Oh crap, now you've gone and done it. You got a Valkryrie. I hope you are prepared to not get too far on cruises without having to stop for long periods of time along the way, because you are going to be swarmed by people stopping you to admire that bike and ask questions about it. For a 6 hour ride, factor in 3 hours of talking to admirers! :p Wicked bike, just top of the charts. Also, more American than most Harley's, so don't take any flack from HD guys.
Great choice, you have picked up a good model. The Valkyrie is a great touring bike and yours is a good specimen. The Ultimate seats have a removable backrest for the rider available and it makes a vast difference, I recommend it thoroughly. I have a 98 black and silver model and it is set up very similar to yours. The Valkyrie is such a unique bike to ride and own and you will soon fall in love with it as I have. I find that if you go over the chrome work with a damp micro-fibre cloth it only takes a light buff up for her to shine like new again. Replace the fuel tap and timing belts if you haven't already and she will go on strong for years to come. Enjoy your travels and stay safe. An Aussie Valkaholic.
@@heathenbiker . Yes the petcock diaphragm being a rubber based part will deteriorate with time and should be replaced otherwise fuel could seep past it, trickle through the carbies and accumulate in the cylinder head where it ignites as you start the bike and damages the valves and all the seals, not a good thing. You can get the whole fuel tap as an assembly through Ebay for a modest price. Take care and love your "Dragon", she will love you back.
Great bike, I have four of them. A Standard, Tourer and two Interstates. As someone said, service the petcock and possibly add a electric fuel valve to avoid hydrolocks. Keep the final drive serviced, about every 10,000 miles. 90-110 miles per tank is bit on the low side, you probably do have some carb issues and probably some vacuum leaks. If you have brown stains around the bottom of your carb tubes you need to replace the o-rings under them, an easy job. You should be getting around 125-150 mpg before reserve depending on how you ride it and where you are in the world. High humidity areas like in the Southern USA you will get around 125-130 mpg before reserve but when I've ridden my Tourer in higher elevation and low humidity areas I've noticed a definite increase in mileage, 2-3 mpg. The big thing on stretching out the mileage is to stay out of the high speed jets on those six carbs. Under 3000 rpms will see the best mileage. That six cylinder loves the taste of gas so everything above 3000 is sucking it down but of course your smile gets bigger too :^) Lots of technical information on the Tech Board of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club. They will have their annual rally this year (2023) in Roanoke VA in June where they have tech sessions on lots of things that you should (and can) service yourself. That is not the factory windshield hardware. Look up the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC) and join, no cost and check out the tech section and links to tech articles for how to do a lot of things (properly) on the Valkyrie. Don't take it to a dealership, most won't work on bikes over 7-8 years old anyway, as most of their mechanics are young and only know how to uncrate new machines and bolt on accessories and they are usually not old enough to even know what a Valkyrie is. They will screw up more on your bike than they fix, you can fix it yourself, it's not as hard as it appears.
Run an entire can of Berrymans through it you won't have carb issues after that.Cleans the jets and everything right on up.I have bought bikes that don't run and put a $5 can of that in the tank and they ran perfectly after that.
That bike weights around 720lbs wet. I bought one in 2022 also. Install a cobra 6 into 6 exhaust and I promise you will love the bike even more. Nice seats. I installed heated grips on mine…game changer! For the $, I’m not sure if there is a better bike on the market. That shield is not OEM. Nice bike. Luv me sum Valkyrie. It’s almost 50f here today (Jan 11th 23), so I’ll be getting mine out for a little ride.
@@heathenbiker throw some painter’s tape on the shield and cut to the height you want with a jigsaw. Cut right on the bike, just make sure your cut line is exactly where you want it…measure twice, cut once. Lol. Use a metal blade on the jigsaw for a good cut. Cutting the shield will make it much better until you can find one you like. Mine came with aftermarket shield also, I’ve cut spacers so I could angle it more, but I have to cut mine also. It’s just too tall.
