That Poor Valkyrie

[sunnbobb]

Part 1 - The Kid

I was standing outside my favorite watering hole, the Rex Bar and Grill, just outside of Mount Vernon, WA., doing my best to enjoy a beautiful sunny day. I was out test riding a 68 Wards Riverside 175 2 stroke. Being the ornery cuss I sometimes fancy myself as, I had taken it to the Rex to mingle among the Harley-centric gathering of bikers usually hanging out there. The local Harley clubs that meet up there generally accept my existence, given I always showed up riding something interesting that wasn't a Harley or Indian, and I wasn't wearing the colors of a rival club.

Hanging out having a smoke, A young'un engaged in conversation with me, let's call him Gil. We talked bikes, as bikers do. Gil had just joined our local bad boys bike club and was proud of his prospect labeled cut. I asked him what sort of bike he was riding that day. He timidly told me he was riding a Valk and thinking about getting a Harley. I told him his Valk would smoke any bike in the parking lot that day and he would regret ever getting rid of it later in life. Telling that to a 21 year old who is caught up in the social aspects of a Harley oriented bike club is like telling my cat not to get up on the counter.

He showed a genuine interest in the little Wards, and I gave him the run down on mixing oil, tickling the carb, and kick starting. Except it wouldn't start. Damn it. In the time honored tradition of bump starting motorcycles everywhere in the world, I asked if he would mind giving me a push. I climbed on the little bike, he pushed, I dropped into 3rd and dropped the clutch. The little monster roared to life, or more appropriately, brap brap brapped to life. In a cloud of smoke, I stood up on the pegs and waved thanks to the kid as I rode off into the countryside, heading back to the shop.

[sunnbobb]

Part 2 - The Text

A month had passed, maybe two, when I got a text from my Buddy, "Doc" Harley. Doc was the oldest member of the aforementioned Bad Boys bike club. The aforementioned club had asked him to join their club. He had accepted, on one condition, he wasn't going to do the "Prospect Crap". He had ridden across deserts, in driving snow storms, and raced Harleys at Bonneville. He was friend with Sonny Barger. All before most of the club members had been born.

Doc asked me if I was interested in a Valk that a member had decided to sell. He said the kid need money and was going to sell his bike. I knew better, but decided to go with the story. I suspected the seller was the kid I had spoken to months ago, and he needed a down payment for a Harley.

I kind of always thought of the Honda Valkyrie as huge and somewhat pretentious, so I wasn't gung ho on following up, but decided for the right price, I could be persuaded to make a purchase. I was in the middle of building a Cafe Racer out of a Wards Riverside 125, and I didn't really feel like stacking up another project while waiting to finish the build.

I told Doc to give the guy my number and have him ring me up. A couple hours later, the phone rang. It was Gil.

Over the years, when I'm on the fence about buying a particular bike, or car, or stereo, I always tossed a super low ball number out to the seller, half hoping they would decline and I could justify that the Karma gods had decided the goods were not in my path. Herein is a little side note to buyers and sellers. I've been doing this a long time. Nobody makes a bunch of money on restoring or customizing a bike, even if you get the thing for free to start with. Knowing this, I always low ball the seller. I'm not trying to take advantage of the seller, I'm just trying to get the cost down so I can live with myself diving headlong into this hobby, spending my retirement savings freely. So here is the deal. So here were the facts in this possible transaction: 1. I know the seller has a woody for a new toy. 2. I knew the seller wasn't super attached to his bike. 3. I knew the bike had not been cared for (information from Doc) 4. The seller called me quickly, which told me he was eager to sell. 5. I knew that $1800 was the most I would spend to buy the bike.

Over the phone, Gil told me that the previous owner had sideswiped a deer, and the bike had been repaired. He also mentioned some other things, that sent up some red flags in my brain. After hearing all this, I told him the most I would be willing to go was $1000. I thought he was going to cry. Sorry kid, life is tough. In the world of used bikes, it's eat or be eaten. "Can you go $1400?" he asked. Thinking about how he had so willingly given me a push in the parking lot a few months back, I decided to go with it. We setup a time to get together the next day.

[pidjones]

2 tone Valk Interstate is, IMHO, the most beautiful mass-produced bike ever. And I don't like chrome!

[eades473]

Where's the picture of the Valk?

[Whiskerfish]

Love where this is going!

[sunnbobb]

Part 3 - The Adoption

It was a typical Northwest rainy day. I had a friend take me to meet the owner of the Valk. Gil had informed me it was parked outside at his buddies place. Gil seemed to think something was wrong with the rear brake and he didn't want to drive it home.

