Whats your 1st road trip on the Valk?

[fudgie]

Mine was May 06. After kicking the wife out in Feb I needed a trip this spring. Mammoth Cave. Never been, not to far- 300 miles, nice weekend. Got everything ready the night before my 1st road trip. Sad, had the bike 6 years and no real road trip.  Women!  Head down friday night after work. Got there at 10p or so and was thirsty for whiskey. 'Moist' County. Dam! (Now I never road trip without.  ) Go to Pizza hut and have a late supper. Get up eary and head to the park. It was way to busy to tour the cave. saw a coworker there also. Neat. Drive around the park awhile and decided to mozzy the way home, back roads. Decided on 31E. Have lunch at a small diner. Forgot what I ordered but she asked if I want any fried cornbread? Say what? You must be outta town lol It was good I might add. After going thru Bardstown I hit Jim Beam. It was going on 5p and I recalled a phone call from my friend from a night or 2 prior. Party Sat night with some doctors and a few nurses. Hmmmm.... What the heck, night still young. Hit the Interstate and was at there place by 11p. Not bad since he lived a hour farther then me. Rolled in and they were waiting. Changed my cloths in the driveway since they were road weary and it was 90 deg all day. We partied till after 3a and had a good time. Got up around 7 and headed home. 2 months later I take a big trip that changes my life for the better. 
Now I'm hooked. I have only taken a vehicle on a trip once since then. The rest have been on the bike.

[Serk]

Hot Glue's BBQ, Spring of 2001... I'd had the Valk a few months.

No windshield, barely any gear, stock '98 seat.

Took me ALL DAY to drive the 250 miles from Dallas to Houston, I was TERRIFIED on I-45, riding WAY too slow to be safe, stopping every 20 miles so my butt would stop stinging from the horrid HORRID stock seat.

[eric in md]

well 80 thousand miles later you ask that? i i bought the bike monday after dale earnhardt was killed had to have something to do on sundays (you know what in talking about) 99 i/s still in the  box first trip was to daytona beach for bikeweek  It was 19 degrees when we pulled out of town my brother says lets go i said im in . So we went my stock seat damn near killed me .. side saddle riding on back seat it sucked . stopped in virgina for the night next morning still 19 no lie. Kept telling our self it will warm up made it to daytona 35 degrees. heat wave .. that was my first 1000mile trip . honestly people get on of those in rest aint nothin.. rode to sturgis pulling trailer too years in a row 2200 miles in to days ... ps fixed that damn seat .well russell day long did love it bigtime. rode a total of 2900 miles on my first  9 days on that trip

[Super Santa]

The day I bought the I/S in Colorado Springs.  Flew up to CS to check it out.  Stayed overnight with my sister and brother-in-law.  Got up the next morning and left there home at 6 a.m.  Rolled into my son's place in Dripping Springs, Texas (Austin area) at 10:25 that night.  876 miles my first day and I STILL have the stock seat on it.

One sweet bike.  I have now put over 60,000 miles on it in 3 years.

[mhallock]

Lake Placid...in 2001 when the Valk was new!! A long weekend for Judy and I. It was just the first of many.   Been to Nashville every couple of years.....Inzane V....Blue & Grey .....rode the Natchez Trace a few weeks ago (from NJ) 2,500 mile in 2 weeks......68,000 total miles so far, and I still have the stock seat on my I/S. Yeah, I'm hooked!!!

Mark

[Rowdy]

  Can't be certain - I'm guesing it was down into West Virginia from Ohio

[..]

At 9.30 am the temperature was 29F as Robert on his VTX and I on my 98 Valkyrie rolled from the BP gas station at the junction of GA140 and Crabapple Road in North Fulton, GA. Our destination was northwards to Lake Ocoee just across the Georgia state line inside Tennessee. The weather forecast was for clear blue sunny skies and a high of 54F. What a change from the forecasted ice storm only 2 days previously.

Gassed up with tires pressures checked I’m so warm in my layers you could poach a fish in my armpit.

The drive to Canton along GA140 is chilly around the nose and mouth. The remote possibility of stray ice patches keeps our speed down. We pass through Canton and keep on GA 140 to Waleska. The morning sun is brilliant and to be on the bike again after nearly 2 weeks brings a grin to my lips. God, I love riding.

