What did you do to your Valkyrie today?

[Houdini]

After eight months of telling myself I need to sell the standard, all the while my girls are all telling me I need to keep it, I gave up.  I started putting all of the accessories I removed months ago back on, hopefully she'll be better than ever.

[5_19]

Is that a RDL seat that's begging to get broke in  ! I think you will like!

[Houdini]

It is an RDL that needs my butt imprinted on it.  TJ, I still have your old RDL on my IS, it was a perfect match for me on that bike but sat me too high on the Standard.

[franco6]

Yesterday installed new plugs on the I/S ,went with iridium ngk s #8 since I intend to do major highway travel in the coming days . decided to change the intake orings ,123, but they are impossible to find on short notice ! 
got a lead on advance AP but they will not answer the phone!!!   

[franco6]

Got the o-rings and while at it decided to polish the inside intake breathers, they were very rough . 250 sandpaper, 1000, 2000 a lot smoother and while looking inside the head ,seeing lots of material to be removed to enlarge the cavity.  We used to do that with the Alfas.
Anyhow the valk is acting like a spring chicken,it feels a lot lighter and quicker.
but to my surprise all the vacuum hoses were original and in bad shape no time to take everything off as I leave in the morning, so clipped the ends ,replaced what could be done and taking six feet of vacuum hoses , claps and caps ,small pliers, but not a spare alternator!

[MarcusS]

New rear tire from discount tire $78 205-60 R16. Also changed the rear brake pads at same time as they only had a hair if a wear slot still in them. New grease in the gears and  16 oz of Ride On in the tire. Red eye o-rings were only 18 months old so did not change them.

Also put on a new alternator cover as the second one on the bike had already blistered after it had heat tap in the inside.  The question of heat doing the damage still exist. It may be gas overflow as I have had a couple accidents letting gas roll of the tank onto the cover.  I could see it causing damage if the cover was hot when the gas hits it.

Test rode the tire with 26 psi and I think  like the lower pressure.  It is the same tire brand that I took off that had 28 psi most of its life.  The older tire still wore down in the center too much. Was done to the wear bar at only about 20K miles. It was installed in December 2015 for my winter trip to Big bend.

IM READY FOR INZANE 

[Houdini]

Not just today, but this weekend;

(Re)installed black powder-coated intakes
Black powder-coated carb covers
Black powder-coated tranny covers
Spark plug valances
Tank bib
Clint fuel cover
Chrome drive shaft cover
Batwing fairing
LRS recurve windshield (new)
Car horn
Hondaline fork wings
Bullet driving lights wired through a relay
Creepy mirrors
Three switch power block for the LEDs
Gobs of LEDs
Black levers with black and red fringe
Stiletto bar ends with red, white and blue accent rings
Lots of taillights


Luckily, I had a second tail light assembly and all I had to do was switch them and run a few extra wires.  I had also added a waterproof plug on the housing making it easy to power the lite license plate frame.



Maybe more, this is all I can remember right now...

[Houdini]

Installed the Hard Krome 6x6 pipes. 

I also wanted to replace the 55w halogen bulbs in my Show Chrome Bullet lights with LEDs.  The ones I bought from Home Depot were worthless for anything other than a daytime running light; they must have had at least a 120° spread because I could see a cut-off line across my garage ceiling and they were much too warm of a color.

I bought, and am impressed with, these - https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/rv-retrofit-dining-light/mr16-led-bulb-1-cob-led-spotlight-bi-pin-bulb/3286/



685 lumens, 40° spot, 4800K white, still not as bright as the 55w halogens but close enough to make it worth the energy savings.

[RainMaker]

Put a fresh set of spark plugs in - had 60K miles on the last set.  Noticed an improved idle and no choke to start so maybe it was time.  Also increased the preload on the rear Progressives to 5 (still having a few fender bumps with the Austone with setting at 3) and changed out the rear drive fluid.  Hope to get a quick ride in today before the 106 degree heat index takes effect.

[BnB Tom]

...Hope to get a quick ride in today before the 106 degree heat index takes effect.

  Lori and I weren't so lucky.  Got home from our ride to lunch (after a morning start) to see the heat index top out around 103!!      

[Serk]

In the last week or so:

Desmog'ed
Replaced petcock vacuum line
Replaced spark plugs
Replaced water pump
Replaced coolant
Oil change
Replaced timing belts
Replaced timing belt tensioner pulleys


I hate wrenching.

[Houdini]

Picked this stuff up from the powder-coater on Friday.



Was able to suck two ounces of fork fluid from each side, put the rotor covers on and get her road worthy in time for the ride to OK Saturday morning for chicken fried steak.

Today I put on the levers, black and red fringe, and assembled the rear caliper to be installed later.

[BigBod]

I put a new battery in mine. the old one (6 months old) decided to quit on me 50 mile from home half 10 at night. I only popped out to watch the sunset at a well known beauty spot...

Had to get recovered home by the break down service....they were great...

[BnB Tom]

  Valve covers look kinda crappy.   ???

