2013 Voyager vs Victory Cross Country Tour

[raynchk]

After 4 years and 2 different XII's, I'm considering buying a new motorcycle. I'm wondering what you guys have to say on the Victory Cross Country Tour vs a the new Vulcan Voyager? Servicability, quality, comfort, maintainence... that kind of stuff. Personal experience, hypothetically speaking, resale value, anything to get a good discussion going.

I stopped by my local dealership today and the sales guy pulled up a comparison sheet and I don't see a tremendous difference, other than the Voyager is water-cooled. And I can get the voyager without ABS but the Vic is a couple grand more. I think the vic also has more storage space, trailer hitch might install easier on the Kaw.

I'm going to dig into the specs and do more investigation. I doubt the victory has this good a forum, though

Thanks

Dale

[David (N. Alabama)]

I have done several Victory demo rides. From a rideability standpoint the Victory Vision blows the Cross Country tour away. Frame mounted fairing vs handlebar mounted fairing. The Vision is more nimble and offers better wind protection and wind cooling during the summer with the adjustable deflectors.

I like the sitting position on the on the Victory Cross Country a little more than the Voyager, and I like that the trunk on the Victory is fairly easy to remove when you don't want or need the trunk. I like that Dunlop Elite 3 tires are standard. I like that ABS is standard and wouln't own a heavy bike without it.

I know nothing about the reliability, maintainability, quality, etc of the Victories. I do know of a dealer in Georgia that has great pricing. I did fall in love with the Antifreeze Green Victory Cross Country and actually would choose it over the green Vaquero.

I think every bike made has plusses and minuses. You just have to find the one where the plusses outweigh the minuses. Good Luck.

[raynchk]

I will include the vision in my research. It appears to offer more bang for the buck than the cross country tour. What name/number of your dealer and I'll give him a call.

Thanks

[David (N. Alabama)]

PM sent.

[raynchk]

anybody? Even hypothetical comments...

[HMB Don]

I road the Vision last summer, wonderful motorcycle, smooth engine, great side bags and the trunk is nice and large. Wind protection goes to the Voyager, Radio to Voyager, Hyd valve lifters to Voyager, engine power to Voyager. Only got to ride the Vison for twenty miles but I rode it like I stole it. After the ride I stood around and spoke to a lot of Victory owners, they all started taking about different cams, plus all sorts of different parts to get the same power that the 1700 comes stock with. Also the Alt on the 1700 is very high output and water cooled.

Last was the shifting on the Vision felt like an old motorcycle, again the Voyager wins.

ABS, get it, I was against ABS for a long time until coming down a hill in the mist with the road wet. I just touched the rear brake and the rear tire locked, I was able to stop. But when I got the 1700 it was an ABS model, just last week I went on a ride on wet roads, in the San Mateo Mtns. This was a tight twisting road that I would never ride before, the temp was in the low 40's, so shaded areas were wet. No worry about applying the brakes, I'm a front brake user, so this whole ride I just use the front brakes. No matter how wet, slick or cold the road, the ABS does its job.

Don Medina
President
NorCal Voyagers Club
AVA Marketing Director
2012 Voyager 1700 28k

[gearheadfla]

I am asking the same question in the gen chat forum, looked at a 1700 Kaw and a 2013 Vision, right now the Vision has the upper hand because I have been offer a free 2 year warranty extension, making it 5 years and unlimited miles, wanting for 1700 owners to chime in with all the plus and minus's of the Kaw and warranty problems and fights with the dealers to fix them, ( I hate dealerships) lol

[1700Guy]

After 49,000 miles I would not have anything else. There are great deals out there for price you should be able to get aVoyager with ABS for under $17.000 if you look around and dicker. And my dealer sold me the 3 year extended warenty for $450. And in those 49,000 miles all I have done is the normal maintenance and wear out tires. Keep the air in the shocks to at least 40 lbs and it will eat up the corners.In fact it loves the corners and going down the open road it is very ergononically correct you can put a long day in at ease. And if you do not believe me about the corners come follow me up and down Rattlesnake grade in southwestern WA. and northeastern OR. 23miles of twisties unlike anything you will find east of the Rockies.

[gearheadfla]

I hear you, I just wish Kaw would let me ride one, heck the dealership didn't even want me to set on it on the showroom, going to try another dealer next weekend, I have never be impressed with my local Kaw/Honda dealer in the 30 years I have TRYED to deal with them, hince the question about the fight to get warranty work done if needed, this dealership just plan sucks for service plan and simple, the stories I could tell that friends have had, like 3 weeks in the shop for repairs and stored OUTSIDE the whole time even in the rain.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I just don't understand why any dealer would fight a warranty claim when it is money in their pocket. I have only had two very minor warranty issues that my dealer took care of with no issues. The chrome on the plastic tank bib bubbled and the left mirror vibrated loose.

One friend of mine did have the FI light come on and it turned out that he had to have the throttle body replaced and there was no hassle at all.

I got my warranty extended another 3 years for under $400.

[veeger]

After 49,000 miles I would not have anything else. There are great deals out there for price you should be able to get aVoyager with ABS for under $17.000 if you look around and dicker. And my dealer sold me the 3 year extended warenty for $450. And in those 49,000 miles all I have done is the normal maintenance and wear out tires. Keep the air in the shocks to at least 40 lbs and it will eat up the corners.In fact it loves the corners and going down the open road it is very ergononically correct you can put a long day in at ease. And if you do not believe me about the corners come follow me up and down Rattlesnake grade in southwestern WA. and northeastern OR. 23miles of twisties unlike anything you will find east of the Rockies.

40 lbs in shocks? I wrote in last year about cornering and shocks and settled on 20# each side. I ride solo and am 140# but still dragging floorboards regularly. I'm thinking any higher shock pressure would be too harsh for my size. Thoughts? Thanks!

V

[David (N. Alabama)]

40 lbs in shocks? I wrote in last year about cornering and shocks and settled on 20# each side. I ride solo and am 140# but still dragging floorboards regularly. I'm thinking any higher shock pressure would be too harsh for my size. Thoughts? Thanks!

V

Air in the shocks is the preload to adjust the level of the bike based on the load. Putting in 40 lbs for your weight would probably change the bikes geometry a little bit and make turn in quicker.

Change the damping to a lower setting and see what that does for you.

I run 30 PSI in my rear shocks with the damping set on II, and it works for me.

[Kevin B in Illinois]

Being a VV 1700 owner and having ridden several Victorys (the Victory dealer loves to let you demo their bikes). I would have to say that the Victory Cross Country Tour has more storage by a lot, possibly twice as much. The factory sound system is better. Power in stock configuration for both bikes is similiar. The Cross Country Tour feels lighter in parking lot figure eights and turning it around. Either bike will get you where you are going in style. The Kawasaki can be had for considerably less money. It is a tough call. I have been impressed with the Victory motorcycles especially from a ridability standpoint. They have been paying attention in the last several years and continue to listen to rider feedback. If money was unlimited , I would have a BMW K1600GT for twisty roads, my HD for cruising down two lanes , a KTM 990 Adventure for world touring , and a new MST V4 for conversational startup at various motorcycle hangouts. The VV 1700 is a really nice bike and finding a dealership that has a leftover unsold one may yield your best deal. The AVA is a great place to network and great people that will accept you no matter what you ride.

Kevin Braddy
IPVMC
President
Motorcycle Addict