In Waleska we turn right at the 4 way stop and head north on GA108 for about a mile. The first turn on the left is Pleasant Road, aptly named. This twisty, swooping road is a 2 wheelers delight. Through small forested areas and rolling fields there are blind summits and decreasing radius curves to keep you alert and smiling. 2 deer pass across the road in front of me far enough away to not be a surprise but near enough to roll off the throttle for a mile or so.  A few icy patches of run off water also temper our enthusiasm and make us wary of tree-shaded stretches of blacktop.

The end of this stretch of road dead ends on Hwy 411, which runs up and into Tennessee. A stop in Fairmont for a biscuit and coffee helps us shake off a little of the morning chill. Not a lot can be said for Hwy 411, it takes us in a straight line towards our destination.

Gas up before the state line and after about 15 miles we turn east on to Hwy 64 running past the Whitewater rafting outfitters. This road in the rafting season can be clogged with multi wheel vehicles of all sizes. The posted speed limit is 45 mph in an effort to reduce the seasonal road accidents. We soon come to Lake Ocoee, which is flat as a millpond. One fisherman is out on the lake and razors a wake across the mirror flat water in his Bass boat. Maybe no fishing just the need for speed, I’m sure he is having as much fun as we are carving through the cool autumnal air.

Hwy 64 is a great road to ride when the traffic is minimal as it is today. We take advantage of the few cages and are able to survey the scenery as we ride east. The Lake is really low and extensive mud flats can be seen near the gently sloping shoreline.

We stop at the 1996 Olympic kayaking site and I’m always surprised by the complexity of the man made watercourse. It seems a shame that this venue may become redundant if the Tennessee Valley Authority follows through with their no water release policy. The rafting outfitters pay up to $220,000 dollars per day in the high season; wish I could turn that amount of revenue away.

Leaving Ocoee behind us we climb up the hills of the lower Appalachians and then turn south on 68 past the shut down Copper Hill mine site towards Macaysville for a coffee and lunch break at the Iron House Saloon where bikes are welcome. The zestfully spicy southwestern chicken and potato soup is more of a stew and warms our core.

The plan had been to return south via GA60 through Suches with a pit stop at TWO http://www.twowheelsonly.com/ . The earlier icy patches on Pleasant Road cause us to rethink. 60 goes to higher cooler elevations and the possibility of ice or gravel are much higher so we opt for a short ride south down Hwy 515 to East Ellijay where we turn left on GA52, Yukon Road. GA 52 will eventually merge with GA136 for a short way until we turn left onto 316 for another uphill twisty climb. There are strips of gravel along the road that had been scattered during the icy wet weather 2 days previously. This reduces the speed that can be achieved on this great stretch of road. We continue on 316 until we turn right onto GA53. A left turn on Yellow Creek Road just pass the BP gas station heads south to GA372 Birmingham Highway and eventually Roswell.

As I roll into the garage it is 4.30pm and there are 225 miles on the tripmeter. Roberts’ riding style is more conservative than mine hence the low mileage covered, the plus is I didn’t suck as much gas into the 6 carbs as I would normally.

[Grumpy]

First long trip was from Tampa,fl to Brenham, TX. then to San Antonio.TX, then to Del Rio Tx, the a back roads route back to Tampa. 2710 miles, that was in 2001 when I had  the Interstate for about 6 months.  

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Inzane at Paducah was the first road trip we took on the Valk. We bought the wife an ultimate seat and backrest before the trip but I liked the stock seat and just this summer finally bought an ultimate seat and backrest for myself. We had a ball at Paducah and rode to the Outer Banks the next year on vacation. Next road trip was "dragons over the smokies" which was my son Andy's (the Duc Man's) first road trip. Around a 500 - 600 mile day each way for us and he rode it on the Ducati Monster without any serious discomfort.

Our next road trip starts July 30’th when the Duc Man and I leave for Glacier National Park and the Highway to the Sun. Then we wind back around to Yellowstone. We’ve got 9 days to get in all the roads and sights we can out West. Can you say “Can’t Wait!!”

[Kendall]

Lets see first trip on the Valk was 2005, id had the Valk for 6 months or so i retired from the state. I went from Coolidge Az to San Diego Ca and up Hwy 1 (pch) till it ran out then on to hwy 101 to Ave of the giants. Rode the same on the way back till torrance then to bakersfield for a visit before heading home. Was home a few weeks then went to Paducah Ky for Inzane and leaving there indiana, nebraska, kansas, collorado, utah, California back to Az. Home a couple weeks then off to Ca again. Did alot of riding in 4 months 20,000 miles, so i got a county job to keep me at home because i was forgetting what it looked like.   Dang i luv my Valks!!!

