I hadn't watched this until two years after you posted it, but I hope to blazes you didn't split those cases looking for a second gear problem! That's how mine's shifted all the time I've had it. I've always shifted early 1st to 2nd to make it smoother but it is clunky. I don't worry a whole lot about it now. I own one in Ballarat, Australia and regularly ride on The Great Ocean Road which is the best set of twisties in the country. The Valk will out-handle many newer, smaller bikes and is an absolute hoot! I hope you hang onto her for a long time.👍
Hey there Mr Monty and a big Hello from America! OK, here's the deal. I was dismantling this motorcycle in my videos. Right in the middle of that, out of the blue, I located a house in the country with a huge but unfinished shop, acreage and a custom home. My wife and I dropped what we were doing and sold our house. We bought the property in the country. That was March 2023. Since then, we have both worked like dogs to bring the new place up to standard. There was much to do and I have taken little days off from it. We are almost there. The shop is now almost done. It has an office, a storeroom, 2 large RV sized parking stalls and a 17X27 foot work shop. I am in the process of walling that off from the stalls so I can heat and cool it. The wall will have a man door, a window looking out into the stalls and a rollup door for bringing things (like large motorcycles) into the workshop where my bike lift now lives. I've had to do lots to finish it out as it was almost entirely unfinished inside. I had to hang OSB sheathing up on the 18 foot ceilings and walls. Wiring, miles of painting, a small building outside to house my hugh loud air compressor. A shop air system, cabinets and work benches. Lots needed to be done and no time for the Valk. But, I just installed a Mini Split heat pump in there and it's time to wall it off so I can heat and cool the workshop. I have all the building materials staged and I hope to begin the final chapter, the wall this week. Then I can bring the bike over from my other garage on the house and get back to it. I agree it's a really fun bike to ride. I'm looking forward to getting back to it. My trans grinds though. Early 1-2 shifting is the key but I believe there is some damage in this trans. I have obtained a known good engine from a parts house that I plan to use. Then I plan to go through the original engine and yes, split the cases. I firmly believe there is an issue beyond the nature of the beast argument a lot of people have made. I appreciate your watching and commenting. At some point I'll resume the video series as I go along. I have 2 other street bikes. An Indian Chieftain and a Victory Vegas 8-Ball to ride in the mean time. Best Regards. By the way I have been to Australia, lovely place. Craig
I agree with Tony E about shifting from first to second gear, just need to be a little firm and quick to change up. Clutch is normally without a lot of "feel" to it. Replace timing belt, fuel tap and fluids and you can rest assured that it will remain reliable for quite some time. I always turn the fuel tap to the off position when its not in use as you don't want any fuel to seep into the cylinders whilst it is not in use. These are fantastic bikes and the more you ride it the more you will grow to love it.
Hi Robert! Thanks for commenting. There seems to be a cult following on these classic bikes. I know I was seriously drawn to it. I was planning on restoring an old HD Heritage but I kept coming back to the Valkyries. They are so unique. I have a Pingle fuel tank valve for it. I have been told about the fuel hydro locking situation so I too am very careful about turning off the fuel between stops. I'm getting the hang of the 1-2 shift and can accomplish it correctly about half the time using the preload technique. I just returned from a 3 week trip to the Black Hills Rally in Sturgis S.D. I was on my Indian Chieftain which is my go to motorcycle. I also have a Victory Vegas cruiser that is all hopped up. I have toy hauler pulled with a Diesel pickup for those sorts of trips and I stay a bit after the rally so I can get some rides in without the crowds. But, I'm home now and I'll be disassembling the Valkyrie for the full refurb. I'll be doing videos on that. I have a video on my concept and the parts I have purchased so far if you want to give that a look. Again, thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.
I ride the same 98 use your trip meter every time you gas up . 130 miles find a Gas station or get ready to flip on the reserve , range is about 160 miles or so I’ve enjoyed the videos
Nice video! Thank you for posting. I think that 'clunk' between first and second gear is normal for these bikes. I ride a '98 Standard and from what I heard on your video the 'clunk' sounded just like mine. As far as the clutch is concerned, you may need only to bleed the system. I think if your clutch was damaged or about to tank, you'd get a shutter from slippage as you cruised down the road. Anyway, these are wonderful machines and you'll get used to folks coming up to you at gas stations, grocery stores, or even stop lights wanting to know something about the Valkyrie. I'm looking forward to seeing future vids!
