Do you remember that EXACT moment when you realized you HAD to have a Valkyrie?

[JimL]

Reading Mike's (hubcapsc) post this morning about how he came to own a Valkyrie, reminds me of the exact moment I realized I HAD to have a Valkyrie.  

I had sworn off motorcycles for what then had been 27 years (long story....suffice to say I was a stupid teenager that wrecked many bikes as well as myself)!  I was a devout cyclist (of the Trek bicycle sort) when one day I was cycling the Natchez Trace Parkway near my house.  The year was 2003 when I saw a big shining Black and Chrome Valkyrie Standard coming down the trace from the opposing direction.  During those 10-12 seconds a lot happened....it was all over.  I had been away from motorcycles so long that I had to go to the internet to find out what it was!

A month later I went and bought a Honda Spirit 1100 just to get back accustomed to riding again, with the intent of selling it within the year and buying the big fat lady I saw on the Natchez Trace.  Actually I ended up keeping the Spirit for 2 years, then selling it and buying the Jade/Black 1998 Tourer I still own.

My Trek does not get much use these days and it gets a little more rusty with each passing year.  I have gained 20 pounds because "the Trek is getting rusty in the garage", however I still get goose bumps today just like I did 6 years ago when I saw that Black/Chrome Standard coming down the road on the Natchez Trace!

[doubletee]

The wife and I were out for a short cruise on our V45 Magna one Saturday and just happened to stop into a nearby stealer. They had a used fast black (not sure of the year) on the floor. Threw my leg over it..............that was all she wrote. Knew right then I had to have one, someday. Two years later I picked up my '99 Fast Black Standard. It's been bliss ever since.

[Chrisj CMA]

I was working at the Hospital on base (AirForce) and a friend of mine had the poster of a '97 bumble bee on his wall.  I would go to his office at lunch and we would read all the specs and dream of owning one.  I think this was all before they were actually available in our area.

Well, my kids were still at home, both in H.S. so you know how much that costs......so I knew I must wait, but I knew it was inevitable...I had to have one.  We decided in early 2002 that it was time.  One kid out of H.S. and one almost out and my business was doing good back then, so we took the plunge.  I found it on line in Pompano Beach FL and 2 days later she was in my driveway.  Its been like WOW ever since.

The only bad thing was that my first wife (who loved to ride) got very sick a couple weeks after getting our baby and never recovered.  She had one ride on the bike and thats it...That was eight years ago this coming valentines day, and the bike has 106,500 miles on her and still looks and runs like new.

[PharmBoy]

It was 5:15 AM and I had just logged on to Cycle Trader.  There it was in the first couple of adds.  A black '99 I/S with 923 miles on the clock. It was all that I could do to wait till 7:30 (a respectable time) to call the owner.  Luckily he lived near an airport and was willing to come pick me up there.  After a non-eventful flight in the family airplane, I was looking at "MY VALKYRIE" BY 10:30.  He had just listed it the night before.  This is just a little more proof of the old saying that "The early bird gets the worm"....JTL  

[RedValk]

i had been out of bikes for a few years....hadn't had ANY reason to want another one....was big into boats at the time. It was July of 1997. I went to a local Mall....to eat lunch and shop some with Sherry during my lunch hour from work. AND THERE IT WAS. some guy had this brand new GORGEOUS Honda. It was unlike any Honda i'd seen lately. It had an engine like a Gold Wing....but...THIS WAS NOT NO DANG GOLD WING. it was COOL looking. I looked at it for a while. Said WOW! It was red and white....

Next week, again Sherry and i went to that Mall...for our weekly lunch meeting at the Mall ....and there it was again, parked in the same spot. THIS TIME....the guy that owned it came out and was getting ready to ride it away (found out he worked at the Mall). I asked "what is that". A VALKYRIE...he explained. Wow........  I said....would you mind....cranking it up? He did....rode off....and i said...WOW...i think i've finally seen a bike that makes me want TO GET A BIKE AGAIN.

But........would SHerry go for it?  The next day ....i went by the local Honda dealer and looked at a purple and white Valk. A few days later, i talked Sherry into going to the Mall a second time that week....just so i could look at that Red and White. She saw me drooling over it and asked "you really want one of those, don't you?". OH HELL YES!!!!!!!

That afternoon, went by dealer again, and said "find me a Red and White....it HAS TO BE....red and white...or i'm not interested".

The next week, i had a Red and White!!!!!!!!!  30 July, 1997 was the day i picked it up.

uhhhhhhhhhhhh.............yea, i think you can say i remember THE MOMENT i knew i had to have one      

[makotosun]

I remember when they came out - I couldn't understand how anyone could ride such a huge bike - especially around town. Plus it had all that motor hanging out. At the time, I think I was still riding an old mid sized Kawasaki on my short road trips.

I had ridden a 1996 Magna for several years, and gotten kind of addicted to the sport bike like performance and comfort of that little toy. (If you look at them side by side, there is an uncanny resemblence.)

