Yeah I like mine so much I have actually tossed around the idea of buying another one and storing it but unless something bad happens I think this thing will be going for quite a long time.
Honda's Big Mistake
I am not defending the Valkyrie. IT stands on its own. The engineers had ME in mind when deciding to strip down the Wing. I was the perfect match!
I've owned all of these while looking for a machine that would fulfill my requirements.
2007 Honda 750
2008 Kawasaki Custom 900
2002 Kawasaki 1500 Meanstreak
2004 Victory Vegas
2002 Honda Vtx1800C
2007 Honda VTX1800F
Today I pushed this machine. I passed cars/trucks and honked the Big horn in one day more than all the previous bikes combined. I exceeded the speed limits almost all afternoon.
This Valkyrie is not perfect and IT is not for everyone. Honda took a big gamble in thinking there would be a lot more buyers like me. Time has proven this to not be true.
Honda messed up and their mistake is my greatest investment.
I've owned all of these while looking for a machine that would fulfill my requirements.
2007 Honda 750
2008 Kawasaki Custom 900
2002 Kawasaki 1500 Meanstreak
2004 Victory Vegas
2002 Honda Vtx1800C
2007 Honda VTX1800F
Today I pushed this machine. I passed cars/trucks and honked the Big horn in one day more than all the previous bikes combined. I exceeded the speed limits almost all afternoon.
This Valkyrie is not perfect and IT is not for everyone. Honda took a big gamble in thinking there would be a lot more buyers like me. Time has proven this to not be true.
Honda messed up and their mistake is my greatest investment.
1 - 20 of 54 Posts
All they had to do was get people to have a test ride and the bike would have sold. Simple as that. Every one I know thinks the bike must be a handful to ride and just refuse to believe me when I say it's not. If that's the perception then obviously people 'aint gonna buy 'em! One test ride, that's all it would have taken. But they didn't see the need. Complaceny? Arrogance? Perhaps a bit of both. But also probably a bit of over-estimating how discerning the market actually is.
In my experience talking to people and when I was researching the bike online before I bought it, the two biggest complaints I saw were "its ugly, it doesn't look like the old valkyrie" and "it's too expensive".
Motorcycle sales are down all over the world. The reason being that the older generation that is really into motorcycles is dying off. Younger generations have a lot more choices in the 4 wheel department, some of which offer many of the benefits that motorcycles used to have a monopoly on.
So honda made this bike to appeal to a younger crowd. They took a chance and gave it modern styling. They made it sound quite and refined. All the things a younger buyer would want. But then they priced it right out of their range.
Older buyers didn't want it because it didn't look like every other cruiser ever made since 1965. They say things like "it looks like a spaceship! It's ugly! Get off my lawn!" (I've been told several times in the last 5 weeks since I've owned the bike, that it is one of the most beautiful bikes they've seen, but they only saw it in pictures up to that point and thought it was ugly) Younger buyers couldn't afford it. Or they looked at other bikes in the price range and said "but this one has navigation, a port to charge my iPhone, and an adjustable seat, for $3500 less."
The mistake honda made was assuming that people buy motorcycle based on how well they function and the joy of riding them. The sad fact is that most people don't buy them for those reasons. Old people buy motorcycles based on how they look. They want to project an image. Young people buy motorcycles based on price, available options, fuel economy, and how fast the speedometer says the bike will go.
Hopefully Honda has learned their lesson and will plan their advertising campaign better for the new valkyrie coming in 2020.
Motorcycle sales are down all over the world. The reason being that the older generation that is really into motorcycles is dying off. Younger generations have a lot more choices in the 4 wheel department, some of which offer many of the benefits that motorcycles used to have a monopoly on.
So honda made this bike to appeal to a younger crowd. They took a chance and gave it modern styling. They made it sound quite and refined. All the things a younger buyer would want. But then they priced it right out of their range.
Older buyers didn't want it because it didn't look like every other cruiser ever made since 1965. They say things like "it looks like a spaceship! It's ugly! Get off my lawn!" (I've been told several times in the last 5 weeks since I've owned the bike, that it is one of the most beautiful bikes they've seen, but they only saw it in pictures up to that point and thought it was ugly) Younger buyers couldn't afford it. Or they looked at other bikes in the price range and said "but this one has navigation, a port to charge my iPhone, and an adjustable seat, for $3500 less."