Thanks Charlie. Yes, I've been talking to the nice people over at VRCC (Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club) and several have suggested exactly the same points you bring up. So, I intend to bleed the clutch and install a Shift Buddy to remove the slop out of the gear shifter. Then I will go for another ride to see how it goes. Thanks for the nice comment. I'm glad you are here.
@@usethenoodle I go by f-Stop on the VRCC board and will occasionally post on the 1500 Tech Board. I will post on the Texas Board as well. There's a lot of good information in the VRCC tech archives, but site maintenance is a little lacking. I can see a Honda shop manual in your video. That hunk of paper is worth its weight in gold!
@@charlieseligman3176 Yes, I bought a used copy of the Factory shop manual on eBay for $16.00! Can you believe that? It's in very good condition and has even been updated in places by someone adding adhesive backed updated pages over the original pages in a few places. It's one of the best written and illustrated service manuals I have ever seen. I have some posts up on the 1500 Tech boards under Craig9409. I've done a fair bit of rural motorcycling in Texas. I have a Toy Hauler and I have had my Indian Chieftain back and forth to Florida for Daytona Beach Bike Week seven years running, and my Victory Vegas one year prior to that. I always enjoy my excursions in Texas, especially down around Gonzales, and the East side around Lufkin. The Fredericksburg area is very nice. I learned about a caper called the Baxter Curve Train Robbery on a remote Texas historical placard south of Fort Stockton on one ride, and then was able to ride over and look at the grave of the robbers in a town cemetery down the road. It didn't go well for the robbers, one of which was a guy called "The Tall Texan" a Ben Kilpatrick, who was a member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch earlier in his life. This after passing a whole pack of ferrel hogs tilling up the side of the highway that rapidly scattered into the next field, as a Roadrunner ran past. Only on a motorcycle will you go where you'd never have gone, seen and learned things you'd never have seen nor learned and met such amazing people you'd never have met, who seem to walk right up to you. I'm standing on the sidewalk one morning in Nacogdoches looking at the map on my phone, and an older lady walks up and says, "So whats your story?" We proceeded to sit together on a sidewalk bench and have the nicest talk for the next hour about her town and her life there. She told me an amazing tale of the morning the space shuttle Columbia violently fell to earth there. Texans are amazing and I have met some very memorable people on those180ish mile loop rides out of some obscure RV Park. I could go on... But I'm going to bleed that clutch, install the Shift Buddy and maybe go for a rip to see if it helped. I appreciate you taking your time to comment on my recent video. Thank you. Please check in any time.
I love these bikes, I have 2 ones an interstate and ones a tour model which I’ve sold to a friend a few times and ended up buying it back every time, I’m not going to sell it anymore I’m just going to keep them both the interstate I ride Coast to Coast once a year but just love screaming around on the tour, I think your going to have a blast with yours
Best way to eliminate the grinding is “pre-load” the shift going into second… that is, foot under the peg slightly lift up you’ll feel it move that little bit, that’s the pre-load then a nice solid manly shift into second you wont hurt it, and it will “click-in” every time
Hi Tony, Yep I can't agree more. The day before yesterday, Paul, a Valkyrie owner and long time rider took time out of his day to meet with me. He's a great guy. I reached out to him, as he's on the VRCC or Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Tech 1500 forum. I could see he lived just south of me a bit so I emailed him and he answered right back. We met and he told me the same thing. We switched bikes and we rode ~5 miles together. His bike I felt shifted a bit better than mine, but he thought my bike shifted better than his. Funny. He said exactly the same thing you are about the preloading. So after he took off, I went for ~ 160 mile ride. I'm slowly finding the sweet spot and I found I could get a clean shift about 1/2 the time or more. I think with a little practice and paying attention, I will find the spot you are talking about. Yes, I can feel the preload in the shifter and yep, it's the key. As far as my clutch, we were both sporting fresh clutch fluid, and our clutches felt identical, so I put that concern to bed. Thanks for the comment and the tips. I really appreciate it!
No, it's not just you, they sing when they are moving out. Ya, I agree... it's a really fun bike to ride. Very different than I was expecting. Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.
Wonderful video! Beautiful countryside scenery and weather - a great day to take the project bike out for a 190-miler to listen and feel for any potential problems that can be resolved during the teardown and rebuild. Two serious problems is way better than 20 and it seems like you've found and isolated the two as best you can at this point in time and will need to start tearing down the bike to figure out how to best rectify those issues. Once you crack open the engine I hope it will be apparent to you what's causing the grinding when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. The clutch might just need replacement of worn components (could that be contributing to the gear grinding somehow?) and adjustment of the free travel of the clutch to make for a larger friction zone. When I watched you loading stuff into the saddlebags, I was thinking about your vision and concept of the end result of your restoration which didn't include having the saddlebags, but you may want to rethink that part as we've become so accustomed to having saddlebags on our bikes. Maybe they could be restored along with the rest of the bike and kept as a removable option for use on longer rides.
