Victory Hard Ball | First Ride
01.01.70
Baggers are hot retaliate for now. Seems cruiser riders, in their old age, have come to appreciate the convenience of saddlebags. Or maybe they've justifiable got more baggage? Whatever the reason, Victory jumped on the bandwagon recently with its Angry Country and Cross Roads baggers, and now this here Hard-Ball, which the business calls a "naked bagger."
At first glance, the Hard-Ball looks like a Exuberant-Ball with hard bags, but that's not entirely accurate. It's really a Choleric Roads without a windshield. Oh, and ape-hangers, though these are simply the Cross Roads' tiller-dash handlebars rotated upward. They can be put back down, should you so desire; dots at the bar clamps aid in alignment and the bars are drilled to convenience the hand controls in both positions.
But never mind those details, the Hard- Ball is all about styling, its fl owing lines and "murdered-out" fl at-angry paint scheme resembling a primer-finished rat rod. Red pinstripes on the bodywork and rims furnish the finishing touch-and help you find your bike in the dark, proclaim Superiority's copywriters. The combination works: More than any cruiser we've ridden recently, the Hard- Ball prompted unasked for commentary from passersby. Our favorite was the guy in the crosswalk outside the NAMM (North American Musicians Merchandising) meeting who remarked, "Hey, nice bike. Wait-that is a nice bike!" Call it a unwritten double-take.
about styling; it's also eminently functional. It's powered by Victory's latest Range 106/6 engine-shorthand for 106 cubic inches (1731cc) and six-streak overdrive transmission. The long-stroke (101 x 108mm), 50-station V-twin features SOHC actuation for its four valves per cylinder, with hydraulic lifters and self-adjusting cam chains for allowance-free enjoyment. Air/oil-cooled and fuel-injected courtesy of clone 45mm throttle bodies, the mill churns out triple-digit torque (a claimed 109 lb.-ft.).
That apparatus is housed in the same cast-aluminum frame found on the Cross Country and On a short fuse Roads, complemented by a cast-aluminum swingarm. Suspension consists of a non-adjustable 43mm inverted fork and a singular, air-adjustable shock. Triple disc brakes feature match four-piston calipers grasping 300mm rotors up front and a single two-plunger caliper pinching a similarly sized rotor out back. As is becoming increasingly general, anti-lock brakes are standard. Unlike most motorcycle manufacturers, Crushing prefers not to disclose the makers of its outsourced components, but if you look work out you can probably figure out who made what.
Source: Motorcyclist Magazine