[DillPickle311]

It’s becoming more apparent to me that what I’m seeing on the 2014 Valkyrie is and was designed with much thought.

The passenger pegs for instance angle back and have a snap back as you push up.
The front shocks are protected with a covering and this will prevent dust and debris from corrupting the fluid and seals.
Front and back brakes are situated to also be protected from the elements.
The spokes and wheel designs make it easy to clean and I’m sure weigh less than many other manufacturers’ designs. The black coated wheels help a lot!
I like that the bottom of front fender flairs out to prevent junk from hitting main body of bike.
Front/back brake disks seem to be a better designed than the bigger discs on most bikes making them easier to clean and access.
The radiator locations are excellent in deflecting wind and debris away from legs and bike body.
There is very little cable exposure.
I like the placement of the bike and maker names.
I didn’t think I’d like rear brake lever location but it seems to be perfect since we are forced to sit more erect. I’ve had to quickly use it several times and it has been… right there.
The handle bar location and reach, at least for me, are spot on.
Mirror locations also serve me well.
I’ve been very impressed with how it easy it is to tweak the head light up or down.
I’m glad the front signal lights stay on with headlight.
I’m happy with the small engine guards.
Like the instrument module being separate from tank.
The gas filler neck is higher than any I've owned plus, any overfill doesn't roll down on my britches.
Finally! The 19 inch front and 17 inch rear sizes. Perfect!

Don’t get me wrong, there are some things I do not like. Overall, I commend the designers and engineers for the end product.

 

[use2b]

spot on , I also figured out the top intake area of the pods direct fresh air onto your legs which also keeps any vacuum there that would otherwise suck in the hot air as it flows by .


ever put a hand down there while riding and feel the cool air directed onto the knee area ?
This is a fine machine

 

[Geepers]

And they managed to achieve all this AND maintain perfect symmetry (whether you look from front, rear or directly above). A real design triumph. Form is easy. Function is easy. Getting form AND function spot on takes a lot of skill and effort. The title of this thread is also spot on. I've always thought HD designers kinda "lazy".

 

[Rich Wentz]

That's the one thing beautiful about these Valkyries: There is NOTHING Harley about them in any way with the exception of being a cruiser. It's a flat 6, liquid cooled , non circlular headlight and single swingarm. Honda definitely did their own thing with it.

 

[DillPickle311]

That don't look like a 6 gal tank...
That final drive is protected(not belt or chain) and will be easy to service
I like that tail light... looks similar to the one I had on my vtx1800F
I like having access to tweaking rear shock
I like the lock box under the seat but haven't stored anything there yet
I take my hands off the handlebars and it is perfectly balanced
I've had several bikes that did not have the dip stick... did not like that at all
The clutch and brake levers are fairly easy to use... again this is compared to previous bikes I've owned
I like hydraulic clutch... I had bike that was cable activated and it broke once and was a pain to get it home
My last bike did not have hazard lights
I like being able to blink brights instead actually having to turn them on for oncoming traffic that forgot to turn off their high beams
I'll admit, still trying to shift into a ghost 6th gear but having only 5 gears serves me well on lots of curves and hills

 

[Keywasted]

I had the cover off my bike a few days ago and my son walked by it and said, “Man, that IS a good looking bike”. I agree. And no, I will not start my ride with a dirty bike.

It could use self cancelling turn signals. I resolved that somewhat by installing a beeper.

A 6th gear and gear indicator would also have been welcomed, I installed my own. Indicator, not 6th gear.

More accessories would have suited me fine. My VTX1800R, even discontinued 10+ years ago, has hundreds of aftermarket items available still.

Except for those and some other very minor details, this thing is a bad ass.

 

[DillPickle311]

I was making a big effort to see all the good stuff and list it.

I'm going to have to finally agree, it needs a 6th. Still constantly looking for it. I would still like more sound from exhaust but not replacing it. The OEM shield I bought should have been a little wider and taller because I'm still trying to tweak all I can to get it right. It was the largest they had.

It is popping out of gear such as first into neutral and the other day it slipped into 4th from 5th and surprised me. I think an oil change will take care of this.

I believe I've adjusted the rear shock to my liking even though been sort of hard to tell the difference between all the clicks.

I wish there was an easier way to check the brake pads... even though I still have a long way to go until replacing them.