The mistake honda made was assuming that people buy motorcycle based on how well they function and the joy of riding them. The sad fact is that most people don't buy them for those reasons. Old people buy motorcycles based on how they look. They want to project an image. Young people buy motorcycles based on price, available options, fuel economy, and how fast the speedometer says the bike will go.
Hopefully Honda has learned their lesson and will plan their advertising campaign better for the new valkyrie coming in 2020.
Do you know how much I love not seeing another one?
I was about to fill it up yesterday and the pump had an error so proceeded to step inside the store. A black guy with a grin from one ear to the other opened the door for me. That don't happen too much here in the south. I was back putting gas in it and he was walking toward his car next to me and told him how much his small gesture meant to me. He said part of the reason was the valk. He wants one badly!
He left and I needed to clean some of the bugs off due to the warmer temps and every paper towel dispenser was screwed up because the towels were hung from everyone trying to pull out too many. So, tore off a small section. Next thing I know, a white guy is handing me a bunch he had in his truck. I said thanks man!
I mention this because the valk is an attention grabber...
I was about to fill it up yesterday and the pump had an error so proceeded to step inside the store. A black guy with a grin from one ear to the other opened the door for me. That don't happen too much here in the south. I was back putting gas in it and he was walking toward his car next to me and told him how much his small gesture meant to me. He said part of the reason was the valk. He wants one badly!
He left and I needed to clean some of the bugs off due to the warmer temps and every paper towel dispenser was screwed up because the towels were hung from everyone trying to pull out too many. So, tore off a small section. Next thing I know, a white guy is handing me a bunch he had in his truck. I said thanks man!
I mention this because the valk is an attention grabber...
Exactly. But if they'd actually ridden it...Older buyers didn't want it because it didn't look like every other cruiser ever made since 1965. They say things like "it looks like a spaceship! It's ugly! Get off my lawn!"
Couldn't have said it better.I am not defending the Valkyrie. IT stands on its own. The engineers had ME in mind when deciding to strip down the Wing. I was the perfect match!
Honda messed up and their mistake is my greatest investment.
I think the market is there, I think the approach was misguided. Perhaps something a little smaller, with a V4 or some other engine other than a V twin. That came in at 13k or less would have done better in the market. The ONLY drawback I see to this bike is the lack of aftermarket support. I take that back. There are 2 things, lack of accessible storage is a problem as well. Looking forward to getting some bags.
Has anyone seen a negative review from someone who has actually ridden this bike? I haven't seen one.
When I hear people mock the new Valkyrie this saying comes to mind..:
"They laugh at me because I am different. I laugh at them because they are all the same".
- Jonathan Davis of Korn
"They laugh at me because I am different. I laugh at them because they are all the same".
- Jonathan Davis of Korn
I’ve searched the net from top to bottom. There aren’t any. And that’s my point. All Honda had toHas anyone seen a negative review from someone who has actually ridden this bike? I haven't seen one.
do was get people to ride one. I think everyone on this forum says one ride and they had to have it. Such a simple sales strategy overlooked.
But how? I haven't seen a commercial or an ad for a motorcycle in decades. The only time motorcycles get advertised is in motorcycle specific magazines and websites. But the people watching/reading those are the people already into bikes. The old farts that think it looks too much like a spaceship, and the younger crowd that can't afford it. They didn't bring any new customers into the dealerships, which is what they needed to sell this bike at the price it was listed.I’ve searched the net from top to bottom. There aren’t any. And that’s my point. All Honda had to
do was get people to ride one. I think everyone on this forum says one ride and they had to have it. Such a simple sales strategy overlooked.
honestly I never even knew the new valkyrie existed until about a year ago. And that was only because I rode my cousins goldwing, loved it, wanted one but without all the fairing and luggage, did a google search to see if such a thing existed, and found a valkyrie for sale 1500 miles away. Did some research for the next year, and found my bike for sale.
Like i was literally looking to see if people bought a goldwing and stripped it down. I had no idea because I never saw one, never heard of them, never saw an ad, never saw one on display outside a dealership, nothing.
