Honda Valkyrie F6C (1996-2005) Review

Year: 1997

I tell everyone how great these bikes are, because it draws attention everywhere

Buying experience: 4500! Traded a 2010 VT 1300 Honda for it +500 cash!

Version: Valkyrie Tourer GL 1500CT

Year: 1998

Had loads of bikes, over the last 50 years, and having more fun on the Valkyrie then any of my other bikes! Just want to ride it everyday! People say, oh, it's to big for me, I couldn't manage it. But believe me its easy to paddle around, and with a low centre of gravity, you can really throw it around! Mine's the Tourer, and you really can sit at any speed you like all day in total comfort. An awesome motorcycle, that's for sure.

Buying experience: Purchased from a specialist importer. American Cruiser. No problems at all. Would recommend to anyone have fancies a cruiser.

Version: Standard

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £100

At 74 years old , having ridden Harleys for over 50 years , I picked up an awesome 97 Valkyrie. It is by far the best built, best performing, best handling motorcycle I have ever owned or ridden. I'll always have a soft spot for the Harleys, but their attraction for me is history. This Valkyrie is a Porsche on 2 wheels !

Version: I just got the F6, not the F6c

Year: 1997

I have owned over 2k motorcycles and sold over 3500 bikes! I am 69 and traded one of these for my high top van and have looked for another for years. I traded my 2010 Honda Stateline ABS, loaded for this loaded 1997 Valk. F6 that has 40k miles on it and every piece is chromed. My bike had 12k miles and had been down and needed paint. I was blessed with this machine. six shooter exhaust is next, the only thing left to do....

Buying experience: I got this from a man five feet four inches tall that was too short to feel safe..

Version: Valkyrie Tourer

Year: 1997

I’ve owned 60 bikes (of all types) being a born fanatic, the Valk is my all time favourite.

Buying experience: I paid a lot for mine, $12k AUD but she only had 19,000kms and was 17 years old, one owner. Best money I’ve ever spent. Purchased from a dealer.

Version: GL1500 F6C Valkyrie - 1998

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £250

Classic Bike with a fantastic flat six engine, Honda reliability and classic cruiser lines. Would love to own another F6C as a back up, and would recommend this model to anyone wanting a decent fun reliable cruiser but maybe not to a novice biker given the overall dry weight. I've no current intentions to trade in for another bike purchase. Any additional bike would probably be a stand alone purchase. Only thing I miss is a fuel guage and a centre stand, but I've learned to live without such luxury items now!

Buying experience: Used bike bought from a small dealer. Very happy with deal, bike cost £5,700 which was the advertised price. I believe the F6C values will potentially flat line at circa £5k and then just hold their price whatever the listed mileage maybe, as well over 100k of riding can be expected from a GL1500 engine, if it's maintained correctly.

Version: Tourer

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £60

It’s all round ability and build quality.

Buying experience: Independent dealer. Got for a couple of hundred pound cheaper than advertised.

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £60

The F6C is the ultimate, reliable, well-built cruiser.

Buying experience: I bought mine privately. It was advertised at £6500 but I paid £5800. The bike probably has £2k-£3k of aftermarket chrome on it.

Version: Valkyrie

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £240

Totally amazing bike.

Buying experience: Bought private as a third bike. Now after thinning down garage to just one bike, I bought another Valkyrie. Would not rule out another one. My wife would be displeased, but does think they look totally amazing bikes.

Version: Standard

Year: 2001

Excellent bike. Do everything just fine. Bought a 600 transalp to ride in town, after 2 days back to valk.. Even in the city is fabulous. Touring is just a pleasure... 5th gear go everywhere. Can do 6.3 li/100km traveling smooth.. Only one complaint and happened on both I had.. European model has a foam pre filter in the cover of the airbox that rotten with age and its very difficult to go beyond 4009 rpm.. New cover and their she goes again..

his is my third season on my valkyrie, and it turns heads wherever I go, it still looks like new, I have emptied the exhaust of silensers and it roars! it rides like a charm, sidewinds are not a problem on this bike, I have 10000$ of extra chromes worth on it, and it Shines!! Being an old v.twin rider though I have only one negative thing to say, it's not a v-twin.. it's something much more, but the hog sound is just not there.. it sounds awesome mind you, but more like a ferrari or a porsche. cool yes, but I would like more pounding sound it I could. Mileage is maybe not the greatest, but if you ride a bike for 25000 $ just for the fun of it, mileage is not an issue.. just annoying to stop for gas so often. every 3 hours you need to fill it up. I really like my bike!

The F6C stands for “Flat 6 Custom” , how boring! In the states it’s called a “Valkyrie”. As all the Valks are made in the US of A I call mine a Valkyrie! Engine..Nothing is smoother than a 6 and it will pull from 800 rpm in top gear (20mph) but you have to hold the brake on as tickover is set at 1000rpm. High lift cams, 6 carbs, and manual tappet adjustment all contribute to a silky smooth powerful engine built for crossing continents in a day! Ride & Handling.. USD forks and reasonable rear shocks give this bike plenty of road holding. It doesn't particularly like small twisty roads and gets fidgety at slow speeds but that's not the cruisers domain. In fast sweeping bends there's no tail wagging it just tracks the corner perfectly. Equipment.. Up to your imagination. More accessories abound for this bike than any other although they are much cheaper directly from the US of A. My only gripe is there's no headlamp flasher! Quality and Reliability.. It would be easy to just say it's a Honda but it's THE Honda! All others pale into insignificance with the quality of this one. Lots of chreome as standard means a quick wash and rub down with a damp chamois bring it up beautifully. Reliability.. It eats it's own battery every 3 years, but that's not Honda's fault it's the battery manufacturer's! Value.. Very expensive new but what a lot of bike for your money. Keeps its value very well and recently appears to be rising in value. Performance.. I live in the real world and know what this bike will do. I average 40mpg whether at home or abroad. I get at least 160 miles to a tank full and I've seen 180 before refuelling and that was 2 up with 5 stone of luggage. The top speed is higher than MCN suggest and I've got SatNav data logging to prove it having frightened some poor person on a 600 sports bike by overtaking uphill on a slight bend! Probably thought he/she was being overtaken by a tractor when they saw the size of the front tyre in their mirror (it’s a 150)! Last words..My wife travelled from Clermont Ferrand to Belgium, Calais, through the chunnel and home (Nr Plymouth, Devon) in one go. 797 miles only stopping for food, toilets and her cigarettes (that’s the Belgium bit). We left Clermont Ferrand at 9am and got home at 1am without rushing. WARNING.. This bike attracts a lot of attention. You will be accosted at all times even by people driving by in town just to tell you what you already know..”That’s one beautiful bike mate!” Park this bike next to any other – yes, even Harleys – and people will stop and look at it, not at the plastic shod rockets nearby. You have been warned.