07-08-2016, 06:05 AM
Hello Everyone,
When I put my CB1100 parts up for sale on the forum, Cormanus asked me to provide a review on my new 2014 Honda F6C Goldwing Valkyrie. I read reviews from time to time in magazine articles where some writer takes a test ride. I think all of you know that whenever you hop on a bike that is a completely different animal from the one you’ve been riding, it takes 1,000 miles or more before you’re really acclimated to the new ride. I’m not a journalist so I didn’t list stuff in any particular order. Also, any comparisons made to the CB1100 were done to establish perspective. Here goes:
I’ll be 66 years old next month. Six years ago, after years of riding I found myself on a 2003 Honda Nighthawk. I thought to myself, this is it. I have found the perfect bike that will definitely be my last one. Light weight, nimble, low maintenance. Life is good.
Then I read an article about the new retro CB1100. I dropped by my local dealer several times over the next 18 months. The same bike sat there and no one seemed interested in buying it. Finally they lowered the price and I traded my Nighthawk in and rode off on my new CB1100. 20 months and 14,000 miles later, I’m convinced this is the last bike I will ever need to own. And then something really weird happened. I had just received my headers back from Jet-Hot Coating based on Chip Beck’s recommendation and installed them. I was standing there admiring them and remembered I had seen an ad from my local Honda dealer where they had lowered the price of a new Honda Goldwing F6C Valkyrie to $13,000 from the MSRP of $18,900.
I’ll ride in and take a look. I had no plans to buy it. I had done no research whatsoever before I visited the dealer. I ALWAYS research major purchases. I thought it’s a bit weird looking but otherwise kind of cool. And I trust Honda enough to know they make great products. So I took it for a test ride. Holy crap! Two hours later. . . $6,000 out the door with my trade-in. What was I thinking?
Here are my thoughts six months and 5,800 miles later. . . They took the Goldwing and stripped anywhere from 200 to 250 pounds off. No fairing, reverse, stereo system, heated grips, cruise control, rear hard bags, etc. Also, the F6C does not utilize the “linked” braking system used in the Goldwing and F6B. With the increased power to weight ratio, Honda installed larger front brakes and a larger front wheel. Plenty of brakes on this beast.
The engine is the same as the Goldwing, the flat six cylinder 1832cc boxer, similar to the BMW but with four more cylinders. It’s not very technologically advanced. It has two valves per cylinder and it only makes 104 rear wheel horsepower . It is however, one of the most reliable engines ever placed into a motorcycle. Some Goldwings have been known to surpass 300,000 miles. The engine is tuned to have a very flat torque curve, to the point that it produces around 100 foot pounds of torque at almost any RPM. Write ups indicate 0-60 in 3.3 seconds and quarter mile speeds of mid 11 seconds. This bike is smooth and is very fast. A Power Cruiser. I need to place SMOOTH in all caps. The smoothest bike I have ever ridden.
The seat height of 28.5 inches works well for my 5’ 7” frame and I find the factory saddle to be very comfortable. You all thought aftermarket parts for the CB1100 were scarce? Other than Corbin (seats and custom hard-bags) there is absolutely NOTHING available for the F6C. Given the huge discounts presently being offered on the F6C and F6B models, I don’t feel these bikes sold as well as Honda thought they would. Doesn’t look like there will be any more produced following the 2015 year. Sound familiar?
The bike weighs in at 750 pounds, similar to a Harley Heritage Softail (I owned one for seven years back in the 90’s). All of the weight is distributed evenly with a low center of gravity consistent with the boxer engine. Pushing it around the garage it feels like a 750 pound beast. Once riding it, it feels much lighter except when you have a big rig passing in the opposite direction. When this happens there is no buffeting and the bike is firmly planted on the asphalt. Wheelbase is about 9” longer than the CB1100. The bike handles very well while traversing the twisties in the various canyons located here. It is very well balanced. Suspension includes a single side aluminum swing arm (part of the weight reduction) with a Pro Link single shock with 14 preload adjustments.
Torquey engine: The F6C has a five speed transmission. When I pull up to a traffic stop I keep it in 2nd. The only time I use first gear is when I take off after starting the engine. Third and fourth ratios are pretty close. The point I’m making is that Honda could have made a three speed transmission for this bike and it would have worked nicely. 2nd, 4th, and 5th. I can cruise around at 30 - 35 miles an hour in 5th with no problem. Freeway speed limits in Utah are 80 mph. Tach reads around 4000 RPMs at 80 mph. I have read where the speed limiter kicks in at 125 mph. I don’t need to go that fast. I did have it up to 97 once passing a big rig on the freeway. Very SMOOTH. Redline is 6000 rpms.
