Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

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Lucien Harpress
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Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#1

Post by Lucien Harpress »

It's quickly approaching that time. It's November again in Michigan, and the joys of the open road will soon be replaced with sleepy bikes and memories of speed until the spring thaw....

AAAAND I start workshopping (and Photoshopping) ideas for bikes I don't even own. :lol:

In any case, I've got some ideas kicking around, and while I've done the best I can with stock images I find online, a certain angle is proving elusive. I know there's a couple Valkyrie owners on this forum, and was hoping you could help me out real quick. Essentially? I just need a side-on photo of a Valk with no seat (front or back).

As straight a profile from the side as you can get would be ideal, and one of the non-Interstate versions would be even better (ie, no fairing). The important thing (for me) is to see the lines of one of these bikes with no seat.

I thank you kind folks in advance.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
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Liam
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#2

Post by Liam »

I happen to have a 2001 Valkyrie with the seat off at the moment in el shed. Unfortunately I have been working away from home for the last few days. Travelling home at the moment will get there around 10.30pm. Tomorrow evening I will get you pictures. What is the best way to send them to you?
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#3

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Thanks Liam. Honestly, the best way to get the photos to me are either through my email (michaelrglinski@gmail.com) or just post 'em up here.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Liam
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#4

Post by Liam »

Here are some pictures.
20191109_123218.jpg
20191109_123218.jpg (100.58 KiB) Viewed 330 times
20191109_123231.jpg
20191109_123231.jpg (82.88 KiB) Viewed 330 times
20191109_123834.jpg
20191109_123834.jpg (94.59 KiB) Viewed 330 times
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Liam
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#5

Post by Liam »

And here are some more.
If you need any more from different angles just let it be known.
20191109_123834.jpg
20191109_123834.jpg (94.59 KiB) Viewed 330 times
20191109_123849.jpg
20191109_123849.jpg (103.6 KiB) Viewed 330 times
20191109_123918.jpg
20191109_123918.jpg (76.49 KiB) Viewed 330 times
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Liam
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#6

Post by Liam »

I bought this earlier this year, and it is not a particularly tidy example.
There are a few bits missing which I am searching for. It is difficult to get bits for these.
For example I am looking for a set of OEM engine bars, and you will see if you look that sellers are offering mangled up examples and looking for top money.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#7

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Naw, this is absolutely fantastic. Thanks!

Depending on when I sell my 1200 Standard and IF I can get what I want for it, I see myself ending up with a Valk sooner than later. I'd love to do a bit of light customizing on it if/when I get one, but it'd be nice to visualize the end result before I start hacking up a multi-thousand dollar motorcycle.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#8

Post by Track T 2411 »

Lucien Harpress wrote:Naw, this is absolutely fantastic. Thanks!

Depending on when I sell my 1200 Standard and IF I can get what I want for it, I see myself ending up with a Valk sooner than later. I'd love to do a bit of light customizing on it if/when I get one, but it'd be nice to visualize the end result before I start hacking up a multi-thousand dollar motorcycle.
You do realise, Lucien, that because you've posted this, you also have to share your artwork... lolol lolol lolol
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#9

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Oh, I've got a feeling it's going to tick a LOOOOOT of people off. :lol:

Essentially, the goal is to give it a more retro look (aka, 40's/50's), but keep all the added benefits of a modern(ish) bike. A lot of the design cues I'm looking at are from the older BMW bikes, like the R69, R51, etc. Cantilevered seat, fender-mounted rear rack, flatter handlebars, deeper headlight bucket, etc. At the very least I'm stealing the white pinstripes. lolol

Whether or not I can get this look WITHOUT major surgery on a Valkyrie is going to be the main challenge. I never want to do anything that I can't UNdo later, if I decide to. On top of that, I don't want to ruin the ride, either. I hear these are fantastic bikes, and I don't want to get rid of too much that makes them good.

On the flip side, I've had 4 bikes worth of keeping things 100% stock. I wouldn't mind stretching my creativity a bit....
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#10

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Okay, so this is a SUUUUPER quick and dirty photoshop, but this is kind of the idea.

Image

I'm loving the bags and the seat combination. The kneepads on the tank aren't going to be a thing, it's just an artifact of the photoshop process. Not 100% sold on the headlight, and all sizes are subject to change/interpretation, but.... it's a really good step in a cool direction.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#11

Post by Jonesz »

There's something about tan and black. As a Valkyrie owner I really like the photoshop. I am thinking you will be way better off buying a standard. My friend owns an Interstate and it would be a huge stretch getting it to the photoshop version.
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1983 GL1100 Aspencade named "Freki" currently undergoing change to a standard. Sold
1999 Valkyrie CT 1500 goes by the moniker "Valerie"
1978 Gl1000 "Loki" new project going to be a Cafe Convertible
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#12

Post by Lucien Harpress »

The one thing the Interstate has going for it is the larger gas tank with a fuel gauge, but I don't think it's worth holding out one just for that. I've also gotten REAL tired of pulling fairings off of bikes I've bought. :lol:

The funnest part is going to be fabbing the seat, I think, and while I've done a bit of metalwork before, nothing really that clean and to that extent. And not much I can do without actually physically OWNING a bike to base things off of. Everything else I could probably get away with some bolt-on pieces.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#13

Post by desertrefugee »

I’m not a big fan of the bulbous shape of the interstate tank. I much prefer the sleeker standard/tourer version.

I’m also not a big fan of running out of gas in the Intermountain West. There’s something to be said for an extra gallon. Pretty much why I pack a small wedge shaped 1g container in the angled back corner of one of my bags if trips through the boonies with unknown spacing between gas stops is a possibility.
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#14

Post by Lucien Harpress »

That's kind of another reason I"m a fan of going with more of a retro look- old-style solution to spare fuel tanks that modern bike manufacturers don't use anymore. Spare jerry cans, etc. Who knows? (Need to do some more research to be sure.)

Maybe BMW isn't the best place to crib ideas from in this case- I'm looking at what Ural as done as well. Mostly in the realm of taking a a 1940s idea, keeping the spirit, but updating it to a modern design. Kind of in my head-space rationalizing it as BMW continuing with the boxer design, but not having to worry about following Honda's Goldwing, so they just kept going to adding cylinders and (eventually) switching to water cooling.

Like I said, I'm bound to annoy some BMW purists, and maybe some Honda purists as well. But I'm also reminded of a bike I saw at Mid-Ohio a few years back- a stock-perfect 1970s era Harley Davidson, complete with fairing, bags, and luggage rack- but with a CB750 motor. It's like it was tailor-made to annoy people.

(Note- I'm willing to throw ALL of this out the window if, when I actually purchase a Valkyrie I found out they are 100% perfect without any mods whatsoever. My 1200 Standard was going to be the bike that could reliably get me from one side of the US to another, and the only reason I'm entertaining the idea of selling it is so I can get a bike that can do the same. Fun as speculation is, I also don't want to ruin a good bike.)
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Re: Strange Request for Valkyrie Owner(s)

#15

Post by Sidecar Bob »

I like the knee pads. I installed pads on Mr.H last year.
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