Yes on all counts. It has crossed my mind that the clutch wear could possibly be the cause. The manual says the clutch can be serviced without removing the engine, but it is a lot easier with the engine out of the bike which in any case, it will be. So yes, I will look at the clutch first. It resides under a cover on the back of the engine. You may be right on that. But... how will I know there isn't more to it? The engine will be out, and to not look over the gear clusters means I could well miss the problem. While splitting the engine cases isn't a party, I just feel it should be done to be sure I don't get the bike back together, only to find the problem was indeed inside, and I have to pull the whole motor apart a second time to repair it. Catch 22. I'll have plenty of time to do a thorough job, so I might as well take a look to see what issues may lay deep inside. In the end I'll sleep better as I reassemble the bike. If the problem is there, it should be pretty obvious. The manual gives the service life requirements of everything. They have you using a caliper, micrometer and dial indicator to check wear and runout of all bearings and components, such as the shift forks. Gear wear is usually very easy to spot just by the eye. Yes on the bags. I have decided to keep those on the bike. They are just too handy not to. They are in very nice condition as well. No cracks or damage. I'll send them with all the rest for paint. They are easy to remove if wanted. Not like the quick release hard bags on the Indians, but still easy enough. Thanks for watching and the great feed back!!!! I appreciate you.
@@usethenoodle I agree that you do need to get deep into the engine and definitely inspect and replace as necessary the gears. Might as well go all the way and look at everything. That way, you'll not regret not doing it later on and maybe have to go back in. Do it right the first time!
@@millerke6771 Ya, well there may be hope. I have been talking to a lot of die hard Valkyrie guys on the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club forums. Several told me the Valkyrie has a hard 1-2 shift naturally. One guy said before I begin the tear down, to install a Shift Buddy on the shift shaft to take out the play, and be sure to "shift it with authority". Not to baby it. I happen to have a Shift Buddy in my new parts collection, so I'm going to install that and go for a ride. But, I also believe as you suggest it could be the clutch which is where I'll look first. I'm going to pull the motor so I'll do it then. But the clutch can be serviced with the motor in the bike. I ordered a few special tools which are required to service the clutch. A couple of the others look pretty easy to fabricate. Also, I'm going to rebuild both the clutch master cylinder and the slave cylinder on the rear of the motor as they might be the issue. Maybe the clutch actuation or throw is insufficient due to an issue in one or the other the clutch actuation cylinders. If all that checks out, I'll have to assume it's in the trans. I'd really rathe not split the cases if I can help it.
Had similar issue with mine from 1st to second gear. You need to shift more firmly. What help tremendously was using Motul full synthetic oil, it shifts som much better now.
I've tried shifting it every which way. I've even ridden a few others, and they were fine. There is a transmission issue. I'll get to the bottom of it. I have a known good engine/trans I'll be putting in it. Then I'll tear down this engine. We'll see what we find. I'm betting it has a bent shift fork. I just finished moving to a new home in the country and after 2 years, my new shop is finished. I'll be back making videos very soon. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I got 75,000+ on my 98 Valk. The darn previous owner drilled the stock mufflers. So has back fire exhaust pressure issues. Other than that runs great. Rubber bits are just starting to leek here and there.
Hi Bryan. The project is on hold for several months. I moved to a new home with a proper shop. The hitch is the shop is unfinished. That is where my energy lies at the current moment. I'm hoping to have the shop done by early to mid summer. Following that, yes, I will be back to doing the videos and the restoration. As to parts, you have to hunt around but so far so good. Warmest Regards!