Dash – simple digital speedometer and tach. Odometer, trip 1 and 2. Idiot lights and clock. Lights are all LED (even the headlight). F6C uses the same huge alternator as the Goldwing. I installed the factory foglights (also LED) this past weekend to use as running lights. Almost forgot, the bike has a “car” horn. How cool is that? All bike horns should sound like a car horn.
So far gas mileage for me is around 45 mpg. It has a 6 gallon tank. Used to fill up my CB1100 at 130 miles. I fill this one at around 240 miles. Under seat storage is a bit bigger. Has a side opening glovebox but you need to remove the side cover to get to it. Not real convenient. Seat needs to be unbolted for removal, not convenient.
Maintenance. First service is due at 4,000 miles. After that, oil and filter every 8,000 miles. Being old school I replaced the oil at 1500 miles with synthetic and also placed synthetic gear oil in the rear shaft drive. I plan to change the oil and filter every 6000 miles moving forward. Very low maintenance on this bike. It’s my first bike with a shaft drive. The bike includes a factory three year transferrable warranty.
Radiator Pods: They look like something out of Star Wars. Same ones are used but are less noticeable on the Goldwing and F6B due to the fairing. They look weird but they are functional. Honda designed the air to flow away from the rider. Even when the radiator fans kick on the heat is moved away from the rider. The fans on mine have only kicked on one time waiting in line to enter Zion National Park.
Dual Exhaust: Honda placed a different muffler system on the F6C vs. the F6B and Goldwing. It has a throatier rumble sound but it’s not loud. It’s similar to replacing the stock muffler on the CB1100 with a Staintune.
Like my beloved CB1100 the F6C gets a lot of looks and comments. As you know, with the CB1100 folks often ask, “Is that a 1973”, or “What year is that?” With the Valkyrie they usually ask, “What the Hell is that?”
Like the CB1100 the F6C puts a smile on my face every time I ride. I’m very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place as Southern Utah. I can cruise through beautiful scenery like Snow Canyon State Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Kolob Canyon, Gunlock reservoir, Lake Powell, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and many, many more. . . smiling all the way.
The Honda Goldwing F6C Valkyrie is a different animal for sure. If I could sum up the experience in one word, I would say this motorcycle is “Effortless!”
Last, you don’t need me to tell you this, but out of all the forums I belong to or lurk around in, this is by far the BEST! Guth, Ferret, Cormanus and you other guys all do a great job and make for a great experience!
Best regards and ride safe!
Southpaw50
When I put my CB1100 parts up for sale on the forum, Cormanus asked me to provide a review on my new 2014 Honda F6C Goldwing Valkyrie. I read reviews from time to time in magazine articles where some writer takes a test ride. I think all of you know that whenever you hop on a bike that is a completely different animal from the one you’ve been riding, it takes 1,000 miles or more before you’re really acclimated to the new ride. I’m not a journalist so I didn’t list stuff in any particular order. Also, any comparisons made to the CB1100 were done to establish perspective. Here goes:
I’ll be 66 years old next month. Six years ago, after years of riding I found myself on a 2003 Honda Nighthawk. I thought to myself, this is it. I have found the perfect bike that will definitely be my last one. Light weight, nimble, low maintenance. Life is good.
Then I read an article about the new retro CB1100. I dropped by my local dealer several times over the next 18 months. The same bike sat there and no one seemed interested in buying it. Finally they lowered the price and I traded my Nighthawk in and rode off on my new CB1100. 20 months and 14,000 miles later, I’m convinced this is the last bike I will ever need to own. And then something really weird happened. I had just received my headers back from Jet-Hot Coating based on Chip Beck’s recommendation and installed them. I was standing there admiring them and remembered I had seen an ad from my local Honda dealer where they had lowered the price of a new Honda Goldwing F6C Valkyrie to $13,000 from the MSRP of $18,900.
I’ll ride in and take a look. I had no plans to buy it. I had done no research whatsoever before I visited the dealer. I ALWAYS research major purchases. I thought it’s a bit weird looking but otherwise kind of cool. And I trust Honda enough to know they make great products. So I took it for a test ride. Holy crap! Two hours later. . . $6,000 out the door with my trade-in. What was I thinking?
Here are my thoughts six months and 5,800 miles later. . . They took the Goldwing and stripped anywhere from 200 to 250 pounds off. No fairing, reverse, stereo system, heated grips, cruise control, rear hard bags, etc. Also, the F6C does not utilize the “linked” braking system used in the Goldwing and F6B. With the increased power to weight ratio, Honda installed larger front brakes and a larger front wheel. Plenty of brakes on this beast.
