'97 valkyrie

[theman8120]

dose anybody know the power difference from the '97 models as to the later models? If so how notice albe is the difference?   

[Tropic traveler]

My '97 with 90K will easily outrun the wife's '98 with 17K. Both are Tourers very close to stock. The Cobras on the '98 hurt the midrange noticeably. Flip side is the wife's '98 uses about 1/2 gallon less fuel per fill up than my '97 with the exact same miles traveled. I can feel the difference, it is noticeable. Surprising all the more given the miles difference. My totally unscientific butt dyno says about 7-10 HP.   
Carbs & cams may be the reason. Hard to tell as the parts books list all years as taking the same replacement parts. However that doesn't mean they had the same parts as originally delivered.
Personally I think Honda threw out '97 models as 100HP "ringers" to wow the press & buying public then scaled them back in subsequent years. No reason to keep the Valk set on "kill" as there wasn't anything out there in the big cruiser/tourer lines from other bike makers that came close at that time.

[Cleaner Man]

My '97 Red & White is way faster than my brothers '98. Part of the problem with his '98 is that he mixes Guard Dog moly paste with some other type of grease, and gets hard on him- bad!
Also- my '97 consistently gets 42-44 mpg.  I do ride conservatively so that i can give the gawkers time to look at my ride!

[Sasha47VSSS]

'97 Valks are fastest, especialy the black ones!!

[Master Blaster]

People esp the ones that own 97s like to believe that.  Ive owned 2 97s a 98, and a 2K I/S.  There is very little difference in performance in any of them.  All will have minor differences in performance, even two of the same year model.  Certainly there is not enough difference to pick one over another.  Saying that, I do love my 97 over the rest, but then it has a 2K engine in it.

[BF]

Everybody knows Red & White Valks are the fastest.  They only made the Red & White ones the first years so of course they're the fastest. 

That's why Ferrari paints their cars red.....makes 'em faster.   

[RP#62]

The '97s are fast.  Scary fast.  So much so that they were initially banned in several states, especially the green and cream Valks.  To preserve sales, Honda had to derate the power on subsequent year models.
From what I understand, the camshafts on the 97s were forged from Norwegian steel. . . at midnight . . .on Odin's birthday.


-RP

[Dag]

Same color as a scool bus. No further comments... just check this link 

http://www.valkyrienorway.com/cpg1412/displayimage.php?album=13&pos=10

[Nickster]

I think its all in how you ride.  I have a 98 tourer jade and black.  My ol man has a 98 black standard.  We have never raced but i know i ride mine a lot harder then he does.  Haveing said that i think mine is faster hahahahaha.  I like to ride hard and kill Harleys
AkNickster