Best Bike Ever?

[Fazer]

Clanky--might want to change the differential oil.  You must have had the splines cleaned/lubed during tire changes.  Easy to do the rear end at the same time.

[Tfrank59]

Yeah, it does weigh a ton, and the brakes are not like those on a sport bike.
  

actually the valkyrie is still in the top 10 of shortness braking distance 60-0 mph per motorcycle consumer news testing.

Wow I'd never know it from my bike. It has a whole lot of go but not a lot of stop

[Gideon]

I purchased my 2003 new. It is the bet Bike and Trike I have owned and I have had few (2 Yamaha, 2 BSA, 2 Suzuki, 3 Honda ).
However, I wish the Valkyrie had a sixth gear as others have mentioned.

The difference betwaeen men and boys is the price of his toys!!!

[The emperor has no clothes]

Yeah, it does weigh a ton, and the brakes are not like those on a sport bike.
  

actually the valkyrie is still in the top 10 of shortness braking distance 60-0 mph per motorcycle consumer news testing.

Wow I'd never know it from my bike. It has a whole lot of go but not a lot of stop

There is either something askew with your brakes, or you aren't applying the fronts properly. Both my Valkyries have pretty amazing stopping abilities.

[Jess from VA]

And even though the fronts are like 80% of stopping power, run a car tire in back, and they stop even better.  

And if your tires are smoking hot on hot pavement, and you have an emergency brake situation in a bit of a turn, you will never have the rear tire slide out on you and try to pass the front.  I've been sideways like that a number times on bikes, but never since the car tires were added.  

[98valk]

Yeah, it does weigh a ton, and the brakes are not like those on a sport bike.
  

actually the valkyrie is still in the top 10 of shortness braking distance 60-0 mph per motorcycle consumer news testing.

Wow I'd never know it from my bike. It has a whole lot of go but not a lot of stop

sintered bronze HH+ friction level is what OEM pads are. aftermarket pads should be same level.

[Tfrank59]

Yeah I'm running sintered metal pads, and they stop pretty good but nothing like sportbike which can do a nose wheelie--that was somebody's comparison there. That's all I'm saying.

[98valk]

Yeah I'm running sintered metal pads, and they stop pretty good but nothing like sportbike which can do a nose wheelie--that was somebody's comparison there. That's all I'm saying.

that's not braking,  that's short wheel base and balance by the rider.

was in top five four yrs ago, I tend to remember tourer and I/S were in top 15

Shortest 60–0 Stops
1] 2006 Triumph Speed Triple . . . . . . . . . . 104.8'
2] 2008 BMW Megamoto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106.4'
3] 1999 Triumph Speed Triple . . . . . . . . . . 106.7'
4] 1997 F6 Valkyrie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107.4'
5] 1997 Suzuki Marauder 800 . . . . . . . . . . 107.6'

JANUARY 2015 // MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS

[rug_burn]

That's all good, but when you slam on the brakes on the Valk, you got your hands full keeping it under control 'til it's stopped...  on a sport bike, you stop effortlessly. 

[..]

That's all good, but when you slam on the brakes on the Valk, you got your hands full keeping it under control 'til it's stopped

Why?

[rug_burn]

Probably because you don't have 900+ lbs behind that little contact patch.  You are using the brakes at  something like 50% or less of their gripping ability in a sport bike, where the response is real linear, not maxed out.   In a sport bike you just gotta be careful not to launch yourself over the handle bars...

[rug_burn]

And the rider's body position makes a sport bike easier to control too. 

[Tfrank59]

Well when I say my bike has "not a lot of stop" I'm not saying it's hard to control when I'm braking hard, I'm saying it won't stop on a dime like a sport bike will.  So I questioned that a Valk was in the top few bikes on stopping distance but I guess if you go by classification, like a heavy cruiser or tourer, then sure I'll buy that.

