Focus on Beauty: Victory Cross Country/Cross Roads

000_MOTO_1010_012

Victory Cross Country/Cross Roads: cruisers, 2010, 1731 cc, 92 hp, 347/338 kg, $18,000/$16,000 (US prices).
Victory Cross Country/Cross Roads: cruisers, 2010, 1731 cc, 92 hp, 347/338 kg, $18,000/$16,000 (US prices).

Yes, yes, it is precisely such a simple characteristic of things as beauty that has been forgotten in the age of imposing false values ​​on customers, such as aggressive design, top-end characteristics and deliberately perverted stylistic techniques. Well, tell me, can the just released Yamaha Super Tenere or Triumph Speed ​​Triple boast such an authentic and original design? No, they are just one of thousands. Thousands of faceless “just motorcycles” that, no matter how hard you try, the eye does not cling to. What is the secret of Victory? It's simple: the plant in Iowa employs 55% women! It is not for nothing that the Vision luxury tourer has been winning prizes for the best appearance at many motorcycle exhibitions for several years in a row. It is in addition to the expensive and luxurious Vision in the touring car sector that two new cruiser models are turned, so to speak, to face the people - the “modest” Cross Roads with soft panniers and without linings, and something in between it and the Vision - Cross Country with hard suitcases, a developed fairing and an audio system.

“When developing the Cross family, the main goal was to satisfy the wishes of potential trucking customers as much as possible, because they wanted insanely stylish motorcycles without a single sacrifice to this style on the side of comfort, and they got it. They received a relaxed fit, low saddle height, spacious luggage capacity, which is carried by a modern chassis and a “rubber” engine for traction, but, most importantly, they received that original style, which became the calling card of Victory,” explains the chief designer of Polaris. Greg Breu.

Victory Hammer

Cruisers, customs and other chopperoids have never particularly attracted me. The output per liter is like that of a Lada, the weight is over 300, or even under 400 kg, the brakes are ridiculous. In tests, motorbike journalists mention “locomotive” (or “tractor”) traction, but why do I need it, I’m not going to haul cars or plow fields. Landing with heels forward in combination with broken roads threatens serious problems for the spine, and only low cruising speed and plush suspension saves you from an immediate visit to the hospital.

Just style, pathos, show-off. Not the latest thing in motorcycling, I completely agree. But not mine yet. And a tall and thin man riding a chopper doesn’t look very pretentious. Maybe later, when I grow a belly and a beard...

In short, I keep a close eye on the modern chopper industry. But even I couldn’t help but notice the entry of the American brand Victory into our market. Advertising in specialized and not so specialized publications, articles in magazines and the Internet. My favorite Motor Review named Victory Hammer the chopper of 2007, published a report from the factory and a complimentary test of the inhuman Victory Vision.

In general, I decided to find out more about this brand in general and Hammer in particular. Maybe I’ll think about it myself and decide to buy it. Well, or now this information will be useful to someone who is deciding whether to take it or not.

There is such a nice company Polaris. Its glory lies in the fact that it was she who produced the first snowmobile. Then she mastered quads, and even later jet skis. However, the company was not lucky with the water element, and the production of jetskis was curtailed. The management looked around and decided to produce motorcycles. And not just any, but real full-size cruisers.

Well what can I say? Cheek brings success. Since the USA is the birthplace of customization, it is quite difficult to surprise, let alone tame, the spoiled consumer there. But Polaris decided not to waste time on trifles and in 1997 introduced the Victory V92C to the public. The number 92 means the engine volume in cubic inches, which is the cubic inch we are used to. cm gives 1508. The largest production engine at that time, by the way. In addition to volume, it differed from competitors in the square shape of the cylinder fins.

And there were many competitors, even if you don’t take into account the style icon Harley-Davidson. Here Titan, Indian, and the revived Henderson went bankrupt only the next year. Needless to say about the numerous ateliers that produce small series and/or tailor tailor-made items for clients. What about the Japanese four? In short, the bravery of Polaris managers does not need proof for me personally.

So, in 1998, the V92C went on sale. It cost a little less than similar Harleys, but more expensive than comparable Japanese ones. The marketing advantage of the largest engine did not last long, competitors quickly caught up in volume, and H.-D. released the revolutionary V-rod.

The quality of the V92C left much to be desired. For example, chrome was peeling off engine covers! Can you imagine a greater disappointment for a person who knew from the cradle that a chopper should shine? And then there are these square cylinders.

In short, the project began to fall into a tailspin. In 2000, even Indian sales were greater than Victory, not to mention Harley and the Japanese. Dealers left one after another, because sales did not even support the maintenance of the store. Customers, with the exception of the super-loyal ones, were disappointed. The company tried to turn the situation around - rounded the cylinders, improved quality, made the oil cooler smaller - but this did not help much. And then the management made the main breakthrough - they invited the kings of American customization, Arlen Ness and his son Corey, to develop the style of the new platform.

And away we go. Vegas was released in 2003, Kingpin in 2004, and Hammer in 2005. In 2006, the engines increased in volume to 100 cubic inches (1643 cc), and a sixth overdrive gear appeared in the box. In February 2007, the Vision line went into production. All this time, Ness supported their own series based on the standard line and released every aftermarket. The company's affairs went well. Last year a Moscow dealer also appeared.

