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A
very special 1000 Valk March
Dedicated to
Joe Boyd
A VRCC tribute to the original "Man Behind the Valkyrie."
Though we may not have known this creative genius personally, he
will always hold a special place in our ranks.
We hope
you'll join us in our attempt to honor our Valkyrie benefactor
with the biggest Valkyrie March ever.
"True
innovation rarely comes from a committee decision."
~ Fred Rau
Fred Rau's reflections on Joe & the Valkyrie below
Joe Boyd... Our
Superman!
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The following was
posted by Fred Rau on MCN's Enthusiasts Forum; we thought you might
find it interesting....
Interesting that maddjack would note that "Honda never really marketed
the Valk." I'll tell you a story, strictly from my own perspective as
a "kind-of" insider:
Of course, Honda did market the Valkyrie, but I agree, never with the
kind of enthusiasm they often show for other bikes in their lineup.
The Valk was pretty much the brainchild and "baby" of one guy at Honda
who really believed in it. His name was Joe Boyd, but around Honda
they called him "GL Joe," because of his love of Gold Wings.
The majority of the marketing experts at Honda never believed the
Valkyrie concept would work, but Joe used his considerable influence
and personal charisma to push the project through. Of course,
the valk became a success. Never a huge one, but a |
| DATE:
Friday, July 22, 2004 |
TIME:
8:00 am |
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DEPARTURE:
Executive Inn, SE Park Parking Lot |
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DESTINATION:
Superman Museum, Metropolis, IL |
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We will be lining up and
collecting paper work at 8am sharp! Wheels roll at 9am.
This 12.6 mile, police escorted ride will be "handed off" at the state
line, due to the change in jurisdiction. Once in
Metropolis, we hope to have a photo op in front of the museum statue,
before going on to the designated parking. VRCC admission to the
museum will be discounted.
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success
nevertheless. And I personally believed that since Joe had proved so
many people wrong, that those same people were reluctant to aid in the
Valkyrie's rise. Not that they intentionally stymied it, but I just
don't believe the project ever got the kind of all-out support it
deserved, just because Joe had stepped on so many toes in his headlong
push to make it a reality.
Around the time the new 1800 GL was becoming a reality, Joe was killed
in a tragic accident at the Honda test track. With his death, the
prime motivating force behind the Valkyrie project died, also. I
personally believe we'd have an all-new, radical, Valkyrie 1800 today,
if Joe had lived. Not the Rune, as amazing as it is, but something
much more practical and affordable.
AS a side note,I would like to add that Honda paid a quiet, yet
memorable tribute to Joe, for several months after his death. I rode
with Joe a number of times. We were casual friends, and used to ride
across the Mojave Desert together, as we both loved the old backroads
out there. Along the way, one of Joe's favorite things was to stop in
at the tiny town of Amboy, at one of the last remaining original Route
66 tourist stops, Roy's Cafe, and get himself a chocolate milkshake.
If you remember, for about six months, several years ago, in virtually
every major motorcycling magazine in the country, Honda carried a
full-page ad with a picture of a Valkyrie, sitting under the Roy's
Cafe sign in the Mojave, with a setting sun in the background. It was
a quiet, memorable tribute to the man, that was easily understood by
those who knew him.
Often, a radical or interesting new bike is developed primarily
because one person, with the influence, drive and passion to see it
built, puts his weight behind the project. Love it or not, such was he
case with the Rune, which had Honda VP Ray Blank as its "Angel." One
could say the same of Pierre Terblanche, and the Ducati 999. And such
was the case with Joe Boyd and the Valkyrie. Whether such bikes ae a
design, marketing or financial success is really irrelevant -- I think
-- What is important is that we have an industry in which such things
can happen, because they push the envelope. True innovation rarely
comes from a committee decision.
Enough of my maudling remembrances. Just thought you might find it
interesting.
Fred Rau |
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