[98valk]

Well when I say my bike has "not a lot of stop" I'm not saying it's hard to control when I'm braking hard, I'm saying it won't stop on a dime like a sport bike will.  So I questioned that a Valk was in the top few bikes on stopping distance but I guess if you go by classification, like a heavy cruiser or tourer, then sure I'll buy that.

from 60-0mph sport bikes do not stop on dime, all have longer distances than the Valkyrie except the ones already posted.
https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/33sun7/motorcycle_braking_distances/

Superbikes:

    2011 BMW S1000RR: 129 ft

    2011 Ducati 1198: 141 ft

    2011 Honda CBR1000RR: 134 ft

    2011 Suzuki GSXR-1000: 140 ft

    2011 KTM RC8R: 135 ft

    2011 Kawasaki ZX10R: 129 ft

    2011 Yamaha R1: 137 ft

Supersports:

    2011 Yamaha R6: 124 ft

    2011 Honda CBR600RR: 126 ft

    2011 Ducati 848 EVO: 127 ft

    2011 Triumph 675R: 126 ft

    2011 Suzuki GSXR-600: 122 ft

Other bikes:

    2015 Harley Street 750: 152 ft

    2011 Harley StreetGlide: 129 ft

    2011 Star Stratoliner: 142 ft

    2011 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero: 144 ft

    2013 BMW R1200-RTP: 144 ft

    2013 Harley Electra Glide: 144 ft

    2010 Star Raider S: 124 ft

    2010 Harley Softail Rocker C: 125 ft

    2010 Victory Vegas Jackpot: 129 ft

compared to vehicles

Minivans:

    2015 Kia Sedona: 118 ft

    2015 Toyota Sienna: 121 ft

    2014 Chrysler T&C: 126 ft

    2015 Honda Odyssey: 126 ft

Sedans & Hatchbacks:

    2014 Honda Civic: 118 ft

    2012 Kia Rio: 119 ft

    2013 Honda Accord: 117 ft

    2014 Mazda 6: 121ft

    2013 Toyota Camry: 120 ft

    2014 BMW i3 eDrive: 108 ft

    2015 Honda Fit: 127 ft

Pickups:

    2013 Ford F-150: 132 ft

    2013 GMC Sierra 1500: 137 ft

    2013 Chevy Silverado: 138 ft

    2013 Ram 1500: 142 ft

    2013 Nissan Titan: 144 ft

    2013 Toyota Tundra: 150 ft

Cars that will always win:

    2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon: 93 ft

    2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia: 93 ft

    2012 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Centennial: 94 ft

    2012 Lexus LFA: 94 ft

    2010 Porsche 911 GT3: 94 ft

    2010 Ferrari 16m Scuderia Spyder: 96 ft

    2009 Audi R8 5.2: 96 ft

    2008 Audi R8: 96 ft

    2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: 97 ft

    2008 Dodge Viper ACR: 97 ft

    2003 Dodge Viper SRT10: 97 ft

    2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS: 98 ft

    2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV: 98 ft

    2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: 98 ft

    2008 Porsche 911 GT2: 98 ft

    2011 Nissan GT-R: 99 ft

    2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: 99 ft

    2010 Ferrari 458 Italia: 99 ft

    2010 Porsche 911 Turbo: 99 ft

    2009 Porsche Boxster S: 99 ft

    2007 Porsche 911 GT3: 99 ft

[Tfrank59]

okay, fair enough.  hard to imagine though and seems to defy the laws of physics--a mass in motion tends to stay in motion...

[rug_burn]

Maybe during those tests they were better,  but in my experience, commuting to LA every day, splitting traffic like we do here in SoCal, you just can't go near as fast on a Valk as on a sport bike (I usually take the sport bike). 
   And it's got to do with how well you can slow down to deal with surprises, how much of your attention braking requires while driving in close quarters over those dots they glue to the roadway, and how ready you are to continue when some gap ahead opens back up.   
   In that particular situation, a sportbike wins every time, truth be told, and I do prefer my Valk (which admittedly is about 4 1/2 inches wider) for just about everything else.