A new valkyrie from Turkey

[Emir]

Hi from Turkey.
Finallay I achieved to buy my new bike. 2014 Valkyrie
Thank God. This is really a great bike.
I bought it as second hand which has 5.000km on its tacho.
Color is red or maroon I'm not sure but really nice color option.

These accesories were already installed on it :

- Honda Touring screen with MRA addition screen
- Honda fog lights
- Honda wind deflectors
- Corbin seat and backrest

This is what it looks like when I got it:


After riding it for 500km to my home. İmmeadiately began to uninstall the unneccessary parts.
For example the windshield:


It's too long and ruins the look of the bike. Also it makes the bike unstable at high speeds. I wanna feel the wind. Otherwise I will carry on driving my Mercedes Am I right ?

Also i disliked the wind deflectors:

The bike is wide already and keeps the legs from wind. There is no need for this ugly part.

After that i uninstalled the back rest just to look at the bike without it. I will mount it back on when i will ride with a passenger on long trips.

Now the bike looks like this:






And my riding impressions:
Absolutely great. I had several bikes before this but this is marvellous. Engine is so smooth there is no vibrations at all. Also handles well and very easy to ride in high city traffic. Incredibely well balanced.
The sound is amazing. 6 cylinders is perfect tone. After riding this bike I can never go on with a harley or another V Twin.
While riding in city stop and go traffic I never get heat from the engine. This is best.
Corbin seat is so comfy. I rode it for 500km from İstanbul to Ankara and there was no pain in my body. Also I rode it for another 600km yesterday and when I got home I changed my shirt and take my girl to dinner with bike. Never felt tired.
The performance and the torque is more than enough. No need to downshift. Easily rides at every speed on the fifth gear.
Fog lights is great at night and day. Cars leave the lane to me when they see me coming.
Horn is just like truck and weel heard in traffic.

The minus is for the grips. They are too thick, hard to hold and reach the levers. I wonder if can i can change them with thinner ones. Also is there any options for adjustable levers ? I prefer to hold them easily.

Long story short, this is the best bike I ever had and ı think i will ride it for a long time.
In some topics I saw that valkyrie is compared to Diavel but as a person who rod diavel I can say that I will never change my valkyrie to a ducati. Diavel may be more powerfull but the sound and vibration is awfull. Never good bike for long distance riding.

I wanna hear your suggestions about bike.
Sıncerely,
Emir.

[ledany]

Bonjour Emir !
I you don't like the windshield, you may cut it a little bit or buy a french Secdem  which is not as flat as your Honda touring screen. For the levers, I bought second hand Goldwing levers because they are black and adjustable so I can brake more easily (but I enjoy the big grips !).
Enjoy, though the times are rough ! 

[Emir]

Bonjour Emir !
I you don't like the windshield, you may cut it a little bit or buy a french Secdem  which is not as flat as your Honda touring screen. For the levers, I bought second hand Goldwing levers because they are black and adjustable so I can brake more easily (but I enjoy the big grips !).
Enjoy, though the times are rough ! 

Bonjour;
You are right. Unfortunately you are  right, these are tough days for all Europe. God damn those terrorist.
Is goldwing adjustable levers are easy to install without modification ? If so I can try them too.
Secdem is a French brand of windshield ? I will search for it. Also I think about the little boulevard screen just for the looks.

By the way, in January I visited PAris and loved the city. In fact I came to marry Paris is a great city and there was lots of motorcycles around everywhere.

[allhans4]

Welcome aboard!

Like you, I want to feel the wind. No windshields!

[_Sheffjs_]

   good choice for sure!! 

[AdrianR]

Welcome aboard!

Like you, I want to feel the wind. No windshields!

No, just get a small *deflector* windshield.  You'd be surprised how it deflects rock and bugs away from your face and body..seriously...  While I too do not like overt windshields...a deflector will be on every bike I own for now on.

[Robert]

Welcome and glad you like the bike.  I like a windshield since the bugs and the wind is a bit  much. I see you have the air shields at the radiator pods those to me are unnecessary. The bike has really good design when it comes to the wind so other than the windshield its really not necessary. Are you going to put some kind of bags on the bike?

[Emir]

İn fact I am not planing to install hard bags on the bike. Mostly İ ride in city and daily trips so there iş no much need. I love the naked look more.
But for süre in summer ı ride for halıdan trips for a week and i need luggagr space. I Will use soft tail bags for that purpose. Not very practical but cheap and effective solution.
By the way valkyrie iş not a communal used bike in My country and accesorie choices are not available here.
But as for accesorie ı liked the Chrome side covers. İn a short time ı Will order them from Honda dealer.

[Kidd]

Give me wind protection , I want it , I want to enjoy the ride with out the fight .
The deflectors  you have look nice , I would love to find some for mine

[Jess from VA]

Hosgeldiniz Emir, I'm glad you like your new motorcycle.  

They are smooth and reliable and fast, and most of all, great fun.

I have no input for the newer machine, as I ride the original Valkyrie.

I served with the US Air Force in Ankara and Incerlik (Adana) in the 1980s and very much enjoyed your friendly people and culture and I married a beautiful Turkish girl and brought her home with me. Congratulations on your marriage.

