biltonjim post=34335 userid=149Very enjoyable! The old Kawasaki 900/1000/1100 make such a pleasant, distinctive sound - the primary drive gears, I believe. Your Spectre looks to have impressive acceleration too. I've always had a liking for the KZ1100, the standard shaft drive version. Here's a beautiful example -
That was quite a climb up Pilot Butte, though I guess the Honda hardly noticed it! I'm glad you included the Valkyrie in your camera view at the summit. That bike looks fabulous!
If you could only keep ONE of your bikes, which would you choose, Bill?
Hi Jim,
Only One?
If I could choose only one it would be the Valkyrie but only because it'd work in more situations as it has a wind shield and saddle bags. It also has six cylinders which means fewer shifts. It's smooth but no more so than the Spectre. On the down side the Valkyrie, being liquid cooled, is way hot in the summer. If I open it up and run hard the heat pours out of the radiator and swelters me, pretty nice in the winter but a real issue in the summer.
A couple of years back I decided that I was going to 'adjust' the Spectre. I had the king/queen seat refoamed and recovered into a bench style seat that allows me to move around more and I also swapped out the buckhorn bar for a handle bar from a KZ900. Now that the Spectre fits me better I've made it into my daily rider. The 'fun' factor has moved it up so much that I couldn't choose just one.
The Valkyrie is smooth and powerful but the Spectre ROMPS, this despite the shaft drive. I can't imagine the torque that a chain drive 1100 must possess. (I'm on the hunt for one) The Spectre is taller and carries it's weight higher but has more cornering clearance.
End result: The Valk is more practical but the Spectre is more fun.
Regards
Bill
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