists at the slightest compression and scrapes the asphalt with the end of its steps placed so low that they could almost serve as crutches! The Tourer Victory shatters these preconceived ideas with an ease and efficiency that make certain laws of physics reconsider….

This display of qualities is reflected first of all in a balance close to perfection: once exceeded 5 km / h, the Cross Country Tour becomes as if by magic freestanding and makes you forget its mass exceeding four quintals! Good robber – even if you have to have a "long arm" to bring the enormous steering wheel to a stop – she slips with real ease into town.

If it weren’t for its dimensions as a Russian weightlifter and the calories sent back by its stopped engine, the Victory could almost be described as "pleasant" in a built-up area. But, unsurprisingly, the big Freedom twin quickly heats up thighs and buttocks in traffic jams..

Fortunately, a brilliant trick largely solves this problem: just open the retractable shutters in front of each shin to let fresh air in towards the legs! Small, transparent deflectors located just above the glove boxes perform the same function for the knees. Again, congratulations to the engineers who came up with this clever and efficient system. !

Verdict: this too is America !

In the end, it is on the ground where one expected it the least that the Victory Cross Country Tour convinces the most: if its capacities of great traveler are not really a surprise, its aptitude to provide a lot of pleasure in the winding ones constitutes , she, a real revelation.

Stable, good braking (the front lacks a bit of bite but no power, while the rear fulfills its functions perfectly) and remarkably agile considering its size, this bike offers you an invitation to "ride" without frustration. Or almost…

Because of course, the geometry of its chassis (very open caster angle, in particular) means that this Cross Country Tour engages a little at low speed. Naturally, its heaviness and mechanical inertia encourage anticipation to be favored over improvisation. And it is no surprise that the limits of its ground clearance – yet respectable for the category – appear quickly.

But that a motorcycle of this type offers such directional precision and that its degree of comfort is almost equal to its efficiency in curves, frankly, here is a corner! "What do you think, honey? Sweetheart?…

Arf! Madame is installed so snugly and feels so safe that she fell asleep on the way home! Here is which reinforces your certainty that this Cross Country Tour has a sum of arguments sufficiently relevant to aspire to the "Victory" vis-a-vis its competitors !

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