Guaranteed Classic?

[KW]

I’ve been thinking about this for awhile and was wondering what you folks thought. I know this is a slightly bias crowd, but there are a lot of knowledgeable people here that know cars & bikes. So, here goes;

How many here think the Valkyrie is destined for iconic status? I’m mean in the truest meaning of the word, surpassing beyond what our group of brothers & sisters think and getting the acclaim and recognition the design and reliability of the bike deserves. And, becoming as much as a ‘can’t miss’ classic collectable as there’s ever been.

I ask because if I had the extra money and space (I don’t have either) I would pick up as clean and low mileage Valk I could find and simply store it. What do you think? Would it be a solid investment or a waste of money and a great machine? Thanks

[Valkahuna]

If I knew the answer to that I would be wealthy from picking the right stocks in the market, or the right numbers in the lottery. With our bias, we all hope that it becomes an enduring legend! 

[Moonshot_1]

Is the Valkyrie destinend to be an iconic classic bike?

Yes.

Is this a biased opinion.
Perhaps

But this is what I see. I ride with others who have Harleys, Honda VTXs, Gold Wings, Shadows, Vulcans, and even other Valks.

When we ride in a group and stop someplace, be it for gas, food, or whatever, it is the Valks that seem to stop folks in their tracks. I've watched this phenomenon quite often. Sitting in a restaurant, watching folks walk by the bikes. It's the Valk(s) in the group that draws their interest. It's fun to watch.
And these are 8 - 13 year old Valks sitting among some spiffy new non Valks that would otherwise get the attention.

I've had folks that wouldn't give another bike a second thought, come up with keen interest in this big strange looking bike with the mean looking engine and want to know about it. Never had this happen with other bikes I've owned. (Then they see the C/T on the back and Looook then Looook again and shake their heads)


The folks in the know (MC magazines and such) have given the bike rave reviews.


We've all looked and we know, there ain't nothing quite like a Valk. Perfect combination of comfort, performance and looks.

It's a good investment. If I come into some money, I'm looking for a 2nd one to store as well.

[tank_post142]

look at the value of the early 750 hondas,honda dreams, the cbx, etc. japanese bikes will NOT keep up with inflation. they are here for us to love! investment value? no

[RainMaker]

I wonder if the Valkyrie is an Edsel.  In other words, very advanced at the time of manufacture but a poor seller, a vehicle that was too close to the upper end models of the manufacturer, using many common parts so sales of one just took away from the other.  Edsels took sales from Ford and Mercury, not GM.  So Edsel was declared a failure by the manufacturer after a relatively short time.  While considered a failure then, many of the innovations in the Edsel have made it into today's vehicles and vintage Edsels bring decent money on the market.   But you could have done much better over 50 years with almost any other investment.

Does that sound like a Valkyrie?

[bogator]

 Well now, I have to say,I bought mine new in 98 couse I loved the look of it and the color.there fore I consider it is already a classic,and a collectors item. I have been asked if I would sell---the answer was ---not a chance,couse you don't have enough MONEY-----just my thoughts------ oh yea-- I still think that way..........GOD BLESS YOU ALL-----------hope ya'll don't think I'm crazy----------well maybe I am---a little bit-------

[Jabba]

If i had the space and the money, I'd have a wharehouse full of them.  But only so I always had a few to ride.  I don't think it'd be a good invenstment.  It'd be a cool bike to own in another 30 years though.

I have a STD and an IS.

I want a Rune.
I want a Bobber with a blower.
I want a custom with a Blown Valk engine.

So I guess I WANT to be a 5 Valk man.  They'd laast me a while.

Jabba

[Big Rig]

]
I have a STD and an IS.

I had to read this twice, I thought it was I have a Sexually Transmitted Disease and an IS...

Working at getting my mind out of the gutter.   

[hubcapsc]

     The Valkyrie is a CLASSIC...

[PAVALKER]

     The Valkyrie is a CLASSIC...

is being the key word there.....  and I agree.

[bigguy]

I sold insurance back in the early 80s. At that time we saw something interesting with the Ford Mustang. Folks were snatching them up at prices well over Kelly-Blue Book. Back then, they weren't old enough to qualify as "Antique," but were obviously worth more than the standard formula used for valuation calculated. Eventually, the industry came up with a classification of "Car of particular interest."
The Valkyrie sure seems headed down that path to me. There has been talk about prices falling and availability increasing recently due to the economy. Maybe. I watched craig's list, and the classifieds for a couple of years before I finally jumped in. The trend I saw was fewer bikes going for higher prices. I think any fall in price is an anomalis bump.  If you want a Valk. I'd get it now. It may not be so easy in a very few years.
I do agree with those cautioning against getting one as an investment. I don't think I've ever head of an economists recommending art or antiques as investments.

[Kaiser]

The problem I would have is that I would have every intention of buying one as an investment, but eventually the temptation would take over and I'd start riding it.

[bigguy]

The problem I would have is that I would have every intention of buying one as an investment, but eventually the temptation would take over and I'd start riding it.

+1 Buying a Valkyrie and putting it in storage seems kind of cruel.

