Topic: Let's see your non-SOHC4 on the road

[Stev-o]

Rode the '74 H2 750 on Friday, started first kick [surprisingly] and ran great. 
The bike is fast...




Some of you guys are writing that it's near the end of your riding season, that would be depressing for me.
Great weather down here now, highs in the 70's all week.

[grcamna2]

Rode the '74 H2 750 on Friday, started first kick [surprisingly] and ran great. 
The bike is fast...




Some of you guys are writing that it's near the end of your riding season, that would be depressing for me.
Great weather down here now, highs in the 70's all week.

That H2 looks great Stev-o.  Have you seen any other Kawasaki triples around your area  of residence ?

[Stev-o]

Rode the '74 H2 750 on Friday, started first kick [surprisingly] and ran great. 
The bike is fast...




Some of you guys are writing that it's near the end of your riding season, that would be depressing for me.
Great weather down here now, highs in the 70's all week.

That H2 looks great Stev-o.  Have you seen any other Kawasaki triples around your area  of residence ?

The only other Kaw triple that I see around here is in my garage! [The H1 500] They are becoming quite rare to see "out in the wild".   Even at the annual vintage bike show, I dont see many if at all.  But I kinda like having a bike that is not all that common.

[jas67]

Rode the '74 H2 750 on Friday, started first kick [surprisingly] and ran great. 
The bike is fast...




Some of you guys are writing that it's near the end of your riding season, that would be depressing for me.
Great weather down here now, highs in the 70's all week.

It IS depressing.

It isn't the end just yet.  I'll just be doing most of my riding on my most cold-weather suitable bike for the rest of the season.
The season ends when the salt hits the road, which is usually mid December till as late as early-to-mid January.   That is when the real depression sets in. 

[jas67]

... But I kinda like having a bike that is not all that common.

That's one of the things I love about my Morini.   It is the bike that I own which I'm least likely to see another of at any gathering.

[jaguar]

Out and about

[seanbarney41]

Out and about

jeez dude!...looks like you rode that thing all the way back to Italy

[Stev-o]

Out and about

jeez dude!...looks like you rode that thing all the way back to Italy

Ha.  Hey Jag - that bike looks awesome! What model is that?

My buddy has a Bimota but it's been in his living room for the past 5 years so I havent ridden it yet!

[Terry in Australia]

Well the weather today is lovely, only in the 70's but that's fine for riding motorcycles. I'd only ridden the Valkyrie from Spotty's place to the storage facility, so I thought I'd take it for a decent 140 mile ride today to see how it goes. The good is that it's quite comfy and the engine is arguably the smoothest engine I have ever had in any bike, BMW K series bikes included. The bad is that it is probably the most boring motorcycle I've ever owned.

I think the Triumph Rocket III has spoiled riding big bikes for me, I expect a bike that weighs around the same as the Rocket to have the same poke, but the Valkyrie doesn't. It has a linear power delivery, but nothing exciting at all when you crank on the throttle, it just slowly picks up speed, as opposed to the Rocket III, where if I ripped open that throttle the front wheel wants to come up in the air and my butt is clenching the seat just to stay on the bike.

I even ran a bottle of carb cleaner thru the tankful of fuel just in case some crap had settled in the float bowls and had partially blocked the jets, but nope, the 1500cc flat 6 is just an underpowered lump. Having said that, I reckon a Valkyrie is a much better bike than a Goldwing, because without all that plastic taking up space in front of you, you aren't overwhelmed on a warm day like today by heat trapped behind all that plastic sharing space with you. No biggie, it was still a good ride.

Valk ride Saturday 27 Nov 2021 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[Trevor from Warragul]

It is the bike that I own which I'm least likely to see another of at any gathering.

The bike club I'm Secretary of (Classic Italian Motorcycle Association of Australia (Vic) Inc) currently has 20 Morini's on classic plates!  14 are 3 1/2's (6 Sport & 8 Strada).  The most I've seen together in one place was 7.

When people say to me "You don't see too many of them these days" I have to reply "Well, actually...".

[jaguar]

Out and about

jeez dude!...looks like you rode that thing all the way back to Italy

Its a SB8K SantaMonica.  Best we can figure, 7 got delivered to the USA.  Not all had the carbon tank (mine does).
One was in a fire, and another exported. 
I think I hold the record for highest miles....at like 2k.

So many live static lives.  Its a shame really.
I try and rescue as many as I can.

So far there are three in my garage, but that might change soon...


Ha.  Hey Jag - that bike looks awesome! What model is that?

My buddy has a Bimota but it's been in his living room for the past 5 years so I havent ridden it yet!