Hi, I've recently got an 1999 Valkyrie interstate but I'm waiting on a clutch slave cylinder replacement after the seals went and I was pumping air while trying to change gear before I can really get out there on it. I noticed the late uptake of the gear on the release of the clutch that you mentioned. About the transition from first to second. I am restoring a 1996 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 classic with the same issue. Basically it is so bad there is no access to 2nd. Only 1,3 and 4. I had the engine out and the shift fork responsible is bent and wearing at its base. I've sourced all the other parts with the ultimate end to review and rebuild and restore the whole engine. However, the actual shift fork needed is now discontinued by Kawasaki and out of stock/unavailable anywhere in the world. I've tried bike wreckers, I imported an engine from the US to Australia and had it broken down to retrieve the part needed. The Kawasaki mechanic says that it's better but not good enough. I"ve got 2 engines in pieces waiting on the missing part. What do you do when replacement parts are not available? This will ultimately be the issue with the Valkyrie too. I hope to get a specialist ( like a camshaft workshop) to heat ,straighten, add material to the tips and case harden the piece. However, it's just another possible option. What would you do if an intricate component was no longer available? I don't want to junk the bike
Hi Charles. I read your post in detail. Ya, what to do if you need a certain part and no can find? It's frustrating. I too took delivery of a second engine. My idea was to use that engine which I was able to hear on a video of it before it was removed from the bike. They say it's got a good transmission and I was able to watch them shift it rapidly with no grinding. So, I bought it. I did this because I felt it would keep my project moving along and then I could use the original engine for more channel content when I do it's rebuild. I still don't know what is causing the 1-2 shift issue and a lot of people tell me its the nature of the beast. I just don't believe it could be that bad. I'm betting it's a defective fork or drum. But... now I'm selling my house and trying to buy another about 30 miles away which has a wonderful large shop building. So my Valkyrie is on hold for now. That's why I haven't added any videos on it recently. Back to your question. I guess you have to be diligent at watching for barn finds, used bikes on sales sites like e-Bay and bike wreckers. Who knows you might score a used part from a wrecked bike. I know you have already done some of this but, ya a good machinist might also be the ticket. Give these guys a try. pinwallcycle.com/ and see what they have for the Vulcan. If there is anything I can do from up here in the USA, please ask. I'm not sure if I can do that much but I'll give it my best shot. I have procured a lot of Valkyrie parts so far. Good luck on your projects and let me know how it goes. Warmest Regards Brother...Craig
Hi Ann, Yes I agree. I love the bike. It's a cool old classic like no other. It's fun to ride and has spectacular power. Yes, the trans is pretty clunky. I had another Valkyrie owner ride it and I was expecting he would say, Ya man you have a problem... no, he says "I think it shifts smoother than mine". Well OK. I'll not crack open the case. I have sort of figured out the sweet spot on the 1-2 shift. Preloading the shifter seems to help also. Thanks for weighing in on it for me. I appreciate you. Craig
Good question. We are all wondering that. I've been talking to the kind people on the VRCC forum. There is a lot of speculation. The odometer says 16,400. So... 16,400 or 116400? I just don't know. But looking at the timing belt cover which is shiny all around, and not road blasted dull... I'm saying 16,400. Why is the trans having an issue at such a low mileage? I don't know that either. Abuse? Lack of service? Just a bit of bad luck? A factory defect? Not sure. Perhaps the low mileage is due to an early transmission issue? But no worries, we'll get that trans right back in good working order. Stay tuned! There is plenty more to come in this full resto-mod Valkyrie project.
@@usethenoodle im sure she does.. got a chance to ride one for a short while with only 20000 miles and for great price. Too big and impractical for my needs at the time.
@@OOOUZ I had never even seen one outside photos online before I bought this one. I have 2 other street bikes. A Victory Vegas 8 Ball which is slightly modified for high performance and an Indian Chieftain. I bought this one for a resto-mod project. I'm a tinkerer and so I though it would be fun to see what I can do with it. I have finally mastered the strange 1-2 shift issue which turns out to be a trait. I'll be beginning the tear down soon as the fall weather sets in and my outside activities wind down. Sturgis is over and that was a 3 week trip with my Chieftain in my toy hauler. I hope. you will check back to my channel from time to time to see how this project goes. Thanks for commenting!
I hadn't watched this until two years after you posted it, but I hope to blazes you didn't split those cases looking for a second gear problem! That's how mine's shifted all the time I've had it. I've always shifted early 1st to 2nd to make it smoother but it is clunky. I don't worry a whole lot about it now. I own one in Ballarat, Australia and regularly ride on The Great Ocean Road which is the best set of twisties in the country. The Valk will out-handle many newer, smaller bikes and is an absolute hoot!
I hope you hang onto her for a long time.👍
Hey there Mr Monty and a big Hello from America! OK, here's the deal. I was dismantling this motorcycle in my videos. Right in the middle of that, out of the blue, I located a house in the country with a huge but unfinished shop, acreage and a custom home. My wife and I dropped what we were doing and sold our house. We bought the property in the country. That was March 2023. Since then, we have both worked like dogs to bring the new place up to standard. There was much to do and I have taken little days off from it. We are almost there. The shop is now almost done. It has an office, a storeroom, 2 large RV sized parking stalls and a 17X27 foot work shop. I am in the process of walling that off from the stalls so I can heat and cool it. The wall will have a man door, a window looking out into the stalls and a rollup door for bringing things (like large motorcycles) into the workshop where my bike lift now lives.
