Interested... just a few questions

[Bryk]

I am about to be purchasing a Victory Cross Country Tour to be able to... you got it, tour across the country.

However even though I don't have any off roading experience am intrigued by a bike that is designed to literally do it all, tour, offroad, true adventure bike.

My first question to you experienced adventure bikers, is can this bike comfortably tour. Solo loaded up? Two up? I'm refering to both backroad long days as well as sitting on a highway with a cross wind. Adequate wind protection with/without side deflectors, with extra tall shield? Does it protect your shoulders from the wind? I came from a Ninja 650R and I tried to convert that into a street tour bike as much as possible.

Has anyone put a Givi V46 on the back (with that mount as I assume the stock rack isn't strong enough) or larger trunk? (to be able to fit two helmets)

Also, has anyone put on "highway pegs" of a sort, kind of like sliders off of the engine guard, or any other configuration.

Thank you!

 

[troll]

yes, to all your questions.... look around and use the search tool. everything you mention has been discussed on the forum and the mods have all been done by one or more of us ::26:: ::26::

 

[~TABASCO~]

Absolutely , yes , yes

 

[Twisties]

Comfort for all day touring is very personal. No telling what will work for you. However, I regularly do 400-500 mile days on my Super Tenere with the stock seat and the factory touring windshield option. Cross winds can be annoying, for me. Wind management, ergos, and seating are very personal on any bike, and differ for each rider. You should, and it sounds as if you do, expect to do some customization of any bike.

These are very different kinds of bikes you are looking at. The dual sports are, as you say, more versatile. But beyond that, from what I have seen, for the most part, you are looking at very different riding styles, ergonomics, and riding cultures.

I can't comment on the specific Victory you mention, but cruisers in general have a more upright seating position, with the feet under the knees. Dual sports are still pretty upright, but not so bolt upright, and the feet are typically under about mid-thigh. This is a really big difference that allows the rider to stand much more readily. For street riding this is usually important only for going over obstacles. But I also stand regularly to stretch, relieve back strain, and stay alert. So to me it is a major factor in all day touring comfort.

The other major difference is in the sportiness of the ride. Cruisers in my experience tend to invite a leisurely ride. Obviously I have observed exceptions, and don't mean to suggest they are strictly limited to such, but that is how I feel on them, and what I more regularly observe. Dual sports, when on the street, tend to be ridden more like a sport tourer, and you will see folk leaned well over on these bikes on a regular basis. I would suggest that you focus on the kind of riding you are seeking more first. Coming from the Ninja I would tend to see a dual sport as the more natural line of progression into a touring machine.

 

[HoebSTer]

I second Twisties words, and want to add in my experience, this is the most comfortable bike I have ridden over the years due to the upright ergo's, fun factor and ability to carry gear. I came off of Honda ST's, and many here come from these and FJR's and really like the Tenere. I can't ever picture myself riding any long distance on any kind of cruiser whether Harley or any Japanese, just too hunched over, specially if the pegs are somewhat forward. I have ridden HD Heritage Softails, and occasionally Fatboy's and can't stand the way the wind hits you on the bike.
There are some reports around where guys who haven't necessarily ridden longer mile in the past, are now riding longer further with more comfort now with the Tenere. I go 325lbs, and can't believe how when crusiing on the hwy at 75-80 iindicated that i can just whack the throttle and there is loads of torque there to propell me as fast as I care to drive.
Enjoy your search, this new style of riding is fun in many ways!!!

 

[Bryk]

Well I am of the mindset to own just one bike, and right now finances only dictate one bike.

First I was looking at the Concours, then after riding my brothers Roadstar I kind of liked the feel of a cruiser/tourer. This led me to the Victory. I want to be able to do long touring and its why I will probably end up with it. I did a 1000+ round trip to SE Ohio from near Albany NY on just backroads (very very little highway). I was wrecked on the 650R (even with all my touring mods, only so much I could do with it).

Even though I am of the one bike mindset I think someday that will change. It will probably change when I have the extra money laying around for an Adventure Bike such as this Super Tenere.

I am just waiting for the Victory to come in stock at my local dealer from the factory. I have admired the ST from when I first spotted it and read about it last year. I just am afraid that it while it looks like a master of versatility I am afraid it is a jack of all trades master of none.

Thank you all for your time. Enjoy your STs, I know I would.

