2005 Honda Valkyrie

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One look at the Rune and you can tell this is something special. Its appearance is so wild and distinctive that it transforms its rider into an instant celebrity - people incessantly snap their heads and do double-takes in a futile attempt to take in all that the Rune offers the eye. This thing is a visual feast from front to back. Take a look at its unique trailing link fork (with dual shocks hidden below the steering head), then let your eyes pick up the odd but stirringly curvaceous headlight. A beautiful seamless fuel tank arches gracefully over the chrome six-cylinder motor, framed by the only aluminum chassis of the bunch. A single-sided Unit Pro-Link swingarm shows off the 5-spoke rear wheel that mimics the look of a '60s Halibrand magnesium car wheel with a modern flair. There are several other automotive hot-rod influences in the Rune. Its radiator looks like it was plucked from a '32 Deuce coupe, while the valve covers seem like 3/4 scale small-block Chevy V-8 items. Its wrap-around rear fender also borrows cues from the '50s lead-sled movement; just like a slammed Mercury, its low placement is a cause for caution when backing it up against a curb. And the Illusion Black paint on our test bike has color-shifting particles that alternates its appearance from a rich black to a grape-ish purple depending on how light bounces off it. One particularly inspired tester called the Rune's overall look "Superhero Nostalgia" for its mix of vintage and futuristic elements that brings to mind some sort of Flash Gordon conveyance. Riding the Rune does nothing to change that impression, as its swept-back chrome handlebar and front end stretches out far in front of a rider, bringing also to mind the speeder bikes that raced through the forest in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. There's no less than 44 inches between the tip of the headlight to a rider's torso. In spite of its radical visage, the ergonomic triangle is almost like a standard motorcycle, with arms resting comfortably low with a slight forward lean and footpegs that are placed under a rider's knees instead of way ahead of them like the more chopperesque forward controls of the V2K and Rocket. While the mid-placed pegs are better positioned for greater input from its rider, Honda really didn't have the option of placing them any further forward because of the low-slung cylinder heads. The riding position actually works quite well on the open road, as a rider doesn't capture a lot of wind like the wider and higher parachute position of the others, making a 90-mph cruise no problem. You see less and less of these bikes after all they were only made for 2yrs. Let me assure you this is one of the nicest in the country!