[Brad]

It was August of 2002.  Found my Valk online in Houston Texas.  Flew down on the red eye, got in at 1:30 am, grabbed a room near the airport.  The next morning the owner of the bike picked me up, we went to his house and I took a little test ride, handed over the cashiers check, transferred the contents of my duffle into the saddle bags and headed home to Reno, Nevada.  Three days later parked that beast in my garage and moved the old bike out to the driveway.

[f6john]

     Feburary 2001 during bike week. Left on a Thursday morning. Rolled into St Augustine late Thursday evening. Spent Friday morning riding to Daytona and spent a few hours at the Sunshine Mall. Lots of Valkyrie stuff back then don't you know. Left Daytona around noon and headed south, rolled into Homestead a little before dark. Saturday morning it was a run down to Key West and the southern most marker point. Ate lunch and hi-tailed it out of there, cut across alligator alley then up the west coast and made to Ocala about midnight. Sunday morning it was look out Kentucky here we come. 2700 miles in four days. Great fun then but would not want another run like that now. I need a little more time to smell the roses these days.
     There were 6 bikes in the group with the youngest member about 40 at the time and the oldest was 72. I was 50 and I had been on my Valkyrie since March of 2000.

[Gunslinger]

Mine was May 06. After kicking the wife out in Feb I needed a trip this spring. Mammoth Cave. Never been, not to far- 300 miles, nice weekend. Got everything ready the night before my 1st road trip. Sad, had the bike 6 years and no real road trip.   Women!   Head down friday night after work. Got there at 10p or so and was thirsty for whiskey. 'Moist' County. Dam! (Now I never road trip without.   ) Go to Pizza hut and have a late supper. Get up eary and head to the park. It was way to busy to tour the cave. saw a coworker there also. Neat. Drive around the park awhile and decided to mozzy the way home, back roads. Decided on 31E. Have lunch at a small diner. Forgot what I ordered but she asked if I want any fried cornbread? Say what? You must be outta town lol It was good I might add. After going thru Bardstown I hit Jim Beam. It was going on 5p and I recalled a phone call from my friend from a night or 2 prior. Party Sat night with some doctors and a few nurses. Hmmmm.... What the heck, night still young. Hit the Interstate and was at there place by 11p. Not bad since he lived a hour farther then me. Rolled in and they were waiting. Changed my cloths in the driveway since they were road weary and it was 90 deg all day. We partied till after 3a and had a good time. Got up around 7 and headed home. 2 months later I take a big trip that changes my life for the better.  
Now I'm hooked. I have only taken a vehicle on a trip once since then. The rest have been on the bike.

Not bad for a guy who rides like old people F&*k fart

 

[bg]

first long trip was from the detroit area to lacrosse wisconsin for the voai rally in 2001.
i still have my event t shirt, that's how special that trip was.

[MP]

First long trip was when I rode it home just over two years ago.  Never been on a Valkyrie, never saw one close up.  Bought it on ebay in Florence, SC.  Flew down, and rode it 1700 miles home in 2 1/2 days.  Got to know her very well, now I own two, including a sidecar on the 01 IS.

I really liked my 2003 100th Aniversary Softail Classic HD, but I LOVE my Valkyries!

MP

[hubcapsc]

My first road trip was Britman's Memorial Day Ride... I guess it was four years ago (time flies)...

Pulled into the motel parking lot, and there's this guy with perfect hair polishing an already
gleaming black and chrome Valkyrie... "you must be Detn8er" "Yep"...

Stock seat, no backrest, no highway pegs, didn't really understand the deal with counter-steering...
We were in the middle of an extended drought then, I had spent a lot of time that summer digging post
holes in rock-hard South Carolina red clay in 95 degree full sun... I was a lot more sore when I got back
from that ride than I would be after digging post holes!



-Mike

[fudgie]

Not bad for a guy who rides like old people F&*k fart

 

      

[fudgie]

Our next road trip starts July 30’th when the Duc Man and I leave for Glacier National Park and the Highway to the Sun. Then we wind back around to Yellowstone. We’ve got 9 days to get in all the roads and sights we can out West. Can you say “Can’t Wait!!”

