Recognized as one of the most affordable forms of motorized transportation around the world, motorcycles have held a popular position among untold millions since they first roared onto the scene back in 1885. Rough estimates put the total number of motor cycles, mopeds, scooters and motorized bikes at just over 200 million, or approximately 33 for every 1000 of us on the planet. While the majority of bikes are designed, built, and sold primarily in Asian countries, North America is fast becoming a continent with a near-equal amount of healthy obsession with these unique two-wheeled vehicles as well. In fact, in just the last 15 years alone, the number of motor bikes sold in the United States has risen dramatically, more than doubling since the year 2000.
Sport, standard, cruisers, dirt bikes, dual sport, and touring vehicles make up the ""Big Six"" when it comes to the types of motor bikes on the road today. Particularly suited to the American lifestyle - one composed of having plenty of access to a lot of wide open highways and interstate coupled with a fair amount of leisure time - are the touring and cruising models. With their characteristic ""feet front, arms high"" design (that gives riders that ultra-cool leaned back look) and large displacement V-Twin engine, it’s hard not to notice when they’ve arrived on the scene.
For well over a century Harley-Davidson has dominated the marketplace when it comes to producing high-quality cruisers and tourers, but over the last decade or so, another brand name has gotten into the game, itching to steal a bit of Harley’s thunder: Victory. As a subsidiary of Polaris Industries, Victory Motor cycles was formed in 1997, and churned out their first bike the following year. With a larger engine than the Harley competition, the Victory V92C was capable of reaching 120 miles per hour. The Hammer, King Pin, Vegas, and Vision soon followed, and by 2010, the engineers at Victory had almost achieved open-road perfection with their aptly named Cross Country model.
Known as a hard-bagger cruiser (any motorcycle outfitted with a set of saddlebags; a top case and a fairing one near the windshield), the Victory Cross Country came fitted with a Freedom 106-inch V-Twin Engine - good for 92 horsepower - 21 gallons of cargo room, 4.7 inches of suspension travel, ample floorboard space, cruise control, and an MP3-compatible sound system. To put it simply: Victory’s Cross Country was an open road cruiser’s dream come true on two wheels.