I've had to do lots to finish it out as it was almost entirely unfinished inside. I had to hang OSB sheathing up on the 18 foot ceilings and walls. Wiring, miles of painting, a small building outside to house my hugh loud air compressor. A shop air system, cabinets and work benches. Lots needed to be done and no time for the Valk. But, I just installed a Mini Split heat pump in there and it's time to wall it off so I can heat and cool the workshop. I have all the building materials staged and I hope to begin the final chapter, the wall this week.
Then I can bring the bike over from my other garage on the house and get back to it. I agree it's a really fun bike to ride. I'm looking forward to getting back to it. My trans grinds though. Early 1-2 shifting is the key but I believe there is some damage in this trans. I have obtained a known good engine from a parts house that I plan to use. Then I plan to go through the original engine and yes, split the cases. I firmly believe there is an issue beyond the nature of the beast argument a lot of people have made. I appreciate your watching and commenting. At some point I'll resume the video series as I go along. I have 2 other street bikes. An Indian Chieftain and a Victory Vegas 8-Ball to ride in the mean time. Best Regards. By the way I have been to Australia, lovely place. Craig
I agree with Tony E about shifting from first to second gear, just need to be a little firm and quick to change up. Clutch is normally without a lot of "feel" to it. Replace timing belt, fuel tap and fluids and you can rest assured that it will remain reliable for quite some time. I always turn the fuel tap to the off position when its not in use as you don't want any fuel to seep into the cylinders whilst it is not in use. These are fantastic bikes and the more you ride it the more you will grow to love it.
Hi Robert! Thanks for commenting. There seems to be a cult following on these classic bikes. I know I was seriously drawn to it. I was planning on restoring an old HD Heritage but I kept coming back to the Valkyries. They are so unique. I have a Pingle fuel tank valve for it. I have been told about the fuel hydro locking situation so I too am very careful about turning off the fuel between stops. I'm getting the hang of the 1-2 shift and can accomplish it correctly about half the time using the preload technique.
I just returned from a 3 week trip to the Black Hills Rally in Sturgis S.D. I was on my Indian Chieftain which is my go to motorcycle. I also have a Victory Vegas cruiser that is all hopped up. I have toy hauler pulled with a Diesel pickup for those sorts of trips and I stay a bit after the rally so I can get some rides in without the crowds. But, I'm home now and I'll be disassembling the Valkyrie for the full refurb. I'll be doing videos on that. I have a video on my concept and the parts I have purchased so far if you want to give that a look. Again, thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.
Great Videos. Really useful for guys like me that just bought a Valk with little tech knowledge but a hunger to learn.
Thanks!
Fun to see this ride! Nice history lesson too!
Thanks Chris! I’m glad you are riding along. I’m online ordering parts. I do a lot of that. 😜
I just inherited a 2000 GL1500C and it's a blast to ride.
Yes they are! A pretty cool bike for sure.
I ride the same 98 use your trip meter every time you gas up . 130 miles find a Gas station or get ready to flip on the reserve , range is about 160 miles or so
I’ve enjoyed the videos
Now, thats some great information right there. Thanks!
Nice video! Thank you for posting. I think that 'clunk' between first and second gear is normal for these bikes. I ride a '98 Standard and from what I heard on your video the 'clunk' sounded just like mine. As far as the clutch is concerned, you may need only to bleed the system. I think if your clutch was damaged or about to tank, you'd get a shutter from slippage as you cruised down the road. Anyway, these are wonderful machines and you'll get used to folks coming up to you at gas stations, grocery stores, or even stop lights wanting to know something about the Valkyrie. I'm looking forward to seeing future vids!
Thanks Charlie. Yes, I've been talking to the nice people over at VRCC (Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club) and several have suggested exactly the same points you bring up. So, I intend to bleed the clutch and install a Shift Buddy to remove the slop out of the gear shifter. Then I will go for another ride to see how it goes. Thanks for the nice comment. I'm glad you are here.
@@usethenoodle I go by f-Stop on the VRCC board and will occasionally post on the 1500 Tech Board. I will post on the Texas Board as well. There's a lot of good information in the VRCC tech archives, but site maintenance is a little lacking. I can see a Honda shop manual in your video. That hunk of paper is worth its weight in gold!
