Launch: Victory touring range

NOT SO MUCH

I've been humbled by Victory. The Polaris-owned motorcycle marque recently launched its 2010 touring range to the Australian press in Queensland, with the exercise highlighting in quite emphatic terms that the American brand is a powerful presence in the long-haul market. There is just something unique about the brand; a refreshing and new twist on the touring genre.

I'll admit I had already partially marked the Victory card before the launch, and I wasn't expecting a massively revealing experience. But those misconceptions were immediately blown to smithereens the moment I kick-started the 200km jaunt on the Vision Tour mother ship, complete with a plethora of touring comforts (heated seats and grips, power windshield, massive footboards, cruise control, 110lt of storage, stereo, multi-functional instruments, iPod compatibility, etc) and linked ABS, which is now a standard feature on that particular model.

But there's more to it than that, your Honour. And here's why.

At 395kg, we're talking pretty solid fare for the Vision Tour, but there is certainly no discord in the way that the 106 cubic inch (1731cc) Vision interacts with the tarmac. It's beautifully balanced, controllable and comfortable, and certainly isn't the intimidating beast it looks like in the flesh - or through the mirrors!

I believe that's what makes the Vision such a compelling case, as it doesn't feel like you're being thrown into a furnace when the tighter stuff beckons.

Instead, it just beats you to the punch as it effortlessly accumulates the kilometres, and all the frills and gadgets are just icing on the cake. That's the type of versatile luxo tourer I'd like to see gatecrash my interstate party. It's a home away from home.

More on the Vision a bit later, for there are another two touring bikes in Polaris' 2010 line-up: the all-new Cross Country and Cross Roads models, also powered by the company's muscular 50-degree air/oil-cooled V-twin and built to the CORE Technology platform.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
The multi-faceted CORE Technology process probably warrants its own feature article, suffice to say that Victory believes it's all about "multi-tasking within the structure of a motorcycle."

Other CORE concepts include increasing chassis rigidity and "intelligent progressive design of chassis and powerplant". In real terms that equates to features like a massive cast aluminium frame.

Polaris is proud of the CORE Technology, which in 2009 won the American Foundry Society award for cast of the year. Gee, wouldn't that awards night make for riveting television...

All three bikes share the same 22lt fuel capacity (with an offset filler cap to make it easier to fill), 18 (front) and 16-inch (rear) Dunlop Elite 3 rubber, and the Freedom V-twin powerplant, which produces a healthy 148Nm and 92hp.

New for 2010 on the Vision Tour include the aforementioned ABS, where the application of the rear brake also actuates the inside piston in the front calipers; brake pad material; radio display; 12-volt accessory outlets; a quieter intake; and colours: black, ocean blue/sandstone metallic, and cherry/sandstone metallic.

Price starts from $35,496 for the black, while there is a special Arlen Ness version which retails for $39,995.

The Cross Country lacks the sheer physical presence of the Vision (as most other bikes in the universe do...) but still includes the long-haul luxuries such as cruise control, massive floorboards, two-speaker stereo, a thick and well contoured seat, plus plenty of suspension travel.

Like the Vision Tour the Cross Country has a chin fairing, which now takes over storage duty of the battery from under the seat and acts as an oil cooler mounting - as well as the obvious structural reinforcement. Will that also stop the chin eventually turning into a jowl? Victory claims the chin lowers the centre of gravity, allows better weight distribution, and produces better packaging of the rear suspension.

It's also presumably allowed Victory to lower the seat height to an incredibly accommodating 667mm for the Cross Country, and 673mm for the Vision Tour.

Victory claims the Cross Country has the largest storage in class (79lt), the longest floorboards (450mm), the most rear suspension travel (120mm) and the lowest seat height (667mm).

Victory is pitching the Cross Country, which starts from $29,995, up against the similarly priced Harley-Davidson Street Glide ($29,995), while the Cross Roads ($27,995) is taking aim at the H-D Road King ($28,495).

When you consider that Harley dominates the big bike market in Australia (by that I mean bikes over 650cc), even if Victory seizes a small amount of that pie it's future is looking bright.

