Motorcycle manufacturers use occasions such as the touring International Motorcycle Show to unveil their latest inspirations and models.

Such is the case with Victory Motorcycles who proudly talked about their Hardball, a touring motorcycle with ape hanger handlebars and apparently enough attitude to turn heads. The matte black paintwork is only broken by the motorcycles sleek lines and red pinstripe flourish. Victory claims ‘the custom pin striping design lets everyone know that this bike is built to cross the line’.

The red pinstripe carries over into the old-school lace design wheels to supposedly ‘set the stage and informs the world what riding is still all about’.

At the heart of Hard-Ball sits the Freedom V-Twin power plant, expertly balanced for perfectly controlled explosions that deliver 97 horsepower and 109 ft. lbs. of hole shot torque.

Here are the specifications;

Engine Type: 4-stroke 50° V-Twin

Cooling System: Air / oil

Displacement: 106 ci / 1731 cc

Bore X stroke: 101 x 108 mm

Compression Ratio: 9.4 : 1

Valve Train: Single overhead camshafts with 4 valves per cylinder, self-adjusting cam chains, hydraulic lifters

Fuel System: Electronic Fuel Injection with dual 45mm throttle body

Fuel Capacity: 5.8 gal / 22 ltr

Exhaust: Split dual exhaust with crossover

Oil Capacity: 5.0 qts / 4.75 ltr

Charging System: 48 amps max output

Battery: 12 volts / 18 amp hours

Primary Drive Gear: drive with torque compensator

Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

Transmission: 6-speed overdrive constant mesh

Final Drive: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt

What isn’t listed in the specifications is the twenty-one gallons of hard bag storage that gives riders the needed storage to take the Hard Ball out for the road trips that give it a moniker of ‘touring motorcycle’.

Riders can look for the Hard Ball to rumble onto show room floors in February 2012 with a price tag of about $19,000.