Valkyrie Firsts

[ChromeDome]

May 2001

I was heading back to Chicago from California on my 1984 Goldwing Interstate. I met up with my friends in Albuquerque, NM and when we went to leave the next day my Goldwing wouldn't start. It would push start but nothing happen when you hit the starter button.    Ended up at the local Honda dealer and while we were waiting for them to tell me what was wrong and how much to fix I was checking out the 2001 Valkyrie Interstate that was sitting on the showroom floor.

Eventualy the Service Manager came out and gave me the following news; the stator rotor was shot and the water pump needed to be repaired as well. Total cost about $500.00 but we don't have the parts and might take a week to get them. So I'm looking at about $3000.00 in air travel back & forth to Chicago plus $500.00 to fix the bike    at which point I turned to the saleman and asked ... "How much do you want for that bike?"  

Three hours later I was pulling out of the Honda Dealer on my brand new Valkryie Interstate. Told the dealer that I was headed back to Chicago and no way was this thing going to stay at 55 or under. All he said to me was "Don't do wheelies, don't do burn outs and vary the rpm". Two  hours after that I was screeming down I-40 passing everything in site.  

Been in love with the Valk ever since.   When I bought it it had 4 miles on the odometer and now it has over 114K miles. Just about got the girl broken in.  

[hubcapsc]

I didn't ride my Harley much, but I liked having a motorcycle, even if it was a
street bike.

I went to a Sons Of Confederate Veterans sponsored ride in Charleston with my
buddy Mark. We trailered, because, heck, it was almost 200 miles away.

The ride involved some kind of contest, I don't remember, but our group of
four was one of the last to leave. I took advantage of the opportunity to
walk around in the sea of Harleys at the event.

As we were leaving, our fourth rider showed up. Frank Smoak on a Red and
White Valkyrie... WOW! It was very apparent to me that this motorcycle was
nothing like any of those other 100 motorcycles I had just been looking
at.

And I don't miss dirt bikes near as much now...



-Mike

[Hook#3287]

First time I heard a stranger comment on the awesomeness of the Valkyrie.

It won't be last!    Wait till you get "What kinda Harley is THAT?

[amazngrace]

I've Been reading the Valk boards for 6 or 7 years with lust in my heart, knowing I would never be able to get the cash together to buy one.Prowled Craig's and the sale sections of the boards just daydreaming. I found a 99 IS on the Delphi board that had been listed for over a year for $5K and kept an eye on it. A week before Christmas 2011 the owner dropped the price to $3500 and I got on top of it RIGHT NOW.

Borrowed a friends trailer and went 220 miles to get it 3 days later.
Always thought I would like black best but she was red and black and the color was so much more impressive in person.

Stock pegs, stock seat, no risers,,,fits me like a glove!

This is bike # 14 for me, and I do believe the search of a lifetime is now over.

..ED

[NCGhostrider]

I remember when I bought my black and chrome 99 I/S in June of 2000.  I was living just north of Raleigh, NC, working IT as a the director/CIO of our software company.  Was stressed, not happy at home, and needed a relief valve.  I had quit riding when my daughter was born, actually had a minor accident that scared me.  I didn't want her to not know her dad, then my son was born a few years later...same thing, I just waited.

I was actually looking for a new Harley, had the money to spend, just wasn't convinced.  I walked into the Honda dealership south of Raleigh, and saw 3 I/S setting there.  The one I bought had 2300 miles on it, kuryakin pegs, updated seat and kuryakin hand grips.  It had been traded in on a new Goldwing, I gave $13600 for it out the door and delivered.  I wrote a check and it followed me home.

When it was dropped off, I immediately got on it and rode away.  I am sure the person that delivered it wondered why I didn't ride it home, but I was erring to caution and Raleigh traffic at the time.   What a love affair that bike brought.  My ex wife hated it, hated riding, hated that I could get away for a few hours.  Things ended badly,  my mother got sick in Texas, my wife sold the bike in sept. 04 (she claimed I spent all my time on it), then we divorced.  I bought another 99 I/S in Feb or March of 06, and have continued my journeys.  The year I spent without my Valk was pretty rough.  I wish I would have had it to help me get thru the divorce and the need to get away from life after I moved back to Texas.

What great bikes these are.  I hate that they are getting old, but mine still looks nearly new.  I don't get to ride as much as many of you, so from a mileage standpoint, I have many years to go.  I remarried a couple of years ago, she loves to ride with me, and doesn't mind when I go ride.  We look forward to our treks across Texas and Colorado on the I/S.  Most of my friends have traded bikes several times, they can't believe that I still ride a 99 model bike.  They also can't believe how well it still runs, and how unique it really is.   The Valkyries are truly a timeless machine.

Craig
NcGhostrider
99 I/S



 

[dragon_slayer_129]

Well it's not really a first for me but it is a first for the phat bottom girl.......rolled over the 60K miles mark last night on the way home from our ride

Bought my cbr 600 new 4-1-95 and it currently has 66K+ miles on it.  It has taken me a bunch of places from delaware to georgia over the years.  Now the valk is going to be my long haul bike and the cbr is my solo ride playtoy

So far since picking up the valk last november I've put just over 1K miles on it.....not to bad for an Ohio winter





Dragon Slayer 129