New happy Valkyrie owner

[Gogego]

  After 16 years on the same bike I finally stepped up to a 2000 Valkyrie interstate  , I put 1k miles on in the 1st week. After riding a 88 vt1100 shadow riding the Valkyrie makes me yearn for more days in the Midwest riding season. I did have a scare I tried to fire the bike up a couple of days ago but it would die after a minute but I added some B12 Berryman and that seems to have done the trick.
I do have 2 question
1. I want to put driver floorboards on the bike any suggestions
2. I am looking for a stand I would like to do some work on my shadow and Valkyrie
The bike has 79k miles on it I hope to ride the he'll out of it over the next 2 years then begin doing a thorough clean of the carbs.

CHEERS

[Harryc]

#1. How big are your feet? . May seem like an odd question but it matters. You have a choice between Cobra floorboards or MC Enterprises Floorboards with heel-toe shifter, but foot size matters. #2. Get a standard MC jack and a Valkyrie lift/jack adapter. A couple of choices there too.

[dconstruct55]

Welcome to the club Gogego!
Lot's of good stuff on this forum and some very intelligent mechanical minds. Mine is not one of them, but you will find out who is who soon enough. As far as the Valk jack adapter, check out Mark T and his product, simple, well built and cost effective.
Ride safe,
D Con

[Jess from VA]

Welcome.  

Because of the tiny shifter, floorboards without a heel toe shifter can be a problem..... specifically, getting your toe over the front of the board, and under the shifter.  Bigger feet and boots increase the problem.  The shifter can be moved up or down a tooth on it's splines, and a bigger shift peg can be added to the shifter (not a bolt on, a cut and drill).  Also, a bit larger shift lever from another Honda can be used (Blackbird).

I have Cobra boards on both my bikes.  I also have the Rattlebars heel toe shifter on both (long discontinued, and spendy to buy used). Kuryakyn also made a Valk heel toe shifter for a couple years, and they are nearly impossible to find (I've only seen one in pictures).

Also know that boards will touch down just a bit sooner than pegs (so you're better off not having shorter shocks than 13" OE length).

Cobra used smaller passenger boards for the driver position on the Valk because of the cramped space at center control behind the valve covers. This guy has shimmed up the rear peg on the Rattlebars shifter.


The MC Enterprises kit includes boards and heel toe shifter.  The boards are bigger/wider (will probably touch just a bit sooner than Cobras) and I believe there is a bit more room between the shift pegs than with the Rattlebars shifter.


It is my experience that most guys who have ridden bikes forever, but never ridden a heel toe shifter but try it late in life, don't like it and take it off.  I wouldn't ride a bike without one.

Some who want more than pegs, but not full boards and no heel toe shifter have used the Kuryakyn Iso Wings. (You have to buy the Wings without ends and get the right adapter for mounting to Valk.
Not a Valk, but you get the idea.  (cheaper too)

[jim@98valkyrie.com]

Welcome Gogego!!! Jess from VA has the straight up info on the boards. Some like them, some don't . I have size 13's and just stick with the standard foot pegs but have highway pegs. My wife has the Cobra floorboards in place of  the passenger pegs.
As far as working on the Phat girl, motorcycle jack and MarkT's adapter is the best! It bolts on and stays there. If you ever need to have work done on the road, you and/or the mechanic will appreciate having it in place. Top quality product and Mark is a great contributor here. No affiliation, just my 2 cents worth.

[Gogego]

Thanks for the info,
I already feel the space is tight to the toe shifter with pegs, size 12 boots may have me lean toward the mini then. I was hoping to avoid the toe/heel shifter but the stock pegs need to go.

[Ramie]

Welcome, I'm cheap so I built a jack adapter from the info in Shop Talk.
http://www.herberts.org/wayne/valk/lowtechlift.htm

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thanks for the info,
I already feel the space is tight to the toe shifter with pegs, size 12 boots may have me lean toward the mini then. I was hoping to avoid the toe/heel shifter but the stock pegs need to go.

A lowering kit will give more room for the shifter. And give your knees a little relief. I have full size boards, lowering kit, and size 11 with no problems.

[Gideon]

Welcome to this great forum. 
Ride safe!

Gideon

[Houdini]

I use the Cobra boards but my feet are too large to use a heel toe shifter.  I found that a shifter for a Honda Blackbird will fit and has enough of a bend that it sticks out a bit further than a stock shifter, I found one on Amazon for $12 bucks and it has been on my Interstate for about six years now.

[Gavin_Sons]

I hate floorboards but that is just me. Why do a carb cleaning in a couple years if the bike is running fine? Pulling the carbs and cleaning should only be done if you have a problem or more time than you know what to do with. Leave them alone if it is running fine and spend that time riding. 