I was surfing on E-bay for motorcycle projects and found my Green and Tan tourer for sale about 2 hours from me, so contacted the guy to see if I could come down and see it in person before bidding. I got there and in contrast to the norm, the online pics did NOT do the bike justice. It had what I later found out to be a bunch of aftermarket chrome, and about 45,000 miles on the odometer. He started it up and I didn't even need to ride it. I got back in the truck with my wife and went home, planning on staking out the auction closing. I didn't need to worry, I ended up being the only bid at $6,000.

I picked it up a couple days later and have never lost the grin! (Still have the Magna too - it is still my bike of choice around town, so some things never change!)



For comparison, in case you haven't seen a magna on the same page . . .

[Warlock]

I had been out of riding for a while and bought a Kawasaki 800 C model. Well after about 6 months I knew I had to have a bigger bike. Started reading everywhere. I had made it down between 2 bikes. A Kawsaki Nomad and the Valkyrie. Never had seen a Valkyrie in my life. At that time I belonged to the Beginner Bikes .com and talked with a guy from New York that had one. We all meet up in Memphis for a rally. I looked at Jims bike and he threw me the keys for a spin. I didn't even make 30 ft and I knew this is the bike for me. I never looked at another Nomad and as of today there is still no bike on the markert that will do evrything a Valkyrie can do and looks way cool.
David

[QOTFU]

I didn't even know what a Valkyrie was..... Rog and I had been invited by a friend to go to the Tucumcari BBQ. At the last minute he couldn't go.... but we went anyway(on our Harley's). We rolled in late in the day, went and dumped our stuff at the hotel up the street and went and met everyone. We know instantly that we had met some life-time friends. We were both WOWed by the Valk's. After the event we were home about 4 days when i saw a Black/Jade on craigslist.... we picked it up that evening. It took about 10 months before I rode it.... but I was sold instantly. I got my black/jade about a week later. I rode it to Tucumcari where all my favorite guys lowered it for me. We still have the Harley's. I like running around town on it, and seriously.... it's a TOTAL "chick bike" being sparklie purple. I do feel like I'm on a mini-bike on the Harley and I can see myself getting rid of it someday soon. I don't think I'd EVER get rid of my Valk. It's more than a bike...it's a lifestyle!

[Daniel Meyer]

About 8 seconds into that "powersliding through the desert" commercial.

[sugarbee]

Cheaha 2006

I saw Truck Racer's Valk, all blinged out and I thought it was THE most AWESOME bike I had ever seen, it only took me about 3 years to get one of my own 

[Probie (Scooter57)]

Actually...the first time I rode the Valk that I eventually bought...I didn't like it.
I was (and still do on occasion) riding a 99 V Star 1100 and wanted a Hardley Ultra Classic. My buddy  asked if I wanted to ride it while we were down in PCB for Thunder Beach I guess it was 2000-2001. I was scared of it partially because it was someone else's bike  and also cause it was so much bigger than my Baby Bike. My buddy ran into a bump in the road and needed to sell it and ask if I was interested, well Violet and I were looking for a bigger bike for long trips so we got it.  I'm still scared of it...partially cause it is a big bike and partially cause now that it's mine, I have rode it harder than I did on that first ride and with the power it has I can get myself in trouble real quick. Especially following Steamer at 115MPH on some backroad in the middle of nowhere 
I'd still like to get a Hardley but now it's an 83-84 FXE Shovelhead,(don't ask me why I can't explain it  ) not for the trips but for local rides.

[asfltdncr]

We were in Nevada at a service station and a Valk w/ trailer showed up and to see all that motor with the velocity stacks--mmmm.I had not owned a bike in decades.It was probably five years later that I started flirting with the idea of motorcycling once again and saw a 99 I/S at House of Motorcycles in San Diego.I didn't have a license and frankly, the skill to test drive it.Bought it, had it delivered, got my license, refreshed my skills, and never regretted it.

[Brad]

I have a customer who has been coming to our auto shop for years.  He was always talking up his bike every time he was in waiting for his car.  I kept telling him bull$hit when the stories got too deep.  He told me he would bring the bike by sometime so that I could try it for myself.  I kept after him whenever I saw him "where is this amazing bike", "you don't even own a bike", "I knew you were full of bull".  Anyway after about 6 months he shows up one afternoon with a bumble bee and hands me the keys.  I took it for about a 15 min ride and knew that I had to have one.  Found my 98 std. in Houston Texas and rode her home to Nevada a few months later.  This happened in 2001 and havent looked back.

[Westernbiker]

Rode my Harley (yes I said it) over to my dads house one day and here was this gloss black and chrome Valk sitting in my dads driveway. WOW! Nice bike, wonder who is here that owns it. I walk in and there sat my uncle. How do ya like the Valk he said. I was, ya know, a Harley rider, aw it's just a Honda I said, no big deal. He threw me the keys and said take her for a ride. I pretended I didn't want to ride her so I said ok, I'll be back in 15 min. 1 hour later I brought her back to my uncle. Had the Harley sold in a month and had my first blue and cream Valk 2 weeks after that. I am now rideing my second Valk a '97' Bumblebee!!!!!! WoooooooooHoooooooo!!!!!

