RURIDERS: декабря 2011

2012 Victory Hard-Ball Preview:

Joining the High-Ball in Victory’s expanding stable of models is the 2012 Hard-Ball. The black-as-night iteration of the High-Ball’s ape-hanger profile brings a touch of touring convenience with the addition of saddlebags.

In addition to the black and pinstriped luggage are obvious additions such as the two-person seat, crashbars, floorboards, lower fairing and split exhaust. Not as immediately apparent are some of the changes Victory incorporated into the Hard-Ball to better suit its longer-mileage persona.

The re-styled fuel tank holds 1.3 gallons more petrol, and the wheels, while still spoked, increase in size as well. The front grows in diameter to 18 inches, from 16 inches on the High-Ball, and carries a 130/70 R18 Dunlop 491 Elite II, while the rear grows in width from 3.5 inches on the High-Ball to 5.0 inches on the Hard-Ball wearing a 180/60 R16 Dunlop Elite 3. The span between wheels grew by nearly an inch to 65.7 in from the High-Ball’s 64.8 in.

Rake and trail figures are more relaxed, 29.0° / 5.6 in vs 31.7° / 6.7 in, weight increases by 92 lbs (dry), and so does ground clearance by 1.1 in. Seat height, at 26.25 inches, is 1.25 inches higher the High-Ball’s.

Up front the the Hard-Ball features an inverted fork and gains a second brake disc while the braking system is of the ABS variety. Engine and drivetrain remain unchanged from the High-Ball model.

Price and availability are TBA.

ENGINE
Battery	12 volts / 18 amp hours
Bore x Stroke	101 x 108 mm
Charging System	48 amps max output
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate
Compression ratio	9.4 : 1
Cooling System	Air / oil
Displacement	106 ci / 1731 cc
Engine Type	4-stroke 50° V-Twin
Exhaust	Split dual exhaust with crossover
Final Drive	Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt
Fuel Capacity	5.8 gal / 22.0 ltr
Fuel System	Electronic Fuel Injection with dual 45mm throttle bodies
Oil capacity	5.0 qts / 4.75 ltr
Primary Drive	Gear drive with torque compensator
Transmission	6-speed overdrive constant mesh
Valve train	Single overhead camshafts with 4 valves per cylinder, self-adjusting cam chains, hydraulic lifters
CHASSIS
Dry Weight	751 lbs / 340 kg
Ground Clearance	5.8 in / 148 mm
GVWR	1360 lbs / 618 kg
Length	104.4 in / 2652 mm
Rake/trail	29.0° / 5.6 in / 142 mm
Seat Height	26.25 in / 667 mm
Wheelbase	65.7 in / 1670 mm
SUSPENSION
Front Suspension	Inverted telescopic fork, 5.1 in / 130 mm travel
Rear Suspension	Single, mono-tube gas, air adjustable, constant rate linkage, 4.7 in / 120 mm travel
BRAKES
Brake System Type	ABS
Front braking system	Dual 300mm floating rotor with 4-piston calipers
Rear braking system	300mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliper
WHEELS & TIRES
Front Tire	130/70-18 67H Dunlop 491 Elite II
Front Wheel	18 x 3.5 in Spoked
Rear Tire	180/70-16 Dunlop Elite 3
Rear Wheel	16 x 5.0 in
COLOR
Colors	Black with Red Pinstriping

The Revatu Pea Shooter:

This eye catching bike is an enigma of sorts, it’s called the Revatu Pea Shooter and it was built by Rene van Tuil of Revatu Customs in the Netherlands, but getting detailed information about it has proven rather difficult.

From what I’ve been able to gather, it’s powered by a 1958 Bernard 350cc, single cylinder, 4-stroke engine. The Bernard was originally designed as a water pump however Rene felt that it suited the board-tracker style and as such made the necessary changes to get the engine working in it’s new home.

The frame, seat, fuel tank, oil tank, forks, 1-into-2 exhaust, crankcase breather valve, offset intake manifold and beautifully detailed 8mm copper oil lines were hand fabricated (and rather well I should say) by the team at Revatu Customs.

I can’t help but think that board-trackers like this were essentially the first café racers and with this in mind it baffles me that custom motorcycles like this are so rare. I’d love to see a whole subset of the motorcycle community dedicated to building and racing motorcycles like this, the lack of a café-board-tracker sub-culture seems a little strange.

I’ve been in touch with the team at Revatu Customs requesting larger images and more information, I’ll update this piece when they get back to me, so stay tuned.