Since the Motor Review experts nominated the Hammer as the best chopper, we will talk about it further. To be honest, I also like it in appearance more than other models. It has a Hammer S modification, that is, Sport, which differs in design, and, in my humble opinion, for the better. But since the simple Hummer is the chopper of the year, we’ll write about it.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages noted by foreign motorcycle journalists.

pros

Appearance. I myself am not very versed in chopper aesthetics, but even I liked the motorcycle. Especially on the right side. True, I formed my opinions based on the pictures; personal acquaintance was somewhat disappointing, but more on that later. As for specialists from specialized publications, they all unanimously admire the appearance of the motorcycle. Someone remembered that when he arrived at some rally of motorcyclists on a test V92C, the first bike from Victory, no one even noticed him, and even small children pay attention to the Hummer. Two things were often noted separately - the transition of the tank to the saddle and the rear fender. But it’s always like this with appearance – some people like it, some don’t, so see for yourself.

Rear tire But this is real, objective steepness. Victory and Dunlop developed a 250/40ZR18 tire specifically for the Hummer. This is the first time a tire of this width has been installed on a production motorcycle.

One of the journalists sees this as a marketing insight from the company's management. The fact is that at that time in America they began to show reality shows about the construction of exclusive custom cars (now they are shown here on Discovery). Many people wanted to have something similar, but not everyone could afford the inhumane price list of stellar homemade ones. That's when Victory took off with his Hummer.

If you have never seen a tire of this width, take a look when you get a chance. Looks amazing. You begin to doubt the need for a side stand, it seems that just leave the motorcycle like that and it won’t fall. Needless to say, such a skating rink provides tremendous stability in a straight line.

engine is positioned as a power cruiser, and is the first motorcycle to live up to this name. The engine is modern, injection with a timing chain and hydraulic valve lifters. The torque, like all choppers, is very smooth, there is enough traction. When accelerating from a standstill, experts advise switching in the 1-2-4-6 sequence; the engine will not only pull out, but simply not notice anything.

Despite the volume, the engine spins up very easily; journalists, accustomed to the chopper reactions of competitors, at first constantly ran into the limiter in lower gears. Needless to say, such characteristics, in combination with such a rear cylinder, provide tangible advantages in traffic light races.

The engine has a proper name – “Freedom”. What else should the engine of the “Victory” motorcycle be called? We are waiting for the “Caress” suspension and “Tenderness” turn signals.

Sound The motor itself is quite quiet, there is almost no mechanical noise. But the exhaust is tuned perfectly, and within the limits of environmentalists’ requirements. According to one tester, “the sound will warm the soul of a motorcyclist and will not frighten a single horse.” Many note that Victory was able to find the characteristic sound inherent only to its motorcycles. Well, really, is there any other way to seriously compete with the Legend.

gearbox sports six gears, the sixth, as usual, being overdrive. 2800 revolutions on it corresponds to a speed of 130 km/h. Vibrations are practically zero, which reduces fatigue on long runs. Noticeable vibrations start at about three thousand, at four they become annoying and increase until the cutoff at 5500 rpm.

Technical excellence There is not the slightest trace of design in the motorcycle; apparently, accountants and marketers were shooting at each other on the approaches to the design department. We have already written about the engine, gearbox and tires. How about an inverted cartridge fork, four-piston Brembos at the front and two-piston at the rear, stock reinforced hoses, a carbon-fiber reinforced belt with a claimed 100,000 miles (miles!) range. In general, the device undoubtedly plays in the luxury segment (whoever still doubts can look at the price tag), and it charges money not for the name, but for real things.

Minuses

Rear tire Coolness does not affect physical laws, and you have to pay for an attractive donut. It’s not for nothing that tires of this width are installed mainly on vehicles created for an exhibition or customization competition; driving them is very difficult.

Even seasoned experts specializing in choppers were frightened by the first entry into the parking lot. Of course, it seems like I did everything right, but the bike doesn’t turn. Then, of course, they got used to it, but not right away. Moreover, it is not enough to put the bike into a turn; you need to constantly push the inside handle away from you, otherwise it will straighten out again. If the tire is flat or worn down in the middle as a result of long highway runs, then turns turn into a separate attraction.

A particular problem is tire fitting. Not every workshop will undertake to change a cylinder of such width. It is better to consider this issue before purchasing.

Clutch The knot itself is very reliable, it does not die, even if you kill it on purpose (some hooligans tried it and even wrote about it). The trouble is that the handle is very tight, heavier than on all other motorcycles of the company; in traffic jams the left hand gets tired very quickly.

Personal impressions

In general, looking at pictures and reading tests on the Internet only strengthened my interest in the Hummer. As a result, I went to the dealer to get to know the device better. And then disappointment set in. Not in the technical side, of course, and not in behavior on the road (who would let him ride), but precisely in appearance. I admit that to some my claims will seem absurd, but there is no friend for the taste and color of a friend.