The Cross Roads jettisons the voluminous fairings found on the Vision Tour and Cross Country, with its uncluttered front end supported by a sleek headlight nacelle and Lexan windshield -- the latter able to be detached in seconds.

Victory claims 26 per cent more storage space on the Cross Roads in a direct comparison with the Road King, and on it goes: 60 per cent more rear suspension travel and 18 percent more torque.

Fully integrated panniers are also part of the Cross Roads deal, and I have to say it is my personal favourite.

But just before we get to that, other modular specs on the belt-driven Victory touring range include the 43mm upside-down telescopic fork (with 130mm travel), and 148mm of ground clearance.

Click here for all the Victory retail prices.

ON THE ROAD
Performance for all three models is exactly what you'd expect from such a brawny engine, with serious pull happening from as low as 1500rpm, with the rev limiter set at 5500rpm.

Victory claims the engine is good for 135Nm or better between 2000-4700rpm. And I reckon that's a fairly demonstrable assertion, as I spent most of the day in that zone across all three models.

The gearbox on the touring range is quite refined, and the Vision unit certainly felt a lot less clunky than one I had sampled on an earlier model.

The hydraulic clutch is a little heavy, but these aren't the bikes where you would be factoring in a lot of gear changes. There is also no span adjustment on the clutch, but there is on the brake lever.

As I alluded to earlier, the Vision Tour doesn't feel as heavy at it looks -- it has to be one of the sweetest handling tourers I've ridden, with plenty of ground clearance a boon. And there are no mid-corner heebie jeebies to worry about.

The CORE Technology probably has a lot to do with that, as bits and pieces just seemingly fall off the spine frame at the right moments, reinforcing the old truism that it's not how much something weighs, but where it's put. That also applies to the Cross Country and Cross Roads.

The standard seats offer lots of spine protection, and in concert with the footboards a lack of comfort is certainly not an issue.

The footboards are L-O-N-G - all except perhaps for someone like Ian Thorpe with his massive size 17 flippers.

In my case, I like to position my feet as far back as possible, which would ordinarily mean a concerted effort to reach the gear lever. The solution is a gutter, which allows adjustment of the lever in seconds to accommodate all foot sizes and positioning preferences.

The Vision, even with its three-piston calipers, is probably still a little under-braked for its bulk, and it would require a pretty strong hand to engage ABS at the front. I did manage it a few times on the rear, producing only a soft pulsing sensation through the brake lever.

The stereo on the Vision and Cross Country delivers a strong acoustic punch, and there was still plenty if clarity even with earplugs in. The system is a cinch to use, too.

As the day continued, I slowly undressed: I clambered from the Vision to the Cross County, and the finally the Cross Roads.

I enjoyed all three, but the Cross Roads was the one which really grabbed me by the proverbials - and I really can't pinpoint why. Maybe it was just the reduced amount of carriage compared to its siblings, which gives it just a little bit more spunk through turns.

A few of the other journos removed the screen from the Cross Roads for the final blast back to base, and it looked tough. I reckon the Cross Roads with cruise control would do me very nicely, thank you very much.

In the cold light of day, what Victory has been able to achieve in just 12 years of operation deserves a massive commendation. And the touring range is proof of that.

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Belt
Clutch: Wet multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Cast aluminium spine
Front suspension: Non-adjustable 43mm upside-down forks, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock and preload adjustment, 120mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 300mm discs with four-piston calipers (Vision Tour: three-piston calipers and ABS)
Rear brakes: 300mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Cast alloy, front 3.00 x 18, rear 5.00 x 16
Tyres: Dunlop Elite 3, front 120/70-17, rear 190/55-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 29 degrees
Trail: 142mm (Vision Tour: 137mm)
Claimed dry weight: 338kg Cross Roads, 347kg Cross Country, 395kg Vision Tour
Seat height: 667mm (Vision Tour: 673mm)
Wheelbase: 1670mm
Ground clearance: 148mm
Fuel capacity: 22lt

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 92hp (68kW)
Claimed maximum torque: 148Nm

OTHER STUFF
Price: Cross Roads $27,995, Cross Country from $29,995, and Vision Tour from $35,496.
Bike supplied by: Victory Motorcycles -- www.victorymotorcycles.com.au/en-au/Victory
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres