Honda F6C Valkyrie vs 1997

13640 Views 14 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Suthrncop66, Sep 15, 2021

messy bessie

Discussion Starter · Aug 1, 2014

Yes thats right, the Valk vs 1997, well not the entire year but the 1997 iteration of the Valkyrie, the one that kicked it all off and admittedly the jumping off point for many of the dissenters!

The F6C is certainly stylistically controversial, in a sense, it certainly looks like a modern bike, its sleek bodywork helps hide the mass and its "sportyness" is certainly a departure from the retro original. A massive point of contention seems to be the side pod mounted rads, for some reason the diehards claim these are an antithesis of what the original valk was meant to stand for. Help me out here, how does the radiator location have anything to do with the ethos of the F6C? I can understood if they turned it into a trike or a V-Twin, but radiators?

Its obvious Honda is moving in a new aesthetic direction, they are no longer attempting to fight Harley on their terms but have decided to evolve their styling into something much more progressive. Even their other Japanese rivals have been unable to answer as of yet.

Sure Honda could of built this F6C marginally different to the original F6C but at that point what IS the point? I mean why is it that the cruiser market has to look backwards in time in order to gain acceptance? Well I suppose it doesn't if you don't want their dollars, and I don't think Honda does. They are on record that the new Valk was designed with a younger more performance oriented rider in minds. Honda says the designers went after a raging bull effect, did it work? >

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HondaPWR

· #2 · Aug 1, 2014

I think it's a nice transition, glad to see it side by side like this.

Reactions: 1

postoak

· #3 · Aug 8, 2016

Well, two years on, and the sales figures are dismal, so I guess the American consumer has spoken.

mrtappan

· #4 · Aug 9, 2016

I didn't like the size or carburetors of the old Valkyrie. It had a very good aftermarket parts base which I based my decision to buy the new Valkyrie on.

The lack of an aftermarket following (probably due to the very unconventional cosmetics) probably didn't help them in the sales department.

I like the style alright, but I think if they didn't go so radical up front it would have been better. Also, I never figured out to this day why Honda thought that changing the rear enough that Goldwing/F6B exhausts don't fit was a good idea or even necessary. That's the most nonsensical thing. They had an established aftermarket parts base for the Wing/F6B just going to waste on this model.

Reactions: 1

KurNorock

· #5 · Feb 22, 2019

I'm not the type to buy things based on looks, but for the majority of my life i did not like cruiser motorcycles specifically because they all look the same. Seriously, unless there is a badge on the bike, or you are some kind of diehard motorcycle nut, they all basically look like Harleys. Yes even the 97 Valkyrie. When people talk about that "classic" look, what they really mean is "old and outdated and 95% similar to every other cruiser".

That all changed for me with the new Valkyrie. You'll never mistake it for any other bike. It doesn't look like it was made in 1965. There is not a chrome stud or leather tassel to be found, and it looks like it is all one thing, rather than an engine with with various odd parts bolted to it. I mean just look at the headlight on that 97. It's just sitting there like it was an afterthought that they just stuck on with bailing wire.

As for the side mounted radiators, they HAD to do that. It was either that or have one giant radiator behind the front tire, meaning the front tire would have had have been stuck way out in front and ruin the handling of the bike.

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Geepers

· #6 · Feb 22, 2019 (Edited)

The new Valkyrie is designed to be appreciated by the rider, the old one by the people he's riding past. That's why the new one didn't sell: because the consumer is more interested in what other people think than the functionality of the product. It's why the project home industry flourishes - houses designed to be looked at rather than lived in. I decided with my new Valkyrie that I was going to leave it completely stock and just enjoy the ride. The bonus will be at sale time: an immaculate, completely original Valk will fetch a motza

DillPickle311

· #7 · Feb 22, 2019 (Edited)

2

I was put in a position to get this valk. Insurance paid for my last one. Provided me with enough money to get a better and newer machine than I'd had before.

I had to choose one soon because I can't stand to not be riding. I've always looked for as much bike as I can afford and for quality so it will last. My first choice based on a lot of research was going to be the CTX1300

.

Then I found out I would get much more $$ from insurance than expected. I had to look again. I found only one VALKYRIE

within driving range.

Again, I did a LOT of research and found it to be exactly what I needed. I was not looking for an investment or a money pit. I also did not care whether it was still being built or if it had a lot of accessories.

My needs are jump on it and ride for a couple of hours or ride for much longer and further and be a comfortable and reliable machine. Is this it? It don't look like a harley nor does it sound like the older valks but it fills the bill for what I need at this time in my life. IT came along at the right time.

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Rich Wentz

· #8 · Feb 22, 2019

I had a CTX1300. Great bike. Only issues I had with it was a body panel would never go back right( tabs broke too easily) and a little plastic bit broke on the heated grip. With a full screen and a tail box the thing was basically a Goldwing Lite.
It did anything I asked of it. Perfect commuter bike, comfortable, quick and the lighting with the foglights were so good it should of been illegal

. Despite it all I still traded it for a new out the box 2014 Valkyrie. I honestly miss it sometimes. Especially coasting with the tunes on behind a shield with heated grips . It did a lot of things better than my Valkyrie does. But it wasn't a Valk.
But I do see myself getting another one to have along side my Valk.

