Path To the Pacific
Path to the Pacific
CYCLE WORLD COMPARISON
Sturgis to shining sea the Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide T-Sport and Victory V92C Deluxe
MATTHEW MILES
"MAN, IT'S HOT," I GROANED INSIDE MY helmet. "It must be 110 degrees." Just ahead, Editor-in-Chief David Edwards slowed and flipped up his faceshield. Perspiration dribbled down his cheek. "Want to get something to drink?" he inquired.
No need to ask twice.
We were in Hurricane, Utah, near Zion National Park, headed toward the Cycle World offices in Newport Beach, California. Two days earlier we’d left Sturgis, South Dakota, astride a pair of 2001 American V-Twins, a Harley-Davidson FXDXT Dyna Super Glide T-Sport and Victory V92C Deluxe. We were travelin’ men. Hot, sweaty travelin’ men.
Over ice cream at JJ’s Frostop, I asked if all of Utah is either a national forest, monument or park. Might as well be, David replied, it’s spectacular country, full of variety. The previous morning, while we were savoring the view at the Flaming Gorge Dam, a Harley Softail-riding native of the 45th state espoused, “If you don’t like what you see, just wait 10 minutes and it’ll change. That’s the beauty of Utah.”
Of course, Utah doesn’t have a monopoly on scenery. South Dakota-home to the annual Sturgis Rally (a reported record 650,000 attendees this year!), the fabled Badlands and Gutzon Borglum’s 14-year work, Mount Rushmore-isn’t half-bad, either. Ditto the expansive grasslands of neighboring Wyoming.
This isn’t exactly strap-on-your-kneepucks sportbike country. A good portion of the roads on our largely rural, two-lane route were arrow-straight, and those that did twist and turn were often within the park system, and thus had lower speed limits and were regularly patrolled. One afternoon we met a Californian who had recently retired to Utah. He lamented that his cherished Yamaha YZF1000 was suddenly too fast-at least in the eyes of the local constabulary. “I’ve got my eye on a Suzuki DR-Z400,” he said. “I won’t get any tickets on that!”
All of which made for a near-perfect environment for our over-the-road cruisers. And Harley, for one, knows a thing or two about crossing wide-open spaces. Not that the Dyna series, of which the FXDXT is part, was originally meant for mile-eating. A replacement for the discontinued Dyna Convertible, the new T-Sport is the only model in the five-bike line that comes standard with a windshield and saddlebags.
Break out the maps.
The T-Sport’s “sport fairing” is an interesting piece. It’s a relatively narrow, fork-mounted unit that adjusts easily for height (2 inches) and rake (10 degrees) via a centrally located twist-knob similar to the setup used on BMW’s RI 100RS. Adding to the T-Sport’s long-distance capabilities are leather-trimmed, plastic-framed corduranylon saddlebags. These have zippered expansion panels and detach with the touch of a button. What’s more, the bags are lined with velcroed-in-place rainsacks; outer covers are supplied, as well. Trust us, water ain’t gettin’ in. The Victory also comes with a windshield and saddlebags. But they couldn’t be more different than their Harley counterparts. The cop-bike-style shield covers a lot of acreage, and is curved toward the rider to improve airflow and reduce buffeting. The gj shield is not adjustable, and unlike the glass - on Harley’s $16K-plus Softail Classic-the likely target for which Victory was aiming with this model-it’s not quickly removable.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FXDXT
Price.........$14,720 Dry weight...... 654 ib. Wheelbase.....62.9 in. Seat height.....29.7 in. Fuel mileage ... 44 mpg 0-60 mph......4.6 sec. 1/4-mile.....13.50 sec. @ 96.70 mph Horsepower ... 61.3 bhp @ 5550 rpm Torque.....73.8 ft.-lbs. @ 3450 rpm Top speed.....112 mph
Ups
Smooth-running, responsive engine
Confidence-inspiring handling
Excellent resale value
Downs
Soft bags don’t lock to bike
Awkward brake pedal placement
No toolkit
“Scratch-yer-ass” key location
Same for the saddlebags, although a few minutes with a ratchet will free the eight bolts that hold the traditionallooking, leather/molded-plastic bags from their fendermounted brackets. Just don’t try to unbolt the bags while they’re full. Or cram too much stuff through the smallish openings. Also, you'll have to come up with your own weatherproofing system. Victory didn’t expend any extra brain power on preventing water from entering the bags, though nylon liners are an option.
Some similarities extend to the engines. Both bikes are powered by air/oil-cooled V-Twins. Both redline at 5500 rpm. But whereas the Harley splays its cylinders 45 degrees apart, the Deluxe goes 5 degrees further. It’s fuel-injected, too, with overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and an (unsightly) oil-cooler mounted to the lower frame rails. The V92C also has the most displacement, 92 cubic inches ( 1507cc) to the Harley’s 88 cubes ( 1450cc). Bigger is better, right?
The T-Sport is not yet available with the sequential-port fuel-injection that's offered on most FL tourers and all Softails, but it still runs better than the Victory. It carburâtes cleanly off the bottom, even at higher elevations, and providing you use the under-tank choke, morning start-up is absolutely trouble-free. When cold, the Deluxe requires full use of the handlebar-mounted fast idle and a smidgen of throttle. Oddly, that same smidgen of throttle is even needed on start-up when the engine is warm.
