I would assume everyone that still frequents this forum graciously remembers the moment they decided to obtain a Valkyrie. A motorcycle that is now 16 years past its last production date (Damn! that's hard to believe)
Going back to yester-year. It was 2009, I was 22 and freshly discharged from the Navy, making my connection back home with the obvious leave of absents over 4 years during my service. I found myself connecting and spending much more time with family, mainly my two uncles (Mother's brothers). Both were connoisseurs of the art of motorcycling, just one major difference.... Harley? Or Honda?
It was a contest of influence between two brothers. Who would steer the nephew? It wasn't a hard decision for me in calculating the risk vs reward... To the left, sits an uncle with a 2004 Harley Sportster 1200 sitting in his garage. On the right, stands some kinda' monstrous chromed out Panzer Tank of a motorcycle called a Valkyrie in the other Unc's Garage.
For the next year, almost every weekend I was sitting with Gary (Unc) in his garage, sipping on cold PBR and absorbing a wealth of Valkyrie propaganda from him and my Aunt Rosie. They talked all about this VRCC group, the forum, their first Inzane they attended at Johnson City, riding wicked twisty roads with some crazy fools called Smokin' Joe, and Lucky 13."Just who in the hell are these people?" "You met them one time and talk like ya'll have known them for years???"
My young, up n' coming mind was soaking up the connections. For me, It wasn't about the Valkyrie just yet, it was the interest of taking an overnight trip on a motorcycle. At the time I was riding a 2006 Honda CBR 600RR which was a gift I purchased for myself after returning home from deployment. It didn't take long, and I found myself joining both Uncles and a local friend on an overnight weekend trip from Shipman IL up to Iowa. Obviously, my younger self discovered quickly the riding position of a sport bike is not intuitive for long distance traveling. Regardless, I was having fun with family!
First trip Photo's
It was during this short overnight roady, I witnessed first hand just how much attention the Valkyrie gets from total strangers on the road. Every gas stop, food stop, piss stop, beer stop, it didn't matter... Their was always someone(s) lurking around it, asking about it, trying to figure out just WTF is that thing???
It wasn't long after that first trip, With the help of Unc' , I acquired a 2003 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100. I attended my first VRCC event at the CBR in Indiana. I finally got to meet all these folks I've heard so much about! all I could think..."Look at all these beautiful Valkyries!" At that moment, I didn't just drink the Koolaid, I keg standed it! Then Unc shared with me, "If you think this is fun boy, just wait till Inzane."
The following Spring, after putting my 600RR out of it's misery, I purchased my first Valkyrie on Ebay in St. Louis MO. 98' Blue and Creme standard with around 22K miles. I attended my first Inzane in Bellaire. Where I won an award for being the youngest rider at 23 yo! Pretty much from that event on, the rest is history.
Headed to Michigan for Inzane 10
As time went by, my Aunt and Unc transferred from Valkyries over to Goldwings, as I eventually did the same. (Unc influencing me once again)
Fast forward a decade,
I was fortunate enough to be home over Labor Day weekend, and got to visit with Unc prior to him passing away October 1st. At that time, he was well aware of his health conditions, and he was in process of getting most of his affairs in orders. He talked about selling his Valkyrie just to get it out of the garage along with the rest of his toys.
I pondered on the idea of wanting another Valkyrie, I already have the blower Valk (which I also acquired from him two years prior) and the F6B sitting in the garage, Do I really need another?!?! After pondering on the idea for a week, I came to the realization, I couldn't just let the bike "That got it all started" go elsewhere. I sent Aunt a text that evening, letting her know I'd take it!
Unfortunately, Unc didn't make it much longer after that, as I got a call from my Pop's while at work on Oct 1st to share the news that Uncle Gary was no longer with us. The following weekend, I found myself driving the 8 hours back home with a trailer in tow; reminiscing on all those great memories made on two wheels, and how emotionally hard of a weekend it was going to be.
Unc's Interstate had been sitting for some time, Auntie mentioned he did start it up and road a few miles months prior, but with my efforts and short time I had being home for Unc's services, I couldn't get her going. My fellow cousins gave me hand that Sunday evening rolling it up on the trailer in preparation for my trip back to TN
In the garage, the diagnostic process began.
The Valkyrie block geometry makes a catch all of hardware that have slipped through Unc's fingers over the years.
I had a goal in mind to try and get the Interstate running for Joe's Fall Color Ride. I only had a week and half, and in my mind I was determined to charge forward on the endeavor. I process through the normal checks.