I live in the twisty part of Northern California and I have to say the Valkyrie is very nimble on those roads. It took me about a year of riding before I was really comfortable on the twisty roads and now I hit them with ease, even with my wife on the back.
I'd love to do some riding reviews/videos but i just can't figure out the audio. I bought all the accessories for my go pro, the audio adapter, etc, but it sounds terrible! Wind noise, clicking. It's super annoying!
The carburetors are very easy to fix. Take them out desmog it clean your low-speed Jets. Almost guarantee that's going to be your problem on the carburetors. Just watch a couple TH-cam videos.
Question!! please. I'm looking at some local (SE USA) Valkyries for sale, and the one that grabs my attention for $6k is a 2002 model with 22k miles on it. It has bags a fairing as well, which is worth something to me because I like to do a bit of touring. What's your first impression on values these days? Thanks in advance to anyone with a helpful opinion here.
@@birdhaus2021 I paid $4k for my 99 that has bags. That price seems a little high unless it has a custom paint you love, or tons of aftermarket extras, or a jet kit, or something. If it's standard i think that's $1k too high or so. Just my opinion without seeing it.
Mine is still smooth enough at 92k to do the nickel trick. One of the best bikes ever made. Check out the braking distance from 60 mph; still one of the shortest stopping distances even to this day.
Thinking about buying a 98 for this summers ride up mount Washington, I’ve always wanted one but I’m a little hesitant due to this hydrolocking issue I am now seeing
I've had 3 of these Valkyries now, in my life. Don't worry about the Hydrolock. It only happens if the petcock diaphram fails while the bike is off and the petcock is still "on". You can prevent it by getting in the habit of turning your petcock off. I have ordered a petcock rebuild kit, and I'll make a video on how to rebuild your petcock. It's fairly easy and having a new diaphram goes a long way to preventing the problem. If you ever get bad gas with sand or grit in it, then that can prevent your diaphram from sealing and cause hydrolock since the Valk has no fuel filter really. But that's pretty rare, and turning your petcock off prevents the issue. The truth is I only turn my petcock off when I'm done riding for the day, I don't worry about it while driving around if i run into a store, or stop for gas, or a burger. I know a lot of people are now going to tell me how horrible that is. They're probably right, but I'm not planning on changing that habit. I'm just a damn Heathen after all.
Hey thank you for the tip on the windshield but I ended up cutting it down and sanding the edge smooth which actually turned out pretty good I think. As for fuel consumption I was getting 22 mi per gallon which I thought was awful but after running a lot of cleaners through the tank and trying very hard not to twist the throttle all the way open on every trip now I'm getting closer to 29! Keep in mind I'm almost 300 lb so it's almost like the poor bike is having to carry the equivalent of two people around all the time!
@@heathenbiker That's odd. I've had two Interstates and a standard, and I always got 38-45 mpg, even 2-up at 330 lbs. and riding like a manic (the wife LOVES acceleration).
@@StevenRogers-hw9dj a couple of guys experienced with working on bikes have suggested that i need my carbs timed.. or tuned..? Something like that. That's beyond my skill at the moment and I don't have the specialized sync tool. Maybe they said "synced".
@@heathenbiker Yes, synched or balanced is the terminology. I have the tool but I've never done it on the Valk, but it's supposed to be far less difficult than it would appear. Find an old school bike shop and tell them to balance the carbs in pairs (I've never seen a 6-cylinder balancer). That said, the carbs would have to be WAY out of balance to make that big a difference in mileage, and should be very noticeable in how the engine runs.
A 95 Magna does it all ...at 540 lbs ! I'm always thinking ...Valkerie, Vtx 1800, Stratoliner,...and than once I hit 5000 rpms ... I'm completely gratified with Magna !!@
Is that something I can do myself? I did my fork seals and can do basic things like replacing a starter or alternator in a car. Do you think that's enough technical skill to be able to do timing belt? Never tried that so I'm just curious how hard it is. thanks.