[0leman]

I too had a shadow, 2006 1100, and my Valk.  I bought one of the lift adapters for the Valk and made one for the Shadow, so I could use a normal MC lift.  Took about a half hour to make the shadow adapter with junk laying around.  No plans, just trial and error.   

I also am one of those that don't like floorboards/heel toe shifters (passenger has them).  I have a set of the Kuryakyn's pegs, wider than the rounded ones, which work best with size 13 boots.    At least for me.  plus their highway pegs mounted on the crash bars.   

[Willow]

  ... the Valkyrie makes me yearn for more days in the Midwest riding season. I did have a scare I tried to fire the bike up a couple of days ago but it would die after a minute ...

Depending on your location in the midwest, some of us have riding days every month of the year.

On the start and die, be sure you have fully engaged the enricher (choke to some).  It feels like it's done, but press it down again to a really hard stop.

[BigM]

Out of the bikes I've owned the valk is the best. Welcome to the bike. Sounds like you may be interested in the peg kit and the mounted jack adapter below;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Valkyrie-Motorcycle-Peg-Relocation-Kit-For-a-More-comfortable-ride-/172251845740?hash=item281b02946c:g:y4MAAOSwc1FXbHAX&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VALKYRIE-HONDA-LIFT-JACK-ADAPTER-NEW-1-MUST-HAVE-MOTORCYCLE-ITEM-Save-/170895926144?hash=item27ca30e380:g:S7EAAOSwMmBVsB-D&vxp=mtr

[Solorider]

hello,

Reading about all the different pegs / Boards make my legs cramp up...... I could never ride in that position for any length of time ,   My legs would Charlie horse me into an accident ... Honda stock foot position ( lack of positions) is the most uncomfortable ride ever for long distant I think

That's y I like the options of Big bike things http://www.bigbikethings.com/...if you can convince him to build and sell you a set , as he says they are out of stock !

but he will make them if he gets enough orders 

I like the forward version he makes ( There are 2 versions) me being 6.4   it makes for a super comfortable ride

Just my 2 cents    but options are a good thing

   

[Solorider]

http://www.bigbikethings.com/

[Grandpot]

  ... the Valkyrie makes me yearn for more days in the Midwest riding season. I did have a scare I tried to fire the bike up a couple of days ago but it would die after a minute ...

Depending on your location in the midwest, some of us have riding days every month of the year.

On the start and die, be sure you have fully engaged the enricher (choke to some).  It feels like it's done, but press it down again to a really hard stop.

Willow's advice is very important.  When you push the choke lever until it stops, you will think the choke is on, but it is not.  Press harder and it will go about another 1/4", then it is on.  I have found the magic temperature between not needing the choke and needing it is 40 degrees F.

[Gogego]

It was a 40deg morning I am pretty sure I had the choke fully engaged, but I am up and riding now that's what's important. I hadn't realized the amount of joy I was missing out on, or perhaps lost, by riding the same bike for so long. I rode the vt1100 shadow the other day and was suprissd at how small it felt, although there is more leg room. When I get the peg issue worked out on the valkyrie the shadow will be even more jealous.
Well I can't sleep anymore tme to ride.
CHEERS

[Kevin Valk]

Hey, I purchased my 1999 about the same time as you. This is my first post, and am exploring this website to assist with troubleshooting the quirks of these old bikes.

The pics of the floor boards below in the thread should point you in the right direction. Good luck. the picture of my profile shows mine, and they seem to work fine. The only issue is fine-tuning the shifter location. At first, it was too close to the motor, then it was too low for comfort.

[pancho]

To get the room and position I wanted, I had to build my own floor boards,,,  this is my first attempt. Revisions and material changes this winter hopefully. You'll love the bike Gogego.

[Bighead]

Hey Pancho that is the first Valkyrie in history to throw sawdust in the twisties instead of sparks

[pancho]

It was getting downright embarrassing Bighead,, I had to put taps on those shoes.

[Bighead]

  

[Gogego]

I didn't realize the joy I had been missing out on until I got this bike. I haven't riden for 2 days and I'm jonesin' hard. 16 years on a VT1100 was good but putting miles on the I/S is pure joy. It will be in the mid 50s on Saturday and I can't wait to ride. Those wood accessories kick ass. I have grown more accustomed to the pegs but I am still considering half boards or switch blades. I can always go back to the pegs, but those first few rides were just a new feel to get used to. It's  crazy how happy I am to open the garage and just see that beauty sitting there waiting to ride.

[Tailgate Tommy]

I like the colors 

[Gogego]

Took the a I/S out for a spin, it was still sunny when I got back home so I decided to hop on the vt1100 for a bit. I hope the shadow helps me learn to service bikes as well as it helped lead me to the valkyrie, cause most of my future road miles will be on the valk no doubt.