The Honda Valkyrie

The story of the ultimate Honda power cruiser.

GL1500C (1997-2003), GL1500CT Tourer (1997-2000), GL1500CF Interstate (1999-2001)

In 1974, Honda took the wraps off a 1000cc flat four with shaft drive and water cooling, and the Honda Gold Wing was born. Renowned photographer Malcolm Birkitt has included coverage of Honda's dynamic, new Valkyrie in this update of his best-selling Honda Gold Wing title, as well as examining all the changes in the Gold Wing since 1995. Included are intriguing early design sketches and portraits by Honda's designers and engineers.

For many, a motorcycle bought at the beginning of the 1950s was a first taste of the freedom offered by personal transport. Although postwar austerity was fading, money was still tight and new machines virtually unobtainable, but there were plenty of cheap prewar machines around and an ex-War Department motorcycle could be bought from one of the big city dealers on the never-never; better still it would be sent to your local railway station. Ex-army dispatch riders’ coats and boots would serve to keep the weather at bay as the new motorcyclists explored and enjoyed the quiet roads in a pre-motorway era. The decade would become a Golden Era of motorcycling as manufacturers brought new and excitingly advanced machines to an appreciative audience which had never even heard of a Japanese motorcycle. Motorcycle sport mushroomed in popularity at a time when you actually had to go to the race to see it and helped to reinforce the public’s ever-growing enthusiasm for the motorcycle. the era would also see the arrival of the moped, scooter and bubblecar. For those that were there, Jeff Clew’s insight to motorcycling of the ‘50s will provide a delightful nostalgic journey into the past, while those younger riders who cherish 1950s motorcycles today will discover a whole new dimension to their enjoyment of the machines.

Evolution or revolution ... this was the dilemma Honda faced in creating the new fifth generation Gold Wing. Consumers were happy with the near-perfect GL1500 Gold Wing, but sales were declining and owners ageing.In 1996 Honda's designers and engineers decided the only way forward for the Gold Wing was a revolutionary approach. Given a brief by management to incorporate more 'Fun Factor' and make a large luxury touring motorcycle perform like a sports orientated machine, their target market was the younger rider.The GL1800 Gold Wing launched as a 2001 model and was updated in 2006 with the world's first and only motorcycle airbag system. Surviving a production return to Japan it had a second face-lift for 2012 and from that, two other variants emerged, a 'Bagger' and 'Power Cruiser', the F6B and Valkyrie/F6C.The GL1800 was destined to become the longest running Gold Wing series, but over its 17 years of production Honda faced stiff competition.Peter Rakestrow examines the GL1800's history from 1996 to the end of production in 2017, looking at model improvements through the years of this legendary marque, creating a point of reference for owners, buyers and restorers alike.

This inclusive and diverse anthology gathers seventy-five empowering heroines -- perfect for pop culture fans of all ages. Whether it's anime, movies, video games, comics, books, or television series, pop culture is full of female characters that inspire and encourage us to be brave, kind, thoughtful, and powerful. With comic-book inspired illustrations, character profiles and origins, and fun facts throughout, Fierce Heroines is the ultimate feminist tribute to pop culture's most amazing female characters. Now fans can learn about 75 diverse classic and contemporary heroines that are empowering girls and women all over the world like: Anime & Manga: San (Princess Mononoke), Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon), Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket), Bulma (Dragon Ball), Kagome Higurashi (InuYasha), and Ochako Uraraka (My Hero Academia) Cartoons: She-Ra (She-Ra and the Princess of Power), Susie Carmichael (Rugrats), Carmen Sandiego (Carmen Sandiego), Toph Beifong (Avatar: the Last Airbender), and Garnet (Steven Universe) Comics: Doreen Green (Squirrel Girl), Ripley (Lumberjanes), Goldie Vance (Goldie Vance), Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis), Leah Dwyer (Jem and the Holograms), and Barbara Gordon (Birds of Prey) Movies: Hermoine (Harry Potter), Moana (Moana), Jesminder Bhamra (Bend It Like Beckham), Valkyrie (Thor: Ragnarok), Leia Organa (Star Wars), and Meg Murry (A Wrinkle in Time) Television: The 13th Doctor (Doctor Who), Andi Mack (Andi Mack), Eleven (Stranger Things), Mel, Maggie & Macy (Charmed), Becky Jackson (Glee), McKeyla, Adrienne, Bryden & Camryn (Project Mc2) Video Games: Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy VII), Tracer (Overwatch), Zelda (The Legend of Zelda), Samus Aran (Metroid), and Mina (Battle Chef Brigade) A perfect gift for girls, women, and fans of all kinds, Fierce Heroines is a powerful, inspirational reminder that anyone can be a heroine!

From New York Times bestseller and Hugo Award-winner, John Scalzi, a gleeful mash-up of science fiction and Hollywood satire The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish. So getting humanity's trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal. Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He's one of Hollywood's hottest young agents. But although Stein may have just concluded the biggest deal of his career, it's quite another thing to negotiate for an entire alien race. To earn his percentage this time, he's going to need all the smarts, skills, and wits he can muster. Other Tor Books The Android’s Dream Agent to the Stars Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded Fuzzy Nation Redshirts 1. Lock In 2. Head On The Interdepency Sequence 1. The Collapsing Empire 2. The Consuming Fire Old Man's War Series 1. Old Man’s War 2. The Ghost Brigades 3. The Last Colony 4. Zoe’s Tale 5. The Human Division 6. The End of All Things At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Japanese Custom Motorcycles is the first book to show the evolution of the Japanese cruiser in the ‘metric’ custom scene. The growing trend of customising metric bikes into choppers, bobbers, et al – be they high-end bikes, garage-built beauties, or more recent Japanese cruisers – is superbly illustrated with examples from all over the world. Featuring owner’s stories and technical descriptions, Japanese Custom Motorcycles is guaranteed to interest metric bike fans and members of the custom scene alike. From singles, twins, triples, fours, and sixes – see the custom side of Japanese motorcycles.