Should I or Shouldn't I - Ride

[carolinarider09]

Sort of a dumb question but just wanted some feedback or comments or....

Anyway, I have a solo ride planned. Its local roads through the states of SC and GA nothing really far out, just a ride, about 600  miles over three days.

Have not had my 2003 Standard out for anything but local trips for a couple of years (I have two other bikes I have been taking on my longer trips). 

She has new tires front and rear.  New brake pads front and rear.  Fresh oil change and final drive oil.  New air filter.  New spark plugs.  Starts and runs well and have taking it out for 30 or 40 mile trips over the last month or so with no issues.

No fuel supply issues ever.  Only two failures on the road, one was a flat tire about 12 years ago and the other was a failed starter switch (which was replaced) about four or so years ago. 

She has about 70,000 miles on the odometer. 

So, any concerns taking her on this trip? 

On and I have AAA with the motorcycle coverage. 

[bagelboy]

You shouldn't have any concerns. Time is short. Get out, have fun, and take things as they come! Best of luck!

[Bighead]

ZERO concerns. Ride it like it was meant to be ridden. Twist her tail hard and smile from ear to ear.  

[Moonshot_1]

I'd be concerned about the trip being long enough. Got a 99 IS. About 75k on the odometer when we went from Iowa to Yellowstone and back. Your bike would easily do that 600 miles in a day.

Any more I'm more concerned about me being able to make such trips not the bike.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

DDT is out road trippin' as I type this his bike is approaching 650,000 miles it very well could be pass that by now.

[DirtyDan]

Ride while you can

Dan

[Willow]

My perspective may be a bit different than others.

Ride on what you are comfortable riding.  If you don't put many miles on your Valkyrie there must be a reason.

If you're asking whether a Valkyrie can be trusted for a mere 600 miles over three days you may have been correct in your assessment.  You need to either know your Valkyrie better or pass it on to someone who will.   

[Bighead]

DDT is out road trippin' as I type this his bike is approaching 650,000 miles it very well could be pass that by now.

Passed that mark on monday

[The emperor has no clothes]

My perspective may be a bit different than others.

Ride on what you are comfortable riding.  If you don't put many miles on your Valkyrie there must be a reason.

If you're asking whether a Valkyrie can be trusted for a mere 600 miles over three days you may have been correct in your assessment.  You need to either know your Valkyrie better or pass it on to someone who will.   

I would agree. 600 miles in 3 days ? And you are wondering ?
(I sure feel conflicted when agreeing with my friend from Olathe) 

[Patrick]

I'm wondering why you are concerned.

I wouldn't think I'd be concerned about the bike. Its a machine and subject to failure like any other machine. That considered, #1, its a Honda. #2, Its a Honda Valkyrie. How much reliability  is there.

If there are other concerns, then,,,,,

[Big Rig]

600 miles??? Shoot, she is just getting warmed up at 400....

Ride it like you stole it...Bring gear and remember, quit before you get tired, bc your valk never will...

Ride Safe, take pictures and share them with us. 

[msb]

remember, quit before you get tired, bc your valk never will...

I kinda like this quote... hope ya don't mind if I  borrow it now and then 

 Carolinarider... I agree with the others here. Especially with the recent services you mention, your Valk is just itching to get out and stretch her legs a little... give her what she wants

[carolinarider09]

Thanks for all the comments.  RIDE IT SHALL BE !!!

[Big Rig]

remember, quit before you get tired, bc your valk never will...

I kinda like this quote... hope ya don't mind if I  borrow it now and then 

 Carolinarider... I agree with the others here. Especially with the recent services you mention, your Valk is just itching to get out and stretch her legs a little... give her what she wants

Feel free...I made it up on the fly...

[Crackerborn]

I have two Ladies, a Tourer and an IS. The only reason I take the IS on longer trips is the Cobra pipes on the Tourer. After a few hundred miles the Cobra's get annoying to listen to and the IS has tunes. I have been to FL twice this summer on the 20 year old IS, approximately 2300 miles round trip with never a hiccup. Two days there and two back and that is not pushing hard. I may end up making a third trip this fall and if I do, I will plan to spend a day or more getting lost in the Blue Ridge area. The '64 Norton has become the dust collector since it seldom travels more that 100 miles without issues.

