Honda Gold Wing - the return of shaft drive

[HeliMark]

Best thing about the 50th Anniversary Wing is the little plastic toy model that comes with it. Kinda cool.

I do like the black exhaust vs my chrome ones. But neither the plastic toy, nor the blacked out pipes inspire me to update my GW.

Too bad. Seems like the 50th Anniversary would have been a good time to roll out a major update of a 7 year old design.

I just gotta ask.... When you are at work, do you roll the model across the desk going vroom vroom?

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Tempting, but this model is glued to a mirror.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

One less big-ass bird in the world.



Dammit!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Oops

 

[robp]

Sorry for your bird strike. I hit a red tailed hawk on the Natchez Trace. It hit my Altrider upper crash bar dead center so no damage to the bike. Here in central Texas, you gotta keep an eye out on the vultures feeding on roadkill deer by the side of the road, they often spook up and fly into the roadway.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I think it was vulture size, but I honestly never saw it until I hit. It was there and gone in a flash.

Birds are my most common nemesis while riding. Countless close calls, but usually dodge 'em. Every once in a while i catch it on camera. Bunch of misses, two hits.

 

[tntmo]

I've been considering a GoldWing, but probably an early GL1800. That DCT model is pretty nice, Honda got it pretty dialed in.

 

[Cycledude]

Sorry to hear about your bird strike, yes wildlife collisions have also been a major problem for me, so far have killed 5 deer, a few raccoons and one turkey.
Honda called to interview me twice when they were working on the 50th Anniversary Goldwing Book.
Last week I received a free copy in the mail, there’s a one page article about me on page 154.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Sorry to hear about your bird strike, yes wildlife collisions have also been a major problem for me, so far have killed 5 deer, a few raccoons and one turkey.
Honda called to interview me twice when they were working on the 50th Anniversary Goldwing Book.
Last week I received a free copy in the mail, there’s a one page article about me on page 154.
View attachment 120309

5 deer...wow. I've only killed one with a bike (S10). Hope to not increase that number. My highest tally has to be suicidal squirrels.

Thanks for the update on the article. I've been wondering where that was going to appear. Pretty cool to be in the 50 year anniversary book.

I just got back from the dealership and having them make a parts list. True to my new WV status, the mirror was taped back into position with tape. Worked better than anticipated. I may just keep doing my 120 mile a day commute until it can be fixed. Beats the heck out of driving the trunk on a nice day.

 

[Donk]

Well you made out better than I did when I hit a turkey vulture. Was on a KTM Super Duke GT and one flew into and wrapped around the left handlebar while I was going about 80mph. Put the bike into a heck of a headshake / tank slapper that ended badly. Bike was totaled and I was a bit banged up but not broken. It could have been so much worse.

 

[Tenforeplay]

Well you made out better than I did when I hit a turkey vulture. Was on a KTM Super Duke GT and one flew into and wrapped around the left handlebar while I was going about 80mph. Put the bike into a heck of a headshake / tank slapper that ended badly. Bike was totaled and I was a bit banged up but not broken. It could have been so much worse.

Worse like crapping you drawers?

 

[Dirt_Dad]

It could have been so much worse.

I hear you. I've also experienced crazy, out of control headshaking...in rush hour traffic: and I've hit very large animals resulting in a totalled bike. In those episodes I considered myself extraordinary lucky because it could have been so much worse.

I get it.

 

[Donk]

Worse like crapping you drawers?

I didn't. When things go terribly wrong and you walk away from it it changes your perspective a bit.

I never thought the '19 Super Duke GT was a stable platform. I would not ride it into triple digits because of that. In hindsight I should have sold the bike and taken the loss instead of continuing to ride it. Why was I riding a bike I didn't think was stable? Bad mistake. I believe if I had been on many other bikes nothing would have happened. I bought a used FJR the next day because I had one before and knew it would have shrugged off the bird strike. I was lucky enough to live and learn.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

...When things go terribly wrong and you walk away from it it changes your perspective a bit.