So, point by point. The first thing that caught my eye was the steering wheel. Its shape, of course, is inspired by the company logo. This is the embodiment of design naivety, like if there is a cellular connection, then let’s draw a bee, and if there is a “V” with wings, then let’s bend the steering wheel like this. Even an ape hanger would look better, although I can't stand them. The Hammer S, by the way, has a more decent steering wheel.

The second is color. Only this year, 2008, did the color scheme become generally accepted. Black, silver, cherry and blue, what else does a serious biker need? And before, Hummers were even painted

, they wanted to attract sportbikers (I’m not kidding, there was a marketing idea that sportbikers don’t buy choppers because of the boring colors). And in 2007, the company offered, in addition to black and silver, Firemist Clear Nuclear Sunset. I won’t undertake to translate this, because it turns out something like a Fiery Foggy Clear Nuclear Sunset. To understand how a sunset, although nuclear, can be both foggy and clear at the same time, just go to the Moscow Victory dealer and look. There are about five 2007 Hummers in the showroom and they are all in this color.

No, I understand everything. When a person builds a chopper for himself, in order to fully express the idea embedded in the device, he can paint it pink with the ornament of their Cheburashkas. But imagine two serial cars of this color in a column of leather and bearded bikers. How about three such devices? Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so, unless this color sold out last year. By the way, there is a discount for last year and a Hummer can be purchased for 570,000 rubles. They didn’t give me a price list for 2008: “But no!” - Why didn’t you print it? - What for? Everything ordered is already sold out.

Third is the pendulum. On the right it is covered with beautiful pipes, and on the left it looks like a planed picket fence coated with powder paint. Nezachot.

Fourth is quality. It's alarming, I can't help it. It smells like homemade work. Multi-colored wires stick out from the connectors. The joints are somewhat uneven. These inscriptions on the engine somehow look frivolous, a hundred times worse than in the photo. In short, there is no feeling of “oh! thing!”, if you know what I mean.

In general, personal acquaintance was disappointing. I talked about the Hummer with our specialists, the guys from the Motocenter on Ryabinova. Go to their website, there is a link (unfortunately indirect) to their work, it’s clear that the guys understand choppers. The opinion is that the design is good, and the design of the motor is just super excellent. Everything is spoiled by little things - remote controls, footrests, handles. It looks inharmonious, it seems that they screwed on the first thing that was at hand. They can’t say anything about reliability, they haven’t had time to collect information yet. Once upon a time they brought them a Hummer for repairs, imported in gray from the USA, whose wiring harness frayed after 72 miles, which led to a short circuit and an insulation fire. They restored the harness and routed it as it should, but the elegant LED brake light died forever. But one case is not an indicator, you need to collect statistics.

In general, I’m happy for fans of the style; another brand officially represented on the market is always a good thing. For myself, I decided to forget about Hummer, Victory and choppers in general for now. I'd rather go for a ride on the GS.

PS This is what Victory motorcycles look like in motion:

002_MOTO_1010_012

Together with the footrest platforms, the gearbox and rear brake levers are adjusted.
Neither gnomes nor regulars of fashion catwalks are left out. Together with the footrest platforms, the gearbox and rear brake levers are adjusted. Neither gnomes nor regulars of fashion catwalks are left out.

Like all twins, the cars are absolutely identical and at the same time completely different. They are identical in that they are built on the basis of huge air-oil V-Twins with a camber of 50 degrees and a cubic capacity of 106 cubic inches (1731 cm³ in our opinion). They are combined with six-speed gears, already familiar to Victory, and the reverse gear is belt driven. The cylinders breathe through 45 mm throttle bodies, the power supply is injection, and there is cruise control as standard. The motors, the vibrations of which are completely eaten up by the balancer shafts, are monumentally mounted in cunning backbone aluminum frames, because in addition to setting the motorcycles in motion, they also have a second important task - to add rigidity to the chassis. The light frame spine does not lift up the center of gravity of the motorcycle, which means that the gas tank can be placed in its usual place, rather than blocking the neck on a false tank, and the tank itself under the seat. A 43-mm Marzocci shifter and an aluminum swingarm supported by a monoshock absorber complete the picture of the confident monumentality of the chassis. The “tail,” by the way, is easily and quickly (due to a hydraulic cylinder with a “twist” removed from the bowels of the motorcycle) adjusted by spring preload to adjust to the weight of the passenger and luggage. At the end, the engineers received a 50 to 50 wheel weight distribution with a dry weight of the “naked” Cross Roads of 338 kg and the “dressed” Cross Country of 347 kg. Agree, not bad for touring cruisers with engines larger than 1.7 liters.

004_MOTO_1010_012

The engine, compared to last year’s model, used across the entire Victory line, was made longer-stroke (the piston stroke is now 108 mm instead of 102 with a cylinder diameter of 101 mm), while not moving away from advanced technical solutions such as overhead 4-valve heads with hydraulic compensators, pistons “ in miniskirts,” as well as the more “edgy” phases of timing.
As a result, we got 92 forces and almost 150 Nm of torque, which smoothly spread across the entire speed range of the engine. The traction from the 6-speed gearbox is transferred to the wheel by a new GATES carbon belt, which has had its service life increased due to the use of larger diameter pulleys and, as a result, a reduction in the load on it. The engine, compared to last year’s model, used across the entire Victory line, was made longer-stroke (the piston stroke is now 108 mm instead of 102 with a cylinder diameter of 101 mm), while not moving away from advanced technical solutions such as overhead 4-valve heads with hydraulic compensators, pistons “ in miniskirts,” as well as the more “edgy” phases of timing. As a result, we got 92 forces and almost 150 Nm of torque, which smoothly spread across the entire speed range of the engine. The traction from the 6-speed gearbox is transferred to the wheel by a new GATES carbon belt, which has had its service life increased due to the use of larger diameter pulleys and, as a result, a reduction in the load on it.

