Istorie
The Valkyrie is a cruiser class motorcycle, built between 1996 and 2003. Based on the famous Honda Goldwing, it is unusual configuration for a cruiser bike, as it has a flat six engine.
Full description
Honda is the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer, yet the company started after World War II from the humblest of origins. In 1948 Soichiro Honda begun by fitting army surplus engine into bicycles, using a belt drive to the rear wheel. The first Honda engine was a 50 cc two-stroke and by 1949, the company had moved to a factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. The first really successful model was the D-Type, 98 cc two-stroke. First 4-stroke engine was fitted, in the 1950s, to the E model. Following its great success, in 1959, Honda opened an American office and begun working towards entering the US market.
Honda led the way again, in 1974 with the introduction of the heavy Goldwing touring bike. It was described at the time as being „a revolutionary motorcycle” and was immediately popular in the USA.
Built by Honda USA, the Valkyrie engine is a 1,520 cc, liquid cooled, horizontally-opposed flat-six engine transplanted from Honda's Goldwing model. This was unusual since most "cruiser" style motorcycles were based on a V-twin engine design similar to the engine of a Harley-Davidson. In its transplant from the Goldwing, power grew to 100 hp and the intake was changed to six individual 28 mm carburetors, one for each cylinder. The Valkyrie was offered with a reverse gear in Japan.
On introduction, a “naked” standard model was offered. Later, a Tourer model appeared, it had a windshield and lockable saddlebags. In 1999 the Interstate model joined the lineup. It included a fork-mounted fairing, a large capacity fuel tank and a rear trunk.
Despite its 300 kg dry weight, the big bike had surprisingly good handling and smooth flat-six engine just pulls the motorcycle away effortlessly.
This particular motorcycle has covered 614 Km.