Oh.  Wait a minute.  You already know that. 

                                    Never mind.   

[Houdini]

This year I've owned my IS for 10 years.  In that time I have caused a few very minor scratches and not a single dent ... until today.  While working in my garage and prying heavily on a clamped down vice two of the clamps gave and flew across my garage directly into the front fender.  

So today, I dented, scratched, and gouged my IS front fender.

 

[BnB Tom]

  Hmmmm.   Let's see now.  You posted around 4:00 pm so that means you were on the clock for work so that means it was a 'work place accident' which means ---- your employer has to pay!!   

[Houdini]

  Hmmmm.   Let's see now.  You posted around 4:00 pm so that means you were on the clock for work so that means it was a 'work place accident' which means ---- your employer has to pay!!   

One of the joys of working from home is doing work on my own projects occasionally; I don't think I'll be requesting that my employer pay for this issue though, don't want to rub that fact in their noses.

[Houdini]

Not just today, but finished my LED project (for now).  I also installed my Josh headlight bracket and DayMaker headlight with red halo.





Including the cam cover inserts I bought from F6Banger a few years ago.  I bought the set as blanks since he doesn't make the sets anymore and made a fire effect.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7_RBEvpEDlPbXNYOVRHU0xtRGc/view?usp=sharing

[Houdini]

Swapped the chrome valve covers for black ones and added some bare nekkid ladies.







Ooh LA LA!

[BnB Tom]

Pictures.

     Pictures.

                                                         

[Avanti]

Hooked up a remote to my horn. Next will be a motion angle censer for when parked, that will set off horn when motorcycle is disturbed.

[franco6]

got a nice heavy duty waterproof cover for the I/S a dowco guardian. Fits a little tight,it s the xxl, looked for a made here product but it did say made here in china on the box .
Happy birth Day to the numerous Libras around ,we really should have a Valkyrie party.     All the best

[Disco]

Since I last chimed in, I got a new odometer for the bumblebee.      

I also bought a new Yuasa for it.  I got five years and five months on brand X, but the last couple required a some jumps, push starts, and almost constant battery tender at the end.  Hard to consider that a full five years.  And WOW, what a difference a new battery makes.  It seems like the bike starts at the mere suggestion of pushing the start button!

I just received my LED trunk lights for the Interstate back from BonS.  Having ridden behind bikes with and without them, I can't recommend them highly enough.  The difference in visibility is dramatic.

I also have a trike take-off OEM Interstate seat set on its way.  The seller says it's been stored since new and the pictures support that.  Fingers crossed.  The set on the IS is tired with scuffs and a hacked hole for the Utopia backrest. 

There are a few other Valkyrie (and non-Valkyrie) things in process for a later report.

[LL]

I also have a trike take-off OEM Interstate seat set on its way.  The seller says it's been stored since new and the pictures support that.  Fingers crossed. 

I should still have the stock seat off my 2001 I/S in a box in the attic (it's really been a while so.......) let me know if you wind up needing one. No strap BTW

LL

[Red Diamond]

Hard to believe the I/S has been on a jack lift for a year since the last time I rode it. My picture date is October 31, 2016 after which I jacked it up. Today I installed a new Bridgestone Excedra Max rear tire and started some overdue cleaning. Tomorrow is lift let down, last registration expired October 31, 2016, so Monday is inspection and up to date registration. I feel like riding.

[Disco]

Well, the IS seat was quite a story.  The seat cover and passenger seat back are perfect, but it looks like someone tried to make the seat fit on another bike by hack-sawing chunks out the middle of each side of the seat pan right where the seat cover gets stapled.  When I saw that, I messaged the seller my disappointment and asked if he would consider reversing the transaction.  Without responding to my message, he refunded the entire purchase amount and the PayPal note said "Keep the seat.  I have no use for it.  I'm an old Mustang guy, not a motorcycle guy."  I messaged him back that I didn't feel right about capitalizing on his loss (he also paid for half the shipping) and we spent the next two days "arguing" back and forth about how much I was going to PayPal him.  He started off ridiculously low, so I upped it.   

You meet the nicest people in old Mustangs.   

Maybe I can take the good cover off the hacked pan and use it to replace the hacked cover on the good pan.  Or, maybe LL can get up in his attic...

I pulled the saddlebag rails off the IS and they were sold.

I sold a local member the Utopia backrest for Standard / Tourer, and pulled the one off the IS that the seat had been impaled by.  It's going on the market next.

I also pulled the trunk rack, swingarm covers, engine hanger covers, kury engine covers (not spark plug covers), off the IS.  I also pulled the tank & trunk bibs (dirty, but should clean up OK), and bra (ratty, but could make a good pattern).  All of that is going on the market.

The only chrome accessories left on it are the side and center covers and the saddlebag scuff guards.  I know I have some extra side covers, but the only extra center cover I have needs re-restoring.  Once that's done, I'll have two pairs of chrome side covers to sell and at least one chrome center cover.  I think I have another chrome center cover, but I'm not sure. 

