[DocWats]

Hey everyone. I'm new here and reside in Tacoma, WA.

I joined the forum to learn all I can before I pick up my (new to me) Goldwing as currently I do not own one. I have been a rider for years riding standard metric's, dualsports, an old CX500 with the Vetter bags/fairing package (as close to a Wing as I have been) and my current bike, a GSXR1000. I've always wanted a Goldwing but it never fit into the picture.

As it is, on the current bike, I am unable to travel distances with the wife so we have agreed to save up for the ultimate in rider and passenger comfort. Family lives back east and my plans are to purchase a Wing sometime next spring, get accustomed to it and then the wife and I will take a cross country ride out to see family and ride back. I have narrowed my choices down to '88 to '94 Wing.

Look forward to learning now and hopefully contributing something later.

 

[Chopin]

Good Morning Doc: You should score some points with our esteemed member " fossil92 " with your avatar. He rides a '95 SE. He just blew through Seattle last week on his way home to PA. Lots of 1500 riders here to hear from. I'll step aside and let the pros take over.

 

[joe in calif]

Welcome to the board, If I were looking now I would look at 95 or newer, and in 98 Honda made a great change to the headlight and added running lights instead of just lower lights that just came on with your turn signals. If you look around you can find some great deals around on Gold Wings now. There are even some 08 1800's for about $15,000.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

hello and welcome to GWOF docwats

 

[budoka]

Hiya docwats. Joe's right about the changes on the '98, big difference and althought the reast of the 1500's are almost identical, there's little difference in cost outlay for a few years newer. The '95 SE's like fossil92 has are pretty sweet too. Enjoy!

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

Welcome to the forum from the Keystone state (way east of the mountains). Hope you find your perfect Wing. Ride safe and enjoy the site. Lots of nice folks on here with good information.

 

[Cantankerous]

Hello, and welcome to the forum, from a fellow Washingtonian! The 1500's are a great machine. The CX500 was almost as hard to upright as a wing, so you shouldn't have a problem there!

 

[DocWats]

Good Morning Doc: You should score some points with our esteemed member " fossil92 " with your avatar. He rides a '95 SE. He just blew through Seattle last week on his way home to PA. Lots of 1500 riders here to hear from. I'll step aside and let the pros take over.

Hello. A '95 SE sounds awesome to me. I've been reading up on the changes the GW's went thru as years progressed and a '95 SE seems like an awesome bike.

BTW, the Fossil pic is one I took while visiting Fossil, Oregon. It is near some of the best riding roads in the Pac NW.

Welcome to the board, If I were looking now I would look at 95 or newer, and in 98 Honda made a great change to the headlight and added running lights instead of just lower lights that just came on with your turn signals. If you look around you can find some great deals around on Gold Wings now. There are even some 08 1800's for about $15,000.

hello and welcome to GWOF docwats

Joe, I would agree with you 100% and be on board but my budget, as it is, will most likely not allow me anything newer than about a '94 when that time comes. Tentatively, my budget will probably be around $4500 to be realistic and that will (maybe) get me in a
'88 thru '94 (and older to some extent). I am even kind of considering the older 1200's as well since the motor is not as concealed in plastic and most likely easier to due maintenance and bike will cost less. I'm still going to aim for at least an '88 (reverse gear, 6 cyl., updated style, etc.). Thanks for the info. though...

Hiya docwats. Joe's right about the changes on the '98, big difference and althought the reast of the 1500's are almost identical, there's little difference in cost outlay for a few years newer. The '95 SE's like fossil92 has are pretty sweet too. Enjoy!

I agree about Fossils bike. Very nice indeed.

Welcome to the forum from the Keystone state (way east of the mountains). Hope you find your perfect Wing. Ride safe and enjoy the site. Lots of nice folks on here with good information.

Hey, thanks TWW. I'm also an east coaster originally (NJ shore/Jersey City) and been out here in the PNW for about 6+ years. Lots of nice riding out in PA.

Welcome to our forum DocWats, You came to the right place if you are wanting to learn about your proposed G/W from top to bottom and front to back. I personally own a 1976 GL1000 LTD, and a 1984 GoldWing Aspencade. The latter of which is is a project.
Your G/W may not have the acceleration of your GSXR, but it'll still get ya there and back in comfort if you ride with a cool head.

I"m not too worried about the acceleration of my GW once I get it. From what I hear about GW's they are fairly quick considering their size and police don't watch you as much on a GW as they do on the sportbikes so that is an added plus. I don't mind slowing down a little either - besides the track, it is really hard to use a GSXR1000 the way it needs to be used legally and safely on public roads and riding around town slowly on a GSXR is not the most fun .

Hello, and welcome to the forum, from a fellow Washingtonian! The 1500's are a great machine. The CX500 was almost as hard to upright as a wing, so you shouldn't have a problem there!

Yeah, I loved that CX. Radio still worked through the VEtter fairing and the removable side bags were a cool plus on trips. I used to take that bike up this gravel and dirt switchback road as a back way up to the top of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park and it handled it awesome. Took my riding test on it as well for my Colorado MV license and the road test administrator said it was one of the biggest bikes she saw being used for the test (despite it's moderate 500 cc engine size).

Thanks for the responses and look forward to belonging to your group here.