Future Classics

[valkmc]

There is NO WAY the F6B will ever be considered a 'classic'. It's a mass-produced Japanese bike. And when you consider the GL1800 motor has been in production since 2001, the prospects are even bleaker. Maybe if Honda had goosed the motor a little, or tightened up the wheelbase, or changed the seating position to make it a little more sporty, maybe things would be different. But they didn't. They're just trying to extend the life of their GL1800 assembly line. The same way they did on the Valk Interstate. And actually, they did those things on the new Valk, and that bike seems to be sinking like a rock.

I'm glad you like your bike, but at the end of the day, it's just a Honda that's losing a little value every night while it sits in your garage. It's not ground-breaking, earth-shattering, or a bold new creation.

So ride the crap out of it, and stop thinking that it's so special just because you bought it. We have heard that Honda has repurchased some Wings with 400,000+ miles on them to tear down and study.

That's my goal.

I agree, great bike but I don't see it becoming a classic. That doesn't matter to most people, they buy the bike to enjoy now. The funny thing about the Valkyrie was it did extend the life of the 1500 but never really sold well. I believe it's demise was the fact that a good share of the buyers were coming off a Wing or deciding between the Valk and the Wing and that is certainly not what Honda had in mind when they designed it. If the F6 doesn't attract riders from different brands it won't last all that long either. Honda can sell lots of Wings without making multiple models.

[Injun Joe]

I agree, great bike but I don't see it becoming a classic. That doesn't matter to most people, they buy the bike to enjoy now. The funny thing about the Valkyrie was it did extend the life of the 1500 but never really sold well. I believe it's demise was the fact that a good share of the buyers were coming off a Wing or deciding between the Valk and the Wing and that is certainly not what Honda had in mind when they designed it. If the F6 doesn't attract riders from different brands it won't last all that long either. Honda can sell lots of Wings without making multiple models.

In the case of the F6B, how many stand alone units need to be sold to justify the cost of the molds? (By stand alone, I mean sales like my own where the buyer would not have purchased a full Wing.) Once those molds are made, it seems obvious that Honda would want to continue production until design and pre-production costs were recouped. Once those costs are recouped, what would drive shutting down the production line other than there being inadequate sales to justify the production line.

More simply, as long as Honda can make enough "converts" like myself by producing a given product, there is incentive to do so.

None of this has to do with whether the F6B ever becomes a classic. But what you and others are saying about Valkyrie sales really baffles me because I've never heard anything but praise for them. I guess there must just be a very small population of loud fans? I could see that happening with the F6B I guess.

[Jimmytee]

[QUOTE=JackB;51435]Last year I sold my CX500 Turbo bikes. A rare one year bike. I had trouble selling them and they didn't go up in value. But I had a lot of fun owning them.
The price on the Valkyrie's isn't going up maybe it's too soon. I sold one of my Valk's this summer and I'm tying to sell my other one but no one is calling.


You ,I'm sure, are aware that there was a 650 turbo, one year as well. I had a GL500 Silver Wing Interstate as my first street bike at 16. Great bike, had a blast on it at 16. That was like in 85-86.

[JackB]

You ,I'm sure, are aware that there was a 650 turbo, one year as well. I had a GL500 Silver Wing Interstate as my first street bike at 16. Great bike, had a blast on it at 16. That was like in 85-86.[/QUOTE]

Honda made about 4800 CX500Turbo's and about 1800 650's. I heard the 650 Turbo's were a better bike I never had a change to ride one.

[Ryo]

Yamaha R7
Honda VTRsp1/2
Ducati 916 sps
Kawasaki gpz900r
Suzuki.GSX-R 750 '87

[Lunatic Fringe]

How about the B-King? One year production (2008 for the US) and will still beat out any "naked" sportbike. Along with the RE5, these are two bikes that Suzuki should have never produced. I have a B-King and keep trying to decide if I should sell it or keep it.

Attachment 9290 Attachment 9291

I was able to buy a new zero mile 2008 Bking in January 2011 for $7999.00, that was nearly a 5k discount off the msrp. Bad economy and the mortgage meltdown plus a radical look meant few people wanted one. A lot of folks hated the looks and dismissed the bike without even riding one. The bike is fantastic to ride, comfortable, strong from idle to redline with great braking and fully adjustable suspension.


I'm keeping mine because I simply love it and I know I'll never find such a performance bargain again. Will it be a collectable........maybe to early to tell but many of the plastic parts are going for a lot of money these days which leads me to believe there is a demand for clean stock examples. If you own one and enjoy riding it I say hold on to it.