1500 Life expectancy

[Hox]

Have a 2000 Interstate with 70000 miles on it... should I be getting concerned... life expectancy in miles???  Appreciate the help.  Poor health forces sale and getting a lot of resistance to mileage... Also, any idea what it is worth...  It was repainted all black last year, chrome etc 99% perfect... runs beautifully...  could likely use rubber sometime this season.  Thanks to all.   Stay safe.   Hox   Victoria, BC

[Lyle Laun]

Hox:
The mileage isn't that high for a Valk. Resistance must be coming from folks who've never owned one. I've got one with 215,000 kms on it and my buddy has one with about the same. If the alternator has been done and the carbs are still clean you should be fine. In Canadian dollars it should be worth around $6,000 if the tires and final drive are good. Maybe a bit more if you've got upgraded seats and a bit of bling.
A good time to sell it in the US as the exchange rate would work in your favour.

Lyle...

[John Schmidt]

These engines run forever it seems. We have members with well over 100, 200, even 400,000 miles. One has over 500k on his and the engine has never been torn down. The 1500 GoldWings have the same engine and many have well into the hundreds of thousands of miles on them. A few years back there was a handy-man fellow that towed his tool trailer on his jobs, used his Gold Wing during warm weather to tow it. He had well over 600k on it and was still in use. It has to do the engine design being the flat boxer style, making it first and foremost....vibration free. Normal maintenance, along with attention to the driveline, a bike with ONLY 70k on it has quite a few hundred thousand miles left in the engine. If someone is hesitant to buy a 70k mile Valkyrie, they simply don't know their bikes.

Some time back, a thread was started that asked for various high total miles. It's probably buried quite a way back and I think it's on the General Board. That should give an idea of what can be expected with these bikes. If I were you, I'd find that thread and print it out to show to prospective buyers.

[WintrSol]

Ask them if they would buy a Honda Accord with 70k miles; with proper maintenance, the Valk will run as long, or longer, than that car.

[Valker]

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,51704.0.html

Look at this then answer your question.

[old2soon]

114 K Miles on mine and she is STILL a baby!   I believe D D T said his is at 519 K miles. AND  is still riding it and having  good time doing it.   Proper maintenance at the recommended intervals and it IS a Honda!   As others have sated-those balking at the miles are NOT aware of these fine machines. Have a prospective buyer attend I-16 at Morganton W V. He or she will get a tutorial.  RIDE SAFE.

[Bighead]

Wouldn't think twice about buying a Valkyrie or wing with 70k miles on it if maintained properly.

[msb]

Hox, as others here have indicated, if your bike has been  well maintained, 70K miles makes your bike relatively "young" compaerd to many others. My '99 Interstate has 140,000 km (approx. 84,000 mi) on the clock, with all but a couple of thousand being put on by your's truly. Just had it in to a dealer mechanic specifically experienced with Valkyries for a complete front to back and inside to out check over and maintenance in advance of my 11,000 km + round trip ride to West Virginia this June and a couple other multi-day trips this Spring, and she received a clean bill of health with only a few minor tweaks and maintenance items I wanted done  There are not a lot of Valkyries around BC compared to in the US, and even fewer (especially Interstates) that come available, so if yours is in decent shape I see no reason why you can't expect at least around the $6000 figure Lyle Laun suggests. Advertising it in the western WA region would be a good idea... someone there purchasing in USD at your price in CDN will get a good deal. Good luck.

[OnaWingandaPrayer]

I dont have a Valk but do ride a 94SE Wing . Basically the same engine minus a few carbs and detuned cam. I currently have 203K miles . I really enjoy this bike and plan to keep it many more years.

[cookiedough]

low end 6K, high end 7K  - good luck on the sale. 

if they want to low ball you much past 6K blaming high mileage,  pass them up. 

[Gavin_Sons]

I really thought yhis was a joke when I opened the page.  I just dont get how someone can own a vehicle or mororcycle and not know how many miles you can put on it without imploding. It has yet to be discovered.  DDT is trying, but i dont think he will ever find that self destruct button. 70k miles is nothing for these bikes. Mine has 160k and wouldnt hesitate to take it across the country.

[pancho]

Keep in mind that the guys looking may know about the longevity of the bike they are looking at,, and may just be playing you to see if you do.

[DarkSideR]

Please allow me to define the life expectancy of the beloved Valkyrie. 

***The life of a Valkyrie is from the day it was assembled to the day it is crashed.***

And even after being crashed I have seen them reborn. I have never heard of a Valkyrie being retired because it was too old or had too many miles.

[Alpha Dog]

According to the best Scientific minds of our day  The Honda Valkyrie has a half life of 50,000 years.  It should last your life.
Chuck

[Tfrank59]

I bought my Valk with 27K on it and now it has 46K.  It's barely broken in, the engine that is.  Like somebody said, it's an Accord with two wheels.  But here's another perspective--if you found say a '98 Valk with 10K on it, you'd almost be more concerned, or perhaps should be, that it sat too much of its life.  Stuff like rubber seals, which dry out without regular use, the fuel system gets gummed up, and even metal parts become fatigued--they atrophy--if not used and just sit around (not unlike our aging, widening bodies ).  So, just like with a car purchase, I'm looking for the "appropriate" mileage for the age of the vehicle, and too little or too much is cause for hesitation, IMO.  Just some food for thought.

[h13man]

I bought my Valk with 27K on it and now it has 46K.  It's barely broken in, the engine that is.  Like somebody said, it's an Accord with two wheels.  But here's another perspective--if you found say a '98 Valk with 10K on it, you'd almost be more concerned, or perhaps should be, that it sat too much of its life.  Stuff like rubber seals, which dry out without regular use, the fuel system gets gummed up, and even metal parts become fatigued--they atrophy--if not used and just sit around (not unlike our aging, widening bodies ).  So, just like with a car purchase, I'm looking for the "appropriate" mileage for the age of the vehicle, and too little or too much is cause for hesitation, IMO.  Just some food for thought.

Bought mine 1/13 with 11,300 mi. but a garage queen. 29,000 now and nothing but fluid changes, tires, etc. and a damn starter button.

[Jess from VA]

Longer than mine. 

[Louis Durocher]

bought mine two years ago with 115,00Km , now is 135,000Km and runs like new

[Fazer]

Love that green, Louis. 

Mine is a 98 Tourer that I bought last August with 17,000 on the clock.  Now have a little over 20 and no problems at all.  I have changed oil and put new tires on, and getting ready to change brake and clutch fluid.  Probably replace coolant sometime soon.  Only other things I did were to desmog, add the Dan Marc fuel shut off, and a relay to power a separate fuse panel.  Oh and went to 444 Progressive shocks after breaking one of the stock.

If I could have any bike in the world, it would be this one.  Hope to never lose that feeling.

[allanbegg]

128K Miles on mine and running great.
I believe that it will outlast me.

[DarkSideR]

Let me propose that we start speaking of the life expectancy of a Valkyrie in terms of a Half-life.

"The Half-life of a Valkyrie is a period of usefulness or popularity preceding decline or obsolescence."

[Tfrank59]

128K Miles on mine and running great.
I believe that it will outlast me.

That's really what this is about – who's going to get the bike when I'm too old to ride it. It's actually the same question I ask myself about my 98 Toyota pick up -- it will also outlive me pretty sure, and I'm not all that old yet 

[Gryphon Rider]

bought mine two years ago with 115,00Km , now is 135,000Km and runs like new

How do you know it runs like new if you got it recently?

[Louis Durocher]

i was a mechanic for 25 years and you bet i know how an engine should run.