@@heathenbiker If you can replace the fork seals on a bike, you should certainly be able to change the timing belts. The great thing about the Valkyrie is that you don't have any "tupperware" to remove, and you don't have to remove the radiator hose like you do on the GL1500. You don't even have to lift the bike off the ground. It's a very straightforward procedure. Several good videos on UTUBE. Go for it.
Inspect the belt at 100 k. The book says, they last longer because they are industrial ..and over built so, just do a visual first at 100..not replace for fun.owner of 1976 gold wing , used belts and 1999 Valkyrie interstate with 43 thousand miles.
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Performance Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eh5hItD4Mr0/mqdefault.jpg)
Oh crap, now you've gone and done it. You got a Valkryrie. I hope you are prepared to not get too far on cruises without having to stop for long periods of time along the way, because you are going to be swarmed by people stopping you to admire that bike and ask questions about it. For a 6 hour ride, factor in 3 hours of talking to admirers! :p Wicked bike, just top of the charts. Also, more American than most Harley's, so don't take any flack from HD guys.
OH, side note, try to get a Interstate tank, it holds 27L and if it is tuned right, you can get 400Km before going dry.
@@tjclarke4604 that's awesome i will start searching for interstate tanks!!
I've got one custom 10 gallon tank woohoo
Great choice, you have picked up a good model. The Valkyrie is a great touring bike and yours is a good specimen. The Ultimate seats have a removable backrest for the rider available and it makes a vast difference, I recommend it thoroughly. I have a 98 black and silver model and it is set up very similar to yours. The Valkyrie is such a unique bike to ride and own and you will soon fall in love with it as I have. I find that if you go over the chrome work with a damp micro-fibre cloth it only takes a light buff up for her to shine like new again. Replace the fuel tap and timing belts if you haven't already and she will go on strong for years to come. Enjoy your travels and stay safe. An Aussie Valkaholic.
Thanks for the great tips mate! when you say fuel tap you mean the petcock diaphrams? I heard those are a weak point.
@@heathenbiker . Yes the petcock diaphragm being a rubber based part will deteriorate with time and should be replaced otherwise fuel could seep past it, trickle through the carbies and accumulate in the cylinder head where it ignites as you start the bike and damages the valves and all the seals, not a good thing. You can get the whole fuel tap as an assembly through Ebay for a modest price. Take care and love your "Dragon", she will love you back.
Great bike, I have four of them. A Standard, Tourer and two Interstates. As someone said, service the petcock and possibly add a electric fuel valve to avoid hydrolocks. Keep the final drive serviced, about every 10,000 miles.
90-110 miles per tank is bit on the low side, you probably do have some carb issues and probably some vacuum leaks. If you have brown stains around the bottom of your carb tubes you need to replace the o-rings under them, an easy job. You should be getting around 125-150 mpg before reserve depending on how you ride it and where you are in the world. High humidity areas like in the Southern USA you will get around 125-130 mpg before reserve but when I've ridden my Tourer in higher elevation and low humidity areas I've noticed a definite increase in mileage, 2-3 mpg. The big thing on stretching out the mileage is to stay out of the high speed jets on those six carbs. Under 3000 rpms will see the best mileage. That six cylinder loves the taste of gas so everything above 3000 is sucking it down but of course your smile gets bigger too :^)
Lots of technical information on the Tech Board of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club. They will have their annual rally this year (2023) in Roanoke VA in June where they have tech sessions on lots of things that you should (and can) service yourself.
That is not the factory windshield hardware.
Look up the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC) and join, no cost and check out the tech section and links to tech articles for how to do a lot of things (properly) on the Valkyrie. Don't take it to a dealership, most won't work on bikes over 7-8 years old anyway, as most of their mechanics are young and only know how to uncrate new machines and bolt on accessories and they are usually not old enough to even know what a Valkyrie is. They will screw up more on your bike than they fix, you can fix it yourself, it's not as hard as it appears.