[desertrefugee]

Well the weather today is lovely, only in the 70's but that's fine for riding motorcycles. I'd only ridden the Valkyrie from Spotty's place to the storage facility, so I thought I'd take it for a decent 140 mile ride today to see how it goes. The good is that it's quite comfy and the engine is arguably the smoothest engine I have ever had in any bike, BMW K series bikes included. The bad is that it is probably the most boring motorcycle I've ever owned.

I think the Triumph Rocket III has spoiled riding big bikes for me, I expect a bike that weighs around the same as the Rocket to have the same poke, but the Valkyrie doesn't. It has a linear power delivery, but nothing exciting at all when you crank on the throttle, it just slowly picks up speed, as opposed to the Rocket III, where if I ripped open that throttle the front wheel wants to come up in the air and my butt is clenching the seat just to stay on the bike.

I even ran a bottle of carb cleaner thru the tankful of fuel just in case some crap had settled in the float bowls and had partially blocked the jets, but nope, the 1500cc flat 6 is just an underpowered lump. Having said that, I reckon a Valkyrie is a much better bike than a Goldwing, because without all that plastic taking up space in front of you, you aren't overwhelmed on a warm day like today by heat trapped behind all that plastic sharing space with you. No biggie, it was still a good ride.

Valk ride Saturday 27 Nov 2021 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Dang Terry, I guess I find myself disagreeing with you on a couple of counts here.  You might want to consider taking a closer look at the state of tune of that flat 6. I have had quite a number of stout, quick motorcycles in my stable. Have always enjoyed the muscle bikes. So my perspective is a good one to assess the Valkyrie with. I never found the Valkyrie power wanting, but of course you're pushing 750 lb around, so there's that. I also had a buddy with a Rocket 3 and we rode together quite a bit. The Rocket was quicker than the Valkyrie but it was not a significant or astonishing difference.

I am sad to say that my Valkyrie is gone as of last month. Had to let it go. It went to a good home in Minnesota to a fellow who already has three in his garage. Why someone would want four Valkyries is beyond me, but he is an enthusiast and it couldn't have gone to a better home.

Traveled almost 60,000 miles on that thing. It had a shade over 70 and he didn't blink an eye about that. Anyone who knows the machine would do the same here.  I rode that machine everywhere from the Columbia River valley and down the Pacific Coast highway, many points in california, glacier national park, all over colorado, Ghost Town tours in New mexico, every square inch of Arizona, Nova Scotia, North carolina and Texas (separate trips).  The motorcycle never let me down if you don't count a dead battery in Utah, or a flat tire in oklahoma.

Your dislike of The Valkyrie definitely needed a counterpoint. But if you think about it, there's a reason that there are so many different styles, shapes and sizes of motorcycles.  Everyone has their own idea of how a motorcycle should feel and/or look. 

The Valkyrie is the finest motorcycle I have ever owned.

<Disclaimer: I did have the Viking headers on mine, interstate carb slide springs, Dynajet needles and a 4° advance wheel for the timing. That was it.>

/Darrell

[Terry in Australia]

Ha ha, thanks Darrell, sounds to me like you're suffering from "Sellers remorse" and I understand that, I sold my minty Honda VFR750 recently and I still kick myself, I thought that the VFR was the finest engine that Honda every built.

The Valkyrie is way underpowered compared to either of the Rocket III's that I've owned. Spotty and I rode them both a week or so before we did the trade and after getting off the "old" R3 (2006 model, with 90,000 miles) all he could say was how much he loved the "Awesome" engine, and he's ridden the Valkyrie further than I have. He also owns a VMax which I've ridden, (and loved) so is no stranger to arm wrenching torque.

To be fair, (in my best British accent) both R3's have Jardine "Big Boss" pipes, a K&N filter in mine and a Ramair filter on Spotty's, and mine has a Power Commander III (Spotty's has a PC5, but it's not currently installed) and mine has been dynoed at 140.7 RWHP and 147 foot pounds of torque (at the wheel) which is around 50% more torque and BHP than a stock Valkyrie, so certainly noticeable, as a stock Rocket (the OEM exhaust is a two man lift) is only 20 pounds heavier than the Valk, and as my Valk is fitted with fibreglass panniers and a fairing etc, I reckon they probably weigh about the same, and the power delivery is enormously different between the two.

