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Contemplating

8K views 29 replies 16 participants last post by  Fatwing Chris 
#1 ·
I presently have a 2008 Yamaha FJR 1300 which I love and is my first bike which I have had for 3 years. All of my friends including my Wife have cruisers. Now I am unsure if a Goldwing is a cruiser or not, please advise. I am not a big fan of riding my Wife's Yamaha 950 Cruiser. (too low and don't like the driving position or toe shifter). Anyway, a group of 4 just did a 4000 Kilometer ride (2400 miles), and after about 4-5 hours of riding, I find the seat is very uncomfortable, and the cruiser people don't have this issue. I do have an OEM gel seat and wear riders shorts.

I am seriously considering a Goldwing. Not a new one as they are are very costly, but I have a line on a 2010 airbag unit with only 8000 kilometers on it (4800 miles).

My question, has anyone graduated from an FJR or say a ST1300 and found the Goldwing to be better for comfort. I know I will miss the sportiness of my FJR and it's power but the comfort thing on long trips is a concern. I had thought of buying a Russel Day seat but I don't want to throw good money after bad.

Any thoughts here and note I am 52, and likely not in the normal Goldwing age group, but I do like my comforts and the Goldwing fits that bill.
 
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#2 ·
hello blexv6, welcome to GWOF!! the fjr 1200 is a fine sport touring bike but maybe yours isn't set up for you. maybe some bar risers and a better seat and shocks. most of the guys with st 1300 say they got a new seat because the stock seat makes them slide into the tank. Honda sez that a wing is a touring bike not a cruiser
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Welcome to the club, I was 50 when I got mine a GL1500 w/Voyager.
I went from an HD Electra-glide Classic to a Wing and other members here have transitioned from other bikes to a Wing and they could provide some answers too.
The F6B may be more to your liking.
 

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#4 ·
It's not a cruiser but it is a very sporty bike that is set up for long rides. It has upright seating and still may need some modifications to fit you just right. I've got a 2010 with 82,000 miles (132,000 K) on it. I rode mine a few years before changing anything. But I did eventually get a custom seat and put handle bar risers on it. Also some highway pegs. But right out of the box I took it on 600 to 900 mile rides with ease. Although that 900 mile day was some uncomfortable at the end.
 
#5 ·
The wife and I were 50, new empty nesters, and had for years admired couples on the GW, having a good time, when we decided to buy the Wing. Long story short, we've ridden over 1/4 million miles and loved very mile, seen it all, and have 20 years of fabulous memories to look back on, and still anticipate even more. Do yourself a favor and move on over: it WILL fit your bill! :grin2:
 
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#12 ·
Hi Blex:

I am 54 and have just bought my first wing- a 2001. I also own a 2008 concours 1400, so i have some jibberish I will send your way.

I agonized over this purchase since last yr, wondering if it would be the right move.I still have my Connie, and love her to death, but I am also glad I purchased the Goldwing. Pls note the following ramblings:

* one has a buttery-smooth transmission, one does not
* one has tpms and gear indicator, one does not
* the larger engine actually gets better fuel mileage
* the least likely seems the most refined, but it is 7 yrs newer
* one makes me feel several yrs younger, the other does not
* one leaves me fatigued after a 5 hr trip, the other does not
* they both leave grins on my face!

They are very different bikes and neither one could replace the other. I'm glad I have both- mat :wink2:
I am surprised the GW does not have a gear selector indicator. Seems like an omission for such a feature laden bike.

Surprised the gears would be smoother on the FJR.

Not surprised about the comfort suggestion.

I am sure I will smile more after riding my FJR, but not after several hours.

Thanks for your imput.
 
#9 ·
I,went from a vstar 1300 to a 2010 goldwing and never regret ed it
 
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#10 · (Edited)
Blex, welcome to the forum. We've got all the information you need plus enough to get you thoroughly confused. And more opinions than any five women you can name.

IMPO, a cruiser is intended for the shorter rides. They are usually a smaller, lighter bike with less power. I think of the GoldWing as a tourer with cruiser abilities. And even some sporting character as well.

My first thought on this is "What will fit you comfortably for that long day." Several of our members recently returned from a trip to Cody, Wy and surrounding area. Some of us extended the ride from there and covered over 5k miles. My 14 year grandson and I finished with over 3600 miles in the 11 days. We had to make frequent stops because the trike only gets about 33MPG and I have hip and knee issues. So some of those days were over 12 hours on the road. And we were both ready to do it again the next day.

Many of our members have 1500s, 1200s, 1100s, and even a few 1000s. And they enjoy every ride and never feel a need for anything bigger or newer. The 1800 came with some changes to give it better handling, but at the expense of comfort for some riders. One of the most notable comfort changes was to move the footpegs back and up to allow the bike to lean farther in corners. This became a problem for riders over 6feet putting more of a bend in the knees and hips. There are that type of changes that may or may not make a difference to you.