[R J]

It was a few days after my April Fool's day surgery, quad bypass.

Saw the sliding bike in a commercial in the hospital bed.  Thought that was neat.

Had a 94 FLHCU dresser I'd been riding.

Mom brought in some magazines to read to me to help pass the time in ICU.

She read an article about the Valkyrie.   Told her, if & when I get out of here I want one of those.   She said you walk out of here and go get it.

Up until that time I was not in too good of shape.    1st Dr left a lot of leaking tubes he had added.    Sac around the heart was filling up with blood and chocking the heart to death.

Son walked in, told mom, a nurse on the ICU floor he had dated, told him if nothing is done I'd be dead by morning.  I heard it and screamed a blood curtailing one,  Dr on standby heard it & came in, took 1 look at me and ordered an operating room immediately.

He opened me up, fixed all the leaking tubes drained all the excess blood from my body and put me back in ICU.    3 days later I was released & I left the hospital on a Sunday. 2 days later, I rode the Harley to the Stealer and sat down to really get rough with him.   Told him what bike I wanted, it was MGM.

Told him to hit me with his best offer.  He got up, asked for the HD keys, and I saw him take off on it.      The office girl brought in coffee and donuts, and she said George, owner, said to take good care of us till he got back.   Found out later he rode over to the HD shop to see what it was worth.

He came back, said he was sorry for taking so long.   Got his pencil and calculator out, messed with them, looked me in the eye and said,  My Valkyrie, and extended  warranty, tax, license and out the door for zilch, nothing, nata you just ride it home.         Told him to change  the plate, empty the bags and tour box into the Valk & I'd be gone.

Rode it home, rested up 4 more days, remember, I was retired now, and took off on an extended bike trip.     Covered all the Canadian Providences, except all those East of Toronto.  Did the 4 corners, and got all the lower 48 state capitals, and returned home. 

In those 75 days, MGM racked up 49,000 + miles, went through 1 front tire, was ready for another one in Nebraska, but I came on home on it, and 9 rears tires.

This was all done on a stock seat and a sheep skin.

Averaged 40.6 MPG for the trip.

1st oil change, the dealer recommended Mobil 1, & that is what he got.

242,000 + change total miles later, he will still keep up with most of the Valkyries, in a Drag Race, right Wegs?

At 54,000, Honda put a new rear end under it.   Dealer in Utah who did the last tire, cleaned it all up and never greased it.

[ChromeDome]

I saw the sliding bike comercial and thought .... "DAMN! That is one hell of a bike." Then I saw a few at my stealer and was tempted to take it for a ride ... but money was tight and the time wasn't right.  It wasn't so much that I HAD to have a Valk .... but I knew that if the oppurtunity presented itself I was going to get a Valk!

And that is just what happened, May of 2001 my 84 GoldWing developed stator & water pump issues and I was in Alburquerque, NM. The dealer had a brand new Black & Pearl Beige Interstate on the floor and with what it was going to cost (repairs & air fare) to fix the GoldWing I decided that now's the oppurtunity.  As the salesman was going over some of the bikes features I told him that I was headed back to Chicago and there was no way this bike was going to stay under 55mph. The saleman said "No  problem, don't do wheelies, hole shots and very the RPMs." Four hours later I'm headed east on I-40 at about 110mph and an hour after that I'm going 80mph in 3rd .... well the man did say to vary the RPMs.  I have loved every minute & mile (90k and counting).

[solo1]

I had an ST1100 at the time. Beautiful machine but the vibration from that V4 engine put my right hand to sleep, tried everything, about gave up.

Then, in the next issue of Americam Motorcyclist magazine the news was the Valk.  On the cover was a pic of a Valk Bumblebee.  Inside was a story about the author going to the Marysville plant and following the assembly of a Valk bumblebee down the production line.  He took delivery at the end of the line, rode it for a test review for the magazine, and was really sold on it..... That had me wondering.

A few days later, I saw the ad where the rider was sliding sideways throwing out a rooster tail from the rear wheel, that did it!

I ordered a Valk immediately.  The dealer could not find me a bumble bee so I settled for straight black and had it pinstriped in yellow,   Never looked back.

[valkmc]

I was at Daytona Bike week in 1996 and Honda had one under their tent. It was fake, there was nothing inside it, I sat on it and my ex wife took a picture of it. I knew right then it would be my next bike. I was riding a 1986 1100 Shadow, neat bike, it was prior to Honda trying to make the shadow look like an HD. I had the bike for 12 years and really was not ready to move on but in July of 98 I stopped into the local Honda Dealership for a part. There was a guy there trading in his 97 valk, I told him I was thinking about buying one. He asked me if I was serious and when I said yes he handed me the keys and said if you ride it you will buy one. I took it for about a 10 minute ride, came back and drove to another dealer 50 miles away.  1 hour later I had to call my ex and have her bring the title to shadow down and I left on a Cream and Blue 98 standard which I still ride today.

