[VAPORTRAIL]

Hello from Florida!

Time to replace my Blackbird. At 59 it is just not comfortable anymore. Not ready for the full dresser yet but like the "C" and also the "B". My main question is the heat. I would roast on the CBR. Is there any difference in airflow between having the radiators mounted sideways on the "C" versus the front "B"? Thank you.

 

[Poncho]

Hello from Florida!

Time to replace my Blackbird. At 59 it is just not comfortable anymore. Not ready for the full dresser yet but like the "C" and also the "B". My main question is the heat. I would roast on the CBR. Is there any difference in airflow between having the radiators mounted sideways on the "C" versus the front "B"? Thank you.

vt, you say your not ready for a full dresser.. yet. the B is a full dresser. 90+% anyway. The C is more nekid, not quite standard type mo'sikle. all these variants of the Goldwing A, B, C all have 2 sideway radiators and move the heat sideways away from the bike and you. at speed it is mostly going around you and you don't feel it. unless you put your hand or leg along side the radiators. then it can be quite hot. but not from where you sit and would put your feet and legs, normally. Just finished 4k mile run up thru Yellowstone and back to texas. no (bike) heat issues even across the desert both ways. poncho

 

[VAPORTRAIL]

I had read somewhere that the other bike had a front radiator. Thanks for the correction. Have not seen either in person yet, just started shopping today.

 

[VAPORTRAIL]

So essentially the F6C is a naked version of the Bagger F6B, but the differences dont stop at fairings. The F6C Valk gets a new aluminium subframe to crop weight, different steering geometry and the rads have been moved to the sides instead of at the front like F6B.

This is part of the review from "Messy Bessie" in Jan 2014.

 

[Poncho]

So essentially the F6C is a naked version of the Bagger F6B, but the differences dont stop at fairings. The F6C Valk gets a new aluminium subframe to crop weight, different steering geometry and the rads have been moved to the sides instead of at the front like F6B. This is part of the review from "Messy Bessie" in Jan 2014.

vt, well considering your source, MB. its no wonder your fk in the head about these sleds.. you best just clear your table of all this nonsense you are accumulating. Honda has been making this version 1800cc F6 since 2004. they are ALL alum chassis. A, B, C are just varied degrees of Trimmings. A full dress. B is chopped the windscreen and lose the tail box. C is nekid straight up bike. they all have the same motor, frame, side radiators, etc.. go find you a dealer and sit and stare and compare.. front radiator Goldwings/Valks are pushing 20-40 years old version. you need a better source of data. poncho

 

[bparish]

Hi Vaportrail - welcome!

Just to add my $.02 -- I do love the F6C! But I guess like anything else in life, it depends on what you're after.

I really like how the C stands out and is stripped down.

And yet we intend to do some long(ish) rides so I have been looking into options for a fairing. In short, there aren't any. (see Poncho's work on these forums as an example of creative ingenuity to get around this shortage)

Same for other things too - very few options for saddlebags, cruise control, etc.

Again, its a weird dichotomy -- for as much as I love it stripped down (compared to its siblings), I have been seeking to add creature comforts to lengthen my ride radius.

In short (again, just my opinion):
If you are using it as a cruiser and not necessarily longer distance, its fantastic!
If you want longer rides, taking stuff with you to work, etc then I would either expect to spend some time adding stuff or just "upgrade" to the bagger version (or full dress).

So far I have added heated grips, tail bag, highway pegs, corbin seat, and designing a fairing. If all goes well I'll probably design a rear luggage solution too. Why not just go with the B version in the first place then? I can't answer that - I just fell in love with it the first time I sat on it and haven't looked back since. Somehow it just suits me, and I don't mind adding parts to it to make it more custom, more mine.

I doubt any of this drivel has helped much, I should've stopped with "it depends on what you want" and saved your time reading.
Maybe it just comes down to the type of person you are? If you want something more unusual, less mainstream, and you don't mind Googling for hours to figure out how others solved each problem, go with the C! If you want the luggage space, fairing, etc right off, go with the B. If you are over 70, get the A. Ha, just kidding!!! [ducks]

Good luck! Regardless of your choice, its a great engine, smooth ride, nice bike!

 

[Geepers]

As an alternative viewpoint, I ride my Valkyrie long distances but have no windscreen, no tail bag and no saddle bags. I like the wind. That’s motorcycling to me. I just lean in to it to “balance” my body weight against it so I’m not gripping right on the bars. The Valkyrie does a surprisingly good job of deflecting the wind even stock. Much better than my previous bike that’s for sure. I travel with a small pack strapped to the rear fender plus a credit card and that’s it. I deliberately choose NOT to have creature comforts as I like the rawness of my stock bike. I don’t use GPS or any other electronics either. I like to just plan out my route the night before then ride it. I take some dud turns now and then but that again is all just part of the experience for me. All this is the long way of saying that you can own the Valkyrie AND ride long haul. I do and wouldn’t have it any other way. Each person gonna be different but just thought I’d throw in another way of looking at it. As it says on the walls of our local university, “Know Thyself”. Do what feels right for you. You don’t have to follow any “rules” here. Hope this helps. Good luck with your quest.

 

[Dunrite]

just purchased my valkyrie end of june in arkansa, came with a windshield and honda bags and flood lights which I used on my trip back home to calif. Ive removed the bags cause I dont need them for short rides, maybe it took 20 mins to remove and probably the same to reinstall the next time I go on a trip. I like the windshield all the time and the fog lights help at night. If I had the a or b models I couldnt remove them and would be pushing around a full faring bike all the time. the c model is alot lighter than the dresser models and much easier to split lanes when the roads are packed with traffic. at 71 I like the lighter model, maybe u wouldnt notice the xtra weight or full faring/bag models I wouldnt know because Ive never rode either but I think u will be happy with any of the three.