The Valkyries

The Valkyries were warrior maidens who attended to Odin, ruler of the gods. The Valkyries rode through the air in brilliant armor, directed battles, distributed death lots among the warriors, and conducted the souls of slain heroes to Valhalla, the great hall of Odin. Their leader was Brunhild. Freya or Freyja, goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, was sometimes identified as the goddess of battle and death. Her father was Njord, a fertility god. Blond, blue-eyed, and beautiful, Freya traveled on a golden-bristled boar or in a chariot drawn by cats. She resided in the celestial realm of Folkvang, where it was her privilege to receive half of all the warriors slain in battle; the god Odin received the other half at Valhalla. In Germany, Freya was sometimes identified with Frigg, the wife of Odin. Friday originates from Frigga's day.

More on the Valkyries
 

Dragon (n.) A legendary fire breathing beast of great size. Renowned for its immense power and ability to fly.

Honda Valkyrie


 

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.

So go ahead:
Sit back, get out the maps, and start dreaming again.
Because when you're on a Valkyrie,
you'll be turning those dreams into
great memories in no time.

 
  Specifications

Specification

GL1500C Valkyrie

Engine 1520cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed 6-cylinder with belt-driven overhead camshafts
Max Torque 100 lbs at 5,000 rpm
Max Power 100 bhp at 6,000 rpm
Carburetion six 28mm constant-velocity carburetors
Bore and Stroke 71 x 64mm
Ignition solid-state digital
Transmission 5-speed constant-mesh
Final Drive Maintenance-free shaft
Front Tire 150/80R 17
Rear Tire 180/70R 16
Front Brakes Dual discs with twin-piston caliper
Rear Brakes Single disc with twin-piston caliper
Seat Height 29.1 inches
Wheelbase 66.5 inches
Fuel capacity 5.3 gallons with 1.1 gallon reserve
Dry Weight 714.3 pounds
Colors black, red/pearl white, pearl purple/pearl white, black/pearl yellow
Oil Capacity 4 quarts
Optional Hondaline accessories both models: cb radio, rear carrier, studded seats, front and rear fender trim, chrome swingarm-pivot cover, front-fender guard, chrome sidecovers, smooth chrome sidestand, backrest trim, chrome control levers, chrome handlebar risers, chrome handlebar clamps, chrome radiator screen, chrome radiator cap, chrome oil-filter cap; Valkyrie only: windshield, exhaust-pipe tips, leather saddlebags; Tourer only: chrome saddlebag guard-rail set

Southern California Event Calendar

Back to Interesting Links