The Magic of the Valkyrie

[Chrisj CMA]

Rode to church tonight where I have been teaching a class on wed nights. My last few rides were sort of putt putt rides through town. The Valkyrie does this type of riding surprisingly well.

Ok so on the way home there was an opportunity to pull out into traffic where I needed to get going right now if you get my drift. So I launched a bit more aggressively than I normally do and woefully underestimated how much my Valkyrie would enjoy the request. I pulled out in a 45 mph zone a tad closer to oncoming traffic than I usually do but I had a parking lane totally clear that I could use to accelerate.

When I got my arms back in their sockets I checked in the mirrors and the traffic was WAY back there.  These bike go from tame to wild happily and I think the smile on my face could be seen for a block.

Maybe not the fastest bike on the market, but fast enough to put a smile on this old mans face

[Big Rig]

She is an all around PHAT girl for sure....

[Jess from VA]

While I rarely pull out in close traffic, I launch like that all the time. (when the cops aren't watching)

Weeeeeeeee.   

[msb]

Maybe not the fastest bike on the market, but fast enough to put a smile on this old mans face

Heck, just sitting in the garage (or in your living room )  they can put a smile on your face  

[DirtyDan]

“ MAN that thing really gets up and GOES!!!”

Little birdie told me once 

Dan

[Chrisj CMA]

Maybe not the fastest bike on the market, but fast enough to put a smile on this old mans face

Heck, just sitting in the garage (or in your living room )  they can put a smile on your face  

The tv in the family room died and I replaced it with a bowflex. But I used to sit on the bike and watch the super bike races on Sunday afternoon 

[cookiedough]

one road at a stop sign major hwy cross traffic I take with cycle daily to work really pisses me off when cars in front do NOT pull out with oncoming traffic heading their way.  PLENTY of time to get up and step on the gas but most do not pull out in front of oncoming traffic.   I sometimes take the curvy side road that bypasses that intersection and sometimes I get ahead of all the traffic 1 mile down the road stepping on it doing 80 mph along that side road to get onto that major hwy.  Is not the best road and deer ridden, but more often than not it works to get ahead of most traffic.   If I know more than 1 car going to stop at that stop sign ahead of me,  I take side road and 75% of the time if I gun it along side road, I can get ahead of 10-15 cars going along that major hwy.   

The valk and most other cycles if goose it off the line,  picks up pretty quickly to 70 mph, especially 2nd gear doing most of the work since I feel 1st gear having to shift way too quickly.  For some reason I feel 1st gear is too torquey and goes to redline way too quickly but 2nd and 3rd gear can wind them out a lot longer and much, much faster mph probably never need a 4th or 5th gear, although I have been known a few times to put in the clutch above 60 mph thinking I have another gear left already in 5th gear.

[Jess Tolbirt]

I was sitting at a red light one day and decided I was going to gas it when the light turns green.. just an itch i was having. Now keep in mind I used to race sprint cars back in the day and on a tacky track they can make your eyes hit the back of your head when you nail it out of the corner..that said, I was running a car tire on the valk. the light turned green, the clutch came out as the throttle went to wide open. that dam bike took off so hard that i got dizzy and had it not been for the drivers back rest i might still be laying in the middle of the road. My sprint was 950 hp and weighed in at 1850 pounds and NEVER have I gotten dizzy from the torque. now i know the valk was only 100 hp. but it was more than i wanted that day..

[henry 008]

  love the feel of that kind of acceleration   

[old2soon]

          The Honda dealer I frequent in West Plains Mo. is just N of town and also just a smidge N of where the speed limit goes from 55 MPH to 65 MPH. It's also down hill from the hwy. The other day I had stopped in and it-the hwy-was BUSY as I got to the point to git back on the hwy. A gap was coming-I would NOT have tried it with my cage-eased up outa the hole and NAILED it. Heard a chirp from my car tire she hooked up and AWAY we go!  Used about 5500 RPM for shift points and by third gear-DAMN!  Glad i have a back rest on her.  I got to ride that blower bike in Asheville in 14 and if that machine had not had that step seat i would have been down HARD on the backside of the motel parking lot.  Even stock engines on these Valkyries of ours have made my eyes water.  RIDE SAFE.

[3fan4life]

The first time that I ever twisted the throttle back hard on a Valkyrie it put a big ear to ear grin on my face and has everytime since.

My ST1300 is faster than my Valks but it just doesn't have the same "launch" feel that the Valkyries have.

[scooperhsd]

love the feel of that kind of acceleration   

There is no such thing as too much acceleration !!!!! (think cat shot off a carrier...)

[Chrisj CMA]

love the feel of that kind of acceleration   

There is no such thing as too much acceleration !!!!! (think cat shot off a carrier...)