The trunk lid has two racks worth of holes to fill, and I'd like to get it a GL1800 spoiler.  Although there is a piece broken out of the fairing scoop, both corners are intact.

I installed the LED trunk lights from BonS.  WOW, what a difference.  Davey Happy. 

I ordered and received a shiny de-smog kit, intake o-rings, and rear shock bushings from Red-Eye.  I probably should have ordered all the carb rebuild goodies, too, because I'm convinced the slow jets will not clear up from fuel treatment alone.  At 18 years and 104K miles, they deserve to be rebuilt completely.

I also got a bunch of used stuff the other day, but they're not Valkyrie-related.   

[Houdini]

Wasted too much time updating my posts with broken links caused by the photo-crap-bucket internet-screw-over debacle.   

[Red Diamond]

Shipped the I/S taillights off to BonS for the LED conversion, now I'm in waiting. I had an opportunity to follow 2 I/S's during TJ5-19's cheese factory ride. One of them had the conversion and the other did not, you are absolutely right Dave, one heck of a difference.  Going to ditch the Pyle amp and opting for a -------, my sound system on "Red Diamond" is awful.

     

[RainMaker]

Saturday, I found the reason we were thinking the exhaust gaskets had failed on the Tourer - it had been desmogged at some point in it's life and one of the plugs blew out.  But the plug was just sitting on the engine hiding in the dark, so I found it and put it back where it belonged with proper tightening.  It's good now.

While doing this, brushed against my CB antenna on the I/S and it broke. About 1/4" above where it went into the bracket, it just broke.  So played with it a bit and found that it had threads at the end still in the bracket.  Took out that little piece and used it to determine the threads were M7.  Went to Harbor Freight and got a die cutting set and cut threads on the end of the antenna that remained (basically, everything except the 1" that had broken off".  And surprisingly, everything went back together!

So, a good day in many respects.  Even got a few miles of riding in on both bikes.  I am thinking the clutch is about to need work on the I/S as I have very little play from engagement to disengagement.  Need to check that little bearing first.


RainMaker

[BnB Tom]

That's probably why your CB didn't work when we went to Greenwood.   

[RainMaker]

That's probably why your CB didn't work when we went to Greenwood.   

Nope - that was an electrical issue I'm still working on.  I'm just lucky the thing didn't break off while riding like it did with Super Santa.  He had to buy a new antenna.

[Houdini]

Took the trunk off of my IS

[BnB Tom]

Got a renewal notice for my bike insurance...  HOLY CRAP     

  Time to shop motorcycle insurance. 

When I first moved to Frisco, my bike insurance went down.    Didn't know why.  Didn't question it.

  Later I found out the rates are not only based on MY driving record but by zip code which includes loss, population, etc.  And when I moved here, Frisco was a relatively young, small community.

Well, Frisco has exploded (population wise) and now I have to pay for other people's faults. 

  So, Monday A.M., to the phones.  There's a bunch of em.  Surely, one of them will be more reasonable. 

[Houdini]

Stripped off more stuff



Mounted my radio antenna using the Chauffer Mod



I modded the mod and ran the cable on the inside of the tube.

[Jess from VA]

Houdini, just a word on the antenna.

I do not have an intestate (or other long) whip back there on my supervalk, but my Firestick CB antenna (maybe 20-24")  is mounted back there higher on the top bag rail, farther out.  It doesn't happen often, but sometimes at high speed with bumps and crosswinds thrown in, mine will get moving back and forth or around in circles, and has hit the saddlebag lid, and my tail light lens (std on interstate fender knockout) hard enough to to mark the paint and the lens.  The first pic that shows it leaning back a bit, is a good idea, and maybe it's stiff enough.  Mine was mounted straight up (on a really stiff spring), and I had to lean it back where it won't hit things no matter how much it flies around, in the right conditions.

It didn't happen often, but when it started knocking on the bike the first time, I thought something bad was happening in the drive train or a wheel bearing.  Thump, whack, and off the next exit I went.  It was a complete mystery, until the first time I looked back and saw it whacking my bag lid.  WTF?

Maybe it can't happen with that whip.  Just a heads up.

[franco6]

Installed new brake pads in front, bled all brakes and clutch with new fluid, 

[Houdini]

There's more strippin' going on in Allen than a Fort Worth Cabaret.



I ordered a new tire as my Falken had hit the wear bars,  I bought an Achilles 195/60/16 as I wanted a taller, thinner tire.  I had bought a wheelchair carrier that fits the receiver hitch so I can take Mary on rides again, but it needs more ground clearance.



I like the look

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've got about 10k on that tire. I like it. 

[Houdini]

Well, this is disappointing;  



...last worked on by local Honda dealer.  Bad, bad Chuck for not pulling it apart and verifying that Honda dealer actually greased the parts before assembly.  The teeth are about 90% worn off, looking at the fiche it appears that I can replace the cup myself so another order with Partzilla.

[MarcusS]

That looks like water damage, so the seal did not do its job either .