A bit? Nothing changed my riding perspective more profoundly than listening over the bluetooth to my wife total her Wee-Strom. That episode permanently cured me of foolish overconfidence regarding motorcycle tires on wet pavement.

...Why was I riding a bike I didn't think was stable? Bad mistake. I believe if I had been on many other bikes nothing would have happened. I bought a used FJR the next day because I had one before and knew it would have shrugged off the bird strike.

Maybe, you could very well be correct. However, I suspect nearly everyone on this board would swear the Super Tenere is an incredibly stable platform. I do, and I absolutely believe it. BUT...my head-shaking incident was on a Super Tenere and my wife was riding behind me and her GS 750 with zero drama. Do I blame the bike, the tires, the loading for cross country travel, the difference between the right side vs left side of the lane? I honestly can't say. It was definitely a surprise. All I know is the bike that so wonderfully got me through hitting a deer at high speed and stayed up, nearly put me on the ground on a straight road during a moderate rain.

 

[Donk]

I understand what you are saying. The issue I had with the '19 SDGT was it NEVER felt stable at speed. I has a '17 SDGT and it was completely different. I believe when they changed the bodywork it created an aerodynamic instability at speed. Bike was not loaded, bags were on but empty and there were no mods to the bike. I would not ride it over 99mph, it got scary. Had friends ride it and they said they didn't like the way it felt. Had the dealer ride it he said it was fine. I can't blame the bike for a large bird wrapping himself around one end of the handlebar. It was a bike I didn't trust in a bad situation. I do believe many other bikes would have survived the incident.

 

[Donk]

Just did the trip from MA to WI again! This time on an ‘18 Triumph Tiger 800. I guess it wasn’t terrible but 1144 miles in 18 hours flat at just shy of 6000rpm was way to revvy for me. Worse part is that was 78mph indicated maybe 74 real speed and any faster it got too buzzy. Every time I do that trip I think GoldWing! Seems I’ll be doing that trip more often this year. Not sure how that may affect the next bike purchase?

 

[Cycledude]

You would love the Goldwing on a trip like that !

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Agreed, riding at the speeds mentioned or higher for long periods of time are completely relaxing on the GW. I've never achieved a speed at which I feel the bike is buzzy or even mildly taxed in any way. Nor do I have an interested in speeds higher than already experienced.

I'm in the process of planning a 7K+ mile ride this summer. I know how to travel on an Adventure bike. I have no idea how to travel on the GW. It's completely different and it's going to take some shakedown attempts.

Normally, travel looks something like this. Packed and ready for Alaska.

The GW has very small side cases. The top trunk pivots into the pillion seat, so the area where a duffel could be tied-down is low. For example, if I put a helmet on the back seat, It gets hit pretty quickly as the rear case opens. I really appreciate having my helmet and other on road travel essentials (gloves, maps,...) in the top case. I use that stuff on the road, and packing the top case full of stuff I only need to take into the hotel at night just doesn't make any sense to me. We've experienced a helmet stolen on a trip, so the back case is nice an secure when away from the bike at a stop.

I many have mentioned I saw a video of a guy who sold his GW and went back to a GS. His reason, he just couldn't carry all he wanted for a long trip. I understand. In that regard, figuring out how to travel for 3 weeks feels challenging. Part of me wants to just take the SAS. I know how to travel on that. But I know DM would be disappointed, and I'd really like to see what it's like to tour on the greatest touring machine ever built. I'll figure it out.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Is DM going to be on the Spyder? If so the baggage will be a non-issue.

 

[Cycledude]

One thing for sure plenty of complaints about the reduced luggage space on the new Goldwing especially when riding with a passenger.
But there still seems to be plenty of folks that have found ways to adapt.
My 83 year old friend with the 2023 Goldwing sent a picture of the odometer yesterday it now has over 200,000 miles.