I had already done a drive by scouting trip earlier to look the bike over. It passed the 20 foot through a rain soaked windshield test. It was dirty, wet and looked sad sitting out there on the street in pouring rain. If Gil were in my motorcycle club, he would have worn the nickname "Pig pen".

So we arrived and Gil was there. And he had the bike running. Note to sellers. If someone warms up a bike before you show it to them, something isn't right. We shook hands, and I took a little closer look at the bike. My mind was screaming "take back your offer and re-offer $1200" If it weren't for the fact the kid was cool for pushing my Wards, and truly interested in old bikes, I would have. I asked him about why he had started it, and he stated it could be a little resistant to starting when cold. I felt the choke lever and found it would take the thumb strength of a gorilla to move it. Lucky the lever wasn't broken off under the stress. I also noticed the throttle was super gummy. It had a heinous mural painted on the tank. I think it might be a right of passage for Valkyrie owners to have a Gaudy mural painted on the tank and then cover the bike with poorly chromed accessories. Possibly a carry over from the pinstriping and mural painting days of GL1200s. I've never understood why guys buy Valks and then load them up with touring gear. I personally would rather ride a factory dressed bike made for touring, but that's just me.

After checking out the saddlebags that contained the side covers, and a bunch of small parts, I said "Let's do it." We wrote up the bill of sale and then he signed off on the title. The Valk had been officially adopted and was heading to a new home. My buddy asked if I wanted him to follow me, but I told him, nah, I'm going to wait for a bit, as I can could see a clearing in the clouds coming. Just before he left, Gil handed me a coin and said I'd probably want this. It was a 1999 Valkyrie Commemorative Coin celebrating the 1st MASS Production of the Valkyrie Motorcycle, this coin is very rare because it was given to employees of Honda, USA where the motorcycle was being produced. He said he had found it buried in the tool bag. I wondered if the employee had stashed it there for someone to find some day?

As I sat in the saddle, I talked to her, let it know it was going to be loved and we were going to find out just what it was made of. In the back of my mind, I knew I could part it and double my money, if the condition of the bike warranted it, but I never let the bike hear my thoughts.

The weather cleared, I eased her into gear, and took off, fighting the shifter a bit. (I'll talk about all these issues further down the road in this story.) The first thing I noticed was the handle bars were jacked up, but the levers had not been rotated around to compensate. I had to reach over the grips to reach the controls. I imagine this was part of the trying to fit into the Harley scene by placing the bars into the Ape position. I felt like an ape trying to reach the brake and clutch levers. I discovered the turn signals on a Valk are not self cancelling, as I had turned the right turn signal on and failed to notice it was still on as I was distracted by how uncomfortable the lever positions were. A car pulled out right in front of me, thinking I was going to make a right hand turn. I went to lay on the horn, and was cussing away, when I made another discovery. not only had I failed to cancel the signal, the horn did not work either. I started thinking about how embarrassing it would have been if the horn had worked, as the driver pulling out in front of me was my fault.

It was about a six mile uneventful ride home, and driving the final 3 or so miles I began to appreciate what a smooth and powerful machine these are, even flying as a somewhat wounded bird.

[Whiskerfish]

I like the mural!!

But I will be the first to admit I have no sense of art or style.

[Sagebrush]

Nice find, she's overdressed, both the bike and the mural

[Brant]

I like the mural!!

But I will be the first to admit I have no sense of art or style.

Uh, I like it, too.

[sunnbobb]

Nice find, she's overdressed, both the bike and the mural

great minds...

[DUGG]

I’ve ridden through Rexville dozen of times and thought that was a store. I’m going to have to stop in next time I’m through there.
As far as the bike, it’s not too overdressed, and the girl leaves something to the imagination just like the Valk does.

[sunnbobb]

part 3 soon

[Lucien Harpress]

I think it might be a right of passage for Valkyrie owners to have a Gaudy mural painted on the tank and then cover the bike with poorly chromed accessories.

Having owned a Valk for a bit now and perused the Valkyrie owner forums... 100% this.

Thankfully mine was another "I wanted a Harley but I bought a Valk" purchase, and what people are willing to pay for the chrome off it has almost completely reimbursed the cost of the bike.

(My absolute favorite though has to be the "velocity stacks" that everyone HAS to have that fit... on the tops of the carb slider caps. Like.... what?)

[NotSoLilCrippseys]

That's a Valkyrie on the tank of the Valkyrie.

The story had me thinking there'd be some crazy airbrushed art on the sides of the tank.

Here's a statue of a Valk from 1908.

ValkyrieOnHorse.jpeg

And if we really want to get into it, play Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries the next time you put her in gear: https://youtu.be/GGU1P6lBW6Q


I think it's sort of fitting given the bike.

[Whiskerfish]

an iconic piece of music