Seizing a trend, if not leading it from the start, Victory Motorcycles now has more than one blacked-out motorcycle in its line-up. With the 8-Ball editions of its Vegas, Kingpin, Hammer and Vision, 2012 welcomes a white-walled wonder called the High-Ball.
Touting the same matte-black paint scheme and night-crawler good looks as the other 'Balls, this model reaches for a different audience with its signature high-rise handlebars and whitewall tires.
Stuffed inside the steel perimeter frame is the familiar air/oil-cooled Freedom 106-cubic-inch V-Twin, which in a recent test cranked out numbers that embarrass a Harley TC96. Measured at the rear wheel, Victory's mill cranked out 77.5 peak horsepower at 5250 rpm compared to Harley's low-60s hp peak. Torque, too, is substantial, twisting out 88.9 ft-lb at 4250 rpm. All attitude and lots of go-go juice.
We got our ride on this pub-crawler at the mother of all motorcycle rallies, Daytona Beach Bike Week, amidst the parading masses and turning heads. Being more in tune with the boulevard than the canyons, the High-Ball fits right in on Main street, and Florida isn't known for it's twisty roads anyhow. And the public took notice of the distinctive 'Ball.
More: 2012 Victory High-Ball Review on Motorcycle.com