@@charlieseligman3176 Yes, I bought a used copy of the Factory shop manual on eBay for $16.00! Can you believe that? It's in very good condition and has even been updated in places by someone adding adhesive backed updated pages over the original pages in a few places. It's one of the best written and illustrated service manuals I have ever seen.
I have some posts up on the 1500 Tech boards under Craig9409. I've done a fair bit of rural motorcycling in Texas. I have a Toy Hauler and I have had my Indian Chieftain back and forth to Florida for Daytona Beach Bike Week seven years running, and my Victory Vegas one year prior to that. I always enjoy my excursions in Texas, especially down around Gonzales, and the East side around Lufkin. The Fredericksburg area is very nice.
I learned about a caper called the Baxter Curve Train Robbery on a remote Texas historical placard south of Fort Stockton on one ride, and then was able to ride over and look at the grave of the robbers in a town cemetery down the road. It didn't go well for the robbers, one of which was a guy called "The Tall Texan" a Ben Kilpatrick, who was a member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch earlier in his life. This after passing a whole pack of ferrel hogs tilling up the side of the highway that rapidly scattered into the next field, as a Roadrunner ran past.
Only on a motorcycle will you go where you'd never have gone, seen and learned things you'd never have seen nor learned and met such amazing people you'd never have met, who seem to walk right up to you.
I'm standing on the sidewalk one morning in Nacogdoches looking at the map on my phone, and an older lady walks up and says, "So whats your story?" We proceeded to sit together on a sidewalk bench and have the nicest talk for the next hour about her town and her life there. She told me an amazing tale of the morning the space shuttle Columbia violently fell to earth there.
Texans are amazing and I have met some very memorable people on those180ish mile loop rides out of some obscure RV Park. I could go on... But I'm going to bleed that clutch, install the Shift Buddy and maybe go for a rip to see if it helped.
I appreciate you taking your time to comment on my recent video. Thank you. Please check in any time.
I love these bikes, I have 2 ones an interstate and ones a tour model which I’ve sold to a friend a few times and ended up buying it back every time, I’m not going to sell it anymore I’m just going to keep them both the interstate I ride Coast to Coast once a year but just love screaming around on the tour, I think your going to have a blast with yours
Yes, one ride and I'm loving it. It's a classic!
How do you keep the interstate in good running order if your main bike is the tourer?
I ride them both ,I don’t like it when they just sit and I’m always cleaning waxing and going over them, motorcycles have been my life
Best way to eliminate the grinding is “pre-load” the shift going into second… that is, foot under the peg slightly lift up you’ll feel it move that little bit, that’s the pre-load then a nice solid manly shift into second you wont hurt it, and it will “click-in” every time
Hi Tony, Yep I can't agree more. The day before yesterday, Paul, a Valkyrie owner and long time rider took time out of his day to meet with me. He's a great guy. I reached out to him, as he's on the VRCC or Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Tech 1500 forum. I could see he lived just south of me a bit so I emailed him and he answered right back. We met and he told me the same thing. We switched bikes and we rode ~5 miles together. His bike I felt shifted a bit better than mine, but he thought my bike shifted better than his. Funny. He said exactly the same thing you are about the preloading. So after he took off, I went for ~ 160 mile ride. I'm slowly finding the sweet spot and I found I could get a clean shift about 1/2 the time or more. I think with a little practice and paying attention, I will find the spot you are talking about. Yes, I can feel the preload in the shifter and yep, it's the key. As far as my clutch, we were both sporting fresh clutch fluid, and our clutches felt identical, so I put that concern to bed. Thanks for the comment and the tips. I really appreciate it!
Is it me, or do the transmission whine on these bikes just sound great! I have a 2000 interstate, best bike I’ve ever had!
No, it's not just you, they sing when they are moving out. Ya, I agree... it's a really fun bike to ride. Very different than I was expecting. Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.
Waaaau very nice sound😊😊😊
Ya, it sure is!
Wonderful video! Beautiful countryside scenery and weather - a great day to take the project bike out for a 190-miler to listen and feel for any potential problems that can be resolved during the teardown and rebuild. Two serious problems is way better than 20 and it seems like you've found and isolated the two as best you can at this point in time and will need to start tearing down the bike to figure out how to best rectify those issues. Once you crack open the engine I hope it will be apparent to you what's causing the grinding when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. The clutch might just need replacement of worn components (could that be contributing to the gear grinding somehow?) and adjustment of the free travel of the clutch to make for a larger friction zone. When I watched you loading stuff into the saddlebags, I was thinking about your vision and concept of the end result of your restoration which didn't include having the saddlebags, but you may want to rethink that part as we've become so accustomed to having saddlebags on our bikes. Maybe they could be restored along with the rest of the bike and kept as a removable option for use on longer rides.