I saw an ad in a magazine here for a Ford ute (pickup) here in Australia. It said "we're so confident that once you've driven our new ute you'll buy it, we'll give you $500 cash if you in fact buy another brand of ute"But how?...
What bike would all us guys who have a Valkyrie have bought if the Valkyrie didn't exist? We would have bought something, right? An M109R for example. A bunch of people who recently bought 109's might very well have bought Valkyries if they had only ridden one first. I think there are a number of people on this forum who have said the 109 was the bike they were thinking of at first. In other words, Honda didn't necessarily need to get new riders, it's entirely possible it could have swayed existing riders to make a different purchasing choice if they'd only got them to actually ride the thing first. Ford thought so anyway...
I understand what you are saying, but my point is that I don't see motorcycle advertising anywhere. And ALL brands of motorcycle manufacturers need to increase sales because they are all losing sales every year.I saw an ad in a magazine here for a Ford ute (pickup) here in Australia. It said "we're so confident that once you've driven our new ute you'll buy it, we'll give you $500 cash if you in fact buy another brand of ute"
What bike would all us guys who have a Valkyrie have bought if the Valkyrie didn't exist? We would have bought something, right? An M109R for example. A bunch of people who recently bought 109's might very well have bought Valkyries if they had only ridden one first. I think there are a number of people on this forum who have said the 109 was the bike they were thinking of at first. In other words, Honda didn't necessarily need to get new riders, it's entirely possible it could have swayed existing riders to make a different purchasing choice if they'd only got them to actually ride the thing first. Ford thought so anyway...
Even if Honda had advertised to guys already into motorcycles, it still wouldn't have sold. Again, because the old guys thought it was ugly and the young guys couldn't afford it. Not just Honda guys, but all motorcyclists in general. And yeah, get butts in the seats, but even that is difficult because the motorcycle guys all already knew they weren't going to buy it so why bother trying it out? "It's ugly, it doesn't look like it was made when JFK was in office, I'm not buying that! No point going all the way to the dealership to ride that ugly thing!" "It's too expensive! Why would I spend $24,000 on that when I could get a Vulcan/Interstate/Scout/etc for less than half the price!? Does Honda think they are Harley now with this overpriced nonsense? I'm not gonna bother test riding something I can't even afford!"
This bike's only hope was new customers. Guys who don't care about that "harley tough guy" image from the 60s. Guys with money. Guys that like modern stlying and refined performance and engineering. Guys who don't like loud exhausts. Guys who don't like tons of chrome and leather frill. Guys who don't turn their nose up at plastic fairing. Guys who aren't already motorcycle guys.
And to answer your question, if I didn't get my Valk, i would have just rebuilt the engine in my XR650L and rode that again. At least for a while, then I would have sold it and got a 2016 Africa Twin. Now I have to rebuild the XR to sell so I can pay down the Valkyrie.
This is bike #7 for me. Every single one that I purchased was used. Motorcycle brands depend on NEW sales and this is why Harley Davidson is in big trouble.
I bought all of mine from previous owners. The makers of the bikes made nothing off of me. Honda is a super BIG company with so many various products and can afford the hits and misses.
HD cannot!
If not for the Valkyrie existing, I would have bought a ____________ .
I bought all of mine from previous owners. The makers of the bikes made nothing off of me. Honda is a super BIG company with so many various products and can afford the hits and misses.
HD cannot!
If not for the Valkyrie existing, I would have bought a ____________ .
Almost most of my bikes have been new from Honda. But a great reduction in price.This is bike #7 for me. Every single one that I purchased was used. Motorcycle brands depend on NEW sales and this is why Harley Davidson is in big trouble.
I bought all of mine from previous owners. The makers of the bikes made nothing off of me. Honda is a super BIG company with so many various products and can afford the hits and misses.
HD cannot!
If not for the Valkyrie existing, I would have bought a ____________ .
Back in 1984 I bought a 82 CX500 about half price $1500, then a used Shadow, 97 PC800 $3500 savings, 98 Valkyrie $4000 savings, 2013 F6B $4000 savings, 2015 NC700X $2500 savings, and the Valkyrie $8000+ savings. And a few used cycles in between like another Valkyrie Interstate and a ST1300.
