Bought a new '08 Black GL18P late yesterday afternoon. The dealer discount on the '08's put the price within my reach and I grabbed the ring (or is that "wing"). Being 5'8", 160 lbs with a 32" inseam I find I have to slide forward in the seat to get my feet down. I'm looking forward to gleaning from the forum some tips, tricks, accessories, etc. for us slight of build riders.
A Shout Out from a new Goldwing owner
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Welcome to the forum from Pa and congrats on your new Wing. Ride safe and enjoy the road.
Welcome to "Wing World". I to am vertical challenged like you and have been riding for 40 years and have even been a motorcycle instructor but my new 08 "Wing" has given me some interesting moments. I think the thing that I am noticing most is, that whenever I stop I always have to be two feet down which means using the front brake more. The bike is a dream machine once moving but stopping, and expecially with a passenger leaves us short people scrambling at times. I was looking into getting a lowering kit last week but the dealer said something about getting a pair of "Tall man boots". I went on line and found a pair that will give an extra 4 inches. and cost me $125.00. The lowing kit was around 200 plus four hour installation and would only lower the bike 1 inch. My boots will be in next week and am looking forward to falling off them instead of the bike.. Gee, now I will even be taller than my wife. Maybe I will be able to be the BOSS for a day. Anyway good luck with the bike.
Had my first unstable experience on my first stop with my wife on the pillion.
I had taken her for about an hours ride and we stopped at a Dairy Queen for a snack. Just as I pulled forward out of the parking space a car backed up block my forward movement before I had gotten the bike fully upright. Luckily they saw me and stopped giving me just enough room to goose the throttle and get by. If they had kept backing up I would have been forced to stop and would have lost it for sure. That would have been a bummer! "Tall man boots" huh? Hope to hear how they work out.
I had taken her for about an hours ride and we stopped at a Dairy Queen for a snack. Just as I pulled forward out of the parking space a car backed up block my forward movement before I had gotten the bike fully upright. Luckily they saw me and stopped giving me just enough room to goose the throttle and get by. If they had kept backing up I would have been forced to stop and would have lost it for sure. That would have been a bummer! "Tall man boots" huh? Hope to hear how they work out.
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hello and welcome to GWOF peobody and congrats on the purchase of your new wing. you could invest in a custom seat with less foam in it
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10,006 Posts
I'm 5'8" also with a 29" inseam, but sorry to say no where near 160 lbs. I found that if I move forward on the seat when beginning to stop I can place both feet on the ground. Some guys have had foam cut from the sides of their stock seats which has allowed them the extra inch or so that they need. A good upholstery shop may be able to do the job and re-stitch the seat back up to look like new.
4 inches higher and smiling
Went for my first drive with my tallmenshoes. It is nice being four inches higher. The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to swing my leg over the seat. The next was that I can actually have by heel on the ground. This was very comforting. Stops now are a lot better with less wobble because I am not on my toes. It will take a little getting used to but I think they will work out fine.
The shoes look like ordinary shoes and unless you told someone they would not know you had a 4 inch lift. They are a little hard on the calf muscles and I would not want to walk a long distance in them but other than the tight calf muuscles they fit very nice. The ordering was very easy and I even called them to get there advice before ordering. I only wish is that they had a higher boot.
My recomendation for any vertically challenged people like myself is to give them a chance before you pay a lot of money to lower your bike one inch. You can check them out on line at "Tallmenshoes.com"
Went for my first drive with my tallmenshoes. It is nice being four inches higher. The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to swing my leg over the seat. The next was that I can actually have by heel on the ground. This was very comforting. Stops now are a lot better with less wobble because I am not on my toes. It will take a little getting used to but I think they will work out fine.
The shoes look like ordinary shoes and unless you told someone they would not know you had a 4 inch lift. They are a little hard on the calf muscles and I would not want to walk a long distance in them but other than the tight calf muuscles they fit very nice. The ordering was very easy and I even called them to get there advice before ordering. I only wish is that they had a higher boot.
My recomendation for any vertically challenged people like myself is to give them a chance before you pay a lot of money to lower your bike one inch. You can check them out on line at "Tallmenshoes.com"
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