There are many 1500s running around with over 150k miles behind them. Ron Robertson has over 200k on his. How many of your cruiser buddies have seen a cruiser with that kind of history? It just takes simply following the scheduled maintenance and an occasional part replacement. 1500s may be old tech but they are also a lot cheaper to buy, every bit as reliable and durable, and for some, better comfort.

A big advantage of the GoldWing is the huge amount of after market items available. More than any other brand or model. To give your 'Wing the look and the comfort you want, everything needed is out there. Some of it may seem to be unreasonably priced, but its all available.

Yes, the 'Wing can be ridden as a cruiser. Yes, it will sneak up and surprise many sport bike riders. And OH YES, it is the best tourer. IMPO
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the information. I am 6'3" and it will be interesting to see how it fit's me. I have never ridden a GW but I am sure on the long haul it will be fantastic. I am also a longtime Honda fan as I have had many Honda and Acura vehicles. My Yamaha FJR has been excellent and problem free as well. Although I like the look of the Harley and Victory Bikes, I don't like noisy bikes that are unreliable.
 
#11 ·
One of our members actually has both. His name is Dreamweaver (Isaac). As the others have said the Wing has it's purpose and many young guys do ride them, several here even younger than you. If you can swing having both that may be a better transition for you, otherwise I will offer this. Ride one so you can see for yourself if it works. After all this is a Goldwing Forum so we can be a touch biased.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, this get this off the ground. FJR vs Goldwing....
First off I am 72 years young and own an 05 FJR and 07 Goldwing. I ride both and love them both for what they were intended for. I have a girlfriend in Colorado and sometimes alternate driving each back and forth and its 950 miles each way

FJR...The stock seat is useless and 100 miles on it is like a thousand miles. I upgraded to a Russel Day Long with extra wings cause I weight over 220lbs. That one improvement made all the difference in the world. In 2006 they say they made an improvement in the heat transfer around the crotch area. The 05 without proper insulation under the gas tank is a roaster. Great for singing Christmas songs but not so good in the 100+ degree heat of Texas. Those two things are the only complaint I have about the FJR. It gets 45 mpg at any speed and accelerates like a scalded dog and I have had it well over 140. Two months ago I drove it to Colorado and back. The only thing I wish it had was road pegs. But dang, its a hoot to drive. Course there is no radio, cb, wx radio, intercom, and all those goodies found on a Goldwing but passing somebody and watching that speedometer zoom past 120 with little or no effort is just plain joy. So, a new Russel Seat will enhance the riding by 1000 per cent. It's almost as comfortable as the GW.

As far as the GW...I have an 07 and when it comes to comfort and ease of touring, this is the bike to have. Not just the 07 but any Goldwing. You have all the comforts of home. Radio, intercom, CB and Nav if equipped, Wx radio and an unbeliveable smooth ride. I take it to Colorado too and at about 36 to 38 mpg it is a dream to ride. It will accelerate and out run most cars on the road and is dang near as fast top end as the FJR. With the highway pegs, it is easy to shift positions and stay comfortable for the whole trip. And by the way, I do the trip in one day with either bike. So we are talking 14 to 17 hours in the saddle with breaks only for gas and maybe a snack.

Which to I prefer....I love them both and would not take for either. They are different in many ways and yet each is a pleasure to ride. If you stay with the FJR, get a Russel seat which will run about $1200 with all the extras but its the only way to go.

If you go look at my photo's you will see them both. I don't know if any of this helps, but you can't go wrong with either one since they are absolutely bullet proof. ......Isaac
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
I was hoping you would reply. I was going to get a Russell Day seat this year before a ride that we were travelling 4000 kilometers (2400 miles), and I ordered it about 3 months earlier and still did not have it so I cancelled it. Maybe I should get it. I do love the acceleration of the 08 FJR, I love the look of it and you are right I would like the highway pegs as well. I have not driven a GW yet but hope to do so before I buy one. As far as the radio, I have the Scala rider 9 which feeds me the music off my I-phone so music is not an issue but I am sure out of those big speakers it must sound good.

I am not sure if I can afford both with Insurance etc.

Thanks for your reply.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I sent them the complete stock seat. They used the pan to build the Russell seat around. They had me take pictures of me sitting on the bike solo and 2 up so they could gauge things. So, I was without a seat for several weeks and they shipped me back a new seat which just snapped right into place. If you want a back rest, be sure to tell them that at the start. They can't re-manufacture the seat to use their back rest after the seat is initially built. You don't have to buy the back rest right away, but the receiver is built into the original new seat and the back rest can be ordered later. ....Isaac
 

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#19 ·
Welcome Blex, Isaac has you well informed on things and he has the experience to go with it. I'm a former ST1300 owner/rider, but there are very few types of motorcycles that I don't have experience and seat time on. Two up long haul comfort is where Wings really shine as that's what they're designed and built for. FJR, Concours, ST are big favorites of the IBA crowd since they have tremendous range and can eat up long distances really quickly (if you know what I mean) in a short time.
I can ride all day on my Wing and not usually have any discomfort if I'm active enough in the saddle. My significant other however has daily time limits that if I exceed them she's not a happy trouper at all; she'd rather "be there" than "get there".
 