I am very sorry for the more recent troubles you are having these days, and loss of lives.

Ride safely, driving in Turkey was always an adventure when I was there, and some of the roads were not so good.

In what city do you live?  (I used to know the license plate codes for the larger cities)

My Turkish is poor, and the phrase I used most often was.... avidar sinez, amah Türkçe bilmeyarum (forgive spelling)

Tanrı sizinle olsun

[Emir]

Hi Jess,
I live in Ankara and practice law as a judge of administrial court.
Glad to hear that you lived in Turkey and still have good memories.
And you mnarried with a Turkish woman so in my culture you are my brother in law
Since 1980's Turkey developed alot. Roads are quite good now with lots of hoghways and modern cities but traffic is still a big jam.
Unfortunaltely our people still don't respect the traffic rules and it's a real big deal to ride and drive safely here.
When I visit other countries always surprised how the people obey the rules.
Hope someday my country will be like that but i don't think taht I can see it

In Turkey valkyrie is not known well. Honda is a very popular brand and there is lots of goldwings but valkyries are so rare.
In fact goldwing range is very expensive here because of import taxes. For example a brand new valklyrie costs here for approximately 25.000 USD. Twice more than US i think.
But beside everything, New valk is the best bike I ever rode. 

[Pete]

Nice looking Valkyrie. Ride safe and enjoy it.
Congratulations on the marriage.

[Jess from VA]

Hi Jess,
I live in Ankara and practice law as a judge of administrial court.
Glad to hear that you lived in Turkey and still have good memories.
And you mnarried with a Turkish woman so in my culture you are my brother in law
Since 1980's Turkey developed alot. Roads are quite good now with lots of hoghways and modern cities but traffic is still a big jam.
Unfortunaltely our people still don't respect the traffic rules and it's a real big deal to ride and drive safely here.
When I visit other countries always surprised how the people obey the rules.
Hope someday my country will be like that but i don't think taht I can see it

In Turkey valkyrie is not known well. Honda is a very popular brand and there is lots of goldwings but valkyries are so rare.
In fact goldwing range is very expensive here because of import taxes. For example a brand new valklyrie costs here for approximately 25.000 USD. Twice more than US i think.
But beside everything, New valk is the best bike I ever rode.  

Well now Emir, I was (yüzbaşı avukat) Judge Advocate at Balgat Air Base in Ankara in 1985-6.  I traveled all over Western Turkey for my job, often with our young Turkish attorney (Mehmet Nur Tanishik) - sp?)  He was a great help to us; unfortunately I lost touch with him after transferring to Incerlik AB to be USAF avukat, savunucul for a second tour of duty.  I think Balgat was closed many years ago and Nur Bey lost his USAF position, unfortunately.

I was married at a big wedding up in Chankaya American Officer's Club in April 1986.  Muammar Gaddafi was angry at us that month, so he sent some Libyans to visit our wedding, but the Ankara police did a wonderful job in catching them (right outside on the street), and no one was hurt.  

Yes, after the wedding I was often called enişte (brother in law), with big smiles.  On our short honeymoon travel, we had to stop telling anyone of our recent wedding, because all the hotels and restaurants made a big fuss over us (which was very nice, but we could get no peace).

After the Air Force, I spent the rest of my career as civil servant attorney in administrative law for our US Dept of Veteran's Affairs in Washington DC.   I retired a few years ago, and now I just relax and ride two 1999 Valkyrie motorcycles.  My wife just got back from visiting her mother and brother in Izmir several weeks ago, and of course traveled through Istanbul Atatürk airport both ways.

Driving in Ankara was always some excitement, especially all the taxi cab drivers thought it was a race, and they always used the horns and not the brakes.  Most of us with our own cars left them at home and used the taxis, they were cheap and our cars were safer being parked.  Keep your eyes on the taxis!! LOL

allahaısmarladık  güle güle 

[bscrive]

Hi Emir,

Welcome to the Valkyrie world.

My wife, and I, too, were in your country on vacation 5 years ago in Istanbul, and Kusadasi.  We loved the country.

For some grips, I put on a set of Avon grips that were designed for the metric cruiser.  Specifically I got the MT Air Cushion Anodized Grips with Throttle Assist. I love these grips.  I agree the oem ones are too big.

Brian

[Emir]

Hi Emir,

Welcome to the Valkyrie world.

My wife, and I, too, were in your country on vacation 5 years ago in Istanbul, and Kusadasi.  We loved the country.

For some grips, I put on a set of Avon grips that were designed for the metric cruiser.  Specifically I got the MT Air Cushion Anodized Grips with Throttle Assist. I love these grips.  I agree the oem ones are too big.

Brian

Thank you Brian,
I searched for Avon grips and they look really quality. But I have to ship them from USA and shipping cost will be exactly same as the price of grips.
Maybe if i can find them on a european country i can buy them online.

I'm not sure that Rizoma brand will fit to Valkyrie. If so, it will be more reasonable for me to buy them.
The other bikes which I had I always preffered Rizomas and they are quite good. I will search for installation.
Appreciate for your advices.

[Fsixer]

Hey Emir, Glad you got you a Valkyrie F6C. Just a fantastic motorcyle.