I will be buying a bike and doing everything you said haha and hopefully driving to VA for the Valkyrie function. Thank you!
I have done the nickle trick. You have the best seat. Great bike!
Run an entire can of Berrymans through it you won't have carb issues after that.Cleans the jets and everything right on up.I have bought bikes that don't run and put a $5 can of that in the tank and they ran perfectly after that.
Congratulations on your new bike ! Awsome machine indeed. I'm battling with myself, should I buy another bike, love the Valkyrie. Waiting more vids.
That bike weights around 720lbs wet. I bought one in 2022 also. Install a cobra 6 into 6 exhaust and I promise you will love the bike even more. Nice seats. I installed heated grips on mine…game changer! For the $, I’m not sure if there is a better bike on the market. That shield is not OEM.
Nice bike. Luv me sum Valkyrie. It’s almost 50f here today (Jan 11th 23), so I’ll be getting mine out for a little ride.
Hey thanks for the info and tips. I'll look into the cobra exhaust. Actually glad to hear shield isn't oem. I'm not liking the shield. Cheers!
@@heathenbiker throw some painter’s tape on the shield and cut to the height you want with a jigsaw. Cut right on the bike, just make sure your cut line is exactly where you want it…measure twice, cut once. Lol. Use a metal blade on the jigsaw for a good cut. Cutting the shield will make it much better until you can find one you like. Mine came with aftermarket shield also, I’ve cut spacers so I could angle it more, but I have to cut mine also. It’s just too tall.
I gave it a try and made a video about it. Turned out great! Thanks Brother!
@@heathenbiker I went and watched the video, it did turn out great, you did a great job. The edge is fantastic!
Did you re-jet after installing the cobra pipes?
I live in the twisty part of Northern California and I have to say the Valkyrie is very nimble on those roads. It took me about a year of riding before I was really comfortable on the twisty roads and now I hit them with ease, even with my wife on the back.
I like it..had carb issues with my 89 goldwing no mechanics wanna touch
Looks stunning I dig it
Nice! Thought we were going to see you riding it?
I'd love to do some riding reviews/videos but i just can't figure out the audio. I bought all the accessories for my go pro, the audio adapter, etc, but it sounds terrible! Wind noise, clicking. It's super annoying!
The carburetors are very easy to fix. Take them out desmog it clean your low-speed Jets. Almost guarantee that's going to be your problem on the carburetors. Just watch a couple TH-cam videos.
Question!! please. I'm looking at some local (SE USA) Valkyries for sale, and the one that grabs my attention for $6k is a 2002 model with 22k miles on it. It has bags a fairing as well, which is worth something to me because I like to do a bit of touring. What's your first impression on values these days? Thanks in advance to anyone with a helpful opinion here.
@@birdhaus2021 I paid $4k for my 99 that has bags. That price seems a little high unless it has a custom paint you love, or tons of aftermarket extras, or a jet kit, or something. If it's standard i think that's $1k too high or so. Just my opinion without seeing it.
Mine is still smooth enough at 92k to do the nickel trick. One of the best bikes ever made. Check out the braking distance from 60 mph; still one of the shortest stopping distances even to this day.
Thinking about buying a 98 for this summers ride up mount Washington, I’ve always wanted one but I’m a little hesitant due to this hydrolocking issue I am now seeing
I've had 3 of these Valkyries now, in my life. Don't worry about the Hydrolock. It only happens if the petcock diaphram fails while the bike is off and the petcock is still "on". You can prevent it by getting in the habit of turning your petcock off. I have ordered a petcock rebuild kit, and I'll make a video on how to rebuild your petcock. It's fairly easy and having a new diaphram goes a long way to preventing the problem. If you ever get bad gas with sand or grit in it, then that can prevent your diaphram from sealing and cause hydrolock since the Valk has no fuel filter really. But that's pretty rare, and turning your petcock off prevents the issue. The truth is I only turn my petcock off when I'm done riding for the day, I don't worry about it while driving around if i run into a store, or stop for gas, or a burger. I know a lot of people are now going to tell me how horrible that is. They're probably right, but I'm not planning on changing that habit. I'm just a damn Heathen after all.