I drained the good ole rotten Illinois corn juice fuel out of the carb bowels, and began re-introducing some fresh non maze fuel down the supply line. With a little shot of starting fluid to assist, she fired right up, with several cylinders quickly dying off once the starting fluid was consumed. I began tapping the carb bowls on the cylinders I felt audibly were not firing. While pulling a few plug wires to check spark.
In my ignorance, I failed to see the fuel leaking out of the left carb bank bowel vent when gently poring fuel down the supply line. Also in my ignorance, I forgot to attach the spark plug wire back on #2 as I began a re-starting test. All simple failed checks, thrown out the window in a matter of haste and working too fast.
As you can imagine, within the first tap of the start button, A Voosh of flames abruptly consumed around the fuel tank... It didn't take long for my fire control reaction to kick in, after abruptly screaming the F word several times of-course. With haste, I dropped the jack and rolled a flaming motorcycle out of my garage. Luckily, I still had the garden hose out on the line, and quickly began the fire fighting hose down, wishfully hoping my neighbors were not viewing such an escapade of entertainment out of their window.
I extinguished the thermal event rather quickly, and began reviewing the damage. Pretty much all fuel lines, drain lines, vapor lines, and the plug wires were roasted, along with some deformation of the plastic heat shield. The main wiring harness that runs up the right side tank support rail of the frame had most the covering melted. What was suppose to be a short term project, turned into a long term. I said to myself "Unc is either laughing historically, or in his normal condescending tone saying "Damn the bad luck boy."
Regardless, the positive side, I probably needed to replace all hoses anyway. Now I know I'm not going to have this thing ready for FCR or Mac's Veterans Day Ride. I had a heart to heart with myself to slow the F down, and do it right.
After FCR, I began searching the web for replacement parts. Since most of the vapor lines were roached, I decided a de-smog kit from red-eye was in order to just eliminate the hot mess of cutting bulk hoses to replace everything. I decided to go with an All-Balls carb rebuild kit as well, and ran down to the local Honda dealership to get some bulk fuel lines to make a new carb bowel drain manifold.
Meh, "might as well replace the choke cables while I'm at it."
With the carbs removed, and parts slowly trickling in from the various delivery services, I found my self giving the fat girl a thorough cleaning and detailing of the engine bay, along with a polishing of the painted, and chrome materials. I had a co-worker stop by and wrap the damaged part of the wiring harness with some protective sleeve, while we both analyzed if any wires were damaged to the point of replacement. Luckily, we didn't find any exposed or bare.
I highly recommend Griots correcting cream polish, pared with their 3 inch power buffer! It really brought some shine back to 20yo paint.
I conned a co-worker into assisting me rebuild the carbs. He has been into small engines for some time, and was eager to work on something he hadn't ever seen before. I was lucky to choose such a meticulous feller to give me a hand.
Good ole tarnish!
After the carburetors were completed, It was time for re-assembly. The only wrench throwing moment I had, was tying to get the heat shield back in place when installing the carbs.
Once the airbox was back in place, it was time for a retest of the first. This time, I was well prepared for another thermal event! I gently poured some pushwater down the supply line, and within the first tap of the starter switch, she fired and idled beautifully. I was already patting my self on back for a job well done, when the fresh sent of raw fuel hit my nose. Once again, I had fuel pouring over the bowel vent of the left carburetor bank.
"Seriously??? WTF????"
We cleaned the snot out of the float valve seats, replaced the float valves, Why is a float still sticking!?!?!
This time, I pulled the intakes off and dropped the carb bowels on the LH side while the carbs were still on the bike. I realizes, the flipping and rotating when re-assembling the carburetor banks can lead to a float getting just slightly bound up. I gently cycled the floats with my finger multiple times and buttoned everything back up.... Moment of truth once again!!! This time, after pouring fuel down the supply line, I had 0 F*n leaks.... FINALLY!
A new throttle cable came in over the week, so I spend most of my rainy Saturday this weekend buttoning back up the finishing touches.
It feels good to have a fat girl in the stable once again.
This morning, I finally got to take her out for a shakedown run. I wish I was as skilled as DDT at putting moments and emotions into comprehensible words.
I've followed this bike for many miles, in beautiful weather and bad, So many memories transparently engraved into it.
Not only is it great to have another Valkyrie in the barn, It's indescribable to now have and ride the one that "got it all started."
Unc and I (Beer Run) - 2009