I bought mostly new but I didn't think they made too much from me, except in parts and accessories.
Everyone is clamoring to build an electric bike that will revolutionize the industry by being affordable, have a decent long range, and will have super fast charging system. The tech is not there yet!
So, folks like me are destined to ride the machines that create small explosions which turn a shaft driving a wheel. It has around a 200 mile range and will recharge in a couple of minutes.
Bottom line is making IT affordable due to high battery costs. I want a hand sized batt that can simply be changed out at a convenience store for a few bucks and get me 200 miles. I have a feeling the tech will eventually be there but by that time, I may not be around.
Maybe there could be something like this already out there but the BIG gas guys are using $$ to keep it unavailable to everyone. Food for thought!
So, folks like me are destined to ride the machines that create small explosions which turn a shaft driving a wheel. It has around a 200 mile range and will recharge in a couple of minutes.
Bottom line is making IT affordable due to high battery costs. I want a hand sized batt that can simply be changed out at a convenience store for a few bucks and get me 200 miles. I have a feeling the tech will eventually be there but by that time, I may not be around.
Maybe there could be something like this already out there but the BIG gas guys are using $$ to keep it unavailable to everyone. Food for thought!
I agree with everything said in this thread.
I believe Honda did make a mistake in the manner with which they marketed this bike. The gentleman who stated that we never see motorcycle commercials is dead on. What are these motorcycle companies spending their advertising bucks on?
I have not owned a motorcycle in 35 years. I've only ridden occasionally on a HD Road King a hand full of times in all those years. Back in the 80's I had a Sportster but sold it when my first son was born. Now at 63 I decided to get back into riding. I always loved the Valkyrie of the late 1990's. That bike was and is a work of art. I thought seriously about buying one of those bikes now as my intro back into riding. The truth is I thought it might be to much bike for me right now. So I read every article online and in print that spoke of the new Valkyrie. The other gentleman was also dead on. Every article I read loved the new Valk. What kind of spooked me a bit was the listed wet weight of 750 pounds. The reviews spoke to the low center of gravity and the easy handling so I thought I'd look for a test ride. When I found a 2014 near my home in New Jersey I asked to ride it. That's all it took. The bike handled like a dream. It cornered well, had good ground clearance, the weight gave it real balance, it's ride was smooth and like the other gentleman said every head turned to ask "What is that?" So I bought it on the spot.
How could Honda have gotten younger riders to buy it? The first obvious answer is speed. The new Valk is in the top 4 on every list for fast cruisers. Only the VMAX, Ducati Diavel and the Triumph Rocket 3 were faster. That means our Valk crushed allot of other fast bikes. So the speed factor might have sold a few more bikes. The other market I was thinking about strongly was the female market. I'd be willing to bet any female who read the bike was 750 pounds just turned the page. Honda should have done a few commercials with women riders bragging about this bikes handling. This bike is a dream to ride and handle. Women riders could have turned the tide for sales.
Before I go south I'm going to own a 1999 Valk tourer. With my 2014 Valk and that bike in my garage I'll be a happy man.
Steve18643
I believe Honda did make a mistake in the manner with which they marketed this bike. The gentleman who stated that we never see motorcycle commercials is dead on. What are these motorcycle companies spending their advertising bucks on?
I have not owned a motorcycle in 35 years. I've only ridden occasionally on a HD Road King a hand full of times in all those years. Back in the 80's I had a Sportster but sold it when my first son was born. Now at 63 I decided to get back into riding. I always loved the Valkyrie of the late 1990's. That bike was and is a work of art. I thought seriously about buying one of those bikes now as my intro back into riding. The truth is I thought it might be to much bike for me right now. So I read every article online and in print that spoke of the new Valkyrie. The other gentleman was also dead on. Every article I read loved the new Valk. What kind of spooked me a bit was the listed wet weight of 750 pounds. The reviews spoke to the low center of gravity and the easy handling so I thought I'd look for a test ride. When I found a 2014 near my home in New Jersey I asked to ride it. That's all it took. The bike handled like a dream. It cornered well, had good ground clearance, the weight gave it real balance, it's ride was smooth and like the other gentleman said every head turned to ask "What is that?" So I bought it on the spot.