I'll send you my cell sometime. If you come thru the Black Hills and need to stop, give me a shout. Buy you all a cold one.

[Cattman]

March 1,2002 I flew into Orlando rented a car and drove to Jacksonville and test rode the bike. Completed the purchase and found a small independent shop to put on a new rear tire, original oem dunflop was bald. Got into Daytona and overnited then went downtown for the first day of BIkeweek. Got some highway pegs, a throttle lock and a set of Frogg Toggs and headed northwest. Rode thru 6 hours of thunderstorms before stopping for the nite at Dothan,Al. Headed north the next morning and the temps dropped all day. Stopped at Basspro in Nashville for warmer gloves and then hit snow in southern Ky. The !$#@ throttle lock broke going over the Ohio river in Louisville (froze up from the previous days rain  ) Pulled in the garage that nite in Franklin, IN at 8:30 and it was 8 degrees. 1200 miles and mild frostbite for the best bike made. 

[..]

I should also mention the day I picked up my Valkyrie.

Drove with ex down to VaLdosta, GA.
The owner opened his garage door and the strong smell of Honda polish came wafting out. A good sign.
I checked the oil color, nice light golden syrup, a good sign.
Checked tire pressures, on the money. A good sign.
No tire cupping. A good sign.
Whizzed the bike around the block a coupla times. Braked well. No head shale with hands off the bars. A good sign.

Got the title and paperwork squared away, handed over the cash. Ex loaded OEM seat and exhaust into the car and away we went.

I hadn't really noticed the traffic heading north as we drove south so was disturbed to find slow moving traffic pretty much as soon as we got on the Interstate heading north back to Atlanta.

Turns out it was one of the days when most of the temporary residents of Florida start to haad north after their winter exodus  in the south.

What a PITA the ride was. About 230 miles of slow moving, stop-start, coolant boiling, temper shredding, near gridlock.

I will confess that I did filter between the lanes with my brights on and got home about an hour before the ex. She was kinda p'ed off that I had left her in traffic. 

[CISE]

Two first trips.

In 2001 I bought a brand new 2001 I/S in April. In June that year I rode from Dacula, GA to Americade using no interstates, spent a day at Americade, continued back roading on up to Montreal and visites family, left there and rode to Niagra Falls again staying off the T-Can, and from there found the Ohio river and followed it to MArietta, Ohio. Fro m there I had to haul butt back to Dacula to attend to job hunting. Left the next morning back to Knoxville, TN for the Honda Hoot - spent a week there riding around and then mosey'd back to Dacula.

4,800 miles - 3 weeks - totally stock I/S (sold the bike 2 months later as job hunt was unsuccessful    )

Thanksgiving 2008 - found a 1999 I/S in Abeline, TX. Flew out from Atlanta - drove to dealer, picked up bike - stopped just on the east side of Texas (no idea where), then next day back home to Dacula, GA.

1,000 miles - 2 days


But you know - every ride feels like a first ride to me (even commuting back and forth to work ) - I kind of like riding.

[Chrisj CMA]

MY first road trip on the Valkyrie was IZ3 in 2003.  I journey'd from Northwest Florida all the way to Zanesville Ohio.  I met a bunch of cool people and had a great time.  I was poor though at that time (well still now too) so I hadn to limit hotels and eating out so I camped.  As you can see I packed a few things on the bike!!!!!  LOL  I rode from Ohio to Detroit to see someone then back to Florida by way of I-23 (I think) made it to cumberland gap in VA the first day and then home to Florida the second day.  It was a blast

[tybme]

My first ( of what should be many ) was when I bought my 99 IS. I flew from Kansas to Northern California purchased and rode her home. 2200 miles - it's a nice way to learn a new bike. 

