Valkyrie review from a rice rocket rider

Only bike so far that has smoked my rice burner . . .

by jeffs320 | Oct 19 '00

Pros: Comfortable, fast, just sounds really cool coming down the street

Cons: Too big for me

Recommended: Yes

I have a Yamaha R6, and went out riding with a friend last week who has an R1. I went to meet him at the club he works at, and as we were walking outside, I heard a whole lot of noise. At first I was wondering what a pack of ground pounders were doing pulling into the parking lot when the club was closed, but I soon found out that they were going riding with us.

Pulling out of the parking lot, Rob and I naturally wheelied past them and took off down the road. Well, that was the story from each stoplight for about the next 10 miles or so. Then the one guy riding a Valkyrie stopped at the light next to me.

I was checking out the size of the engine and thinking that he might actually be a challenge, when the light changed and all I saw was his tail lights. Well, after this embarrassment, I decided to try harder from the next light. Same Story. At this point I was getting upset, until the next light when he was keeping up with Rob on the R1. Then I figured that this was a bad to the bone ground pounder, and I had to ride it.

My first thought was that I was going to rip all the chrome off the pipe in about 5 seconds taking any corners, but it handled them well. It does not corner like a rice burner or anything, but it was smooth and took curves at over 100 mph, so I was satisfied.

I thought it was extremely comfortable to ride, but I am a small guy (5'8" about 155 lbs) so to me this bike is a monster. Especially after riding a rice burner that weighs about 360 wet.

The acceleration is phenomenal for a bike of this type. I still can not believe how fast it was. I have always said that I will buy a ground pounder when I am too old to ride fast, but I can't make fun of a Valkyrie at all. This bike is very well made, it is fast, it handles well for a bike of it's size, and it is extremely comfortable.

Two thumbs up!