Vor 530 V-Cross

VOR 530 V-Cross

A passion for power

AS GOOD AS ALL MODERN Thumpers are, they are losing something. Weight, size, complexity and alienation from a previously premixing public, this is all good. But thunderous, big-stroke power is going the way of a revvy, almost two-stroke-like blur. It’s hard to find a good Olde Time Thumper anymore.

Well, all hope isn’t lost, as VOR has something for a few of us purists. The 530 V-Cross is a bike blessed with the latest in chassis and suspension, but with a velvet sledgehammer of a powerplant, basically an enduro motor in a motocross chassis.

You’ll remember the small Italian company for its boltedtogether frames of a few years ago. Worked okay for enduros, but left us feeling vague on a motocross track, though the 503cc engine was a potent piece. Well, the new bike now has a chromoly double-beam frame. It looks stout, and with the gas tank hiding beneath the seat, has a very thin profile, making for one of the skinniest bikes out there. The aluminum swingarm is a forged three-piece unit adhesive-bonded together. Paioli fork and shock, the latter with separate circuits for highand low-speed compression adjustability.

The motor is all-new. VOR kept its signature gear-drive, sohc, four-valve layout, but added electric starting and an oil pump to the setup. The five-speed semi-wide-ratio gearbox is now activated through a hydraulic clutch.

You can tell this is a high-compression motor (11.8:1) as the starter has a hard time spinning the motor freely, especially if the battery is low. And yes, you can still boot it to life (forward kick, please) if you like. Throttle response from the Dell’Orto

carb is astonishing, especially considering it has no pumper mechanism. And right from the first, you know this thing puts out some ponies, especially at lower r’s. It is a grunt motor that pulls from down low and lets you feel it working. You don’t snap or slip the clutch, just roll on the throttle and let the motor do its stuff. It will rev out to 10,000 rpm easily but you can feel some restriction up high. One look at the smallish size of the airbox confirms that there is more power to be had, but do you really need it? The 530 loves any surface that robs bhp-sand, mud, inclines-because it plain ignores them.

Suspension is straight motocross, and works well on the track or a fast, hard-ridden trail, but here is where our one major complaint came up. The fork seemed to flex too much, yielding excessive stiction, especially during braking or when hitting square-edged bumps. It made a stiff ride even stiffer. We ran extra rear spring preload and stiffer settings in the rear, which helped balance the front, but the fork simply isn’t compliant enough. It’s not horrible, just not great. And with such strong competition out there, this little annoyance really stuck out.

Still, VOR has a winner here, with one of the best fourstroke Singles available wrapped in a serious package. The combination of MX chassis and enduro engine makes sense, resulting in a bike that can be used anywhere without too many compromises. VOR is now importing bikes directly into the U.S., the V-Cross retailing for $7420. With a renewed commitment to the stateside market after some shaky importer issues, VOR stands ready to be a serious player with a potent product. -Jimmy Lewis