My New 2014 Valk 1800

[BlueElf]

I just traded in several older bikes to get this new Valk 1800 from Chattanooga, TN.  I traded in a 05 Rocket III, 02 VTX1800C and a 1999 Valk Interstate to get this new bike.  I got most of the optional accessories, Touring Windshield, LED Fog/Drive lights, Saddlebags, Luggage Rack and Padded Sissy Bar.  I also go the matching plain Touring Bag that is "supposed to mount" on top of the luggage rack.  I love the bike and just changed the oil at 1000 miles to AMSOil.  My question is about the Touring bag from Honda, the bag seems to be good quality like the plain saddlebags but the mounting straps are complete crap both in design and fitment to the new Valk.  Has anyone else go this bag and if so, were the straps not long enough and not in the correct locations?  Any help would be appreciated.   I managed to get the bag strapped down but now the sissy bar strap and buckle are right on the center of the padded backrest making it very uncomfortable for any rear passenger.  

[_Sheffjs_]

   enjoy!!!

[AdrianR]

I just traded in several older bikes to get this new Valk 1800 from Chattanooga, TN.  I traded in a 05 Rocket III, 02 VTX1800C and a 1999 Valk Interstate to get this new bike.  I got most of the optional accessories, Touring Windshield, LED Fog/Drive lights, Saddlebags, Luggage Rack and Padded Sissy Bar.  I also go the matching plain Touring Bag that is "supposed to mount" on top of the luggage rack.  I love the bike and just changed the oil at 1000 miles to AMSOil.  My question is about the Touring bag from Honda, the bag seems to be good quality like the plain saddlebags but the mounting straps are complete crap both in design and fitment to the new Valk.  Has anyone else go this bag and if so, were the straps not long enough and not in the correct locations?  Any help would be appreciated.   I managed to get the bag strapped down but now the sissy bar strap and buckle are right on the center of the padded backrest making it very uncomfortable for any rear passenger.  

Hey dude...what ya think of that Amsoil 10/30 Synth?  I am thinking of changing over to it within the next couple hundred miles..

I will also switch the final drive oil to full synthetic...

[Robert]

Oil questions can get dicey around here  but I would go a 10/40 rather than a 10/30. As for Amsoil its a good oil. On the 1500 Valk there were alot of arguments of what was the best oil to use and some did indeed have advantages but it always seemed you could use cooking oil and the thing would just keep going. The Valks are pretty bullet proof, but some including myself use a 15/50 on the 1500  because of gear noise, which the thicker oil quiets that down. My opinion is use a good synthetic 10/40 and leave it at that.

[AdrianR]

Oil questions can get dicey around here  but I would go a 10/40 rather than a 10/30. As for Amsoil its a good oil. On the 1500 Valk there were alot of arguments of what was the best oil to use and some did indeed have advantages but it always seemed you could use cooking oil and the thing would just keep going. The Valks are pretty bullet proof, but some including myself use a 15/50 on the 1500  because of gear noise, which the thicker oil quiets that down. My opinion is use a good synthetic 10/40 and leave it at that.

Dude I am a LONG time synthetic oil advocate.  I use it in nearly everything...When I bought my new Ford truck...5/20w was recommended.  I used 5/30w sythn oil..for awhile for prudent reasons.  But then I accidentally bought 5/20w...and used it anyway.  The end result was slightly better HP and fuel mileage..I will use 5/30w Synth in my Valk...

[hungryeye]

Oil questions can get dicey around here  but I would go a 10/40 rather than a 10/30. As for Amsoil its a good oil. On the 1500 Valk there were alot of arguments of what was the best oil to use and some did indeed have advantages but it always seemed you could use cooking oil and the thing would just keep going. The Valks are pretty bullet proof, but some including myself use a 15/50 on the 1500  because of gear noise, which the thicker oil quiets that down. My opinion is use a good synthetic 10/40 and leave it at that.

Dude I am a LONG time synthetic oil advocate.  I use it in nearly everything...When I bought my new Ford truck...5/20w was recommended.  I used 5/30w sythn oil..for awhile for prudent reasons.  But then I accidentally bought 5/20w...and used it anyway.  The end result was slightly better HP and fuel mileage..I will use 5/30w Synth in my Valk...

For a minute I thought I posted this...In 105+ deg heat in AZ I ran 5w20 in my 05 Excursion V10 towing a 5-6000 lb grade tractor around Scottsdale and Cave Creek, Also used Honda full syn 10w30 in my 2012 NC700DCT, either vehicle ever used a drop of oil and both ran like a Swiss watch.
I'll be using the 10/30 Honda full syn in my Valk at 2000 miles, almost there.

[BlueElf]

Like most riders on oil questions, I have my opinion but my opinion is based upon 50 years of riding and also reading several technical 'white papers' about synthetic oils.   Up until trading in several bikes, I owned road 5 motorcycles (1999 Valk Interstate, 02 VTX1800C, 05 Rocket 3, 09 V-Max1700 and 09 CVO FatBob 110.  I also owned 3 other bikes that my significant other used, 07 Honda 750C2, 10 Honda Phantom 750 & 2010 Sportster XL1200L.)  We traded in 5 of these bikes and got 2 new ones (2014 Valk1800, 2014 Shadow 750C2) so we are down to 5 bikes which makes it easier to maintain since we have both retired.

I have used AmsOil in all of my bikes for many years, 10-40 in watercooled ones and 20-50 in the Harleys.  We also use the AmsOil Severe Gear 70-90 & 70-140 in all of the drive shaft bikes.  We ride all year around here in north AL.  Riding in temps from 100 down to 20 degrees so our bikes get plenty of workouts.  When I sold the 99 Valk, 02 VTX and 05 Rocket 3 they had 108K, 72K and 82K miles of them respectively.  Never had any engine problems at all and they still ran great, great compression and never had any clutch problems. 

I used AmsOil 10-40 in the new Valk1800 & will put Severe Gear 70-80 in the shaft drive at about 4k miles.  The new Valk's engine was quieter and seemed smoother after my oil change but the major change was how much smoother gear shifting was after changing out oil.  My take on oil is that 'any good synthetic' will far surpass any of the Dino-oils and will significantly help your engines ability to maintain its compression and longevity.  I simply use AmsOil because it is easy to get and after reading the whitepaper comparisons on synthetics, I felt it was slightly superior to the other brands out there.   That being said, Mobil, Castrol and all the other synthetics will all do the job much better than any of the Dino-Oils out there.   That is all I will say about the topic as everyone has their preferences.