Redwing19 IBA -- mini shakedown for Valkyrie: all systems 'GO'

Despite the threat of rain yesterday, I rode the Valkyrie to work to see if any issues, primarily with the brakes, would arise. Granted, a 20-mile round trip isn't exactly a test ride, but it poured rain on the return leg so I got a chance to see things work in the wet.

Brakes:

Great! Stops right now. It's easy to forget how much different a new set of pads can make.

Front tire:

I've scuffed off the preservative that makes new motorcycle tires slick requiring extra caution. The rear tire is essentially new (~1K miles on it). Confidence level on wet roads just went up several notches.

Desmog with valve & carb adjust:

Wow! Backfire almost gone. I should have done this a long time ago. There's nothing like the sound of a slowing Valkyrie with 6-into-6 pipes at closed throttle.

New plugs & air filter:

Since the world has gone to unleaded gas, spark plugs seem to last forever. The old ones looked worn, but not worn out. I've yet to see a worn out plug in over 130K miles. The air filter was dirty, but not overly so. Replacing these two items was more for peace of mind than anything else.