Victory Cross Country vs Harley Davidson Street Glide

VICTORY and Harley Davidson are both American motorcycle manufacturing companies. Founded in 1997, Victory has proven to be tough competition for Harley Davidson. Every Victory motorcycle has features to match its Harley counterpart, except Victory incorporated those features in a more refined way and at a more reasonable price than Harley Davidson. Over time, Victory did raise the prices of their motorcycle but continued to produce quality motorcycles. Victory is owned by Polaris Industries, the same company that also owns Indian Motorcycles. Victory has competed with Harley Davidson many times in the cruiser and touring categories. In previous years, Victory and Harley-Davidson have introduced remarkable motorcycles to the market. The Victory Cross Country and the HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE are examples of well-built motorcycles.

The Street Glide is one of the oldest Harley models, being first released in 1984, and has gone through many changes over the years. Meanwhile, the Cross Country was first launched in 2010 but managed to be tough competition for the Victory Cross Country.

The Victory Cross Country is a modern-looking cruiser with an overall streamlined shape and a large colored front FAIRING with a small windscreen. The Cross Country has full-sized colored front and rear fenders. The crash bars, exhaust, chassis, engine, and handlebars are covered in a matte black finish, while the other parts are colored, including the SADDLEBAGS and side panels. The latest Cross Country model shares many similarities with the first Cross Country released. It has a big front circular headlight and a slim vertical tail light unlike other cruisers. It has a front 43 mm telescopic fork with a wheel travel of 5.1 inches and a single rear mono-tube preload adjustable shock with a wheel travel of 4.7 inches.

The HARLEY STREET GLIDE is a grand American touring motorcycle with a design inspired by the first Street Glide ever released. Its crash bars, engine, exhaust, suspension, and HANDLEBARS are covered in a chrome finish. The other parts, like the fairing, fenders, side panels, and saddlebags, are colored. It comes with full-sized front and rear fenders. The Street Glide has a traditional round headlight and a small tail light with small circular side indicators at the front and rear. It has a front 41.3 mm telescopic fork with a wheel travel of 4.6 inches.

The Victory Cross Country has a four-stroke, air/oil-cooled, V-Twin engine with 106 cubic inches of displacement fitted with a bore size of 3.97 inches and stroke size of 4.25 inches. This engine is capable of producing a horsepower of 96.9 hp and a torque of 143.7 Nm. The Cross Country comes with a fuel tank capacity of 5.8 gallons, equipped with an electronic fuel injection system with a dual 45 mm throttle capable of delivering a fuel mileage of 39 MPG (16.5 km/). The Cross Country has a six-speed transmission system connected to a low-maintenance belt drive system.

The Harley Street Glide is powered by the ninth generation “Big Twin” engine known as the Milwaukee V-Twin engine. This liquid-cooled engine has a stroke size of 4.38 inches and a bore size of 3.94 inches, capable of a torque of 150.5 Nm @ 3,250 rpm and a horsepower of 93 hp @ 5,020 rpm. The Street Glide has a fuel tank capacity of 6 gallons, equipped with an ESPFI delivering a fuel mileage of 43 MPG (18.2 km/l). It has a six-speed transmission system connected to a low-maintenance belt drive system.

The Victory Cross Country is a bagger-style cruiser with a wheelbase of 65.7 inches and a length of 104.3 inches. The Cross Country is a heavyweight motorcycle with an overall weight of 345 kg. Due to its length and weight, the Cross Country offers a smooth drive when traveling long distances. It has forward-mounted floorboards and curved, swept-back handlebars that provide a comfortable riding position. The streamlined front fairing reduces air drag and protects the rider from wind and rain. Cross Country has a pre-installed infotainment system to make rides more fun for the riders.

The Harley Davidson Street Glide is a grand American touring motorcycle with a wheelbase of 64 inches and an overall length of 96.5 inches. The Street Glide has a low seat height, wide swept-back handlebars, and forward-mounted floorboards that offer a comfortable riding position. The front FAIRING protects the rider from rain and wind, while the crash bars protect the rider’s legs and prevent the motorcycle from falling on top of you. With a trail size of 6.7 inches and a rake angle of 26°, the Street Glide has a comfortable handlebar position and an infotainment system that makes longer rides more pleasant.

The Victory Cross Country’s overall handling, smooth riding, and comfortable seat make it suitable for elderly riders. For elderly riders, a motorcycle should have a reliable engine and comfortable riding ergonomics, which the Victory Cross Country easily fulfills.

There are no major differences between the Victory Cross Country and the Street Glide, though they have distinct designs and styling. However, the Cross Country is cheaper than the Street Glide, making it a better option for riders who want a great touring motorcycle at an affordable price.

There are two reasons why many riders prefer Harley Davidson over Victory Motorcycles.  Firstly, Harley Davidson has been around longer than Victory Motorcycles, resulting in a larger fan base than any other American motorcycle brand. Secondly, Victory has shut down motorcycle production since 2017. Most Victory motorcycles are only available for use, while most Harley Davidson models like the Street Glide are still in production.

Owned by Polaris Industries, Victory Motorcycles was profitable during the early years of its production. However, after Polaris bought Indian Motorcycles in 2011, sales of Victory models began to plummet, especially during the last 3-4 years before it went under. With Indian Motorcycle  becoming more profitable. Polaris Industries eventually shut down production of Victory models, though continued to make parts of existing Victory models.

The Harley Street Glide is a touring motorcycle but lacked a motorcycle trunk like other touring motorcycles, while the Victory Cross Country has a more expensive variant with a trunk. Both are heavyweight motorcycles with CRASH BARS, SADDLEBAGS, floorboards, and a fairing. Though not suited for novice riders, they both can be ridden by tall, short, and heavyweight riders due to their soft gear shifts, smooth handling, torquey engine, and adequate horsepower.