[Dan Manko]

I bought "Clarissa"  [1997 Tourer] here in California with just over 39000 miles on her.
In 2005 I took off from Arroyo Grande at the beginning of August headed east.
I told family in Pennsylvania that I would see them in about 2 weeks.
I had maps of all the states I thought I would pass through.
As I left one state I put that map away and grabbed the map for the next state
I was closest to. Just made sure I headed east on whatever road I was on.
Stopped when I was tired, ate when I was hungry.
Decided to stay two days at Chaco Canyon. I kept extra food in the side bags just for that reason.
Made it to Pa. Visited for a few days. Changed the oil, bought a new rear tire, then headed back.
I had a hard time at the beginning remembering to head WEST.
33 days, 6820 miles of the greatest time of my life.
Clarissa has 104000 miles on her now. Hasn't been ridden since September of 2009.
I had a back operation and still healing. She will have a whole lot more miles soon.
DO IT. DO IT sooner than later. If you don't do it, you won't do it.

[Popeye]

I went to the Grand Canyon after I got my Interstate, 3800 miles in 8 days.  Must say it was well worth the ride from Illinois.  Liked it so much that my youngest son and I went back 2 years later, this time pulling a piggybacker trailer.  Monument Valley was just awesome.

I love road trips on 2 wheels.

[JimL]

My first major trip (over 300 miles) on a Valkyrie, was when I picked up the 2nd Valkyrie that I ever owned in March 2007.  I had been looking for a 99 Sonoma Green Interstate for a while, when I saw one listed on the VRCC forum in Layton, UT.  It had 9258 miles on it....and had most of the accessories I wanted.



I flew into Salt Lake City and was picked up at the airport by the owner in his sweet 1968 or 1969 Firebird.



We chatted a bit, and I was on the road at about 8:00 local time.  It was early March and I had been tracking the weather all week and the forecast looked good for my trip back to Tennessee.  I planned to ride well into the night...I had all the gas stations mapped out (knowing that probably got few and far between in rural Wyoming).

As I left the Salt Lake City area on I-80 and headed into the mountains...the temperature fell rapidly.  Even though I was dressed for the weather...I had enough of the low 20's after a couple of hours and spent the night in Evanston,WY.

I got on the road the next morning and saw some snow flurries coming down...but didn't think much of it (time to explain here that up until 3 years prior to this, I had lived most of my adult life in south Florida.....I had NO IDEA what I was doing)!

I ran into hard falling snow just west of Rock Springs, WY...it was hard to see, so I pulled off the interstate into a truck stop.



While I was waiting for the snow to stop, some trucker that must have been somewhere around 6'6" tall and 250-260 pounds comes up to me and says  "What the hell....did you have a brain fart this morning?".  Of course I agreed with him and thanked his for the enlightenment!  The snow had stopped, the road was clear, so I was back on my way.

I had not been back on the road for more than 20 minutes when it started snowing so hard I literally could barely see where I was going.  It was worse this time because the snow was sticking to the road.  I crossed over the next hill and there was every bit of 2 inches of snow on the ground...but fortunately it was still a little slushy.  Some times when I look back at certain points in my life....I have either been exceedingly lucky or I have had someone watching over me.  The only other time that I was in a more scary situation was when I was a passenger in a Bronco that went over a low water bridge into a flooded river, and quite frankly that happened so quick that I didn't have time to think about it.

I remember all the things going through my head...."If I can't see...the other traffic can't see me", "I can't use my brakes....or I will go into a skid".  I was lucky...I simply let off the throttle and let the bike slow down on its own...and an exit just magically appeared at the most opportune time.  There was a sharp turn in the exit ramp...which I was convinced would be my undoing....somehow I made it off the exit ramp with only the hint of a skid at one point.  At this point I was starting to relax because I knew the worst was over.  I saw a motel parking lot and headed towards it.  As I attempted to turn into the motel parking lot, I went into a skid when the front wheel hit the curb...and down I went.  The new bike I had just bought was already on the ground....and I could see minor damage...that was a horrible feeling.  I got the bike back upright with some assistance and waited at the motel for about 3 hours for things to clear.

I got back on the road and excellent riding until I got to Laramie, WY (another big mountain...but I did not know that at the time...and being a Floridian I did not know enough to be scared even if I had known it).  It started snowing hard again in Laramie, this time I had enough sense to get off the road early.  This time I also had enough sense to talk to the truckers at the truck stop about the conditions further east....a good thing...because they knew about the mountain I was headed for....and told me that if I continued on it would be suicidal and "beyond stupid".  That was enough for me...I checked into a motel and spent the night.

Following is the last picture I took on that trip.  As you can see there isn't much snow on the ground...and to a Floridian those "couple of inches" on the mountains in the background that I was about to cross should not be a big deal since I am sure the roads are now clear.



