2012 Victory Cross Country Owner Complaints

MY VICTORY JUST SHUTS OFF FOR NO REASON NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE MOVING, CAUSING THE BIKE IN ONE INSTANCE FOR ME TO DROP THE BIKE.

NHTSA ID

11536480

Incident

Aug 4, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY. WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNED RIGHT, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RETAINING CLIP WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

NHTSA ID

10904296

Incident

Aug 8, 2016

Mileage

37,000 mi

WHEN PULLING IN THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT THE CABLE SNAPPED RIGHT AT THE CLUTCH ARM GOING INTO THE TRANSMISSION THIS HAPPEN AS I WAS COMING OUT OF A ROTARY STARTING TO SHIFT UP ON A SECONDARY RD. WHEN I STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IF YOU HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP AND IT SNAPPED THEN OR IF IT SNAPPED AS YOU WERE STARTING TO TAKE OFF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THE BIKE STALLED YOU COULD EASILY GET REARENDED. THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON SEVERAL COMPANIES ARE MAKING ROADSIDE REPAIR KITS FOR THESE BIKE.

NHTSA ID

10875350

Incident

Jun 16, 2016

Mileage

25,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

NHTSA ID

10780206

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

17,000 mi

2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOCK & RIDE BACK REST RECALL DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10735223

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

THE RIGHT-SIDE SADDLEBAG LATCH IS MISALIGNED TO THE LATCH BRACKET. THIS MISALIGNMENT CAUSES THE BRACKET TO RUB THE LATCH TO WHERE THE LATCH EVENTUALLY BREAKS. SHOULD THE LATCH BREAK, THE SADDLEBAG LID WILL BE LOOSE AND CAN CAUSE INSTABILITY WHILE RIDING AND POTENTIALLY DANGER TO VEHICLES BEHIND SHOULD ANYTHING BE SUCKED OUT OF THE SADDLEBAG. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE AFFECTING ALL "CROSS" BIKES FROM POLARIS/VICTORY. AT THIS POINT ALL INSPECTED CROSS BIKES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF THIS WEAR AND MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS CREATING A DATABASE OF ALL LOCAL OWNERS. YOU CAN FIND MANY REFERENCES ON MANY VICTORY FORUMS, SUCH AS THIS ONE: HTTP://WWW.VICTORYFORUMS.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=104498 AS OF THIS POINT POLARIS/VICTORY HAS NOT CREATED A RECALL FOR THIS. I DO HAVE AN OPEN CASE WITH THEM THOUGH, CASE # [XXX]. I'M HOPING THE DOT RECOGNIZES THIS POTENTIAL DANGER TO VICTORY CROSS RIDERS/PASSENGERS AND TO VEHICLES FOLLOWING BEHIND, AND SUPPORTS US IN ADVISING POLARIS/VICTORY TO SUBMIT A RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10712062

Incident

Mar 12, 2014

Mileage

2,750 mi

VICTORY MOTORCYCLES HAVE A DEFECTIVE LATCH ON THEIR RIGHT ?SADDLEBAGS? THAT RENDERS THE RIGHT STORAGE COMPARTMENT USELESS. THE FAULTY LOCKING MECHANISM HAS APPEARED SINCE 2010 ON SEVERAL VICTORY MODELS. MY RIGHT BAG WILL POP OPEN FROM TIME TO TIME. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE LID POPS OPEN AT VERY HIGH SPEEDS WHEN LEANED OVER IN GUSTY CONDITIONS. APPARENTLY THE LOCKING MECHANISM IS FAULTY AND CAUSING MY RIGHT SADDLEBAG LID TO FLY OPEN ON THE ROAD, POSING A HAZARD TO ME, THE RIDER, AND OTHER DRIVERS. WHEN IT ?THE SADDLEBAG? POPS OPEN THERE IS A SENSATION OF REAR STEER. *DT

