The formula seems so simple, like building a classic American hot-rod: We took the biggest engine in our considerable inventory - the 1520cc horizontally opposed liquid-cooled six-cylinder from our Gold Wing line - and slid it into the longest, leanest chassis our engineers could design. More than eight feet long from the front tire to the rear fender. Handlebars more than a yard across. 

That alone would have been enough to blow every other custom into the weeds, but we weren't content to stop there. Because if a lot of horsepower is good, even more has got to be better. So the Valkyrie's got six carburetors, solid lifters, positive screw-and-locknut valve adjustment, and about a 25-percent horsepower increase over our 'Wings'. And Torque? Motorcyclist magazine strapped a Valkyrie to the dyno and found that it produced more torque than any production motorcycle they'd ever tested.

It's difficult not to be impressed just by the sheer size and proportion of the Valkyrie, the bike oozes style, with lashings of chrome running from the handle bars to the three into one exhaust, enough even to embarrass a silversmith.. The down side, or so you might think, is maneuverability or lack there of. Not so. Although weighing in at over 715 lbs and a yard wide, the Valkyrie provides the more proficient rider ( and some skill as well as thigh muscle is helpful) with excellent rideability. The engine provides power in any gear, the bike remaining highly stable at almost any speed and even whilst dicing with the town stuff. What all this size buys you is Ferrari-like status and unbelievable street credentials.

Specification

GL1500C Valkyrie