[old has been]

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hi all ; I want to get a 1500 and was trying to find out witch year was the best over all model if there was one ???( I have a 1991 1500-A , would like to upgrade)

 

[exavid]

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I don't know that there were any 'bad' years, the newest and in best condition you can afford would be the ideal. A 2000 with ten miles total would be very nice. That being said you wouldn't be getting much for your you money that you don't already have. The technical improvements are fairly slight, roller bearings on the rockers in '93 supposedly to reduce noise, Valkyrie transmission parts in the last two or three years of 1500 production, nothing very major. If your bike is in good shape you might be better off spending a few bucks on the suspension, replace the shocks with Progressive 416s and put Progressive springs in the forks, update the windshield bezel to the newer style and replace the crash bars with the new style bars and you've got a newer looking 1500 for a lot less money.

 

[AZgl1800]

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I had a '94 which I really liked.

I rode a 2000 and noticed a few things.

To put it into proper perspective; mine had 73,000 miles and 2 POs with poor habits.

The 2000 had 11,000 miles and looked to be off the show room floor.

Okay, the 2000 felt "better" to me in that the steering was "more predictable" and tighter, more precise. subtle but it was there.

The transmission was smoother and a lot quieter with very little of that whine that mine had in it. A big plus for me. For you??

The throttle response was smoother, and more torquey from 800 to 1500 rpm.

It's been almost 2 years since I rode that 2000, but that is what I remember.

I'm looking for a new bike right now and I'm being very picky.

It will either be a 98-2000 1500se in pristine, like as brand new, or it will be a late model 1800. Dunno which yet.

So, there you be. My 2 cents worth.

 

[Rudy]

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Mine is an 89 and it has been fine so far.
There is a lot you can do to any of them to get them just like you want them but no problems that I can think of except things that age and those replace easily.

 

[Foosman(5)]

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The first year produced was the best.

I just can not recall what year that was. :dude:

 

[TXRLGL1500]

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1988 would be the year. Mine will be for sale in 2010 or late 2009

 

[SHREK snr]

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88s the first and best, and Grey is the most sophisticated colour.:cooldevil::cooldevil::cooldevil:

 

[exavid]

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One interesting proof of how well the 1500 holds up was during the trip to GA. Somewhere in the wilds of Nebraska NaturalyGA and Jluvs2dive and I got wondering how my '93 with well over 100,000 miles on it would compare with John's 2000 that had less than 10,000 miles. We did a couple of acceleration trials against each othergoing down the freeway and found out that the two bikes were about as evenly matched as we could rate them. The '93 stayed right beside the 2000 in acceleration runs from around 50-90mph. Fuel comsumption was pretty much the same with all three bikes. Every time we fueled up Greg's bike took a little less than my '93 and John's bike took a little more than mine. For over 5,000 miles in the mountains and praries it was the same John put in a few tenths of a gallon more than I and Greg took a few tenths less than my bike. I was surprised that the bikes were so evenly matched because due to the age and mileage on my seven year older bike with ten times the miles on it, I would have bet that John's nearly new 2000 would have beaten me easily. Moral of the story, these things last a looong time.

 

[justagrinin]

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I have a 88 1500 it has 60,000 miles on it and I also have a 81 1100. I am really impressed with that 1500 it handles great easy to balance as soon as you start to roll. I was wandering if the newer 1500 was even better. The other day one sold but I was second in line, it was a 2000 model 1500 with less than 15,000 miles dead battery sitting two years with little riding and just a few small scratches from moving it to Tennessee. the price he was asking $ 6,250.. Needless to say the first guy bought it and I was left in the dust.


Sorry still crying over that one...:crying:

 

[Popeye]

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I upgraded myself last winter. Got a 97 SE in A+ condition with only 20k miles on it + many upgrades.

It just happened to be the best deal I could find last winter.

My main reason was 'reliability' when 1000 miles from home.

Happy hunting.

 

[Foodman]

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They're all good, but the Black ones are best........

 

[Rupert]

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Foodman wrote:

They're all good, but the Black ones are best........

Agreed! My 98 SE runs like a top (but only because it is black).

:15grey:

 

[jp]

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I have a 1999 SE and its a dream to drive,its not like im trying to find something wrong when i ride it BUT if i was trying too i couldn't so i think its a dream to have that luck

just my thought on thatJP:15green:

 

[Matt G]

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94-96 had weak fuel pumps which under high temps can cause vapor locking,

the last few years had weaker alternators.

 

[Rudy]

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Never heard of a 1500 any year vapor locking.

 

[exavid]

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My '93 hasn't shown any sign of vapor locking in temps over 110F and at high altitude over mountain passes, at least not in the 70,000 miles I've owned it out of the 127,000 miles it's run so far. But that doesn't prove a tendency one way or another. I do know that that there indeed have been some alternator bearing problems in the last few model years of the 1500 production. That was an easy fix though and didn't cost much to replace the small bearing in the alternator.

 

[Matt G]

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Rudy wrote:

Never heard of a 1500 any year vapor locking.

Rudy, then you better use the search engine, because there were several threads about it, and a altenate fuel pump.

My 88 vapor locked after I had installed a pump out of a 95, and did not quit until I replaced the pump with one from a 89. Several other 95s on the drill team had the same problem.

 

[MikeBogart]

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Mine is a 90 SE bought with only 15000 miles on it 8 yrs ago. PO stored it for 5 yrs before I got it. Cleaned the carbs and it's a beautiful ride for sure