Starting my inspection with the more modest Cross Roads, I found not only spacious leather trunks (with a total capacity of 66 liters), an ultra-low seat (height of only 667 mm), but also adjustable (!) footrests, as well as “rich” instrumentation (speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and clock). For this car in the USA they are asking 16 kilobucks, but once you scrape together a couple more “tons”, the Cross Country will become available, clad in a plastic half-fairing and with hard cases (the capacity of which is already 79 liters) and more stuffed with electronics (here, in addition to the listed Cross Roads set, and a trip computer, and a radio with two component speakers and a line-in input for connecting an MP3 player). The wheels are Dunlop Elite 3, sized 130/70–18 at the front and 180/60–16 at the rear (the same size as a Honda GoldWing), and Nissin brakes once again remind you of the Land of the Rising Sun. In appearance they are the same as on the Vision, but on the top model there is a combined system, and on our twins it is a classic one. And it’s a pity that ABS is not even available as an option. Another similarity with the Japanese grand tourer is the colossal amount of factory tuning: from windshields, chrome and body kits to sophisticated electronic gadgets like a Garmin navigator, Bluetooth adapter and hands-free system, wireless intercom and iPod connection kit.

Motorcycle Victory Cross Roads Classic 2012 review

Description of the Victory Cross Roads Classic 2012 motorcycle is in the queue for publication of the article. Announcement: Today, for almost every new motorcycle that comes into being, marketers strive to carve out their own niche. This one is a road sport, this one is a recreational enduro. But what class should we include a motorcycle that has a little bit of everything? A good bike should have a reliable engine, comfortable ergonomics and simple controls...

Victory Cross Roads Classic is a motorcycle that is rarely sold in Russia. Despite the fact that good models of motorcycles have a very respectable price, and the season for their use is relatively short, the motorcycle market is developing rapidly. And if you believe the words of dealers, then some models of recently released motorcycles are selling like hot cakes at the beginning of the season, and the models brought to Russia are clearly not enough to fully satisfy consumer demand.

A motorcycle has long ceased to be an alternative to a car, and the times when this equipment was bought only because there was not enough money for a full-fledged car are forgotten. Nowadays, two-wheelers can be called technological marvels in many cases, and their cost can be compared with that of prestigious cars.

Many people have started buying motorcycles for hobby purposes as riding or even collecting them has become a good pastime for many people. Many motorcycles, for example the Victory Cross Roads Classic, whose technical characteristics make it possible to call the model a prestigious brand, are in demand among both beginners and experienced motorcyclists.

Motorcycles with an engine capacity of 1731 cc. see, appeared as a result of long work of inventors who sought to create a model that was not inferior in characteristics to other versions of the motorcycle. In some cases, these models are not only not inferior, but also ahead of other motorcycles, as they have minimal fuel consumption and other excellent parameters.

Motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 400 kb. cm, which includes the Victory Cross Roads Classic - this category of motorcycles simply cannot claim the title of “motorcycle for a beginner.” On the contrary, this is already a serious technique that requires certain control of motorcycle equipment with a smaller engine capacity. Yes, she attracts more attention, she is the most beautiful, fast, interesting and there is a huge selection of models. But as power increases, the weight of the motorcycle inevitably increases. In this class you are unlikely to find motorcycles lighter than 180 kg, unless they are the latest motorcycle models.

Go to the entire model range of Victory motorcycles, on this page you can find Victory Cross Roads Classic motorcycles from other years of production and information about them

006_MOTO_1010_012

In terms of cockpit equipment, the Cross Country is not much inferior to the flagship Vision.
On Cross Roads, the instrumentation is simpler, but it is easy to read and provides plenty of information. In terms of cockpit equipment, the Cross Country is not much inferior to the flagship Vision. On Cross Roads, the instrumentation is simpler, but it is easy to read and provides plenty of information.

Having enjoyed all this beauty in static, I warmed up the engine and set off to conquer the Scottish highways near Edinburgh. There was sun, and wind, and downpour, during which I didn’t want to think about anything but Scotch whiskey. There were also magnificent views of the area, against which our couple looked no less impressive. But I received more than just aesthetic pleasure from the trips: my legs seemed to take up space on the huge platforms, my arms relaxed on the comfortable handles of the steering wheel, and my lower back basked in the soft seat. But the most pleasant thing was to change from the “naked” Cross Roads to Cross Country when it started to rain and strong winds. Here is the first conclusion: for high-speed maneuvers, it is better to equip Cross Roads with a small windshield, so that a very fast (at 160 km/h 3700 rpm on the tachometer, cut-off at 5800 - draw your own conclusions!) and maneuverable car simply does not blow away.

