Honda Valkyrie Interstate Motorcycle reviews

I purchased this bike new in 2001. It still looks and runs like new and still catches the eye of others. It has 1520cc of power, runs very smooth and is extremely dependable. It's great for city and highway driving but due to the fact that it has 6 cylinders, it can be just a tad heavy on slow moving corners because of the wide engine. Overall, a great ride for one or two. Show less

I've owned two Runes and three Goldwings and a 1500 Valkyrie. Needless to say, I'm a fan of the flat 6. I was very excited to see that Honda was brining back the Valkyrie, however, when I saw one in person, I was disappointed in the looks of it. While it had a beefy stature that I liked, I thought it lost much of it's charm. Fast forward several years: I decide to sell my Rune and I was in the market for another cruiser. I looked at Suzukis, Yamahas and Honda's other offerings. I was initially considering the F6B...very seriously. But, since I already have a 2005 Goldwing (which I keep in another state at a vacation home), I wanted something different. The look of the Valkyrie started to grow on me. I straddled the beast and it felt well balanced, minimalistic (in a good way), and broad shouldered. I knew I found my next bike. Without test driving it, I just bought it. It's a screaming joy! Crazy fast, super balanced. Honda scored again. The beast is back! Show less

The stock pegs/valve cover placement make foot placement cramped and uncomfortable for distance, no problem for short local rides. So I installed Rivco Aero Highway Cruise pegs for the ride home. The Rivco pegs are marvelously comfortable and well worth the investment. Most notable was the high-pitched whine of the flat six, zero vibration at 60-65, and the exceptional balance and feel of the 750 pound Valkyrie. Felt like a 650 pound sportbike. It shifts and rides very smoothly but seems like it could use an overdrive at 80 mph. The windshield is too short and caused buffeting. The bags provided ample storage space and cargo rack worked well. Needs a Throttle Lock, bought a Brakeaway, not yet installed. Overall very fast, powerful, and comfortable with cruise pegs installed, a must if you are tall. At night the LED headlight disappointed a bit, as a thin, horizontal decorative strip bisecting the headlamp causes the low beam to fall short on the road. Show less

I have only put about 125 miles on my bike so I have a small sample to base this on. The bike is a smooth riding, very maneuverable at both low and high speeds, cruiser. It is well balanced with a low center of gravity. (The Picture at the bottom is NOT the bike I bought. I can't get the picture deleted. Sorry) Show less

Pros; fast, comfortable, easy to maintain, beautiful, cheap. Cons; short range, brakes could be better, it's large and heavy. In my opinion, Best Cruising Motorcycle Ever. Show less

The Valk is my 11th bike in 34 years of riding. I had a BMW K 1200 RS before which was a fine bike. Valks are not very common here but when I saw this 11 year old beast by a local dealer I was in love straight away. I was not planning on changing bikes but I did after I test drove the Valk. Maybe because I'm getting older and I found myself hanging more and more to retro styling because all this modern futuristic bikes these days I cannot fall in love with. Also self maintenace is getting very hard on modern bikes these days. Back to basics with carburetors my last bike with that was 12 years ago. I never owned a cruiser before. The Valk is more normal with plenty power to have loads of fun. It fits my style of riding. The bike fits my stature more and it does have a great ride with great cornering. I still drive with some BMW friends and they are surprised at first that I could keep up with them even give them a run down for there money. The only disappointing thing was the fuel usage. I think in the states you travel around 75 miles an hour then this bike is great with 3000 revs but here, well everybody drives around 140 km (90 nm) and then the fuel usage is very high. It means a tank stop every hour, that's rough but I can live with that because the fun factor is very high on this bike. Also the look factor - people look at me and start conversations about the bike and that's a first for me. I like it and I will keep it for years to come. And I am on zero now I could get used to milecounter so I chanced it to km counter now I start fresh al km are mine from now on to make. Show less

I've been riding for over 40 years and the list of machines I have ridden or owned wouldn't fit in this review. My 1997 F6 still packs a punch when I need it. Rides better than ANY machine I have been on! Long haul or short. Too bad HONDA was so short sighted! Show less

My 1999 Honda Valkyrie Interstate was the best bike I ever owned. It was smooth, powerful and just plain great to look it. Classic lines of a power cruiser and the motor of the classic tourer made it perfect for short rides and long rides. My wife used to sit in the princess seat in comfort as we rode to places like Nashville and Knoxville Tennessee. Cruising the dragon(Deals Gap) with ease and crusing through the Smokeys in comfort. Overall I cannot say enough good things about this bike except it put a hurt to Goldwing sales so Honda stopped making them. Great Bike and Great Experiences is what I will remember from owning this machine. The sweetest ride on the road and even got the respect of most Harley owners. Hope I can get another one someday. Show less

I was 17 when I bought my first used bike (2001 Yamaha R-6). I was 19 when I bought my first new bike (2004 Yamaha R-1). Man that R-1 could move! I sold that bike after I turned 21 and thought about getting out of riding the sport bikes, but I knew that I would always have a need for that sport bike power. I stumbled on to a 1999 Honda Valkyrie. Wow, was I swept off my feet when I laid eyes on this beautiful, yet beastly dragon. I had to have it. I was 22 years old in my town riding with kids my age that would laugh at me when I pulled my bike into the group for a Friday night ride. But when I got to the front of the line and was waiting at the next stop light for them to catch up, they didn't laugh much after that. I'm glad I made the switch to the Valkyrie. I've had more guys tell me that if I ever want a good bike that I should never sell my Valkyrie. I listened to them and I plan to ride this bike for a very long time. Show less

Bought a used '99 Green & Silver Interstate in June '07 - only 3845 miles on it. Great ride either single or two-up. It'll handle twisties with ease and has plenty of power. The 1520 engine runs at slightly ;-) more than posted speeds with no strain, even when loaded down. Noisy tires when cornering (famous growl). Just made a 1,000 trip on it with the biggest grins on our faces. Always getting looks and comments - people think it's a new model. Compliments my '97 Magna for big-boy fun! Show less