NHTSA ID

10667459

Incident

May 11, 2012

Mileage

1,500 mi

RIGHT SADDLE BAG LATCH IS WEARING , NO ADJUSTMENT . WHEN LATCH WEARS THRU BAG WILL FLY OPEN SCATTERING CONTENTS AND POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS I HAVE HEARD THIS IS AN ACROSS THE BOARD PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663162

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

20,000 mi

I WAS RIDING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH AND PULLED IN THE CLUTCH, TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 6TH TO 5TH GEAR. IN MID-SHIFT LIKE THIS, I THEN DECIDED THAT MAYBE TRAFFIC WASN'T SLOWING THAT MUCH, AFTER ALL, AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH AND CONTINUE TO RIDE IN 6TH GEAR. IN THAT SECOND OR TWO, THE ENGINE STALLED, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE MY LONGER THAN USUAL PAUSE IN THE SHIFT PROCESS HAD ALLOWED THE ENGINE RPMS TO DROP DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY IDLE SPEED (ABOUT 1,000RPM). WITH THE CLUTCH STILL PULLED IN, I HIT THE STARTER BUTTON; THE ENGINE FIRED UP AGAIN, AND I RELEASED THE CLUTCH. HAD THIS STALL OCCURRED IN A SIMILAR SITUATION WHILE I WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LEANED OVER IN A CURVE -- JUST WHEN A MOTORCYCLE NEEDS TO BE CONSTANTLY PULLED FORWARD, UNDER POWER, RATHER THAN RELY ON STRAIGHT-LINE INERTIA -- I WOULD LIKELY HAVE CRASHED. IN MY OPINION, THE FUEL-INJECTION SYSTEM -- HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE -- OF THE VICTORY 106 ENGINE DOES NOT PROPERLY MANAGE THE ENGINE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENGINE RPMS ARE ALLOWED TO DROP TO OR NEAR IDLE. WHEN THE THROTTLE POSITION IS ABRUPTLY CHANGED -- EITHER FOR MORE OR FEWER RPMS -- THE CONTROL UNIT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SOFTWARE AND POSSIBLY OTHER HARDWARE, DOES NOT ADEQUATELY KEEP PACE WITH AND PROPERLY ADDRESS ENGINE FUEL-MIXTURE REQUIREMENTS. SUCH STALLING HAS OCCURRED AT OTHER TIMES, BUT THE SITUATION DESCRIBED HERE WAS THE FIRST AND CLEAREST EXAMPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652903

Incident

Apr 10, 2013

Mileage

12,000 mi

THERE IS A MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE RIGHT SIDE SADDLEBAG LATCH MECHANISM AND THE HOOP THAT IT CAPTURES WHEN THE LID IS CLOSED. THERE IS NO ADJUSTABILITY BUILT INTO THE DESIGN SO THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE RESULTING PROBLEM IS THAT THE SOFTER METAL OF THE LATCH MECHANISM IS WORN AWAY BY THE HARDER METAL OF THE HOOP, EVENTUALLY RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE LATCH. THIS WILL RESULT IN THE LID BLOWING OPEN AND THE CONTENTS OF THE SADDLE BAG BEING BLOWN OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY, POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS FOLLOWING MOTORISTS WERE EITHER STRUCK BY THE CONTENTS OR SWERVED TO AVOID THEM. THIS ISSUE IS SHARED TO VARYING DEGREES BY A MAJORITY OF OWNERS OF THIS MODEL, SPANNING ALL 5 YEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644672

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

10,000 mi

SADDLEBAG FLEW OPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, LOST MY RAINGEAR, AND SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS ADDING TO ABOUT $200.00. PULLED OVER AND STOPPED AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT HAND SADDLEBAG LATCH LOOKED SEVERELY WORN.. THEN CHECKED THE LEFT HAND SADDLEBAG LATCH AND LOOKED LIKE NEW. AFTER DOING SOME COMPARES WITH OTHER OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, IT APPEARS THIS RIGHT HAND SADDLEBAG LATCH ISSUE AFFECTS ALL VICTORY MOTORCYCLE CROSS MODELS WITH HARD BAGS INCLUDING CROSS COUNTRY, CROSS ROADS, AND HARDBALL. HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH POLARIS THE PARENT COMPANY OF VICTORY MOTORCYCLES AND GOT A CASE NUMBER FROM THEM AND NOTIFIED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AS WELL. SO FAR HAVE NO RESULTS OR ANY CONCERN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643062