[Jean the Black Wolf]

Hi at all
in 97 I saw in a French review a very nice pics of a bumble-bee
and I dreamed : I want this bike
at this time I rode a Kawa "Sumo" 1500
tow months later I bought the  bike from Quebec  because never Honda France imported a Bumble -bee to France and since I love this bike
it's for me a great love and many milles from 1997 to now and for long time again if God want it
 

[Jabba]

Sure I do.  I had a test ride from the dealer on a VTX1800C.  I went and got the wife... and rode the VTX.  Got off it at the dealership, and they guy had me a 2003 Valk ready to get on.  I didn't get out of the parking lot before I KNEW the Valk was for me.  I was about to buy THAT one when I found mine on E-Bay.

Jabba

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

I sold my dearly loved Nomad so to fund a once in a life time trip for my wife and got a cheap KLR650 to kick around on. Liked the dual sport but knew it wouldn't do long distance riding that I enjoy. Sold it  and got a 2000 Kawasaki Concours that was fun but the position left me hurting and I knew I needed another cruiser. Nomad always fit me best. She said when I get back from my New England States trip I should sell it and get a Nomad again. Ws looking at one 7 hours away before my trip and contemplating it  (I think the wife knew this) On the way home from work 1 day I stopped at a dealer I do some work for and went into the used showroom to see what was new around. Salesmen came in while I was staring at the 97 Black Tourer. I asked when it came in and he said last week, should I get the key. Without looking away I said yeah !! He came back and I started it up and was instantly in love. Asked the salesmen what I needed to do to hold it and we went to the owner. He said, "Dave are you gonna buy that bike?" I said "Yes I am" and he said "Good enough for me. I'll have the title here next week". Went home and told the wife I got another bike. Listed the Concours on CraigsList. Went back that Tuesday and rode her home. The Concours went to it's new owner that weekend. After getting home from my New England trip which added about 3100 miles to her I know she's a keeper.................................................. Unless I come across a deal on an Interstate I can't pass up.................................................. excuse me while I go look over Craigslist again.  

[franco6]

sitting in front of the tv watcching the same old stuff i suddenly came awake seing that way too huge fantastic looking motorcycle
racing on the hutah salt flats at sunset. the paradox a german name on a nipon bike. i already had afew hondas , the cb 750-a was in the garage , its big enough i thought, and i had enough alfa romeos to keep me busy. a great deal on an st-1100 got me interested in bigger bikes . now i could barely get Chantal on the docile cb ,she hated the quick st . meanwhile i m dreaming, as always, of long travel tourism on a motorcycle with my other half . the valkyrie tv ad was still embedded in my brain and soon i was looking at valkyrie adds in the classifieds . stubbs cycle had a real nice red and cream ,the first time i sat on one, it was spring 08 .
that one was too expensive ,only had 18000 miles,(always wondered who bought it?) soon i found the wonders of craig list ,always looking for a deal one day ikept going further back and saw a beautiful green and cream tourer bieng advertised, the price was alright ,got my first ride on the dragon! waited a few days ,found the vrcc web and read all i could , the fever was building. i soon was back and took the f6 for a long ride and knew she was the one ! the deal was done when hurricanne hike paid us a visit and no room in the garage. i ll have to wait!  now she tronnes in there and Chantal loves her too. 

[Mo Lee]

I was a long time Goldwinger several 1100s and a  1500 even had a couple of CX500s and a KZ650. I had heard about the Valk however that was about the time I quit riding for a few years they really didn't grab my attention since I just considered them a bare Goldwing. I do remember seeing  one with Cobra exhaust one day and thought the six pipes were cool. Well I started wanting a bike with more horsepower and started looking around for a Valk. Found a dealer that had 2 on hand he had a low mileage black and crome pretty much stock and a R/W 97 with 60,000 miles and some cosmetic issues but it had unbaffled cobras on it. When the saleman started it on the showroom I knew if I was going to buy one it would be it. I still wasn't too serious however he talked me into a test ride and when I pulled back into the parking lot the wife said she knew it was going home with us from the look on my face. When I got it home I really learned to love a Valk and did a lot of research, found this club and bought a second Valk 6 month later.

[gregc]

 I had been away from motorcycles for a few years when my sons were little, sold my last motorcycle put in an above ground pool for the family. On really nice days the wife would say as she floated around the pool, this would be a great day for a motorcycle ride. I agreed and started looking, what I bought wasn't what I wanted, 1100 Virago. Fun bike, got us back in the wind, but? Something was missing.. Then one day I am walking thru the hospital parking lot on my way to visit my Mother when I see this bike parked next to the stairs, Not a clue what it is, but it looks so different, no name on the tank, not an emblem anywhere, WOW, what is it?   I enter the hospital, visit with Mom till visiting hours are over, and on the way down the steps,to the parking lot there is a person sitting on the cycle, I stop and ask? What is it?   Honda Valkyrie, then he starts it and the Fat Lady Sings.  At the time I didn't know it had Cobra pipes on it, Holy Cow,what a sound.   We say our good byes and I stay put, and watch and listen as he leaves the hospital lot and hits the highway, and I don't know if it was for me, or he just drove that way, he ran the lady thru the gears and I WAS HOOKED, I started looking for mine.    Couple years later at a benifit ride I ran into the same guy , he remembered our conversation at the hospital then I showed him my 99 Valkyrie, He laughed and said welcome aboard.  Been in love with it ever since.

