Wow a show quality Rune motorcycle in Locke, Ca!
We haven't been this passionate about a production motorcycle in a very long time, and each person we came upon while testing the Rune was likewise lit by its flame. Butchers, bakers and candlestick makers -- this motorcycle touches everyone in some way, and even more deeply when they hear of the dreams that drove it. It doesn't require a penchant for two wheels, or even an eye for art to appreciate something as profound as perseverance, which is one of many very human elements embodied in the Rune. It's a moving sculpture that can be interpreted in many valuable ways, just like the Nordic fortune-telling stones it's named for.
Saturday I had a fun motorcycle ride in the California Delta to the historic town of Locke. Lunch at Al The Wop's was ok, not great, but that's how the food is there. It is a fun and unique place to go for a ride and to get something to eat. I love visiting the Delta on a motorcycle.
Locke is a popular destination for motorcycle rides and there are always some cool bikes parked along the few blocks of the town.
When I left a super rare and incredibly beautiful Rune was in line with a few others. Wow what a bike. I had never seen one other than online, in magazines, and once on the road.
While it looks like some custom build it was actually a production motorcycle sold in very limited numbers by Honda in the early 2000's.
The fork and front end of the bike is just incredible for the looks and engineering. All reviews say it handled great as you would expect from a Honda motorcycle.
The trailing-link suspension, one of the exotic components carried all the way from the Zodia concept bike, is as stable as any well-damped telescopic fork, and offers more wheel control than many forks on modern cruisers. We think the futuristic-looking front suspension is one of five key styling elements that place the Rune on its very own planet. (Other favored beauty marks are the headlight, the seamless, stretched tank and gauge combo, and the mufflers, single-sided swingarm and rear fender). Although we know the sexy front-end setup, which uses twin pushrods to transfer load through a linkage system, is extremely expensive for Honda to manufacture, there's hope it will find its way onto other production cruisers.
I don't think it ever found its way on any other motorcycle.
The styling continued front to back on this super clean bagger version
The engine is a 1832cc cc flat 6 similar to the Goldwing and a variant of the Valkyrie cruiser model designated GL1500C in the US market and F6C elsewhere.
The detail and fit and finish is flawless.
Honda made them for 2 years and the cost was close to $30,000.
High concept meets high performance in the ultimate expression of form and function. Cruiser styling is taken to all-new heights and blended seamlessly with Honda’s most advanced technology. A masterpiece? To be sure. And it can be all yours-in your choice of three head-turning colors
They have a good read on the history of the Rune and the long development period the the Honda engineers had in making it a reality.
I had a 1st generation Honda Valklrie with a similar engine for a long time and rode it for many miles. It was super smooth and comfortable and I really liked that bike. I commuted on it and rode it for fun on weekends.
When the Rune came out the price tag and scarcity of them prevented me from getting one.
Now used they run around $20,000. You can't buy one new anymore but this one is listed at $28,000 with 1 mile!
Would I ever buy one? Maybe...
Big thumbs up to Honda for deciding to make a wild looking bike like this in Marysville, Ohio back in the day and to the owner of this Rune for keeping it so beautiful and riding it to Locke, Ca for all to see.
It was the eye candy dessert!