Incident

Aug 14, 2014

Mileage

35,000 mi

THE RIGHT SIDE LATCH MECHANISM ON THE SADDLEBAG HAS NO ADJUSTMENT. OVER TIME THE HOOP HAS WORN INTO THE LATCH WEARING THE ALUMINUM PART. OVER TIME THIS WALL CAUSE A FAILURE ON THE LATCH MECHANISM WHICH WILL ALLOW THE SADDLEBAG TO FLY OPEN. THIS COULD STARTLE A LESS EXPERIENCED RIDER CAUSING A CRASH SINCE THE LARGE LIDS ACT LIKE WINDSAILS. ALSO ANY CONTENTS IN THE BAG LIGHT ENOUGH TO FLOAT OUT, SUCH AS GLOVES, SWEATERS, RAIN GEAR ETC COULD CAUSE CRASHES FROM OTHERS FOLLOWING IN A GROUP RIDE OR EVEN IN A 4 WHEELED PASSENGER VEHICLE IF THEY BECOME STARTLED AND ATTEMPT TO SWAY AND SWERVE AWAY FROM WHATEVER ITEM MAY FLOAT OUT OF BAG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641727

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

37,000 mi

THERE IS NOTICEABLE WEAR ON A LATCH ON MY RIGHT SIDE (THROTTLE SIDE) SADDLEBAG. THE LATCH THAT KEEPS THE BAG CLOSED IS WEARING OUT FROM AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED LATCH CATCH. WHAT I CAN TELL IS THAT POLARIS INDUSTRIES (VICTORY MOTORCYCLE DIVISION) IS USING THE EXACT SAME LATCH FOR THE RIGHT SIDE SADDLE BAG AND LEFT SIDE SADDLE BAG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS ONLY WEAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE LATCH BECAUSE IT IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR THE LEFT SADDLE BAG ONLY. POLARIS IS NOT CONSIDERING THIS A DEFECT OR A PROBLEM. INSTEAD OF DOING A RECALL, THEY ARE SUGGESTING THAT THE CONSUMER FOLLOWS A YOUTUBE VIDEO FROM A AFTER MARKET VENDOR TO MODIFY THE HOLES ON THE LATCH CATCH TO MOVE IT BACK ABOUT 5/16". ONCE YOU DO THAT, THE WEAR IS SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY. THERE ARE SEVERAL OWNERS OF THE CROSS COUNTRY BIKES WHO HAVE THIS WEAR. CHECK OUT THE WEB PAGE, HTTP://THEVOG.NET AND SEARCH FOR SADDLE BAG LATCH WEAR. YOU WILL SEE SEVERAL OWNERS WITH THE COMPLAINT AND PHOTOS. I WOULD LIKE POLARIS INDUSTRIES TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL OF ALL CROSS COUNTRY BIKES WITH SADDLEBAG LATCH PROBLEMS AND REPLACE THE LATCHES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640905