VICTORY
V92C DELUXE
Price.........$15,199 Dry weight......681 lb. Wheelbase.....63.4 in. Seat height.....29.2 in. Fuel mileage ... 36 mpg 0-60 mph......4.7 sec. 1/4-mile.....13.73 sec. @ 93.27 mph Horsepower ... 62.1 bhp @ 4550 rpm Torque.....82.9 ft.-lbs. @ 3300 rpm
Ups
Cross-country comfort
Quality components
Top-rate chrome and paint
Downs
Heavy clutch, clunky tranny
Gas tank tough to top off
Speedo needle often obscures digital display
No toolkit, either
Awards for acceleration, both from a standing start and in top gear, go to the T-Sport, which feels as if it weighs at least 100 pounds less than the slightly more powerful Deluxe, even though the actual difference is less than 30 pounds. And while it may not matter much to potential customers. top speed is also in the Harley’s favor.
Neither engine is vibe-free, but The Motor Company’s rubber-mounted Twin Cam 88 tends to smooth out as the revs rise. The opposite is true of the solid-mounted V92C, which now has a slightly weightier crank and a reconfigured balance shaft. Still, both bikes cruise comfortably at 70 to75 mph.
Each machine employs a five-speed transmission. Ironically, it is the old-style, non-unit Harley gearbox that shifts more smoothly. This, in the face of a thorough re-do on Victory’s part. Harley also gets the nod in the clutch department; despite claims of a 10 percent reduction in effort, the V92’s clutch pull remains heavy.
Chassis-wise, the FXDXT borrows its adjustable fork and shocks from the Super Glide Sport, not to mention its triple-disc/four-piston-caliper brakes, and 19/16-inch mag wheels. The 28-degree steering-head angle is identical, too, as is the 62.9-inch wheelbase. The rear tire, however, is slightly narrower, a 130mm Dunlop versus the Sport’s 150mm meat.
There’s no shortage of beef on the Deluxe. And mostly, we mean that as a compliment. Though not adjustable, the Victory's conventional 45mm Marzocchi fork and massive triple-clamps make the Harley’s front end look positively skeletal. The racetrack-refugee 300mm floating rotors have a similar effect. Shame it doesn’t have the dual-disc front setup of the V92SC SportCruiser, though.
Nevertheless, stopping power was never in question-on either bike. Thank goodness, too. Many miles in Wyoming and Utah are advertised as “Open Range.” Some are even designated as “Frequent Deer Crossings.” At one point, a herd of sheep decided to make its way across our path, prompting David to romp on the Harley’s binders. Emergency or no, both bikes will come to a quick halt, and neither brake system is grabby.
When we overlooked the posted limits and upped our cornering speeds, the T-Sport’s more sporting attributes began to shine. Steering, while slightly less responsive initially than on the Deluxe, is fluid and provides excellent feedback. Partial credit goes to the wide, low-rise handlebar. And with damping bumped up on both ends, overall chassis control is quite good. Which means this Dyna can be ridden aggressively with confidence. It’s comfy, too, but with less wind protection (a taller accessory screen is in the works) and a slightly thinner seat (over the long haul) than its Minnesota-made counterpart.
When clipping apexes on the Deluxe, cornering clearance is the greatest limitation. The folding floorboards are outfitted with a quartet of screwed-in feelers, which touch down early and not very smoothly. On the right side, the leading edge of the lower muffler hits shortly thereafter. Unlike the floorboards-or sidestand, for that matter-the muffler barely gives, which causes the rear of the bike to lift and alters your line. In sport mode, the fork and underseat shock also are a bit out of their element, damping and spring rates overwhelmed by increased cornering forces and pavement undulations. Better to back the pace down a bit and enjoy the scenery.
So where does the Deluxe really shine? In the straight stuff. Piling on the miles is a breeze. The pull-back handlebar transmits more road vibration than we would like, but the rubber-covered floorboards are perfectly placed. And the seat is absolutely wonderful, thick and broad, with spot-on foam. On the third day of our ride near Las Vegas, David elected to stay the night at the Nevada/Califomia state line and scat across deserted Mojave backroads on the T-Sport early the next morning. Smelling the bam, I opted for the Deluxe and kept the hammer down. Even after a four-plushour freeway stint, with stops only to refuel and ingest caffeine, I could not have asked for a more comfortable mount.
Given the gas tank’s centrally located filler and its irritating anti-evap flap, though, it’s difficult to fill the tank to its claimed 5.0-gallon capacity, especially while the bike is leaning on its sidestand. Also bothersome, the V92’s neonyellow low-fuel light-located with the other idiot lights, speedometer, tachometer and multi-function digital display within the headlight nacelle-begins blinking with 1.1 gallons remaining. At night, the reflection in the windshield is enough to startle passersby. Toggle through the display, which usually gives you the exact fuel level down to i/ioth of a gallon, and all you get is “Lofuel.”
The Victory received high marks for fit and finish, especially its two-tone paint (a S600 option) and chrome. “I’d almost buy it just for the gas cap,” David enthused. “The casting is gorgeous. Same with the primary cover.” Pointing to the brake pedal, which resembles a miniature 9-iron, he added, “Then they go and do something like that.” Overall, the Harley also passed the style test with flying colors, save for the odd cheesy-looking bracket.
The bottom line, then? The Victory is a great addition to the retro-bagger brigade, but after more than 1500 miles in the saddle, the T-Sport is the better motorcycle. It’s more refined, more versatile, more fun to ride. Harley has done it again.
No sweat.
