Used F6B

[Hook#3287]

I stopped and checked out a used F6B at a BMW dealer in Worcester Ma.  I only did it because I was in Worcester and had some time, plus it was a nice day.

Took it for a test ride.

I liked the way it handled.  Nimble and great power.

This particular one had some issues.  The clutch seemed to jump, not smooth like the Valks and she seemed to be rode hard and put away wet.  Lot's of knicks and scratches and some rust up under the triple tree.   Kinda rough for 47k miles.  Cool bike, just not for me.

The salesperson told me it came in with a car tire on it and they replaced it, because, ya know, if you get in an accident, your insurance company will not cover you.

I just did the glazed eye look and gave a "is that right?" response.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Isn’t it amazing the responses you get about a car tire ? One of Brenda’s friends was scared she was going to die because her Harley riding husband told her it was really dangerous. 

[cookiedough]

when I test drove an F6B,  I thought the clutch grabbed and took hold ASAP no give in it and was not use to that creeping forward after at most 1cm of letting out the clutch.  Maybe that is why you thought it was not smooth not use to taking off ASAP jumping out like that with minimal clutch being let out?  It threw me off as well sorta seemed jerky and too gung ho until I got used to it.

Seat of pants feel it is faster than our old Valks but not a huge huge amount faster just enough to notice it is faster.

[NewValker]

Bill, you’re gonna need a bigger garage!   
Craig

[Rams]

Nimble, powerful and simply a joy to ride, no doubt.   Enjoyed the one I rode.   Simply not the style (in looks) that I like.    Had Honda done a retro version, there would already be one in my small fleet.   An obvious improvement from the Valkyries currently in my name in the areas already mentioned.   I fully recognize that bike's superiority over my Valkyries.   Guess I'm just too old school to appreciate it's styling.

Rams

[Hook#3287]

when I test drove an F6B,  I thought the clutch grabbed and took hold ASAP no give in it and was not use to that creeping forward after at most 1cm of letting out the clutch.  Maybe that is why you thought it was not smooth not use to taking off ASAP jumping out like that with minimal clutch being let out?  It threw me off as well sorta seemed jerky and too gung ho until I got used to it.

Seat of pants feel it is faster than our old Valks but not a huge huge amount faster just enough to notice it is faster.

Yeah, that's how it felt, so maybe that was normal. Not smooth like the Valks.

Bill, you’re gonna need a bigger garage!   :coolsmiley
Craig

Naw, plenty of room in the basement    I was just looking, didn't blow my hair back, so no go.  Gotta admit, outside of the 14 Valk, the F6B is about the only bike I'd consider, just not that one.

Isn’t it amazing the responses you get about a car tire ? One of Brenda’s friends was scared she was going to die because her Harley riding husband told her it was really dangerous.  :Smiley

Some people and their preconceived notions 

Nimble, powerful and simply a joy to ride, no doubt.   Enjoyed the one I rode.   Simply not the style (in looks) that I like.    Had Honda done a retro version, there would already be one in my small fleet.   An obvious improvement from the Valkyries currently in my name in the areas already mentioned.   I fully recognize that bike's superiority over my Valkyries.   Guess I'm just too old school to appreciate it's styling.

F6B is certainly not retro in any strech, but I like the looks of them. 

[Farside]

  I do love my F6B. 

[Sorcerer]

The F6B is what got me off my Valkyrie. My Valkyrie had better cornering clearance. The F6B does everything else better. The difference between the Valkyrie cable clutch and the F6B hydraulic clutch does take some getting used to.

[The emperor has no clothes]

The F6B is what got me off my Valkyrie. My Valkyrie had better cornering clearance. The F6B does everything else better. The difference between the Valkyrie cable clutch and the F6B hydraulic clutch does take some getting used to.

The Valkyrie has a hydraulic clutch also.

[..]

My Valkyrie had better cornering clearance.

Wow.

My 1800 Valyrie has so much more clearance even with slightly lowered pegs.

[Sorcerer]

The tires on the 1800 Valkyrie really makes all the difference.

[Sorcerer]

The F6B is what got me off my Valkyrie. My Valkyrie had better cornering clearance. The F6B does everything else better. The difference between the Valkyrie cable clutch and the F6B hydraulic clutch does take some getting used to.

The Valkyrie has a hydraulic clutch also.

My bad. They do operate differently. My F6B clutch engages quickly and first gear would be less jerky if was a well proportioned rider with a well proportioned passenger pulling a trailer with to much junk in it. 2nd gear is more suited for slow speed maneuvers. I find myself short shifting first gear a lot. The throttle on the 1500 Valkyrie was smoother to operate. The F6B fuel injection can seem to be more abrupt and more difficult to feather the clutch with.

[Toledo Mark]

In 2013 I traded my 1999 Valk in on a new F6B.  Have not regretted it one day other than I did like all the chrome on the Valk

[hubcapsc]

In 2013 I traded my 1999 Valk in on a new F6B.  Have not regretted it one day other than I did like all the chrome on the Valk

I have a 2014 Valkyrie. I like the "new bikeness", the extended range and the
way it does that Star Trek thing where the stars turn into long streaks of
light when they go to warp six.

I vacillated between keeping the 1500 Valkyrie and selling it. In retrospect I'd have
regretted getting rid of the 1500 greatly.

-Mike

[..]

the
way it does that Star Trek thing where the stars turn into long streaks of
light when they go to warp six.

-Mike

Me too 

I miss my first Valkyrie.

The one I recently sold; not so much.

[F6Dave]

The F6B is essentially a stripped down GL1800 without a trunk.  Since the GL1800 changed very little since it hit the showrooms over 20 years ago, I think the styling has aged very well.  I've owned 2 and loved them both.  The cruise, far better audio, and heated grips are nice features.  The single sided swingarm makes tire changing lots easier.  And the fuel injection gives much better mileage, and prevents hydrolock!