WRONG AGAIN!

The roads had been cleared...but the blowing snow coming over the road was dangerous.  At the summit of the mountain "I don't remember the name" I was going 30mph and hoping that the turbulence from the trucks passing me would not cause me to skid and crash.  Thankfully, the road started downward, and by the time I got to Cheyenne,WY there was no snow and the temps were warming.  The rest of the ride through Nebraska and home was great.

This was my first major trip on a Valkyrie.  I also learned a couple of things on that trip:

(1) The weather is very unpredictable in that part of the world in early March
(2) I am not nearly as smart as I had originally thought...and stupidity under these conditions can get you killed.

[ChromeDome]

May 11, 2001.
My 84 GoldWng had broken down in Albuquerque, NM and we took it to big Honda dealer in the area (M&M I seem to recall). After they checked it out I was looking at around $3000.00 for repairs and for flying to/from Chicago, IL. I had been checking out the 01 Interstate on the showroom floor so I turned to the salesman and asked "How much you want for that?" That was at 11:00am and I left there around 4:00pm. Told the salesman that I was headed back to Chicago and there was no way I was going to keep it under 55 mph. "Not to worry" he said "just vary the RPMs, no burn outs and no wheelies for the 1st 1000 miles." 2 hours after that I was screaming down the road over 100 mph. Spent that night in Oklahoma, Stillwater I believe, and the next day made Chicago.

[mark@umt.com]

Hey Fudgie...I hear ya on that one....was previously married myself for 10 years...got a bike during the separation...try prying my butt off now....need one big crowbar I'll tell ya!  My therapist calls it motorcycle therapy....less expensive than a shrink!!!

My first trip was the day I got my Valk on Dec 22, '09...it was -13 C with windchill (that's 8.6 F)...and no heated gear...just jacket and chaps...went 30kms (20 miles) that day.  worst thing I could have done....buy a bike just as the winter is starting.  I ended up riding it around the parking garage of the condo I was in every week or so just to get my fix in.  No dust was able to accumulate either...every time I got home I polished and shined that bike up until I saw my face reflecting back at me from every piece of chrome on that thing! 

Now...remarried...and on the trip of a lifetime.   My wife was laid off and I'm currently on a leave of absence...we're traveling across North America...already been from Toronto to Key West and back 4400 miles (7000kms)...headed to the East Coast of Canada until something called the ocean turned us South.  We're now in Halifax, NS and will be coming back through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.  Next is heading out West...gonna do the Chicago-LA loop along route 66, Pacific Coast highway, Grand Canyon, Sturgis, Vegas....and we may never come back...at least that's my wish!

Keep on ridin' Fudgie...nothing clears the head better than getting on the bike and leaving your trouble behind! 

Mark

[Al in Arkansas]

Bought first Valk on eBay in Nashua, NH.  Bought one way tickets and flew out to ride her home.  Landed Oct 27 and rode the 1700 miles home.  Been enjoying trips since!  Al

[BradValk48237]

Well, it went like this....

I bought the Valk last June after wanting one since I first saw the I/S way back 99 and looking for one for several months. New to me 2000 Red Black I/S with 31K on it.... After selling my 84 Wing, I was good to go. Had a busy summer so didn't get to take it out very far for the next couple of months, but still managed to put on over 1000 miles just puttering around town and nearby areas.
 
 Finally get to go on the annual trip my Dad and who ever wants to go along that have taken every year for the last 19 the week after Labor Day week. Load up the bike and we head out on a Sunny Saturday toward Niagara Falls with New England in our sites.

 We go through Canada to save some miles (In Michigan here) and time and usually hit the Niagara area for the first night out, so we know the area. I was leading and we were going to go through Niagara on the Lake and ride down the river to Niagara Falls, Canada proper.

I just got off the QEW exit ti Niagara on the lake and come to a stop at the light at the end of the exit, just sitting there, minding my own business and........

BOOM!!!!! 