DillPickle311

· #9 · Feb 22, 2019

Especially coasting with the tunes on behind a shield with heated grips

See! We all can find the good bad and ugly with them all but in the end... IT ain't a valk.

That engine is the key as far as I'm concerned.

What's crazy is that both of these machines did not catch on and that's a shame! I can only have one bike.

Reactions: 1

HondaBilly

· #10 · Mar 10, 2019

I have been drooling over the 2014 and 2015 Valkyries ever since they first came out 6 years ago.
The appearance of the Valkyrie is nothing short of Awesome!
Big, beautiful, and decidedly different from anything else out there.
The slow sales of the Valkyrie illustrates to me only that consumers often do not know what is good!
I mean...come on...what is better than a Honda?!

We have seen this same thing happen before, with other Honda motorcycles, such as the VTX 1800.
In October 2010, I found a 2007 F3 that was still in its crate, when I bought it for 8 grand off its suggested retail.
It was a monster! 106 horsepower and 120 ft. lb. torque, stock!

I have read that when the VTX 1800 first appeared in 2002, dealers couldn't get them fast enough to satisfy customer demand.
The 1800 was so totally awesome, unlike anything else around, and dealers had back orders for them.
Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha scrambled to catch up, Honda overproduced the VTX, and...voila...great deals on NOS Honda VTXs.

So...just a few weeks ago, once again, I bought a totally awesome 2014 Valkyrie, at thousands off SRP.
In New Hampshire, by far the majority of heavy cruisers one sees are the product of one particular motorcycle brand.
I have only ever seen ONE Valkyrie out there. I know it was a 2014, cuz it was blue; the 2015 came in red only.

Just goes to show me, yet again, that consumers do not always appreciate quality, and sometimes prefer to spend money on other stuff.

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Smitty79

· #11 · Apr 25, 2019

My primary reasoning for buying my Valkyrie was that big beautiful motor! I saw it, the minimalist styling and the overall stance of the bike and I was hooked. My last 2 bikes have been baggers with stereo and creature comforts. I can honestly say that I haven't missed them as I enjoy my 14 Valkyrie that much. Highway pegs, a break away cruise control and a sissy bar gave me what I needed to take decent trips and be comfortable. Very happy with my purchase and with the mechanics of my bike.

Buster

· #12 · Mar 10, 2021

The Honda Magna (V45 and V65) was another great but under appreciated Honda - V4, light, smooth and fast. I put 40,000 miles on a '94 V45 (750cc) and often thought that I'd be convinced to buy a new bike if Honda ever came out with a 1100 - 1300 cc fuel injected resurrection of the Magna, and then I found the 2104 Valk and am happy that they didn't sell well because that brought the price down for me in 2018, and makes mine more unique, rather than one more in the herd. 26,000 miles so far and expecting another 15,000+ in the next 12 months.

Richmonder

· #13 · Mar 10, 2021

Buster said:
The Honda Magna (V45 and V65) was another great but under appreciated Honda - V4, light, smooth and fast. I put 40,000 miles on a '94 V45 (750cc) and often thought that I'd be convinced to buy a new bike if Honda ever came out with a 1100 - 1300 cc fuel injected resurrection of the Magna, and then I found the 2104 Valk and am happy that they didn't sell well because that brought the price down for me in 2018, and makes mine more unique, rather than one more in the herd. 26,000 miles so far and expecting another 15,000+ in the next 12 months.

You're taking me down a sweet ride on memory lane! I too had a V45 Magna years ago, and that bike was awesome. Accelerated like a rocket, quiet, good looking bike. Now I have a CTX to sell, as well as a couple of VTX's that have been sitting a while. Need to pare it down to one - the Valk. I HATE selling good bikes and especially the CTX. But I can't keep up with more than one.

Richmonder

KUGO

· #14 · Mar 10, 2021

I bought mine, a black '14, while shopping for my next HD. My last one had been a customized '80 FLH that I truly loved and put many fun miles on. The bike I was looking at, a 2009, was of much the same ilk, but with the batwing fairing. They were asking $10,000 at the Honda dealership it was at. I straddled the thing, rode it around the parking lot, and IMMEDIATELY thought, "This is exactly the same as my 1980 model!!! Same switch-gear, same look and feel, and I just felt like this was ridiculous to spend that kind of money on something that "old"! I wanted something new! Looked into the new Valks, found one four hours north in Wisconsin with 3,000 miles and in mint condition with extras for $10,000 out the door (back in 2016). I have never been happier since. Love that it's different, interesting, and powerful. None of those adjectives described the Harley. Never would have thought I'd go Honda!

Suthrncop66

· #15 · Sep 15, 2021

I had/have both. At first I had mixed feelings about the 2014, having loved the look and performance of my 1997. I had sold my first 97 and tried the Excelsior Henderson when they came out. Got rid of it and went back to a 97 Valk. It is a great bike but I put a belly tank on it and had problems (my fault) and it sat and I decided to try a 14 when the prices bottomed out. I haven’t ridden as much as I used too but lately I have been trying to get more saddle time and I have grown to love the looks and performance of my 14, as well as the reliability. I don’t think I could have a 97 as an only bike like I could with my 14 but would still like an interstate for some days.

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