1998 Honda GL1500C Valkyrie review from United States of America

Nothing has ever gone wrong with this bike, ever.

OK, well, I did pick up a nail in the back tire, but, it never went flat and I fixed it. The GL1500C is possibly the most reliable motorcycle I have ever owned.

OK, acceleration. Wow, holy cow. It's real, real strong.

When I bought my bike it had been upgraded with a six into six cobra exhaust with rejetted carbs. On the dyno it showed 104 horsepower at the rear tire. It is frighteningly quick with more torque than my car. It runs with the $30-$40,000.00 custom choppers and never even gets winded.

When I bought the bike, used, it was also upgraded with a touring seat, a Honda line windshield, highway pegs, saddle bags, highway light bar and little nick-nacks here and there. So, this bike can smoke the bikes that cost five times more out of the parking lot and then go 700 miles, all in the same day. How great is that!

If I have a complaint, it would be that the Valkyrie gets bad gas mileage, for a motorcycle. I guess for space shuttle acceleration one must make sacrifices. What that means is that I must make a gas stop every two hours or so, and it's not optional.

The Valkyrie has big fat tires front and back. It also has big inverted forks and fat shocks. What all that means is that it will carve through the mountains like a pro. It does run out of ground clearance fairly quick, but, up to that point you can ride like Kenny Roberts.

I love the Honda Valkyrie F6. I love it. I have owned it for three years and it is still as good as the day I brought it home for the first time. For most of the year I leave the windshield off and just ride in the open wind. The Valkyrie just cruises wonderfully. Then, if I want to drive the five hours over to Gatlinburg or Knoxville, I just throw the windshield on and go for some lunch. Ten hour days are very possible on a Valkyrie. In fact, they are fun.