[Stanley Steamer]

I remember seeing one of the Valks in the showroom at Cycle World in Athens back in the late 90's....and thinking..."Dang, that's a BIG bike...who would want one of those?"......well,.....I bought a brand new 2003 Honda Shadow ACE 750 in the Fall of 2002 and rode it for a couple of years, but soon after I got the ACE, I googled Shadow Clubs and found the Shadow Club of Atlanta.......it was 62 miles from my house to where they STARTED their rides at the time, but their actual Club meetings were in Alpharetta(Atlanta as far as I was concerned)....well, a buddy of mine who rode an 1100 Shadow rode over there with me in July of '03 to one of the Club meetings where I met some of my new motorcycle friends.....Britman, Smilin Jack, Marian, Coot.....and many others who have become great friends......Fast forward to summer of 2004.....I had ridden on lots of rides with the SCOA and by that time a few members had already stepped up to Valks....Standards, Tourers, and Interstates....Smilin Jack "twisted my arm" into taking his Black/Tan Interstate for a ride over in Cumming, GA.....45 minutes later I was hooked....

I started looking on Cycle Trader for a Valk.....I only looked at I/S's since I wanted the trunk, CB, Stereo and all that stuff.....I had a list of about 6 bikes....I ended up narrowing it down to a Green/Silver one up in Tennessee...it already had a complete Ultimate Lowboy seat set on it as well as hyperlites and some extra chromage!!...

A couple of by then North Georgia Motorcycle Club members called in "sick" one Friday to take me to TN to look at the bike....they rode Valks and volunteered to check it out and tell me if it was a good deal....I "kicked" the tires and took it for a spin through the guy's subdivision....I bought it and smiled all the way home.....actually, I only made it to Rocky Face, GA that first day....I spent the night at Coot's house and then I took it to Smilin Jack's house the next day where he proceeded to put it on his lift and I helped him do a little maintenance stuff.....he has been a GREAT friend ever since....I had to call him that second morning and ask him why the bike didn't want to crank....he told me the "choke ain't all the way on" trick....

One of the Valk riders had told me that I should shift to 4th gear and grab a handfull of throttle....I did just that on I-75 North of ATL.....didn't take long until I was doing a 105mph on the speedo...

Oh yeah, I had a new set of Metzlers strapped to the back at the time...

That was August of 2004....the bike had 29,218 miles on it and now it has over 78,000....and the BEST part is this month marks the LAST payment on it....I had paid $9,400 for it and have probably put another $5,000-6,000 in her over the years...and I still love her as much ,if not more, than ever!!!...

[F-106]

When I first looked at the valk I saw a bike I could do alot with and keep and pass down to my son. That is when I decided I had to have one. It did everything I needed a bike to do and more. However I do have to say it took me about 6 months to fully understand and come to terms with this bike we call the Valkyrie. Had to wait for a few years before I could buy. But never the less I got mine. 1 of 40,000 made. Priceless

[FLAVALK]

In early 2000, I was riding a 1998 Honda 1100 ACE Tourer. A buddy had just purchased a used 1998 Black & Chrome Valk standard and seemed very pleased with it. I tried to ignore it for awhile but then it got the best of me. "Mind if I ride it?" He tossed me the keys and I cautiously got on the bike. HOLY COW! The tank seemed to go on forever and it seemed...so freaking HUGH!. I carefully let out the clutch and went through the gears...it sounded like some sort of turbine.....I was hooked. A few months later I found one on Cycle Trader over in Tampa. A 1998 burgundy & creme standard with a Mustang seat and 8,500 miles on the clock. It was dirty and had not been riden in awhile...sorta looked like a puppy in the local pound...but I could see a diamond under that dust!  I handed the nice man $8,500 cash money.  Me and my bud rented a 8' U Haul trailer to go pick it up because it was supposed to rain. We soon found that 8' aint long enough for the Valk. So, I rode it home and my bud drove the truck. Halfway home he asked if I wanted to swap. With my sleeve, I wiped the slobber off my silly-assed grin and said...na, I'm good.