Des, the guy I bought the personalised plate from, has had two Valks, and like you, he misses them mightily. He's ridden 5 laps of Oz (16,000 miles per lap) since he retired, but he's now in his mid 70's, so the Valk had to go, and he had one of those Volkswagen powered trikes until he hit a Kangaroo and was almost killed, so he's had to give up bikes too. Like you, he also said that the Valkyrie is the finest bike he's ever owned, and he couldn't believe that I wasn't all that impressed, but as I said in my original post, the Rocket III has ruined land barge ownership for me, as beautifully smooth and well finished that a Valkyrie is, unless your land barge will pull power wheelies or do accidental burnouts, or do 0-60 MPH in 2.9 seconds, it'll never be a Rocket III.

[jas67]

@Terry -- I have to agree with you on the Honda VFR750 motor.  Yes, definitely one of Honda's finest!
I've owned two, a 1996 VFR750, and 2001 VFR800.   I have very fond memories of both.

[desertrefugee]

Ha ha, thanks Darrell, sounds to me like you're suffering from "Sellers remorse"

<  snippage   >

The Valkyrie is way underpowered compared to either of the Rocket III's that I've owned.

- Definitely suffering seller's remorse.

- I suppose at the end of the day, when saying the valkyrie is underpowered a compared to the rocket 3, it's not such a bad slam. I mean schidt,  look what you're comparing it to.. LOL

- I tuned into the video expecting a factory or third party review. Was pleasantly surprised and had several good laughs over that. Thank you for it!

[PeWe]

About Terrys new Locomotive !
Checked this?
https://www.magnumtuning.com/en/detail/dyno-boost-motorcycle-performance-chip/honda/gold-wing-valkyrie

More inspiration
https://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/202-horsepower-honda-valkyrie-from-archives/

[Trevor from Warragul]

I headed into the hills on my big Suzuki.  Enjoyed the cool morning breeze.  Got home just as the weather started to get warm.

[Terry in Australia]

Ha ha, thanks Darrell, sounds to me like you're suffering from "Sellers remorse"

<  snippage   >

The Valkyrie is way underpowered compared to either of the Rocket III's that I've owned.

- Definitely suffering seller's remorse.

- I suppose at the end of the day, when saying the valkyrie is underpowered a compared to the rocket 3, it's not such a bad slam. I mean schidt,  look what you're comparing it to.. LOL

- I tuned into the video expecting a factory or third party review. Was pleasantly surprised and had several good laughs over that. Thank you for it!

Ha ha, no worries mate, the Valk is a nice pleasant tourer that does lots of things very well, as I said before, the Rocket has just ruined really big bike ownership for me.

[MauiK3]

I've never ridden one but the Bandit has always looked to me like it's a great bike.

[ken65]

I headed into the hills on my big Suzuki.  Enjoyed the cool morning breeze.  Got home just as the weather started to get warm.

Nice Bandit.  I like them. I got a 2010 model. Never lets me down.

[ekpent]

 Green 1999 1200 Bandit over here. Only had 7500 miles on it when I bought it. Rode it a lot from mid summer to late fall this year. One of those nice bikes where you can ride it all day and never hardly go above 5k on the tach and still go fast ! Over 5k things happen fast and your hitting 100 mph before you know it. Used and in good shape these bikes are a bargain for good usable power,handling and brakes.

[Terry in Australia]

I’ve always liked Bandits, they were a smart move from Suzuki putting a detuned GSXR engine into a naked street bike frame. They used to be everywhere here going cheap, but I think folks have been hoarding them of late as I don’t see as many for sale as I did a couple of years ago.

When I sell the Valkyrie I might buy another Yamaha FJR1300, sportsbiike like power and handling with luggage for a long haul.

[MauiK3]

FJR1300, another great bike.
I think some of the early ones had a valve issue of some sort, not sure if it was solved.

[Terry in Australia]

I bought a minty 2000 “First Gen” in 2016 for the “Sofa King low” price of $2000 Steve, it had 223,000 Km (139,000 miles) on the odometer and the owner, a teacher at a Christian school in Western Victoria was selling it to buy an older Honda ST1100 as he was riding 500-600 miles per week and was worried that the Yamaha was on the way out.

I fitted new tyres and brake rotors, a taller windshield and some handlebar risers, and rode it for another 14000 Km (9000 miles) and traded it up for another Triumph Rocket III in February, which I’ve just traded to Spotty for the Valkyrie.

I wasn’t aware of any issues with them, the guy who I did the trade with took it to a shop for a Roadworthy inspection said that it needed a new cam chain, but according to the guy I bought the FJR from the engine had never been apart. I’d definitely buy another one, my only gripe is the footpeg position is a bit high for a fast tourer, and that it stole my 10mm socket when I was replacing a blown coolant hose, and didn’t gave it back…..

[ken65]

I know many of the FJ1200 boys here in south east Queensland. A few of them jumped on the FJR1300's and where blown away by them . I've never heard a bad word from any of them.