Fighting Harley Envy: Or some pointers for the care and loving of the Valkyrie...
As of June 2002 it will be 3 months since I sold my two Harley’s. At first, I really thought I would miss my custom solftail but I do not miss it at all. My Husband George was worried that I would miss the Harley as well but I am actually glad to be rid of the bikes and the trouble I would constantly have with breakdowns. Did you ever notice that all Harley dealers also sell trailers? Lots of Honda dealers do too, but they are usually of the kind used to haul dirt bikes, wet bikes and such. Hondas (be it generator, lawn mower, outboard, ATV, motorcycle or anything else they make, RUN. They start. They run. They are dependable. That having been said, I can now turn to the subject of our Valkyries. George would constantly make fun of me as I continued to bring along my tools and stock of bolts, nuts, wires and other ‘Harley essentials’ on our trips. I was so used to carrying a variety of fix-it type things on my Harley’s that I could not break out of the habit. "G" (my husband George) would laugh as he said the only time he ever broke out his tool kit was to fix a Harley.
All of that has changed now after the last few Valk outings. On the Laughlin trip, April 2002, as the large pack of Valkyries moved effortlessly through the desert roads on their way to Oatman we had our first mishap. Big BF, one of our new Valkyrie friends pulled off onto the side of the highway with a broken clutch. We were shocked, as this was our first encounter with an actual breakdown. A very specialized bolt had fallen out of the pivot/attachment point for the clutch lever. The reason that this had happened is covered by Murphy’s Law… "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." The simple remedy for this is to carry an extra nut and bolt for this part. The really good news is that the same nut and bolt fits both sides, the clutch and the brake. The nut and bolt have a modest cost of approximately $5.00 at any Honda shop. [Part No. 90114-MA5-671] This extra part is a lifesaver and a quick fix.
Also, on this same Laughlin trip, my 1999 Interstate had a small problem. The saddlebags on the Interstate have a very easy to use cover, which drops to the side when one wants access to the saddlebag. To replace the lid one just slides the lid hinge onto the lower hinge assembly. Well, all of a sudden as I was putting my lid on, (don’t laugh) I noticed that my hinge was loose (don’t laugh at me, some think I’m already unhinged). To make a long story short, the screw that holds the upper hinge assembly had fallen out. On all other Valkyrie models, the screw probably would have fallen into the bag, but on the Interstates, it can fall onto the ground and not be noticed. This is a part that does warrant inspection due to the constant use of the lids. Again, like the first missing item the resolution is a very easy and cheap one. The local Honda dealer sells this screw for $3.95 making this problem an easy one to fix. [Part No. 90104-964-000]
Several months ago, our good friend Kevin O’Reilly was over for a ride down in our part of the woods, Simi Valley, California. Kevin had spent the night and as par for the course we were cleaning the Valks for a morning ride. I noticed that Kevin had a loose tail pipe. The rear bolt that holds the rear part of the tailpipe in place had NOT FALLEN OUT, but become loose. We tightened it and were on our way.
We thought nothing of this at the time until two months later when I took my Valkyrie down for a new rear tire. The shop where I was having my work done advised me that they as a courtesy had tightened the rear bolt that holds the rear tailpipe in place. We did not loose the bolt either time but this again is a cheap bolt to keep as an extra. In addition, we suggest that this bolt be routinely checked for tightness. Most of these types of problems can be prevented. As you clean and wipe your bike down, touch and visually inspect every nut, bolt, and screw you can see. If it is loose, tighten it.
Finally, as we bite our tongues and admit that there are some parts that, like the Harley, rattle loose on our magnificent Valkyries there are two other bolts to consider having on hand. The Allen head on the pod bolts (3 bolts, but only 2 lengths) on the Interstate have a tendency to strip out with use as you access the area under the pods so we keep one each of these also. Although I have had no problems with them, I believe an extra header bolt would be an excellent Idea, as it could save you from a burned valve.
Ride, eat, sleep. Repeat.
Sue and George Bowman
So. Cal. VRCC members