2013


2016

[hubcapsc]

The single sided swingarm makes tire changing lots easier.

I wish I thought that. Someone told me to take the exhaust end off and the
wheel would come out without jacking the bike up but an inch or so... I just
tried that, but my Corbin bag mounts prevent such an easy work-around...
so I have to jack the bike way up. I have a decent wooden adapter, but I
keep having to remember how to align everything to make the bike
be balanced safely. Sitting there at the end putting the wheel back on
is my least favorite part. And I got one of those nice stiff aluminum Sears
jacks when I got this bike... twisting the handle to lower it is like a toggle
switch, it drops like a sack of concrete - anyone know how to adjust that?

Five lug nuts is pretty sweet, though 

-Mike

[F6Dave]

The single sided swingarm makes tire changing lots easier.

I wish I thought that. Someone told me to take the exhaust end off and the
wheel would come out without jacking the bike up but an inch or so... I just
tried that, but my Corbin bag mounts prevent such an easy work-around...
so I have to jack the bike way up. I have a decent wooden adapter, but I
keep having to remember how to align everything to make the bike
be balanced safely. Sitting there at the end putting the wheel back on
is my least favorite part. And I got one of those nice stiff aluminum Sears
jacks when I got this bike... twisting the handle to lower it is like a toggle
switch, it drops like a sack of concrete - anyone know how to adjust that?

Five lug nuts is pretty sweet, though  

-Mike

I just put mine on the center stand and remove the plastic panel and audio amp in the rear. Just 4 screws and 2 bolts and a pair of electrical plugs. Then the wheel rolls out easily. And no splines to deal with either.

[cookiedough]

not that it matters much to me, but does the 1800 fuel injection GREATLY improve MPG as compared to the 1500 Valks?    I get 35-36 avg mpg on my 01 Valk and 32 or 33 or so on my 98 Valk but heard the 1800 goldwings only get 40 avg mpg.  Is that about right 40 avg mpg on the 1800 wing/f6b/new 1800 valk?    I say for 5-6 more mpg is not a huge deal with around a 5-6 gallon tank extending the range some 36 miles is not huge IMO. 

[Sorcerer]

I can easily run 225 mile before the fuel light comes on. I’ve pushed past 250 miles. I had to remind the guys on the FJRs that I don’t get their kinda mileage. 2 up pulling a small trailer on my 98 Valkyrie into a sustained 45 mph head wind ( I 90 South Dakota)at between 85-90 mph netted 4.2 gallons of gas used in 89 miles. Between 19 and 20 mpg. The FJRs still want to run me dry on my F6B.

[cookiedough]

I can easily run 225 mile before the fuel light comes on. I’ve pushed past 250 miles. I had to remind the guys on the FJRs that I don’t get their kinda mileage. 2 up pulling a small trailer on my 98 Valkyrie into a sustained 45 mph head wind ( I 90 South Dakota)at between 85-90 mph netted 4.2 gallons of gas used in 89 miles. Between 19 and 20 mpg. The FJRs still want to run me dry on my F6B.

wow, that is clipping along 90 mph pulling a trailer all that way in high winds, not good.  99 percent of my Valk driving is 55 mph speed zones so keep it under 66 mph 99 percent of the time helps A TON for mpg.  I find if I push much past 70 mph the rpms go way up and the mpg goes way down as well.  I once did a straight 3 hours at 85 mph interstate clipping right along and mpg dropped to around 28-29 avg mpg vs my normal 35-36, not pulling a thing.  I did not like the HIGHER rpms as well at those speeds or above for that long of a time period even with stock I/S exhaust.

My kid use to have a very nice FJR1300 and the HUGE gas tank and around 42-44 avg mpg sure was nice but really do not think say 34 avg vs. say 40 avg on a 1800 wing/f6b/1800 valks is that huge of a deal UNLESS you need that extra say 30 miles per tank to get to the nearest gas station on LONGER trips where you are in the middle of nowhere.

He sold the FJR last year for more than he paid for it 2 years prior and said was sorta too tall for him seat height wise and not as comfy as a cruiser handlebar/footplacement wise for much past say 75 miles at a time and I would have to agree having drove it ONCE 3 hours over 200 miles straight having to stop 3-4 times to rest my hands and back.  Plus, he said was too fast for him not challenging to go that FAST say in 2nd gear over 65 mph why needing a 3rd thru 5th gear - LOL    Had mixed feelings of him selling it was reliable and I think he enjoyed it fuel injection, ran like a swiss watch finely tuned,  power up/down windshield, and looked sharp.  But, insurance on it was 3x's as expensive vs. rest of cycles and now he is into OLD cycles having an old 85 magna he might sell and he just bought few days ago in good shape a 1984 honda goldwing aspencade 1200.  He likes the looks and somewhat comfort able to WHINE OUT EVERY gear more so than just 1st 2nd 3rd gear needed in the FJR1300.  Was fun a few times me revving 2nd gear past 65 mph on the FJR, but can see his points is no challenge and he likes to shift gears wants now to get an old ford ranger stick shift even.   

Somehow, I do not see many 20 year old guys riding a 1984 1200 fully loaded bags, etc. goldwing aspencade  which is 16 years older than he is being born in year 2000.      I told him I have a case full of cassette tapes in the basement from the 1980s so next time I see him might see if they still work in his 1984 goldwing cassette player in the fairing.  Can you still buy blank cassette tapes to dub them to a NEW blank cassette like I use to do back in the 80s????????????   I bet the stock Panasonic or whomever 2 front speakers are not to his liking though but at least he has a radio to listen to mostly in the city driving....