Yes on all counts. It has crossed my mind that the clutch wear could possibly be the cause. The manual says the clutch can be serviced without removing the engine, but it is a lot easier with the engine out of the bike which in any case, it will be. So yes, I will look at the clutch first. It resides under a cover on the back of the engine. You may be right on that. But... how will I know there isn't more to it? The engine will be out, and to not look over the gear clusters means I could well miss the problem. While splitting the engine cases isn't a party, I just feel it should be done to be sure I don't get the bike back together, only to find the problem was indeed inside, and I have to pull the whole motor apart a second time to repair it. Catch 22. I'll have plenty of time to do a thorough job, so I might as well take a look to see what issues may lay deep inside. In the end I'll sleep better as I reassemble the bike. If the problem is there, it should be pretty obvious. The manual gives the service life requirements of everything. They have you using a caliper, micrometer and dial indicator to check wear and runout of all bearings and components, such as the shift forks. Gear wear is usually very easy to spot just by the eye.
Yes on the bags. I have decided to keep those on the bike. They are just too handy not to. They are in very nice condition as well. No cracks or damage. I'll send them with all the rest for paint. They are easy to remove if wanted. Not like the quick release hard bags on the Indians, but still easy enough.
Thanks for watching and the great feed back!!!! I appreciate you.
@@usethenoodle I agree that you do need to get deep into the engine and definitely inspect and replace as necessary the gears. Might as well go all the way and look at everything. That way, you'll not regret not doing it later on and maybe have to go back in. Do it right the first time!
@@millerke6771 Ya, well there may be hope. I have been talking to a lot of die hard Valkyrie guys on the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club forums. Several told me the Valkyrie has a hard 1-2 shift naturally. One guy said before I begin the tear down, to install a Shift Buddy on the shift shaft to take out the play, and be sure to "shift it with authority". Not to baby it. I happen to have a Shift Buddy in my new parts collection, so I'm going to install that and go for a ride. But, I also believe as you suggest it could be the clutch which is where I'll look first. I'm going to pull the motor so I'll do it then. But the clutch can be serviced with the motor in the bike. I ordered a few special tools which are required to service the clutch. A couple of the others look pretty easy to fabricate. Also, I'm going to rebuild both the clutch master cylinder and the slave cylinder on the rear of the motor as they might be the issue. Maybe the clutch actuation or throw is insufficient due to an issue in one or the other the clutch actuation cylinders. If all that checks out, I'll have to assume it's in the trans. I'd really rathe not split the cases if I can help it.
Had similar issue with mine from 1st to second gear. You need to shift more firmly. What help tremendously was using Motul full synthetic oil, it shifts som much better now.
I've tried shifting it every which way. I've even ridden a few others, and they were fine. There is a transmission issue. I'll get to the bottom of it. I have a known good engine/trans I'll be putting in it. Then I'll tear down this engine. We'll see what we find. I'm betting it has a bent shift fork. I just finished moving to a new home in the country and after 2 years, my new shop is finished. I'll be back making videos very soon. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I got 75,000+ on my 98 Valk. The darn previous owner drilled the stock mufflers. So has back fire exhaust pressure issues. Other than that runs great. Rubber bits are just starting to leek here and there.
The clutch & shifting issues can probably be cured by just bleeding the system.
Did it. It didn’t change anything. Thanks though!
following sir want to to see your content on this thanks from mississippi are parts still available after market and other ????
Hi Bryan. The project is on hold for several months. I moved to a new home with a proper shop. The hitch is the shop is unfinished. That is where my energy lies at the current moment. I'm hoping to have the shop done by early to mid summer. Following that, yes, I will be back to doing the videos and the restoration. As to parts, you have to hunt around but so far so good. Warmest Regards!
16,000 miles ? Its not even broken in yet !
Well, it might be 116,000 so??
@@usethenoodle Aaaah....good point . I hadn't considered that.
The transmission on the Valkyries works fine throughout the usage range when you preload the shifts
Thanks Keith. Yes, Thats what most are saying. The preload is an important part of shifting these bikes. I appreciate you weighing in!
Hi, I've recently got an 1999 Valkyrie interstate but I'm waiting on a clutch slave cylinder replacement after the seals went and I was pumping air while trying to change gear before I can really get out there on it.
I noticed the late uptake of the gear on the release of the clutch that you mentioned.
