Honda Valkyrie Standard Cruiser reviews

.I’ve owned 24 motorcycles in my life, and this Rune is the one I loved the most. For the past 10 years, it has given me a riding experience unlike anything else. The Honda Rune isn’t just a motorcycle — it’s emotion, presence, and pride every time you turn the key. This Rune is #49 of only 1500 ever produced, making it one of the earliest and most desirable examples. Magazine after magazine has voted it one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever built, and you feel that every time you walk up to it. How It Feels to Ride The moment you sit on the Rune, you feel its uniqueness. The 6-cylinder engine is incredibly smooth — no vibration, just a steady, powerful flow. Twist the throttle and the bike moves with effortless strength. It’s calm, confident, and surprisingly easy to control. I’m 5’7”, and my feet sit flat on the ground. The balance is excellent, and I’m 100% comfortable handling the weight. On long rides, especially the many trips I took from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the Rune feels like it’s gliding. You always have extra power and always feel safe and stable. What I Love Most The presence — people don’t just look at this bike; they stare. The smoothness — the 6-cylinder engine feels alive and refined. The reliability — it starts instantly, even after sitting. The uniqueness — nothing else on the road looks or feels like a Rune. The confidence — stable, powerful, and comfortable in any situation. This motorcycle gives you a feeling that stays with you long after the ride ends. Condition Show less

I've had 3 of these Honda Valkyries, GL1500C over the years. I've taken them to Valkyrie Rallies all over the US, down the Tail of the Dragon a few times, to Van Couver, BC, Canada from Houston, TX. I have found them to be extremely fun, fast, reliable, powerful. I'm a big guy nowadays, so I don't look as ridiculous on a big bike, and I need a bike that can carry my weight, plus a passenger on occasion, plus luggage! One of the best things about this model bike is the support community. If you log onto the VRCC (Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club) they have technical info and a knowledge base to get you through any problem. I love that a lot of those guys have 300,000 miles on a Valkyrie! Changing the air filter is a real pain. There's not a lot of clearance between the top of the shift lever and the bottom of the 6 cylinder engine that's mounted just above that lever. Just enough for a regular boot. If you had one of those boots with the extra thick sole, there'd be no way to fit it in there. Of course, everything is adjustable, but still. There's less and less aftermarket parts available as time marches on and these haven't been made since 2002, but there's still stuff out there. An old school Valkyrie will perform, it's a lot more nimble than it looks, it's smooth and well balanced, powerful, fast and torquey. It's getting harder to find aftermarket parts. And dealerships won't work on bikes that old, usually. Although private shops will, of course. I don't know what other bike can cruise across country so fast and smooth and reliably for $4K or less. Show less

I am an old Harley guy, until l picked up Valkyrie, what a bike. Yes best bike ever built.. the power, smooth ride, beautiful machine. I have owned around 10 Valkyries. My last one was a Marron and cream.broke my heart to see her go. I am 70 now and not as strong as I used to be.ride free and safe Valkyrie riders, enjoy the best bike ever. 500k miles is not unusual.. Show less

I love this flat 6 beast! The Valkyrie ride like a sport bike, it's a breeze when you are cruising, very stable and a lot of fun on the road. Overall very fast, powerful, and comfortable. Over the years I owned several motorcycles, but this one is a real keeper!!! Show less

i have always had a honda motorcycle. i have been riding sense the 60's. loved the valkyrie when it came out in 97 couldn't afford it then. 2007 bought a 97 still own it now has 65k on it. never let me down is still a thrill to ride even at 66 years old. when i can't hold it up on 2 wheels i will have it converted to 3 wheels. lots of respect for this bike from many other brand owners. still gets lots of attention no matter where i go. will never get rid of it. Show less

A comfortable ride for one. More power than you can safely use. Good riding position, low center of gravity. A 900 lb beast that draws attention everywhere. Especially noticeable when riding with a group of Harleys. Show less

The Rune is a wonderful ride. It is smooth, comfortable, reliable and fast. The elaborate trailing link fork does not dive - not at all. The engine accelerates effortlessly and on a slow summer day, I've seen 51 mpg. How cool it is to have a flat six cylinders on two wheels! High speed handling is like a locomotive on wheels. The low speed handling requires good form and confidence. The long wheelbase, hardtail style rear end, trailing link fork and 811 lbs dry weight create rock solid feel on two lane roads and highways. This bike will spoil you. Build quality is unbeatable, layer after layer of precise-fitting chromed parts. The only negative thing I find is the lack of a self-canceling turn signal. Show less

I bought this bike new 2 years ago. I split lanes on the 405 the first day. It has heavy steering and requires very deliberate force on the handlebars to corner tightly at slow speeds but the amount this bike can be laid over in a smooth turn is amazing considering how low it is. Get it out on the freeway and this cruise missile keeps up with the crotch rockets to about 120mph where I tend to start to contemplate my mortality. Longest ride was to Big Sur with a couple Beemer guys. It is not hard to ride at high speed without a fairing. The stretch of the headlight creates a laminar flow of air that if you lean forward into it holds a full face helmet up nicely with no buffeting in the head or chest. It turns heads in Brentwood here in West LA and that's not easy with all the Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, etc. People ask me what it is all the time or just stand and stare at it. Always remember to stand up over big freeway bumps. The rear sport suspension can pound you. Show less

I purchased this bike without ever riding it or ever seeing one in person. I knew from the day my friend emailed a photo of it to me and said 'THIS bike is YOU' I had to have it. Once I took delivery of it and straddled this beast and fired it up, the grin did not come off my face for hours. My inaugural ride was over 500 miles from the dealership to my home and I could not have been happier. It performs even better than it looks. I have only owned it for 5 months now, and already have 10000 miles on it. The power from the HO six engine is super smooth and the torque is unbelievable, and the linked braking system is awesome. The only thing I wish Honda had done better is spec'd a more durable front tire for this beauty. I've had to replace the front after only 5800 miles and I am close to replacing the front again, while the rear tire still has lots of tread. That said, this is the most refined, elegant, and complete bike I have ever owned or ridden in my 40+ years of riding, bar none! Show less

I never knew that this bike even existed until my son told me to go and take a look at the 2004 Rune. After the test ride I said, "Let's make a deal.I had just seen the Harley Rocker C pictures on the web site and bike fever started to come over me. But I'm very glad I did not make that choice now. My 2004 Rune had only 4 miles on it when I bought it the month of September 2007 and I've only put 400 miles on it so far. But I can tell you I've found my friend for life. My wife likes a cool looking bike and I doubt I'll ever find one that looks better than this one. The ride is smooth, the look is great, and people strain their necks to get a look at it. Show less