BTW. I put the Tourer on Ebay and sold it for what I wanted. The guy that bought it (sight unseen) was from Jacksonville. He and his wife pulled up in a pickup with a Uhaul trailer. He proceeded to load it up until I said, wait...don't you even want to start it first? He said...OK. I hit the starter and the girl started right up. He said...it's good! Loaded it up and drove away. He did get a good bike though. That Tourer was nice

[Huey]

A friend of mine rode a red and black interstate. Then he went to riding harleys said he could reach the ground better. Yea he is kind of short legged. He asked if I wanted the valk he already sold the harley and wanted to sell the valk for the rest of the down payment on a new harley he had ordered. He got his new harley and I got my valk and I love it. Now my wife wants one to she likes the tourers lol. Until we can afford another valk she is riding the wheels off of her shadow. lol

[Windjammer]

I was at the Chicago Motorcycle show in Rosemont, 1997. I was riding a 81 full dress goldwing. Seen the Valk and Really liked it but it had no bags and no windshield? 1998 at the Chicago show again I saw a tourer AH bags and a windshield! but no ferring? I told my riding buddy that if they add a ferring I am getting one. He called me up and said I just saw your new bike. I said what? I rode over to the stealer and there it was Everything I wanted including the color. I am partial to green. Purchased it in May of 99. Sold the GW although I wished I had kept it. My buddy then purchased a 2000 GW last of the 1500's He still has that bike as well. So the answer to the question is Chicago Motorcycle show 1997 I new I had to have one.

[usmc1142]

great thread!!!   i was on highway "A"  by Festus Missouri when a '99 interstate passed me.  I was driving a "98 ford L9000 with a dropdeck trailer and about 20,000lbs on it.  I managed to get the attention of the rider, (air horn, flashing lights, Yellow roofcaution lights) and he pulled over.  I bet i was doing 90mph trying to catch him, and thank god I did.  It was spring of '99.  I knew right then I had to have  a Valkyrie interstate.  It took me a couple of years,('02')  but My wife (at the time) helped me find my bike and I sold my wing.  it was the best thing I ever bought for myself, and I still can't believe how much I love this bike.

[hedgehorn]

I remember seeing one of the Valks in the showroom at Cycle World in Athens back in the late 90's....and thinking..."Dang, that's a BIG bike...who would want one of those?"......well,.....I bought a brand new 2003 Honda Shadow ACE 750 in the Fall of 2002 and rode it for a couple of years, but soon after I got the ACE, I googled Shadow Clubs and found the Shadow Club of Atlanta.......it was 62 miles from my house to where they STARTED their rides at the time, but their actual Club meetings were in Alpharetta(Atlanta as far as I was concerned)....well, a buddy of mine who rode an 1100 Shadow rode over there with me in July of '03 to one of the Club meetings where I met some of my new motorcycle friends.....Britman, Smilin Jack, Marian, Coot.....and many others who have become great friends......Fast forward to summer of 2004.....I had ridden on lots of rides with the SCOA and by that time a few members had already stepped up to Valks....Standards, Tourers, and Interstates....Smilin Jack "twisted my arm" into taking his Black/Tan Interstate for a ride over in Cumming, GA.....45 minutes later I was hooked....

I started looking on Cycle Trader for a Valk.....I only looked at I/S's since I wanted the trunk, CB, Stereo and all that stuff.....I had a list of about 6 bikes....I ended up narrowing it down to a Green/Silver one up in Tennessee...it already had a complete Ultimate Lowboy seat set on it as well as hyperlites and some extra chromage!!...

A couple of by then North Georgia Motorcycle Club members called in "sick" one Friday to take me to TN to look at the bike....they rode Valks and volunteered to check it out and tell me if it was a good deal....I "kicked" the tires and took it for a spin through the guy's subdivision....I bought it and smiled all the way home.....actually, I only made it to Rocky Face, GA that first day....I spent the night at Coot's house and then I took it to Smilin Jack's house the next day where he proceeded to put it on his lift and I helped him do a little maintenance stuff.....he has been a GREAT friend ever since....I had to call him that second morning and ask him why the bike didn't want to crank....he told me the "choke ain't all the way on" trick....

One of the Valk riders had told me that I should shift to 4th gear and grab a handfull of throttle....I did just that on I-75 North of ATL.....didn't take long until I was doing a 105mph on the speedo...

Oh yeah, I had a new set of Metzlers strapped to the back at the time...

That was August of 2004....the bike had 29,218 miles on it and now it has over 78,000....and the BEST part is this month marks the LAST payment on it....I had paid $9,400 for it and have probably put another $5,000-6,000 in her over the years...and I still love her as much ,if not more, than ever!!!...

Stanley that is my favorite color combination on a Valk. Sweet Ride!

[Stanley Steamer]

"Stanley that is my favorite color combination on a Valk. Sweet Ride!"

I love the Big Green Dragon!!....

Oh, don't tell the other guys, BUT....the Green ones attract the Ladies the best!!!...

[Big Rig]

9
About 8 seconds into that "powersliding through the desert" commercial.

About a month later in 99 Novemeber to be exact, I did the "Ride for the Kids" in Philadelphia with my girlfriend (wife now) and I parked my 83 GW I/S with 110k miles on the odometer. First one I saw in person (Bumble Bee CHROMED). A week later went into a dealer and my 99 I/S was sitting on the floor waiting for me...Made the deal in about 5 minutes...put it on the credit card for $14500...bust money I ever spent...smile everyday when I ride  it...