And, of course, we can’t help but mention the engines. V-Twins, already famous for their abyss of traction, have become even more “rubbery” and smoother due to the increase in piston stroke. But at the same time, they follow the throttle surprisingly quickly, clearly tracking the slightest movements of the pilot’s hand. The gearbox works smoothly, without “lags” or false neutrals; the clutch can be pressed through the hydraulic drive with almost two fingers. And I repeat, no, no vibrations at all, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re idling in top gear, or cranking from first to sixth before the cutoff during traffic light races. As for the gearbox, the first four gears are accelerating, and the fifth and sixth are not only to save gasoline, but also so that even at high speed it is possible to fully feel every stroke of the mighty pistons, every sip of energy transmitted to the wheel . 200 km/h is easy and quick, which is more than enough for a luxury tourer. But the point is not even the speed, but the fact that the cars, without giving the pilot any reason for fatigue, literally devour hundreds of kilometers of highways. And what is the rich bass of the exhaust worth when, at a hundred kilometers and 2500 rpm, you open the gas and rush forward under the infrasound from the muffler!

Preface. I know about one guy who was an ordinary Soviet student in the 70s.
Then he passionately dreamed of a Ferrari, almost like I dreamed of a Harley. Oh Ferrari! Soviet student! In the 70s! Not Moscow, an ordinary industrial town of the Ukrainian SSR. He collected in all incredible ways and ordered foreign magazines with photographs of Italian supercars from trade representatives and sailors for exorbitant amounts of money. He always told his classmates in the student dormitory that he would have a Ferrari anyway. He was a laughing stock, he even had a nickname - Ferrari. He studied, worked and, with the collapse of the scoop, finally built his own business, driven by one goal to make money on Ferraris. He walked towards his dream for 20 years, almost like me. At the end of the 90s, he did bring back from another auto show, I don’t remember exactly, either a 550 Maranello or an F50. This guy built himself a house outside the city on a picturesque river bank and tightly walled up the Ferrari right in the living room between the sofa, TV and fireplace! This supercar has never been driven on the road. Never! So, you ask, what is the point of your story? And the fact is that I was going to repeat his feat. Part I PART II
Commodity fetishism - (French fetiche - fetish, idol), the reification of production relations between people in conditions of commodity production, based on private property. Essence of T. f. consists in the fact that the element of social relations that dominates people outwardly appears in the form of the dominance of certain things over them. Hence the mystical attitude towards the commodity as a supernatural force, generated by the commodity form, which covers the dependence of commodity producers on the market. The highest manifestation of T. f. is the cult of money, which under capitalism acts as a universal form of wealth. Karl Marx.

So who am I, a biker or a motorcycle fetishist?! Why did I buy an expensive, snobbish motorcycle?

August. On the day I bought my Victory, the salesman Yaroslav took my motorcycle to the garage, which I had rented the day before the purchase from a huge garage cooperative not far from my house. He rolled it up, turned it off, gave it the keys, congratulated him on his dream and quickly disappeared. I’m standing over Victory and I don’t feel anything at all. No emotions! I turned around, closed the garage and drove home.

Well, how did that same senior friend ask me, the next day at work? Are you happy? I pulled such a sour face that he decided to console me with another piece of wise advice. You see, he says, you can’t dream about something you have no idea about, reality very often turns out to be completely different, but don’t rush to despair, millions of bikers find something in motorcycles, figure it out, maybe you’ll like it too. In the evening after work, I went to the garage, my heart felt like some inexplicably unpleasant feeling in my chest, I didn’t want to see my motorcycle. I opened the gate, turned on the light, smoked a cigarette, walked around the bike several times in a circle, sat on it, stroked the tank, and started it. And again, nothing, no emotions. I turned it off, turned off the lights, closed the garage and drove home. That evening I decided to sell the motorcycle, having experienced the most sad feeling in the world - the universal collapse of illusions that I had cherished in my soul for 20 years! Buying a dream motorcycle, owning it, did not make me happy. And I believed in it so much, I’ll buy a motorcycle and my life will miraculously become much better than before. After all, since childhood I lived a dream about him. I worked like hell and rose to the age of 30, to the envy of many of my friends, just for his sake. For too many years I've seen the world in gray without my dream bike. Lived in the future. And here it is, eat it!

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask evilly, to spend it on your lusts” (James 4:3)

On the third day I calmed down a little and decided that I couldn’t force myself to become a biker. I drove to the garage close to midnight, when the traffic there died down. The garage cooperative consists of 4 floors of hundred-meter straight spans with a width of 5-6 meters. My garage was on the underground floor.

