What is driving about?
For many of us, driving equals transportation: kids, groceries, shopping bags, furniture, and if we’re lucky, maybe a few beach chairs.
Honda is known for getting us reliably from point A to point B, over and over again, comfortably and without incident.
But what if the core of the driving experience was something different?
What if you took the power of the Accord, added the sportiness of the Civic, then distilled it down to one-fourth of its curb weight?
The answer is a new motorcycle that you might not have even noticed Honda announcing back on Nov. 20, and it is awesome.
The 2014 Valkyrie has two wheels. It weighs 750 lbs. It has an 1832cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. Anti-lock brakes are optional. It has an all-digital LCD instrument panel. And the headlamp, taillight and fog lights are all LED.
Is it cool? You bet.
It has twin 310mm front braking discs that bring you smoothly to a stop, and a single, massive 316mm disc on the rear wheel.
These design choices blend to make driving closer to what it truly means: controlling something that pulls you forward faster and with more force than you could every muster on your own.
It’s the grunt and snarl of twin throttles that govern six furious fuel injectors.
It’s being immersed in the sun, air, and wind as you cruise across town.
It’s feeling the hum of an engine cycling perfectly and the tuned note of its sound.
We highly recommend you check out Honda’s teaser video for the 2014 Valkyrie. Even if it doesn’t match your lifestyle or needs at the moment, it’s good to be reminded of what driving can be.
The Valkyrie will go on sale in April and will likely be priced around $17,000.