[ArmyValker]

I'd always seen pictures of it in magazines and online and such but I'd never seen one in person. I'd rebuilt a few GL1000's and really fell in love with the Boxxer motors and the whole "naked goldwing" thing. So the Valk was right up my alley, but I didn't think I'd ever own one because it was far too expensive (and BIG!).

Anyway, my wife comes home from work and says "My bosses husband is tryin to sell his motorcycle."

"Oh Yeah? What is it and how much is he lookin for" Wife says "A Valk-er-eee? I think,  and she said 3500 bucks."

I hopped right up , got in the truck and called her back on the way there to get directions to the house. Once I showed up, the Valk

was under a cover, and hadn't been ridden in a year or so, it was dirty, neglected and clutch was all full of air.

Anyway, I stole it for 3200.00 and as soon as I lifted that cover up, I knew I would buy it.

[JimL]

I'd been permanently stung by the bee.           

Wow some great stories!  Oh yes, "Permanently stung by the bee" pretty much sums it up for all of us!!

Jim

[Tropic traveler]

Got tired of wrenching on all my hot rod projects & race cars and decided to get back into biking after a 20+ year absence. Sold all the cars & accumulated parts then went bike hunting. Since I'm no longer a skinny guy   I knew I had to have a big bike with enough power to tote both me & Kim who aint no gymnast either . I rode several HD models from a mid 90's full dresser to a Dyna something or other along with a Kawi Nomad, a big Yamaha, a VTX 1300 & 1800, & a Shadow 1100. Nice bikes all but other than the 1800X they lacked a certain thing....power. Never laid eyes on a Valkyrie other than passing glances on the road. In these parts I was told in no uncertain terms that a "real man" rode a Harley . Well, from what I had felt riding several examples, no Vtwin bike was gonna cut it for me. Nice bottom end torque but they mostly ran out of steam far too quickly. One of my drivers at work said I should try a 'Wing but I declined. Too much plastic for me. He then told me of a nice "high mile Valkyrie" that was traded in at the local Yamaha shop. He said it sounded like it would be the perfect bike for me, smooth, big, lotsa HP & a Honda to boot.
Went to the Yami shop on my lunch hour the very next day & there it was....... I was totally knocked over by how beautiful & different it looked. Never rode it, just sat on it & started it up in the showroom. WOW! Negotiated a price right there, gave him a deposit check then came back the next day with the balance. It had 57,000 miles on it. The only thing wrong with it was a leaky fork seal but they took care of that right away. Reputable shop.  
I loved the way it rode, the riding position was perfect, felt just like my old CB inline 4's of the 70's.  :cooldude:A little nervous when I picked it up, I hadn't ridden anything that big ever! It felt so much bigger than all the others I had ridden. The 1800 VTX was the only one close.
Anyways, totally sold on the Valk. It even survived a strong infatuation with a Rocket 3. Kim eventually fell in love with the Valkyrie too. After a trip to the Keys {me on the R3- her on my Valk} the jig was up. She had to have her own Valk, her SS750 wasn't going to cut it anymore! Rocket gone- hello Valkyrie #2!
So I guess this is a tale of TWO people having "Valkyrie moments".  


Not sellin' anytime soon!!!  

[Tropic traveler]

 
Got tired of wrenching on all my hot rod projects & race cars and decided to get back into biking after a 20+ year absence. Sold all the cars & accumulated parts then went bike hunting. Since I'm no longer a skinny guy   I knew I had to have a big bike with enough power to tote both me & Kim who aint no dinky gymnast herself . I rode several HD models from a mid 90's full dresser to a Dyna something along with a Kawi Nomad, a big Yamaha, a VTX 1300 & 1800, & a Shadow 1100. Nice bikes all but other than the 1800X they lacked a certain thing....power. Never laid eyes on a Valkyrie other than passing glances on the road. In these parts I was told in no uncertain terms that a "real man" rode a Harley . Well, from what I had felt riding several examples, no Vtwin bike was gonna cut it for me. Nice bottom end torque but they mostly ran out of steam far too quickly. One of my drivers at work said I should try a 'Wing but I declined. Too much plastic for me. He then told me of a nice "high mile Valkyrie" that was traded in at the local Yamaha shop. He said it sounded like it would be the perfect bike for me, smooth, big, lotsa HP & a Honda to boot. He was correct!
Went to the Yami shop on my lunch hour the very next day & there it was....... I was totally knocked over by how beautiful & different it looked. Never rode it, just sat on it & started it up in the showroom. WOW! Negotiated a price right there, gave him a deposit check then came back the next day with the balance. It had 57,000 miles on it. The only thing wrong with it was a leaky fork seal but they took care of that right away. Reputable shop.  
I loved the way it rode, the riding position was perfect, felt just like my old CB inline 4's of the 70's.  :cooldude:A little nervous when I picked it up, I hadn't ridden anything that big ever! It felt so much bigger than all the others I had ridden. The 1800 VTX was the only one close.
Anyways, totally sold on the Valk. It even survived a strong infatuation with a Rocket 3. Kim eventually fell in love with the Valkyrie too. After a trip to the Keys {me on the R3- her on my Valk} the jig was up. She had to have her own Valk, her SS750 wasn't going to cut it anymore! Rocket gone- hello Valkyrie #2!
So I guess this is a tale of TWO people having "Valkyrie moments".  