I opened the garage, ritually walked around the motorcycle three times, sat on it, turned on the ignition, found neutral, took it off the stand and crawled out backwards to the front door. My heart is pounding, my hands are sweaty and shaking slightly. There is no crew at all. I went into the car, took cut-off leather gloves, put them on and climbed back onto the moto. Started it up. The roar that went down the 100-hundred-meter dungeon at midnight cannot be expressed in words, it seemed to vibrate the world itself. I had never driven a motorcycle before. Since my garage was next to the exit to the street, I turned the motor into the blackness of the dungeon. A row of dim light bulbs on the ceiling and a headlight illuminated my path. I was afraid to drop the bike, it’s a pity (a piece of luggage, just plastic without accessories) - that’s it; there is no one to help, if anything happens, at least scream - that's two. But I’m not a weak-hearted guy and didn’t get into such troubles, I squeezed the clutch, clicked down, and without touching the gas, I began to release the clutch. Before that, over all the years of theoretical bikerism, I had read tons of literature about piloting a motorcycle in various conditions, descriptions of all the mistakes, scientific explanations of wobbling, highside, etc., watching and analyzing falls on hundreds of videos on YouTube, in short, I could write a dissertation. So, I release the clutch, and the bike begins to roll, accelerating to 15 km/h at idle alone. A! The wind whistled in my ears. After 5 meters I boldly put my feet on the platforms - I’m on my way! Oops, there are obstacles on the road, speed bumps every 5 meters in a checkerboard pattern. The moth flows through them with a quiet hiss. Boo-boo-boo-boo-boo the engine revs slower than the motorcycle is moving, and the dead end of the road is approaching. I squeeze the clutch, brake, put it in neutral, and think about what to do next. I can roll backwards, but 100 meters is not an option. Turning your feet forward in three steps is impossible, the sneakers slide on the concrete, you can’t roll next to them, I’ll end up on the opposite side. After 5 seconds of thinking, I engage the first one and use the clutch and front brake to perform a turn in three steps. This evening I drove 600m like this. On the last lap, I even stepped on the gas and snaked around almost half of the police officers. I drove home tired, but a small, almost imperceptible new feeling arose in me, which I identified as an interest in continuing. This continued for the next three nights in a row.

Yaroslav gave me good advice when selling, to drive to the car in the morning for a month to get used to the road, intersections and traffic lights. On the fourth day at 4 am I was in the garage. Since I couldn’t find any equipment for myself in the city, the only equipment I had on was a faded old “charmed” bandana, which I wore to showdowns on campus while still a student. A little gas and my bird flew out of the dungeon. I’m driving, the sun is shining, the sleeping neighborhood is cursing me, the roar from me at 4 in the morning among the nine-story buildings is still there. I reach the avenue and... For the first time I decided to turn only to the right. I understand that I can’t turn right because... I can't turn. I stop and make a maneuver on my feet, moving on. Oh, I don’t care what my plans are, at the intersection I turn left in a wide arc and drive on. I drive out onto the avenue and decide to go to the gas station. Oh, 60 km/h, deserted avenue, excellent asphalt - I am a god! I refueled, I’m driving back, there’s a huge empty supermarket parking lot ahead – a great option to spin some figure eights. The first ring turned out to be 30 meters in diameter, I go in a spiral, narrowing it. Figure eight around two pillars, it seems to me that I will soon be “striking” sparks from the pegs just like on the track. And time is ticking, I only have 10 days to register my money, 4 have already passed. Five more days of classes in the morning and here it is “D” day. MREO is located on one of the busiest avenues in the city, check-in time is 13.00 - rush hour. I gritted my teeth, food, without equipment. I pass all the hellish intersections safely. Voltage 150% of human capabilities, drove onto the site and stood. The gypsy grandmothers crawled towards me. You are cursed, you will crash and die, you are damaged. It’s a shame, but for the first time in my life, due to overload, my brain surrendered to their pressure. They started scamming me in a crowd for money, I gave something away, thanks to a friend who came to the rescue, he managed to snatch my wallet from my hands and save the rest of the money. I remembered it for a long time and was upset later. Nevermind. The motorist is registered, I'm going home.

The next day I am on a business trip to Dnepropetrovsk. I decided to wander around the motorcycle shops in search of equipment. In the last place, the Yamaha motorcycle dealership, luck - HELD dealers with a sale. I bought a set with a wonderful 20% discount: helmet, leather. jacket with elbow and shoulder protection, peppers - all in one retro style:

Only gloves in the color of the jacket. The boots are old, from the pre-motorcycle period.