 

[colorider]

Well I am of the mindset to own just one bike, and right now finances only dictate one bike.

<snip>

I just am afraid that it while it looks like a master of versatility I am afraid it is a jack of all trades master of none.

Thank you all for your time. Enjoy your STs, I know I would.

Welcome to the forum!! I don't know, but it seems to me that these two statements would lean you TOWARD the Super-T and not away from it!!

Good luck!!

Rod

 

[HoebSTer]

Bryk, Thanks for your inquiry!!! It sounds like you have your head set on the Victory already. Enjoy your ride. It is too bad there aren't better ways for questions like yours to be answered with a nice long ride on a demo or something.

 

[jettcity1]

The Tenere is in an entirely different world than that Victory. I have owned 2 RoadStars and a C-14 Concours (2008) and I have a Tenere in My garage now. Its a bike that does many things very well but it will never run on the open road like that Victory. I like the fact that the Tenere is more rugged and versatile as well as just alot of fun to ride. I don't do alot of long distance rides and i am literally minutes from open logging roads in the Cascade foothills in the Pacific Northwest. I want to explore and see whats out there, and a gravel road is no longer a problem.
Go get you one.

 

[HoebSTer]

I have never really ridden any of the other cruisers out there at all to know if there is a different of more comfy sitting position than the HD's I have ridden. I was just assuming the hunched over legs forward was typical for cruisers i felt in my lower back when riding. I didn't feel like I had as good posture on them as any sport-touring and or even now the Tenere. Oh, wait, I just remembered, I have ridden my dads Valkyrie INterstate, and that was way more comfy than his HD's. I would like to try a honda Fury someday.

 

[MikeBear]

I wanted a long distance motorcycle and was looking at two: 2012 goldwing for two up or super tenere for solo rides. The difficult part was getting my girlfriend to make up her mind weather she wants to ride with me on my trips. And after a month she said "no" . So I got tenere. Hope it helps. Good luck

 

[HoebSTer]

I wanted a long distance motorcycle and was looking at two: 2012 goldwing for two up or super tenere for solo rides. The difficult part was getting my girlfriend to make up her mind weather she wants to ride with me on my trips. And after a month she said "no" . So I got tenere. Hope it helps. Good luck

And it's interesting, because the Tenere load rating is higher than the Goldwing IIRC. Tenere is like 440lbs and Wing just at 400????

 

[MikeBear]

And it's interesting, because the Tenere load rating is higher than the Goldwing IIRC. Tenere is like 440lbs and Wing just at 400????

Wing is lower and to me is more suitable for two up. For me (I'm short ) it's not how much weight is on the bike, but where it is. Not much fun tippi toe balancing at the red light ::025::

 

[junglepilot]

I was about ready to purchase a Victory coming from a Buell Ulysses. We do a number of 2-up rides 350 - 400 mile range. We did demo rides on a couple of Victories, and I was very disappointed with the ride. The suspension travel is pretty short, and the bumps in the road were transmitted right up the old back bone. I was really disappointed with the handling coming from the Buell. My wife was very disappointed in the how uncomfortable the passenger seating was, as far as feet position. So we ended up with a Tenere which has excellent suspension travel and handles two up rides in great comfort. I have also had a V-star, ST-1300, and the Buell. The Tenere is the most comfortable to us; but as has been said that is very subjective to the individual.

 

[HoebSTer]

Wing is lower and to me is more suitable for two up. For me (I'm short ) it's not how much weight is on the bike, but where it is. Not much fun tippi toe balancing at the red light ::025::

I thought there was the button you could push to let the air out of the suspension to lower the bike!!!! Just like transit busses do at a curb picking people up!!!1

 

[merchant]

Bryk, I'm not much of an off road rider (basically for lack of opportunity - looking forward to exploring). I bought my S10 for a trip to Alaska. That's roughly 4,000 miles one way. To make sure my bike was dialed in for the trip, I completed a Bun Burner Gold a couple weeks ago (1,500 miles in 24 hours). The final leg of my trip (600 miles) had pretty wicked cross winds. This bike was impressively stable. It got blown around much less than my old Honda Shadow 1100. More surprising, I was not sore in the least the next day. I expected to be all tight between my shoulder blades and maybe have a stiff lower back. None of that. I would not hesitate to ride this bike anywhere for any distance and be ready for more the next day. 8)

Having said that, the Victory CC Tour is a beautiful bike. They recently had a write up on it in Rider mag. They had nothing bad to say about it. But I wouldn't go anywhere near gravel/dirt on it.