The engine is the same as the Goldwing, the flat six cylinder 1832cc boxer, similar to the BMW but with four more cylinders. It’s not very technologically advanced. It has two valves per cylinder and it only makes 104 rear wheel horsepower . It is however, one of the most reliable engines ever placed into a motorcycle. Some Goldwings have been known to surpass 300,000 miles. The engine is tuned to have a very flat torque curve, to the point that it produces around 100 foot pounds of torque at almost any RPM. Write ups indicate 0-60 in 3.3 seconds and quarter mile speeds of mid 11 seconds. This bike is smooth and is very fast. A Power Cruiser. I need to place SMOOTH in all caps. The smoothest bike I have ever ridden.
The seat height of 28.5 inches works well for my 5’ 7” frame and I find the factory saddle to be very comfortable. You all thought aftermarket parts for the CB1100 were scarce? Other than Corbin (seats and custom hard-bags) there is absolutely NOTHING available for the F6C. Given the huge discounts presently being offered on the F6C and F6B models, I don’t feel these bikes sold as well as Honda thought they would. Doesn’t look like there will be any more produced following the 2015 year. Sound familiar?
The bike weighs in at 750 pounds, similar to a Harley Heritage Softail (I owned one for seven years back in the 90’s). All of the weight is distributed evenly with a low center of gravity consistent with the boxer engine. Pushing it around the garage it feels like a 750 pound beast. Once riding it, it feels much lighter except when you have a big rig passing in the opposite direction. When this happens there is no buffeting and the bike is firmly planted on the asphalt. Wheelbase is about 9” longer than the CB1100. The bike handles very well while traversing the twisties in the various canyons located here. It is very well balanced. Suspension includes a single side aluminum swing arm (part of the weight reduction) with a Pro Link single shock with 14 preload adjustments.
Torquey engine: The F6C has a five speed transmission. When I pull up to a traffic stop I keep it in 2nd. The only time I use first gear is when I take off after starting the engine. Third and fourth ratios are pretty close. The point I’m making is that Honda could have made a three speed transmission for this bike and it would have worked nicely. 2nd, 4th, and 5th. I can cruise around at 30 - 35 miles an hour in 5th with no problem. Freeway speed limits in Utah are 80 mph. Tach reads around 4000 RPMs at 80 mph. I have read where the speed limiter kicks in at 125 mph. I don’t need to go that fast. I did have it up to 97 once passing a big rig on the freeway. Very SMOOTH. Redline is 6000 rpms.
Dash – simple digital speedometer and tach. Odometer, trip 1 and 2. Idiot lights and clock. Lights are all LED (even the headlight). F6C uses the same huge alternator as the Goldwing. I installed the factory foglights (also LED) this past weekend to use as running lights. Almost forgot, the bike has a “car” horn. How cool is that? All bike horns should sound like a car horn.
So far gas mileage for me is around 45 mpg. It has a 6 gallon tank. Used to fill up my CB1100 at 130 miles. I fill this one at around 240 miles. Under seat storage is a bit bigger. Has a side opening glovebox but you need to remove the side cover to get to it. Not real convenient. Seat needs to be unbolted for removal, not convenient.
Maintenance. First service is due at 4,000 miles. After that, oil and filter every 8,000 miles. Being old school I replaced the oil at 1500 miles with synthetic and also placed synthetic gear oil in the rear shaft drive. I plan to change the oil and filter every 6000 miles moving forward. Very low maintenance on this bike. It’s my first bike with a shaft drive. The bike includes a factory three year transferrable warranty.
Radiator Pods: They look like something out of Star Wars. Same ones are used but are less noticeable on the Goldwing and F6B due to the fairing. They look weird but they are functional. Honda designed the air to flow away from the rider. Even when the radiator fans kick on the heat is moved away from the rider. The fans on mine have only kicked on one time waiting in line to enter Zion National Park.
Dual Exhaust: Honda placed a different muffler system on the F6C vs. the F6B and Goldwing. It has a throatier rumble sound but it’s not loud. It’s similar to replacing the stock muffler on the CB1100 with a Staintune.
Like my beloved CB1100 the F6C gets a lot of looks and comments. As you know, with the CB1100 folks often ask, “Is that a 1973”, or “What year is that?” With the Valkyrie they usually ask, “What the Hell is that?”
Like the CB1100 the F6C puts a smile on my face every time I ride. I’m very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place as Southern Utah. I can cruise through beautiful scenery like Snow Canyon State Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Kolob Canyon, Gunlock reservoir, Lake Powell, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and many, many more. . . smiling all the way.
The Honda Goldwing F6C Valkyrie is a different animal for sure. If I could sum up the experience in one word, I would say this motorcycle is “Effortless!”
Last, you don’t need me to tell you this, but out of all the forums I belong to or lurk around in, this is by far the BEST! Guth, Ferret, Cormanus and you other guys all do a great job and make for a great experience!
Best regards and ride safe!
Southpaw50
![[Image: 276fa2d98d029447060018445b0905c5.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201607/276fa2d98d029447060018445b0905c5.jpg)