[Pappy!]

Comfy enough to do the 600 in a single day if you were up for it!

[carolinarider09]

Yes.  I have done 500 plus on her before. 

And a trip to Oklahoma in August when the temps hit 108 on the road. 

She needs a trip. 

[John Schmidt]

If it's only 600 miles total over three days, that's only 200 miles/day. I have ten years on you and have ridden that far round trip just to meet up with some of the Florida miscreants for lunch. Frankly, I feel you're more hesitant re. yourself than the bike....the bike won't let you down if properly cared for and it appears you've done that. So....get out and take the ride, you'll feel better about the bike and yourself if you do. I recall a while back you questioned if you should continue to ride at all, that's why I feel you question yourself more than the bike.  Enjoy....the day will come when both of us will have to turn in the keys and I know I'll kick myself for not taking a ride when I had no real reason not to. 

[carolinarider09]

I take three or four trips a year that are over 2,000 miles (last one was about 4,000 miles around the northern part of Lake Superior).  What is missing is the daily rides.  Oh, and the limited miles per day is based on not being rushed and my wife likes to sleep in.

When I was working I would ride to work, about 60 miles round trip.  I'd take a different bike depending on the weather.  That included the Valkyrie. Now that I am no longer working things are a little slower at home.

And yes, I could go out a ride any day but, I can now pick the day and the weather and that leads to fewer rides.

Yesterday I took the Valkyrie for a short ride with the wife.  Just to check her out (the bike) before this weekends ride.  It had been a couple of weeks since the 4,000 mile trip on the Wing.  So, I had to learn to handle her all over again.  I guess that's a problem with having multiple bikes and not riding them every day. 

I have some security systems installed at home that can record when I leave and when I return.  I compared the video when I was headed out for the Lake Superior ride and when I returned.  You could see the difference in my confidence on the bike.  It was obvious. 

I will take the Valkyrie out a couple more times this week before the weekend ride, just to get more comfortable. 

[John Schmidt]

Good to see you're on the go, being retired is kinda nice cuz you can as you say....pick your days/weather. I'd love to do the Lake Superior ride sometime as well, guess I first need to finish filling out the passport form on my desk. 

[carolinarider09]

We did not get to see everything.  Things like the Picture Rocks can really only bee seen from the lake so you need to take a boat ride. 

It was amazing how good the roads were around the northern part of the lake.  While there was some construction, it was well managed and controlled.  Wish some of our major SC roads were in that good a shape. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PEQ-xoEjGk&t=102s

[carolinarider09]

Just thought I'd provide an update.   Just finished a sort of short ride, about 550 miles in three days.  Just a little rain at the end but not enough to require rain gear.

No real issues with the bike.  It does "stutter" a little if I bring the RPM up to 2,300 or so but not under load, just when its unloaded.

I got some Berryman B-12 and traveled about 30 miles keeping the RPM at 2000 for most of that (it was a very nice rural road in GA with no traffic  )  But did not change the response. 

Bike ran very smooth on the road.

I am going to have to replace the turn signal switch.  I have sprayed it with contact cleaner and it helps a little but then sort of goes back to being very stiff. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Just thought I'd provide an update.   Just finished a sort of short ride, about 550 miles in three days.  Just a little rain at the end but not enough to require rain gear.

No real issues with the bike.  It does "stutter" a little if I bring the RPM up to 2,300 or so but not under load, just when its unloaded.

I got some Berryman B-12 and traveled about 30 miles keeping the RPM at 2000 for most of that (it was a very nice rural road in GA with no traffic  )  But did not change the response. 

Bike ran very smooth on the road.

I am going to have to replace the turn signal switch.  I have sprayed it with contact cleaner and it helps a little but then sort of goes back to being very stiff. 

The grease on them gets hard. It you take it apart, clean, regrease, you should be good to go. 

[carolinarider09]

I will give that a try, thanks.