 

[Twisties]

We did demo rides on a couple of Victories, and I was very disappointed with the ride. The suspension travel is pretty short, and the bumps in the road were transmitted right up the old back bone.

This is another characteristic of the typical cruiser ergos and a consequence of the bolt upright position. Many riders find it less comfortable and more strain. A slight forward lean with the feet somewhat back as found on sport tourers and dual sports allows the leg muscles to engage in support, and a slightly arched spine. As well, the upper body is then more positioned to move with the terrain, rather than be jolted by it.

 

[Bryk]

I was about ready to purchase a Victory coming from a Buell Ulysses. We do a number of 2-up rides 350 - 400 mile range. We did demo rides on a couple of Victories, and I was very disappointed with the ride. The suspension travel is pretty short, and the bumps in the road were transmitted right up the old back bone. I was really disappointed with the handling coming from the Buell. My wife was very disappointed in the how uncomfortable the passenger seating was, as far as feet position. So we ended up with a Tenere which has excellent suspension travel and handles two up rides in great comfort. I have also had a V-star, ST-1300, and the Buell. The Tenere is the most comfortable to us; but as has been said that is very subjective to the individual.

Which model(s) did you test ride? I know the Cross Country (Tour) has 4.7 inches of rear travel with an air suspension and front inverted fork. I was going over train tracks on the demo ride no problem while the other model riders (of the non touring bikes) were complaining.

 

[Bryk]

I don't own land (other than the small plot my house is on) so it would have to be public land and from what I briefly read last night the Adirondacks seem to be restrictive on ATV/off road motorcycle usage.

On my trip to Ohio last fall we did hit some dirt roads on our first day through Penn. I think that was only because I told my GPS to avoid highways and it considered US 6 (East - West in northern Penn) to be a highway and tried to constantly get me off that road.

On a side note I think I need two GPSs one that's configured to avoid highways and take fastest route, the other take route that is least miles. Between the two I should be able to always find fun paths to the destination.

Of course the reason I am not riding the Cross Country Tour (XCT) yet is because my dealer only has a White XCT in stock and has to wait for the factory to ship the Red. Of course they were due to get the red in end of June but they notified the factory that it is presold. They claim once they mark it as presold the factory typically rushes it out to the dealer. I was told two weeks which was... yesterday. Ha ha

Of course dealers around here seem to only keep one ST in stock at a time as well. Let me just say this, they don't stay in stock for long.

I think the best short term solution may be to get the XCT now and get a decent enough dirt bike when the finances allow. My brother got his kids a dirt bike for Christmas. Never having rode one before and it being small but big enough to fit me (barely but shouldn't be on it) we think we should get some for ourselves.

My argument of course is I would be more interested if we had land.

 

[Bryk]

Bryk, I'm not much of an off road rider (basically for lack of opportunity - looking forward to exploring). I bought my S10 for a trip to Alaska. That's roughly 4,000 miles one way. To make sure my bike was dialed in for the trip, I completed a Bun Burner Gold a couple weeks ago (1,500 miles in 24 hours). The final leg of my trip (600 miles) had pretty wicked cross winds. This bike was impressively stable. It got blown around much less than my old Honda Shadow 1100. More surprising, I was not sore in the least the next day. I expected to be all tight between my shoulder blades and maybe have a stiff lower back. None of that. I would not hesitate to ride this bike anywhere for any distance and be ready for more the next day. 8)

Having said that, the Victory CC Tour is a beautiful bike. They recently had a write up on it in Rider mag. They had nothing bad to say about it. But I wouldn't go anywhere near gravel/dirt on it.

Is there a road completely paved from the main US to Alaska? I was thinking about doing a trip from NY up into Canada and across then up to Alaska sometime.

I know... I shouldn't plan 5 times at the same time, ha ha. I have trips in my head that I want to get out and do. I figured since I get a decent amount of vacation a year it would be smart to buy the touring bike now rather than wait the long time until I retire like most do for financial and available time reasons.

Of course then I am probably going to have to get a camping trailer to try to save money on all the trips I want to go on.

I figure if I get a Sarasota Siesta(hard shell egg shape) then I could stay in Walmart parking lots. Then find a shower every other day somehow.

Anyone tow on their ST? Can it tow?