About the transition from first to second. I am restoring a 1996 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 classic with the same issue. Basically it is so bad there is no access to 2nd. Only 1,3 and 4.
I had the engine out and the shift fork responsible is bent and wearing at its base. I've sourced all the other parts with the ultimate end to review and rebuild and restore the whole engine. However, the actual shift fork needed is now discontinued by Kawasaki and out of stock/unavailable anywhere in the world. I've tried bike wreckers, I imported an engine from the US to Australia and had it broken down to retrieve the part needed. The Kawasaki mechanic says that it's better but not good enough. I"ve got 2 engines in pieces waiting on the missing part.
What do you do when replacement parts are not available? This will ultimately be the issue with the Valkyrie too. I hope to get a specialist ( like a camshaft workshop) to heat ,straighten, add material to the tips and case harden the piece. However, it's just another possible option.
What would you do if an intricate component was no longer available?
I don't want to junk the bike
Hi Charles. I read your post in detail. Ya, what to do if you need a certain part and no can find? It's frustrating. I too took delivery of a second engine. My idea was to use that engine which I was able to hear on a video of it before it was removed from the bike. They say it's got a good transmission and I was able to watch them shift it rapidly with no grinding. So, I bought it. I did this because I felt it would keep my project moving along and then I could use the original engine for more channel content when I do it's rebuild. I still don't know what is causing the 1-2 shift issue and a lot of people tell me its the nature of the beast. I just don't believe it could be that bad. I'm betting it's a defective fork or drum. But... now I'm selling my house and trying to buy another about 30 miles away which has a wonderful large shop building. So my Valkyrie is on hold for now. That's why I haven't added any videos on it recently.
Back to your question. I guess you have to be diligent at watching for barn finds, used bikes on sales sites like e-Bay and bike wreckers. Who knows you might score a used part from a wrecked bike. I know you have already done some of this but, ya a good machinist might also be the ticket. Give these guys a try. pinwallcycle.com/ and see what they have for the Vulcan. If there is anything I can do from up here in the USA, please ask. I'm not sure if I can do that much but I'll give it my best shot. I have procured a lot of Valkyrie parts so far. Good luck on your projects and let me know how it goes. Warmest Regards Brother...Craig
I have one of these a 97 great engine real torquey ,clunky gearbox, it seems there all like that,
Hi Ann, Yes I agree. I love the bike. It's a cool old classic like no other. It's fun to ride and has spectacular power. Yes, the trans is pretty clunky. I had another Valkyrie owner ride it and I was expecting he would say, Ya man you have a problem... no, he says "I think it shifts smoother than mine". Well OK. I'll not crack open the case. I have sort of figured out the sweet spot on the 1-2 shift. Preloading the shifter seems to help also. Thanks for weighing in on it for me. I appreciate you. Craig
How many miles on the bike
Good question. We are all wondering that. I've been talking to the kind people on the VRCC forum. There is a lot of speculation. The odometer says 16,400. So... 16,400 or 116400? I just don't know. But looking at the timing belt cover which is shiny all around, and not road blasted dull... I'm saying 16,400. Why is the trans having an issue at such a low mileage? I don't know that either. Abuse? Lack of service? Just a bit of bad luck? A factory defect? Not sure. Perhaps the low mileage is due to an early transmission issue? But no worries, we'll get that trans right back in good working order. Stay tuned! There is plenty more to come in this full resto-mod Valkyrie project.
@@usethenoodle sounds pretty smooth for a locomotive:)
@@OOOUZ she pulls like a locomotive and purrs like a pile of warm kittens!
@@usethenoodle im sure she does.. got a chance to ride one for a short while with only 20000 miles and for great price. Too big and impractical for my needs at the time.
@@OOOUZ I had never even seen one outside photos online before I bought this one. I have 2 other street bikes. A Victory Vegas 8 Ball which is slightly modified for high performance and an Indian Chieftain. I bought this one for a resto-mod project. I'm a tinkerer and so I though it would be fun to see what I can do with it. I have finally mastered the strange 1-2 shift issue which turns out to be a trait. I'll be beginning the tear down soon as the fall weather sets in and my outside activities wind down. Sturgis is over and that was a 3 week trip with my Chieftain in my toy hauler. I hope. you will check back to my channel from time to time to see how this project goes. Thanks for commenting!
Sounds like the transmission is shot.
I didn't click on this to watch you pilfer through your shit for who knows how long (I gave up after six minutes).
NEXT...
Your channel has no videos, and so you feel the need to criticize me? Your credibility sucks. Buzz off.