Upon returning home, I downloaded the manual from the Victory website and completed all 400 pages overnight. Friday. I converted the on-board computer to the SI system - a miracle. There is only one marking on the speedometer, and the mileage/km needle is controlled by the BC. All indicators of distance, volume, temperature were switched and recalculated - class. I decided to stop by to check the pressure in the tires, dear mother, it’s 1 atm less than normal, and I’ve already driven about 100 km, I’m pumping it up and driving towards the local inspection station. I smoked, drank some coffee, answered a bunch of questions, and left. I don’t know any bikers in my life yet. Saturday. I decided to drive along the circular route - an 80 km circle of the ideal route. I managed to drive 3 km out of the garage when my peripheral vision catches a sudden movement in the right mirror, I look back. God, while driving, the right case fell off and was jumping head over heels along the road, scattering the contents. I stop right at the entrance to the supermarket. You need to back up and park. I panic a little, the steering wheel is turned slightly to the right, my left foot slips on a hole and the moth falls to the left under my knee. Agrrrr! I hold 350kg on my left leg and in my left hand. Healthy elk, I don't drop it. Overboard +35, from under the helmet a trickle flowed all the way into my shorts. Cars drive by in a stream, I wave them invitingly with my right hand, they smile and wave back. I won't drop it! I feel the molten asphalt pressing under my boot. A minute or two later, a nine brakes nearby, two boys silently fly up and, without any questions, put the bike on its wheels. Thank you, guys. I’m going to collect the fragments of the trunk and clothes along the side of the road. The trunk is whole! Fantastic, only scratches in two corners, which I painted over with black nail polish and are no longer visible from 1 meter away. The only pity is the chrome hinge of the case. She got a fair amount of damage, furrows like those from a file. It works great, but in the winter I’ll order a new one - it costs 200 bucks. I hooked the trunk into place, drove on, my mood was no longer in the arc. Exit to the roundabout on a steep climb, traffic lights, red light. How to get going if the brake and gas are in one hand? It worked the first time. An hour later I got tired and went back to the garage. At a traffic light the case fell off again, miraculously caught it with my hand, motherfucker. For some reason, I took with me mounting clamps for the electrical wiring, as I felt, I pinned the case with them. In the garage I saw that the case had fallen off again and was hanging on a clamp. It turned out that some idiot came up with the idea of ​​attaching panniers to a quarter-turn pin lock. It’s easy to remove the case; turn the pin by the ring 90 degrees. and took it out. One, two, he took off the case. But the engineering squalor of bad roads did not provide for this; the shaking causes these pins to turn at once. I threw them out and replaced them with 8mm bolts. Now the case can only be torn off by tearing the motorcycle in half.

So far there is no buzz from the motorcycle - just hellish work. No, it’s easy to maneuver, it steers like a feather, whether in motion or standing still. I have nothing to compare with, but everything I want is easily given to me already on the 3rd day in metropolitan traffic jams. Besides, I’m still a frame, with only legs about a meter each. I roll Victory from side to side with just my hips. Attention and control of the road situation + after a car with automatic transmission there are as many as 6 controls – that’s what gets tiring. My brain is buzzing, I’m burning buckets of calories.

2 weeks. The flight is normal. Traveled 500 km. Yaroslav said that I won’t skate that much before winter. The motorcycle hasn't hooked me yet. I order a turtle and knees, I’m going to my homeland 350 km there and the same amount back. Gee, first long shot. The online store is dynamite and I am leaving Kharkov without them, redirecting the parcel to Dnepropetrovsk, and picking it up along the way. The most important protection, that very “charmed” bandana. I’m driving, I’m leaving on the Kharkov-Dnepr super-highway, anyone who has driven will understand that it’s starting to rain like a wall. I hit the gas at 120, it’s dry – magic. Only the shoes got wet. I go 120, 140, 160, 180, 140. The windshield doesn’t cut off more than 140 with my height. The wind hits so hard on an open helmet that you have to either buy earplugs, or even buy a closed helmet, or duck down. But riding on a tank like this isn’t hard work. I'm a bird! Soaring! The sun came out, my heart was excited. Thank you Yaroslav for talking me out of the chopper. I got tired of the city after a week of driving.

This happened to me in Dnieper. I picked up my package, put it on myself and drove on.

Your motorcycle is a good thing, the father appreciated, and loaded both trunks with selected grapes for his grandson.

Then I once again went for a 700 km circuit to my first motorcycle rally. You've all been to these. I arrived alone, hung out alone, drank a little with someone, chatted about nothing, and left alone. I received the attention of cool guys on Golds and Harleys, simpler guys either admiringly passed me by or ignored me pointedly, like a major. Apparently I don't look like a biker yet. Only two moments stuck in my soul: 1) some biker on a homemade bike, showing me the way, called my mot Victoria; 2) when overtaking a truck on the highway, a trough came into my lane head-on, I braked until I squealed, and it flashed emergency lights at me, like sorry or thank you, or die - I still couldn’t make it out. Because from that moment I decided on the gender of my motorcycle and its name - Victoria, Vika, Vikusya.

My work is stressful. I only have free weekends, which I have to share with my family, but when I get free, I fly wherever my eyes look outside the city. I probably still haven’t figured out who I am, a biker or a motorcycle fetishist? But I hardly ride around the city, I don’t go to the lookout, I don’t get involved in all sorts of MS, MSS, etc., I don’t show off on forums, I don’t look for biker friends so that I can wink at the girls near McDonald’s in the evenings. I don’t need anyone, I like to ride alone along the highway, I like not to think about anything at this time, I like to forget about the whole world with all its rams and marmalade while I’m riding. I miss it already the next morning. I've been doing 500 km a weekend lately.

I regret that I didn’t buy at least some motorcycle 10 years ago!

Epilogue.

I had to move from the garage far outside the city to the private sector to live with a friend. Because in 1 minute, while I was driving the car out of the garage, someone stole the key from the case (the fool forgot, and there is only one for all the locks). Even though I put locks on the wheels and removed the BC, I still had a hell of a night. Now make a duplicate. In November, at +5, I put the motor for the winter, removed the battery, poured preservative into the tank, doused the motor with silicone from head to toe and covered it with a sheet. Now I sit, every day I look at my few photos and the only video, I rummage through American forums in search of information about my Vika, I choose nice things for the spring. And I like my Victoria, if I buy a new bike, it will be the second one and it will be an off-road endurik.