[scoot]

Don't ask me about investments, I still can not give up the hope of this paying off some day

[HayHauler]

Wow!  By the grass under it, looks like you still drive it.  Good job.


Hay 
Jimmyt

[shortleg]

  That made me laugh till I had tears in my eyes.
   m Shortleg[Dave]

[Scott in Ok]

I’ve been thinking about this for awhile and was wondering what you folks thought. I know this is a slightly bias crowd, but there are a lot of knowledgeable people here that know cars & bikes. So, here goes;

How many here think the Valkyrie is destined for iconic status? I’m mean in the truest meaning of the word, surpassing beyond what our group of brothers & sisters think and getting the acclaim and recognition the design and reliability of the bike deserves. And, becoming as much as a ‘can’t miss’ classic collectable as there’s ever been.

I ask because if I had the extra money and space (I don’t have either) I would pick up as clean and low mileage Valk I could find and simply store it. What do you think? Would it be a solid investment or a waste of money and a great machine? Thanks

Exactly how do you define "iconic status" or "classic"?  To those that love them, they will always be such.  But to the mass market in general, I say not a chance.  I guess it all depends on how you define it.

Let me ask this.  What other motorcycles of the last 50 years has reached "iconic or classic status"?  And I don't mean in the communities that love them, but in the mass market in general?  (I curious what people think, and also to give the Valkyrie something to be compared to)

-Scott

[KW]

Scoot. . . I laught out loud when I saw your post & that killer Pacer!!!! Don't give up on it! 

There are some great comments here . . . Scott, I guess I have trouble thinking of any 'iconic' status bike. Good point. Perhaps some of the 40's Indians? Or, a 47 Knucklehead? I see your point, but there's never been anything like a Valkyrie, no?

PAVALKER; I didn't know about the Stangs being swallowed up in the 80's. When did those Fox bodies come out?  I know in the mid-70's you couldn't hardly give a Mustang away unles it had a Cobra Jet in it, or 'Shelby's' name on it. In fact, a buddy bought a GT500 in the late 70's for $500 and it was a solid car. I don't recall the engine, but I told him he was stupid; which shows I have no sense about such things . . .   
 
The point of my post was, there was a period - mainly in the mid & late 70's - where there were GREAT deals on "future" collectable muscle cars. Minus a crystal ball, I was wondering if anyone agreed the Valk was in that same catagory? Anyway, if Jabba is going to have 5 Valks, I've decided I'm going to find another one . . .  but I won't be storing it. 

[Robert]

Don't ask me about investments, I still can not give up the hope of this paying off some day

Scoot I tell you your missing your window of opportunity, paint the thing some eco friendly colors put a bio fuel sticker on it and put some kind of package that helps mpg and you would make a fortune.

As for our Valks one thing the Mustang had going for it was market recognition. That idea that kids when they grew up wanted one the older generations wanted one and heres the key the ones that wanted ones when they were kids that couldn't buy one grew up and then bought them. The Valk never really had a wide market appeal when it was made. Its time I believe was to advanced the introduction came to early. If you would make the Valk now I would and of course market it properly I say it would do great and steel sales away from alot of other bikes. As old bikes go there are always collectors out there that buy bikes at different times but that doesn't give you the demand that is needed to keep the bike in public eye and them to say I want it. So for investment for anything but riding I say no. Besides who can look at a Valk and not want to ride it?

[bigguy]

PAVALKER; I didn't know about the Stangs being swallowed up in the 80's. When did those Fox bodies come out?  I know in the mid-70's you couldn't hardly give a Mustang away unles it had a Cobra Jet in it, or 'Shelby's' name on it. In fact, a buddy bought a GT500 in the late 70's for $500 and it was a solid car. I don't recall the engine, but I told him he was stupid; which shows I have no sense about such things . . .  

I assume you meant BigGuy. When I say early 80s I really meant 1980. That's the year I started selling Insurance. Folks were snagging the stangs built through the early 70s. (Before the style change. I think it was 72 or 73.)
In 1980, a 1971 Mustang had virtually no value according to Kelly Blue book. But in the Little Rock Arkansas and Memphis Tennessee markets they started being hard to find. I had customers traveling to California to pick them up at 3 times blue-book value. (Maybe this was a regional issue. Not an antique car buff, so can't say with any authority.) I'm only familiar with it because when they came in to insure them, they wanted to be sure they were protected for a real value, not blue-book value. If I remember right, a car had to be 13 years old to qualify as an antique at that time. Most of the Mustangs didn't
Within a few months, the insurance companies I worked with recognized that these cars were something different. (Travelers and Commercial Union were two of the largest.) I was able to insure then as "Cars of Particular Interest," for more than blue-book value.
When I bought my Valk, it was the best price I'd seen in two years. The bank insisted I was paying more that it's listed value. Just kind of brought back memories.
The Mustang represented a paradigm shift. A muscle car for the masses. That made it standout and stick in people's memories. I don't think the Valkyrie represents the same major change. It was just another incredible bike in a lineup of good bikes. If it becomes a classic, it will only be as folks become nostalgic for the last of the power cruisers in a landscape filled with V-twins. I think that's a possibility. But I wouldn't bet serious money on it..