Now I'm sitting on my ass in the middle of the intersection with the Valk bout 30 feet in front of me and a LARGE Nickel Silver 2004 Wing on its side just behind my head! MY DAD'S WING!!!!!!! He's 65 and seemed to be looking at the scenery before he realizes the light is RED!!!! Hit me smack dab between the fender and saddle bag and knocked the bike right out from under me. Was wearing leather, but there is a ringing my head and when I take off my helmet, I notice a large crack and missing paint the size of a quarter near the back top.... more sctraches and marks now, because I threw it to the side of the road in a bit of an adrenaline fit. Slowly get up and walk to the side of the road with Dad asking me if I's dead and sit on the curb. Usual stuff happens, cops, bystanders asking if I's all right. Dad was fine, because the only reason his bike went down was because he dropped it coming to see if he killed his son...LOL.

Tow trucks came, and of course closest dealership, Harley, was closed for the weekend. got out the Goldwing book and found a local who generously offered his garage to put 2 wounded bikes.

My Uncle who was with us then rode back to Michigan the next day, came back with a car the following day and drove us home. Then turned around 2 days later to go back with a trailer and pick the bikes to bring home. Dropped mine by American wing in Wayne and then got home to Lansing that night at 11.

All told Damage to both bikes was over $18K with mine being totaled. Mine was all cosmetic and ended up keeping it and had it back on the road Super Valk'ed with some rashed paint and parts, but dammed if I was going to let the bike of my dreams get away from me!

Spent the winter getting her back in shape and 2000 miles so far this season.

Heres what it looked like after it wa on the trailer>>>>>>>


and the pic in my profile is what it looks like now.

B

[fiddle mike]

Not counting runs up to Houston, by myself.

Corpus Christi, TX to Lafayette, LA. 945 miles (round trip), two-up.

[Ghillie]

I ran from Dallas out through Arkadelphia, up to Hot Springs, ran the Talimena Parkway and back down through eastern Oklahoma back home.

[fuzzy2bucks]

My first road trip was when I picked up my largely non-maintained 00' Valk Interstate in Hayden, Idaho and drove it down to Coeur d' Alene Idaho on Highway 95. The bike had only 14K on it, but
I had to use Full Choke for the first 15 minutes. The bike had not been run for almost a year and had a half a tank of old, old gas in the tank. I had put in about 2/3's of a can of Sea Foam to help clean out the carbs and disolve deposits built up over the last 10 years.  The bike ran OK, but I didn't want to stop because I knew the 10 year old stock battery had worked hard earlier just to get the bike started.
Then the bike which I have named "Lena" merged with I-90 in Rathdrum, Idaho heading west to the Idaho - Washington State line.  The largest bike that I had ridden before "Lena" was my Kawasaki
750 Vulcan which has almost as much power as "Lena", but didn't hold the road well in windy conditions.  The previous owner had installed Air Shocks that he had set at a very soft level, which
felt almost unstable.

After leaving Rathdrum I increased speed up to just under 70 mph on the Freeway and was amazed at the acceleration, almost like being Catapulted off an Aircraft Carrier with my back shoved deep into the corbin backrest.  Was surprised that "Lena" held the road well even with 18 wheelers passing close by.

Still running non-stop passed through downtown Spokane with ease, but was learly of the studded snowtire ruts on Sunset Hill just west of Spokane, so I headed south on Highway 195 and then up
in the woods to my shack.  The engine was hot and the bike was running much better than when I left scenic Hayden. Think I'm going to like "Lena"!

[R J]

Had this all typed up and lost power, so yupper, I lost the text to this message.

Anything happens this time, screw it, my 1st trip isn't worth telling.

April Fool's day 1997 I was on the operating table at O Dark thirty getting 4 new pipes changes in my chest, that's the reason for the zipper there now.

1st surgeon was still on Cloud 9 after saving some ladies life on a flight from Germany to the US.

After surgery I was taken to ICU, had hoses in my nose, my mouth and up other places I'll not mention.

Wife came in, she would talk, I would listen and shake my head.    I was not improving after surgery.   They kept pouring blood into this old body.    A weekend rolled around and a sub surgeon came by checking on this guys patients.  My son and my wife will only take so much and then they start asking questions and demanding answers.   Bless them both for that.  I had been in ICU then for 12 days.

This surgeon took one look at me, checked some charts and told the wife and son that I was headed back to surgery in the next 5 to 10 minutes.

This Dr unzipped me again, tightened all the fittings of the new hoses and put me back together again.  Shipped me to ICU and noted in the chart that the original Dr was not to touch me again.     6 days later, I was out of ICU.    Was in a room 3 days and one of the fittings sprung a leak.    Back into surgery again, fixed it that time finally and I was finally on the road to recovery.   29 days in the hospital and 21 in ICU.