Not sellin' anytime soon!!!  93,000 on mine now bought May '06, 19,000 on Kim's Valk, 6K since 10/08.
 

[Ebony Red]

I was riding a Honda CX 500 at the time, saw a buddy of mine at the local grocery store and he asked me if I wanted to pick up his Valkyrie.
When I threw my leg over and lifted the kicktand I knew I had to have one.

In May of '99  I got my 1st Valk  - A Black Tourer - I now ride a '99 Black/Red I/S 

[stude31]

My my... What great stories!!!

It was 2006, my little brother-in-law just picked up his 1981 yamaha 650 special with 5,000 miles for 500.00.  It had sat in a barn for many many years and the guy just didn't have time for it anymore.  So, we took the bike back cleaned the carbs and the jets were plugged up.  Put the carbs back on and fired right up.  He took it down the street and back.  Then asked if I wanted to ride it, I rode it down and back (first street bike I had ever ridden, rode dirt bikes but not street bikes).  My cousin had just bought a 2002 VTX 1800 with the loud vance hines pipes 720 original miles and gave 5500 bucks for it!!!       He was there to work on the yamaha and threw a fit when he watched me ride that bike down the street but wouldn't take his vtx for a ride.  I told him I couldn't cause then I would want one. He said atleast ride on the back?  

We were out in the country and figured, "eh, no one is around to see two guys on a bike and it's dark out".  We headed down the road and got about a mile away and he asked if I wanted to drive it...   Well ya!!   So I rode the bike for about 10 miles and I couldn't believe the power that the vtx had and it was a blubbering machine....   The next day we went on a ride, brother-in-law (by the way he was only 16 at the time), cousin, father in law who had an 06 goldwing, and I (I had the privilege of riding an 84 brown "turd" goldwing), it rode good and I think we ended up riding 90 miles that day.  We had stopped at a gas station and there sat a red and white valkyrie.  My father-in-law said, "boy are those good looking bikes".  We walked over and looked at it and I had to agree, I never seen a bike like that...   The next day we stopped and grabbed different news papers and I picked up a sunday edition to the Kansas City Star, as I thumbed through the bikes I ran across a "1999 Black Valkyrie Interstate, 18k miles must sell".  I called the guy and had him email some pictures to the office.  I was in southwest Missouri visiting family for the weekend.  He emailed them to my cousin's office and we printed them off and I knew that was the bike I wanted and was going to get.  

That night I talked to my wife and she said that I could look for a bike. (little did she know I had possibly already found a bike, I just needed to make sure it was still for sale).  I now had permission to "look", well he still had it and I went and got the money out of the bank.  I went to my wife's work and told her that I was going to go buy a bike and she told me that she said I could "look".  I told her I did "look" and now I am "buying".      So my father in law and cousin met me in kansas city and rode over to some small town in Missouri to pick it up.  We get there and I am making the purchase and... There goes my father in law on my bike     He just had to ride it first.  He wheels it back in the garage and I asked him what he though and he looked at me, then the bike, then back at me and told me, "I hate your guts!".  Priceless...  I road her home and it was "happily ever after".  I am now just shy of 48k miles and I am getting ready to put on a couple more thousand here in the next few weeks...  

So, this is my first street bike I have ever owned!!!  Bet you can's say that, and there should have been an award for that at InZane.. I would have won  I was third youngest... dog gone it!!

JimL... I understand your feeling of your peddle bike.  I use to race mountain bikes and road bikes and now I have about 5k dollars worth of bikes that just collect dust and my body that keeps growing     Oh well, I will get back in shape here shortly but boy I love riding that valk!!!  

[SANDMAN5]

In '03 I got the m/c bug after not riding for almost 20 yrs. I just KNEW I was going
to get me a harley. I wasted a few months deciding which model I wanted and had it
narrowed down to a Fat Boy or a Road King. Then I rode a couple of them and I still don't
understand why people pay so much for them. Then one day I stopped by the Honda/
Suzuki shop to look at the VTX 1800 and the 1500 intruder. Neither one felt "just
right" so I wandered back to the used bikes. There sat a slightly used (400 mile) Valkyrie
soI thought I'd throw my leg over and see how it felt. I've NEVER considered any other
motorcycle since! I totalled my '03 on 2007 and didn't really consider anything except
another Valk. If my '98 ever disappears, for any reason, I'll buy another one.