PS

My wife hates the spendthrift and everything connected with him with fierce hatred, especially when I gave him a female name. It's a pity, but I really want to ride with her. But there was also room for a funny incident. My wife sometimes, in a fit of rage, threatens to do something with the motorcycle if my son (2 years old) begins to show interest in the motorcycle topic. Meanwhile, I bought this sweater for the boy.

When I told her what was written on the sweater, she waved her hand out of helplessness. She just asked not to give the little guy his motorcycle, let him earn it himself. I promised.

P.P.S.

Sorry if someone found my story boring. I decided to finish what I started - my lyrical short story and not go into details of the operation of my motorcycle. Thank you for your attention to my blog and your time.

007_MOTO_1010_012

The Nissin brakes live up to expectations very well.
One thing that upsets us is the impossibility of retrofitting motorcycles with ABS. The Nissin brakes live up to expectations very well. One thing that upsets us is the impossibility of retrofitting motorcycles with ABS.

As for “handling”, here too I would like to give everything the highest score: with a wheelbase of 1670 mm and conservative chassis geometry, the car is easy to drive and stable at any speed. There was no wobble or understeer when moving from step to step, and not a hint of destabilization of the car when accelerating at full throttle or braking “on the horns.” During fast maneuvers at low speeds, the weight of the Cross Country's fairing and electronics is almost unnoticeable, but part of the view of what's “under the nose” is hidden by the monumental design.

008_MOTO_1010_012

Among the wealth of factory tuning there is also a central trunk for the Cross Country, stylistically reminiscent of the Vision.
Among the wealth of factory tuning there is also a central trunk for the Cross Country, stylistically reminiscent of the Vision.

But all the same, the main trump card of the twins is their appearance, and excellent functionality, excellent characteristics and, simply put, convenience are just a pleasant bonus that turns the stereotype about beauty upside down: the Cross family embodies the slogan “beauty without sacrifices.”

014_MOTO_1010_012

Technical characteristics of Victory Cross Country/Cross Roads (manufacturer data)

Focus on Beauty: Victory Cross Country/Cross Roads

Victory High-Ball Motorcycle Review

How often do you go to motorcycle exhibitions? Surely, there have been times when you stood, drooled at some luxurious unit, imagined yourself riding on it, driving around with the breeze, and then it turned out that it was just a factory show-stopper designed to catch your attention. Well, well, we succeeded. But the Canadian company Victory fulfilled their cherished dream at their own risk. And now they have to prove that their beautiful Victory High-Ball can also drive.

And it couldn’t be otherwise. The model turned out to be too cute and brutal. Minimal chrome and matte black paint, antique white and red “makeup” on the tank, and stock Dunlop tires with white edging - retro design motifs, perhaps the most commercially successful trend in recent years among chopper motorcycle manufacturers. Plus, the “horns” of the steering wheel are hard to miss; it seems that they are incredibly inconvenient to control. And if you look through the forums, you will notice the comments of those who have only seen this motorcycle in a picture and have never even ridden it. It becomes sad, because many have not even read the characteristics - and everything is g... Well, let, as my sister said, we will get more.

Victory High-Ball put together the best it could. The latest model Victory Vegas, which is one of the most successful creations of the Canadian manufacturer, was taken as the basis. The engine of the motorcycle is the well-known Victory Freedom 106/6 Stage 2 V-Twin, which stands out for its stylish cylinder fins. Engine power is 97 horsepower. On the High-Ball model, apart from the original exhaust sound, which has a thick bass, the engine is no different.

Minimum vibrations, excellent low end, enough traction even at medium speeds. As you gain speed and shift to higher gears, you have to rev the engine up slightly. Closer to 100 km/h, the acceleration pressure drops noticeably, but rarely does anyone ride such a bike faster than 130-140 km/h. As for turns, the bike obediently tilts to the required angle, and the steering wheel without any extra effort performs all manipulations associated with counter-steering. As befits a chopper, the grinding of the footpegs is heard in turns - turns are taken not at the expense of speed, but relying entirely on powerful traction at low revs. By the way, the ape-hanger style steering wheel, which is looked at with skepticism, has its own peculiarity. Its handles are height adjustable.

They can be lowered by tilting the entire steering wheel towards the driver. The seat height is 635 mm, which is very low. But if suddenly there is a need to let a pretty young lady down, then the double saddle from Vegas can be placed on the standard mounting points. In general, the hands do not become numb, and the driver does not get tired during a long drive. The high handlebar and low seating position solved one of the problematic issues of motorcyclists - the location of the mirrors. In this model, the mirrors are placed at eye level, so the “rider” has the opportunity to see everything perfectly. Another notable feature of the High-Ball is the short front fender and “chubby” tires. Completing the look are 16-inch spoked wheels with an old-school design and a two-tone fuel tank with a new Victory logo.

And this Victory, designed to attract admiring glances, will wipe everyone’s noses. People around you will have their jaws dropped as it rushes past. So we greeted Victory High-Ball, as it should be, in terms of clothes, but we saw him off according to his mind - I really don’t want to see him off...

Source: аvtоvzglyаd.ru Author: Anna Shushpanova