The above is only to lead up to what the wife and kids did those days I was in ICU to pass my time for me.

Mom brought a lot of motorcycle magazines in and read them cover to cover for me.   This one word kept popping up, it was Valkyrie.   They had read enough about that bike to make me want one.  I was riding a HD FLHSTU, it was a dresser.

Told wife when I got out of the hospital I wanted to go look at one on the way home.    I went into the hospital weighing in at 280, 40 # more than when I retired in 86, when I walked out of there I weighted in at 235.   Felt good, except I was a little weak.

Stopped at the Honda shop on the way home, nothing in stock, he hadn't received his 1st bike yet.     This was June 1997.    He did locate a Green/Creme Tourer about 90 miles away at another dealer.    Told him to get it, I wanted it.

Bike was there in 3 days, looked it over, make the deal and walked out the door with all the papers in hand.

Went to the County Courthouse to transfer and get plates for MGM.

3 days later I took off on MGM for close to 4 months of traveling.  Did all the lower 48 states getting pictures of each ones capital.   Would call home every other night and check in.   Tell the wife we needed more $$$$$ in the checking account.  She told me to start putting items on the credit card, like gas, park fees, Motels and etc.

3 rear tires, a front tire later I pulled back into the house.  Had 23,000 miles on MGM in that time frame.    Hadn't really slowed up on adding miles till about 5 or 6 years ago........   I was know then to ride 1,000 miles for lunch.....   I was in need of another rear tire, when I got home, and tried a car tire...  I've ridden a CT ever since as long as I can get one when it is needed......

242,000 miles later, MGM is still hauling a$$ when needed......

As soon as I get off this O2, I just might take another one of those trips.  Depends on how I feel at that time.      Right now, I wouldn't try to ride across the street.   Very unsure of myself now.

Wife gets pissed off and says you stubborn SOB, you have nothing to prove to anyone so why kill yourself......

[bigguy]

click map for photo album.
Last year’s Great Motorcycle Vacation turned into a rain-soaked house remodeling vacation. This year it started out in a similar fashion. I’d reserved a cherry picker for the Memorial Day weekend because I got it from Friday night through Tuesday morning for a one day price. Then I got the opportunity to buy the motorcycle I’ve been wanting for several years. I picked it up a few hours before I got the cherry picker. So while my new-to-me Valkyrie sat in the garage, I was perched in the basket of a cherry picker fixing the eaves on my house and painting.
But fortunately for my vacation, the cherry picker had to go back Tuesday morning.
We’d been planning to run Arkansas Highway 7 from the Louisiana State line to it’s northern terminus at Lead Hill recreation area on Bull Shoals lake, north of Diamond City.
Wednesday morning the wife and I ran over to El Dorado, then down to the state line. From there we headed north to Camden, then back to Texarkana to get the southernmost leg out of the way.
We took Thursday to replace the passenger pegs with floorboards on the Valkyrie. I ran a 12-volt adapter so I’d have power to the GPS. We did a little bike maintenance, got gear ready and headed out with another couple Friday morning for a three-day run up and back.
Most of Highway 7 was everything I’d been promised. On the way back, we decided to see what else Northern Arkansas had to offer. We took some smaller roads over to 65 and followed it into Conway for the night. Leaving Conway the last morning we took 60 west over to 27 and rode it down through the Ouachita National forest into Glenwood.
Just south of Glenwood, we took 84 west to Langley then followed 396 north for 6 miles to Albert Pike recreation area. After a quick dip to cool down and wash off a little road grime, we finished the trip by following 396 south to 70 west where we picked up 71 south back to Texarkana.
The weather was kind to us being cool most mornings and offering a little cloud cover during the day Friday and Saturday. Sunday was the hottest day and I got a little sunburned on the final leg.
I’m not sure you can find a bad motorcycle road in Northern Arkansas. I plan to head back up there in the near future and find some more of the good ones. I especially want to run the Pig Trail though the Ozark National Forest.
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/Bikers-Blog/2010/06/07/back-from-vacation/

[clsimmonsjr]

I bought a 99IS in the spring of 2000 (used) for the specific purpose of riding coast to coast that summer. What a Blast! I took a month off in July, 2000 and travelled the USA. Now, I want to do it again!