How could Honda have gotten younger riders to buy it? The first obvious answer is speed. The new Valk is in the top 4 on every list for fast cruisers. Only the VMAX, Ducati Diavel and the Triumph Rocket 3 were faster. That means our Valk crushed allot of other fast bikes. So the speed factor might have sold a few more bikes. The other market I was thinking about strongly was the female market. I'd be willing to bet any female who read the bike was 750 pounds just turned the page. Honda should have done a few commercials with women riders bragging about this bikes handling. This bike is a dream to ride and handle. Women riders could have turned the tide for sales.
Before I go south I'm going to own a 1999 Valk tourer. With my 2014 Valk and that bike in my garage I'll be a happy man.
Steve18643
Nuff said....so I thought I'd look for a test ride... That's all it took. The bike handled like a dream....So I bought it on the spot.
What I'd like to know is the number of people who test rode a Valkyrie but then bought something else.
I'm guessing about the same number as Pope's who weren't Catholic.
Interesting story about when I bought my Valk. Since the dealership was so far from my home I was making plans to go see it on a weekend two weeks after I found it for sale online. I had to work and I had a week long hunting trip the following week.Nuff said....so I thought I'd look for a test ride... That's all it took. The bike handled like a dream....So I bought it on the spot.
What I'd like to know is the number of people who test rode a Valkyrie but then bought something else.
I'm guessing about the same number as Pope's who weren't Catholic.
I was going to put a down payment on the bike so that the dealership would hold the bike for me, but then they told me a down payment would be non-refundable. So if I got down there and for whatever reason decided not to buy the bike, I would be out $800 plus the gas to drive 430 miles. So I decided against that.
I was going to just wait the 2 weeks. I had been looking at valkyries for sale for over a month and none of them had sold in that time. I felt confident mine would still be there when I got back from hunting.
But then something told me I shouldn't. My luck is known far and wide for being pretty horrible. So the next day I called in sick to work, grabbed a buddy, and we drove 215 miles to go get the bike.
I walked in the door, saw the bike in the showroom, walked over, threw my leg over it and sat down just in time to hear another guy come through the door. He talked to a salesman for a few seconds, looked at me, threw his hands in the air, yelled the F word, kicked the doors back open (nearly breaking them) and left.
I asked what was going on and the salesman said that guy was a local who test rode the Valk the day before and was back to buy it. I beat him there by 45 seconds.
As it turns out, that bike has been sitting in the show room and listed for sale online for 114 days. The moment I decided I would buy it, 2 other guys also wanted to buy it. I beat the one guy by 45 seconds and the other showed up 10 minutes after I signed the paperwork.
I know what some of you might be thinking, that it was all some elaborate act to pressure me into buying the bike. Except that they had no idea I was coming. So unless they just pay a guy to hide in the parking lot all day waiting for random people to show up, then nearly break the doors in a fit of fake rage, I don't think it was an act.
So this long story was all just so I could say that I do understand what you mean. If people just test rode the bike, they would want it. But I still think the bike wouldn't have sold well to older riders who like the classic (old fashioned) look, or to younger riders who couldn't afford it. And those two demographics make up probably 90% of the market.
The only reason i was able to buy it and that the other 2 guys might have bought it, is because the price was so low.
I have only ever seen ONE Valkyrie on the road here in central New Hampshire; it was a couple of years ago.
It was a blue one, which would have been a 2014, seeing as the 2015 only came in red.
Valkyries are pretty unmistakable, don't you think?.
There are not many motorcycles that can be confused with them.
Unique.
I have always thought the Valkyrie was about the sharpest looking motorcycle out there.
And...now...I'm gonna own one!
Share my JOY!!!
It was a blue one, which would have been a 2014, seeing as the 2015 only came in red.
Valkyries are pretty unmistakable, don't you think?.
There are not many motorcycles that can be confused with them.
Unique.
I have always thought the Valkyrie was about the sharpest looking motorcycle out there.
And...now...I'm gonna own one!
Share my JOY!!!
1 - 20 of 54 Posts
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