Looks like Honda is going to sell at least one.
I am not sure that not liking the styling is showing age. I know several guys, 20 years younger than I and they laughed at this when they saw it.
Unless you wear goggles with Honda lenses, there are quite a few alternatives out there. The Goldwing has gotten a formidable competitor in the BMW K1000 6-cylinder (unless you are an ignoramus and think all BMWs remind you of half a Volkswagen engine) and the Triumph Rocket is huge and looks like a motorcycle. And then there is always the granddaddy of the "Power Cruisers", the V-Max.
Not saying that I am crazy about the styling,I could live without the funny headlight, etc., just saying that to me, there are far more important considerations than styling gimmicks that can be easily changed by an owner. I expect that the aftermarket will offer alternatives to such controversial details.
But I have no interest in a retro Honda-Davidson.
I rode a Rocket Three. It was okay, big and powerful, but not smooth and comfortable and the weight was not down low like the Wing. The styling didn't do it for me either, and I haven't met anyone that put the kind of miles on one that I' am talking about.
The BMW 6 is intriguing (I was shocked when they came out with the excellent if funny looking S1000R) obviously while other companies were retrenching during the recession, BMW went back to the drawing board preparing new models for the anticipated eventual recovery. But no one that I have met has seen one that has been ridden 100K miles, so as a relatively new design, it is as yet unproven. The original V-Max was fun to ride but it was a pain to constantly put gas in and again, it was not a bike that many rode that far (although since, like the Valk. it was based on a touring bike, surely the drivetrain was up to it)
There is much to be said for a big heavy cruiser with it's mass down low, such as the bike in my avatar. And no one here has to be sold on the smoothness of a six.
I don't know how well the original Valkyrie sold but I do know that those who have the bikes love them and they command high prices as used bikes, even with their age and with a lot of miles on them.
I don't really want a touring bike that looks like I am going on a long trip every time I ride it, but I do want a cruiser that I am happy to take on a long trip. I rode that cut down 1200 Wing daily for years and from Delaware straight through to Florida more times than I can remember. It had floorboards and a Russel Day-Long Saddle (something that I highly recommend) and was comfortable to ride even on the many trouble-free, thousand mile days of flogging abuse. That is what I expect from these 1800 six cylinder Wing variants.
The handling of the 1500 Wing was uninspiring and I was quite surprised and impressed with the handling when I rode an 1800 Wing, hence my eager anticipation of 1800 valkyrue and disappointment when the Rune was released. No one has put miles on a Rune like they did the 1500 Valk.
The flat Gold Wing engines have proven themselves to be ultra trouble-free after hundreds of thousands of miles, more so than any other bike except the boxer (hence my reference). Your comment about the 'half a Volkswagon' motor was just silly.
Basically, I am just saying that, controversial styling choices aside, offering an 1800 Wing-based cruiser is long overdue...
Highmileage wrote: I don't really want a touring bike that looks like I am going on a long trip every time I ride it, but I do want a cruiser that I am happy to take on a long trip. ..
That's an interesting position and could sure represent an as of yet uncovered (?) market niche. Maybe the manufacturers will discover it. Biggest issue is, will there be enough demand. I don't know either, but assume the Valkyrie was not a great seller.