@@heathenbiker wow, thanks for the information brother I think I’m sold on the Valkyrie now all I gotta do is find a nice one for a reasonable price!
Hi Gabriel, you should really consider having a Valkyrie!
Fuel Consumption?
That looks like a Memphis Shades windshield. If it is, you can get a lower one. Just the plastic using your old braces.
Hey thank you for the tip on the windshield but I ended up cutting it down and sanding the edge smooth which actually turned out pretty good I think. As for fuel consumption I was getting 22 mi per gallon which I thought was awful but after running a lot of cleaners through the tank and trying very hard not to twist the throttle all the way open on every trip now I'm getting closer to 29! Keep in mind I'm almost 300 lb so it's almost like the poor bike is having to carry the equivalent of two people around all the time!
@@heathenbiker That's odd. I've had two Interstates and a standard, and I always got 38-45 mpg, even 2-up at 330 lbs. and riding like a manic (the wife LOVES acceleration).
@@StevenRogers-hw9dj a couple of guys experienced with working on bikes have suggested that i need my carbs timed.. or tuned..? Something like that. That's beyond my skill at the moment and I don't have the specialized sync tool. Maybe they said "synced".
@@heathenbiker Yes, synched or balanced is the terminology. I have the tool but I've never done it on the Valk, but it's supposed to be far less difficult than it would appear. Find an old school bike shop and tell them to balance the carbs in pairs (I've never seen a 6-cylinder balancer). That said, the carbs would have to be WAY out of balance to make that big a difference in mileage, and should be very noticeable in how the engine runs.
what bags are those??? I have a val. They are defintely a "big guy" bike, not a sportster
"$4k or under"??? That's a deal!!
I have rolled up the peg and the the headlight sucks.
A 95 Magna does it all ...at 540 lbs ! I'm always thinking ...Valkerie, Vtx 1800, Stratoliner,...and than once I hit 5000 rpms ... I'm completely gratified with Magna !!@
@daneck5337 my first bike was a magna. 750.. loved it!
Thats not a factory windshield. Looks like a Switchblade
Curious: how TALL are you and how much do you weigh?
I'm 5'10" and at the time of this video weighed 315lbs. 285-ish now. I'm trying to eventually get another 50 lbs off of the bike's suspension! LOL
Here I am in my mid 30s transitioning from a CBR1000RR to a Valk…
Not a OEM windshield.
I can put a nickel on my butt and fart without it falling over.. JK! 😂 valkyries are badass! I’m hoping to pick one up soon myself.
Oh yea....change those timing belts!😄
Is that something I can do myself? I did my fork seals and can do basic things like replacing a starter or alternator in a car. Do you think that's enough technical skill to be able to do timing belt? Never tried that so I'm just curious how hard it is. thanks.
@@heathenbiker If you can replace the fork seals on a bike, you should certainly be able to change the timing belts. The great thing about the Valkyrie is that you don't have any "tupperware" to remove, and you don't have to remove the radiator hose like you do on the GL1500. You don't even have to lift the bike off the ground. It's a very straightforward procedure. Several good videos on UTUBE. Go for it.
Inspect the belt at 100 k. The book says, they last longer because they are industrial ..and over built so, just do a visual first at 100..not replace for fun.owner of 1976 gold wing , used belts and 1999 Valkyrie interstate with 43 thousand miles.
I have a 1997 Valkyrie with 114,000 miles on it if anyone is interested.
Sure! I'll take it!
@@heathenbiker We'll have to figure out how to communicate privately. Where are you located? I'm in Arizona right now.
Ill take your windshield
I'll take your windshield
@@robertanderson5004 sorry, cut it down so that it works! Love it now!
@@heathenbiker if you or anyone has 1 I'm interested
Good morning bro 🙏
I subscribe your channel
How are you