Have you ever wondered what all those numbers mean on your bike’s data plate?
OK, well probably not, but I did.
I wondered whether it related some key genetic data about my bike. Did it explain why the ’97 models are reportedly faster? Did it indicate anything about color, or configuration, or the day it was built, or anything else of critical importance?
All these questions got the better of me and I finally set out to solve the riddle. I went back through every magazine article I could find about the Valkyries. I talked to Honda, I began getting VIN numbers off all the bikes I could (dealers look at you funny when you do this). I searched the web, and, I nagged the membership of the Valkyrie Owners Association and the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (of which I am a member) for their VIN numbers.
Admittedly, hard facts on Valkyrie production are hard to come by. There is a lot of conjecture and hearsay, but little that can be documented. I’ve tried to put together everything that I’ve read, heard or personally observed and will try to make distinctions accordingly. It is my hope that this will become the foundation for a more complete production history of the Valkyrie. Please feel free to e-mail me any additions or corrections rp62@comcast.net