#24 ·
Your views are very interesting. Can I ask you size and age? I am 52 and 6"3". I also find my hand gets numb and had a lot of issues with my inner thighs being very sore after about 4-5 hours of riding. I did just get an Airhawk seat cushion which helps quite a bit.

I do no know of anywhere that rents Goldwings. I am in the Toronto , Ontario Canada area.

Do you have highway pegs and floorboards?

What year is your Goldwing?

I have a line on a 2010 Airbag model which I will be looking at on Tuesday.

I will let you know what I do.
 
#30 · (Edited)
Try going to Lindsey Cycle.I bought my 1500 there and a buddy of mine was looking to buy there as well.Him and his wife went there and John let them try a few different bikes.They had a Wing out for a couple of hours.

BTW If you do buy an 01 to 10 be prepared to spend some money on the suspension.The springs are weak from the factory and the hydraulic preload set-up on the rear is not usually full of oil from the factory either,so it doesn't work too it's full potential.Better rear shock and heavier springs come on the 12 and up Wings.Stock seat on every Wing size/model sucks compared to aftermarket IMHO and I've had at least one of each over the years.Had 2-1200's but nothing newer than 04 so I can't speak specifically to the 12 and up other than I did install a new 13 rear shock and spring ass. on mine that made a big difference.Saying all that I hope you are one of the ones that is happy with the stock seat and suspension and that may be quite possible for you being that it is your first Wing with no previous Wings to compare it to.
 
#25 ·
The 2015's are real nice, especially that black and red anniversary edition. I could buy one but cannot bring myself to buy a new one at that price. So I will be looking at a 2010.
 
#26 ·
Okay, so I saw a 2010 GW with airbag, which is stock, and in perfect condition which I believe I will get. I just have a few questions of the board.

1) I did notice the engine seemed very quiet, but had a bit of a clacking noise until it warmed up. I do note this guy does not ride it much and it only has 8000 kilometers on it, (4800 miles).

2) I rode it for the first time I have ever ridden a GW. Very nice. I did notice, compared to my FJR, the brakes, the back was not nearly as good at stopping as my FJR. Again this could be the fact it is not ridden enough, and it weighs a lot more than my FJR (about 300 lbs).

3) The owner has the Honda headsets. Is the Navi voice and music heard on same and what is the quality of the sound. Also if I hooked up my iPhone 6 in the left front cubby wire, does this go through the speakers and the Honda headset. I guess you cannot control the iPhone with any of the controllers as it looks more like a headphone jack than a controller as well. Also is there a charger in this cubby.

4) Has anyone put highway pegs on this bike and if so how much are they?

5) Looks like I will be getting it.

6) Thanks for all of your imput and it looks like I will be joining you soon.
 
#28 ·
Okay, so I saw a 2010 GW with airbag, which is stock, and in perfect condition which I believe I will get. I just have a few questions of the board.
1) I did notice the engine seemed very quiet, but had a bit of a clacking noise until it warmed up. I do note this guy does not ride it much and it only has 8000 kilometers on it, (4800 miles).
QUOTE]
That's normal, or at least normal for many of us. I call it the " grumble ". I asked the same question on some forum after I bought my 08. Some old veteran Wing owners told me to ignore it, so I did and still do.
 
#27 ·
Here is my 2 cents worth. Other more knowledgeable folks will certainly add more.
1. I do not believe the engine should make any clacking noises anytime except during shifting (mine does not).
2. The Goldwing uses a linked braking system which may make it feel different from the FJR, which I am not familiar with.
3. The navi and music are indeed heard on the same and the sound quality is as good as the headsets used. My bike has a USB connection in the trunk that an iPod can be plugged into to be charged and play music with active controls...not sure about the 1st gen bikes. The left pocket audio cord is just an input device. There is an option to install a 12v outlet in the left pocket that a charger can be plugged into if your bike does not already have it.
4. Highway pegs are available from several manufacturers at a fairly wide price range. If you search the forum, there are threads where owners discuss which ones are better for them and why.
Good luck with your purchase, but I would suggest trying to arrange for a shop to take a look at the bike and its maintenance records (see #1).
 
#29 ·
It's not how old you are when you get that first Wing it's how old you are when you wise up and get best bike you will ever own.
It seems some on here are young when they wise up and some of us would not listen to our brain no matter what it was saying.
Get the wing and ride.
My 06 with abs,comfort and nav handles better that any bike I have ridden in the last 4 decades. Great in the mountains and the boaring open highways .
 
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