What is so cool is the multiple personalities our bikes have. So content to putt around at 35-40 mph in 4th or 5th. But in the blink of an eye she turns into a speed demon causing Adrenalin rush (no charge). 

[old2soon]

love the feel of that kind of acceleration   

There is no such thing as too much acceleration !!!!! (think cat shot off a carrier...)

             Cat shot or arrested landing-ENJOYED both!     I'm thinkin here adrenaline junky!  RIDE SAFE.

[Bighead]

The first time that I ever twisted the throttle back hard on a Valkyrie it put a big ear to ear grin on my face and has everytime since.

Felt the same way back in ‘97 when I test rode my Bee and it has ever since. Even launches a bit harder after Bob did his GLH package on her a year and a half ago

[cookiedough]

I was sitting at a red light one day and decided I was going to gas it when the light turns green.. just an itch i was having. Now keep in mind I used to race sprint cars back in the day and on a tacky track they can make your eyes hit the back of your head when you nail it out of the corner..that said, I was running a car tire on the valk. the light turned green, the clutch came out as the throttle went to wide open. that dam bike took off so hard that i got dizzy and had it not been for the drivers back rest i might still be laying in the middle of the road. My sprint was 950 hp and weighed in at 1850 pounds and NEVER have I gotten dizzy from the torque. now i know the valk was only 100 hp. but it was more than i wanted that day..

If you are getting dizzy from the torque off the line of the Valk,  then might wanna get checked out by a Dr.           I feel it is pretty quick, but not that fast.  Maybe I am doing something wrong?      For a big cruiser, it is pretty darn quick, but will not overtake most over 800cc crotch rockets or sport touring cycles like the st1300 or fjr1300 or kawi concourse 1400, etc.   If it does,  then the people on those type of cycles should be on something else not knowing how to ride them.. 

[rocketray]

the internet search shows road testing a 1997 Tourer..4.0 sec  zero to sixty and a 12.1 1/4 mile stock as new

[Fireman973]

The Valkyrie for me has been one of the best all around bikes I've ever owned or rode. The only regret is not having one earlier to enjoy but brother I'm sure glad to have one now

[Jess Tolbirt]

I was sitting at a red light one day and decided I was going to gas it when the light turns green.. just an itch i was having. Now keep in mind I used to race sprint cars back in the day and on a tacky track they can make your eyes hit the back of your head when you nail it out of the corner..that said, I was running a car tire on the valk. the light turned green, the clutch came out as the throttle went to wide open. that dam bike took off so hard that i got dizzy and had it not been for the drivers back rest i might still be laying in the middle of the road. My sprint was 950 hp and weighed in at 1850 pounds and NEVER have I gotten dizzy from the torque. now i know the valk was only 100 hp. but it was more than i wanted that day..

If you are getting dizzy from the torque off the line of the Valk,  then might wanna get checked out by a Dr.           I feel it is pretty quick, but not that fast.  Maybe I am doing something wrong?      For a big cruiser, it is pretty darn quick, but will not overtake most over 800cc crotch rockets or sport touring cycles like the st1300 or fjr1300 or kawi concourse 1400, etc.   If it does,  then the people on those type of cycles should be on something else not knowing how to ride them.. 

could have something to do with the age i am now vs. the age i was back in 1983...i actually had to think to myself back off..

[F6Dave]

the internet search shows road testing a 1997 Tourer..4.0 sec  zero to sixty and a 12.1 1/4 mile stock as new

22 years ago there wasn't a cruiser on the market that could touch that.  It has aged very well and still holds its own, but when new it made everything else look pretty feeble.

What surprises me these days is how much faster cars and trucks have become.  My 1993 Taurus SHO with 220 HP was considered a fast car in its day.  Very few vehicles had 300 HP back then.  But today, 400+ HP is common even in run of the mill pickup trucks.  These are amazing times.

[Rams]

 I have a friend that rode a Honda Shadow, the small version.  Others had told her it was too big and more than she could handle.  I did not agree.  I talked her into test riding a Valkyrie. She got on the fat lady idled out on the street and she nailed it. She only went for a short ride and came back and her only words were holy poop!    Her grin was from ear to ear.

She now rides that Valkyrie.

Rams  

[Chrisj CMA]

Sunday afternoon I had to take a 100 mile trip to pick up some bike parts.  What a huge sacrifice right  

So I'm on the freeway going 75mph (78-80 indicated)  The 18wheeler in front of me slows a little on a long gradual hill so I decide to pass.  The last time I was in this situation was on the Bruce bike headed to INZANE.  The Bruce bike had more launch grunt but less highway speed passing power.

Anyway, I was used to the oomph of the Bruce bike when I twisted the throttle at 75 mph and the Cobra bike launched.  Holy cr@p that was fun 95-100 indicated in the length of the 18 wheeler and then back down to 75.

Not too shabby for a 22 year old bike with 165,000 miles