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

13,553 mi

THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS SELF-CANCELING TURN SIGNALS. THE CANCELLATION OF ACTIVATED TURN SIGNALS, ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, DEPENDS ON SEVERAL FACTORS, SUCH AS SPEED, DISTANCE, AND DURATION. HOWEVER, THE ACTION OF THE TURN SIGNALS IS OFTEN INCONSISTENT, GIVEN IDENTICAL FACTORS. FURTHER, CANCELLATION OFTEN OCCURS AFTER AS FEW AS THREE FLASHES; AGAIN, THIS CONDITION DOES NOT OCCUR IN A CONSISTENT FASHION, EVEN WHEN FAITHFULLY DUPLICATING THE ALLEGED CONDITIONS OF CANCELLATION. IF THE TURN SIGNALS CANCEL PREMATURELY WHILE THE RIDER OF THE MOTORCYCLE IS STOPPED, AWAITING A TURN, DRIVERS FOLLOWING THE MOTORCYCLE MAY HAVE NO (OR INSUFFICIENT) INDICATION THAT THE OPERATOR IS STATIONARY. THIS SITUATION MAY RESULT IN A CRASH, AS THE RIDER MAY BE STRUCK FROM BEHIND. SIMILARLY, VEHICLES APPROACHING THE RIDER FROM THE FRONT MAY HAVE NO (OR INSUFFICIENT) INDICATION THAT THE OPERATOR IS STATIONARY AND IS PLANNING ON TURNING; THIS MAY RESULT IN THE RIDER'S BEING STRUCK FROM THE FRONT OR SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640404

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

25,706 mi

THE LATCHING MECHANISM ON THE RIGHT SIDE HARD SADDLEBAG IS WEARING THROUGH, AS A RESULT OF (NON-ADJUSTABLE) MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE LATCH ON THE SADDLEBAG'S LID AND THE KEEPER BAR ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SADDLEBAG. IF THE PORTION OF THE LATCH THAT IS WEARING THROUGH FAILS, THE LID OF THE SADDLEBAG CAN OPEN WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE IS IN MOTION; IF THIS OCCURS, THE CONTENTS OF THE SADDLEBAG MAY FALL OUT, AND SUCH CONTENTS CAN JAM THE REAR WHEEL -- RESULTING IN A CRASH OF THE MOTORCYCLE -- OR CAN FLY ONTO OR IN FRONT OF OTHER VEHICLES (ALSO RESULTING IN A CRASH). *TR

NHTSA ID

10640401

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

25,706 mi

THE RIGHT SADDLE BAG LATCH ON MY 2012 COREY NESS CROSS COUNTRY IS GRINDING AWAY MAKING THE BAG SUBJECT TO FLYING OPEN WHILE TRAVELING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640001

Incident

Sep 19, 2014

Mileage

45,000 mi

ANYTIME THE MOTORCYCLE GETS WET THE ELECTRICAL ACTS STRANGE. SOMETIMES THE CRUISE DOESN'T WORK. OFTEN TIMES WHEN I PULL THE CLUTCH HANDLE MY HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS WILL BLINK. IF I GET RAINED ON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME MY TURN SIGNALS WILL CEASE FUNCTIONING UNTIL THE BIKE HAS SPENT SEVERAL HOURS DRYING OUT. I BELIEVE THE TURN SIGNALS NOT FUNCTIONING AS WELL THE HAZARDS BLINKING WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PULLED IN POSE AN IMMINENT THREAT TO MYSELF OR TO OTHERS AROUND ME SINCE MY INTENTIONS ARE EITHER BEING MISREPRESENTED BY THE HAZARDS OR I'M UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY SIGNAL TO THOSE AROUND ME MY INTENTIONS TO TURN OR MAKE A LANE CHANGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10536288

Incident

Aug 1, 2013

Mileage

16,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, ALL OF THE REAR LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 3,000. UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER LOCATED A LOOSE GROUND (PIN) TYPE PLUG UNDER REAR FENDER THAT CAUSED THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AS OF 10/4/2012. UPDATED 10/18/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID

10475821

Incident

Sep 16, 2012

Mileage

2,400 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD THE CLUTCH CABLE FAILED. WHERE I WAS ROLLING AND IN NO TRAFFIC, IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM TO GET TO A SAFE LOCATION AND STOP. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT A BUSY INTERSECTION THE BIKE COULD HAVE LURCHED UNCONTROLLABLY INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH IS VERY SERIOUS ON A MOTORCYCLE, MUCH MORE SO THAN ON A CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466730

Incident

Jul 9, 2012

Mileage

22,851 mi