[pmaust]

Hello,

I just registered for this site tonight. I am looking for some advice. I have been riding for 40 years both street and dirt. However, I have alway ridden lighter bikes on the road. My current steed is a 02 Suzuki V-Strom. I love hooking up with friends and doing 400 mile day trips. I only use the zuk on street with an accasional short trip on fire roads. My wife loves to ride with me and we have been doing more of it lately. We quickly realized that the zuk is not that great 2 up or for long rides together.

We have been looking at a variety of bikes but she has pretty much made the decision that she wants us to get a wing. I will admit right off the bat that I am somewhat intimidated by the goldwing because it is such a big bike. I am not that small at 6' 225lbs but I've just never ridden a bike that big and heavy before.

We want a bike that we can take on long weekends and cross country touring. I also love twisty back roads.

We were just looking at the Wings today. I am concerned about the size and weight of the bike. Yet, my wife and I are enamored with the appearance of comfort and functionality.

Am I just being a WUS or is the going to be the perfect bike for us?

Thank you in advance for any advice that you can offer.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

hello and welcome to GWOF pmaust. if the wife wants a goldwing will get her one and once you are comfortable riding it that suzuki is going to collect alot of dust. whay year wing are you loking at

 

[ronzilla]

... HOWDY ... FROM YOU'RE YEARS OF RIDING EXPERIENCE YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH A WING ... YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE SEAT TIME ON ONE ... YOU WILL BE SURPRISED HOW EASY AND NIMBLE THEY ARE TO RIDE ... ALSO THE CENTER OF GRAVITY IS VERY LOW WITH THE LOW PLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK AND LOW DESIGN OF THE MOTOR AND DRIVE TRAIN ... MAKE SURE YOU DO A LITTLE SOLO TIME BEFORE GOING 2 UP ... IT's ALL ABOUT STYLE & COMFORT ... HAPPY TRAILS ...

 

[nhgunnut]

It is funny at the time I was looking at Goldwings that was the question my wife asked me. "Is it too big" Now that she has her own 06 she would tell you they handle like a dream. The only time either of us notice the weight is at a stop. We both tried every other touring machine available and the only one to come close was the BMW LT . But the low center of gravity and better low speed handling of the Goldwing Sold us the Wings. Once the wing is rolling it feels as nimble as my old DL1000

 

[fossil92]

pmaust,

I will admit right off the bat that I am somewhat intimidated by the goldwing because it is such a big bike. I am not that small at 6' 225lbs but I've just never ridden a bike that big and heavy before.

I'm impressed spoken like a true "Biker". Now having said that I agree with the 'zillamonster you will have no issues. It would be good if you could test ride one, don't know if that's possible or not.

I will say that this is a time when you want to listen to the wife.

Try one, Buy one & Ride one you won't be sorry. Good luck

 

[rayg]

I got a 2007 Vulcan 2000 LTD and now 2 years later wife had me try a wing which I thought was to heavy etc. I am 180 and 5'9'' and now have a 2008 GL and love it this was her I told you so moment. PS I still have the Vulcan when I want noise .Get the wing you will not regret it.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

Welcome to the forum from the Keystone state. Where do you call home? I think once you ride a Wing you will understand what everyone is telling you. It's a big bike that handles well and can be a lot of fun in the twisties.. For 2 up long distance tourning there is nothing better. Go get one and ride safe..

 

[pmaust]

Thanks for the replies. We just found out that a dealer pretty local to us is going to have a rental program before the end of the month. So I will rent one.

I would like to buy new but I need to understand pricing and so on. Here in California the dealers that I've seen so far are asking full price and the bikes are around 23k on the low end. Well, the 23k model had the comfort option. I am not completely apposed to buying used or from out of state if I can get a good enough deal.

I plan to keep the V-Strom. It has high milage and has been a very reliable and fun bike but is probably worth little. Or if I find myself riding the goldwing all the time, I have 3 sons all of whom would like to own the strom at the right price.

I think it is a forgone conclusion that I will be joining the ranks of Goldwing owners pretty soon. Besides, the wife has already made our minds up.

Thanks again,

Paul

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

Do some research on eBay or other Goldwing forums and you will see that you should be able to get somewhere between $3k and $4k off the MSRP of a new bike. You may have to travel a bit to get one, but consider it a one way vacation home on a great bike. Good luck in your search..

 

[Hardshell]

HI,
I am a new Wing owner myself, having just bought a loaded 2009.
I still have my BMW, and I've been riding a long time.
Like you, I've never had a bike anywhere near this big, always riding single, but after I came back from my trip last month, my wife wanted to start going with me instead of just seeing the pictures.
We looked at the larger sport bikes first, like the Kaw Concours and similar bikes. Not comfortable enough for the passenger for long distances.
Then we looked at the BMW LT, and it was pretty nice, the wife sat in one. Then we saw a Wing, she sat in that, and her remark was "Whoa!...".
My concern was low speed control with a 900 lb bike, passenger and gear. I found out that the LT has a considerable higher CG than the wing, which translates into harder low speed control.
To make the story shorter, I took the wife on our first jaunt this weekend, only 220 miles, to see how it ran, check the wife's clothing, and get the feel for it. It was absolutely amazing.
I was able to corner with more control than with my BMW F650GS, and stopping was no problem, as the balance is perfect. I just put both feet down, and had no effort at all with the balance and weight.
While I will use the BMW for about town, the Wing will be used for weekend jaunts with the wife, and long, comfortable cruises. She's very happy, and wasn't nervous at all. And you know what they say, "If Mommas happy, everybody's happy".
Two really big thumbs up for an amazing motorcycle, I couldn't have made a better choice.

Robert

 

[pmaust]

Do some research on eBay or other Goldwing forums and you will see that you should be able to get somewhere between $3k and $4k off the MSRP of a new bike. You may have to travel a bit to get one, but consider it a one way vacation home on a great bike. Good luck in your search..

Thanks for the advice and for taking the time to reply.

HI,
I am a new Wing owner myself, having just bought a loaded 2009.
I still have my BMW, and I've been riding a long time.
Like you, I've never had a bike anywhere near this big, always riding single, but after I came back from my trip last month, my wife wanted to start going with me instead of just seeing the pictures.
We looked at the larger sport bikes first, like the Kaw Concours and similar bikes. Not comfortable enough for the passenger for long distances.
Then we looked at the BMW LT, and it was pretty nice, the wife sat in one. Then we saw a Wing, she sat in that, and her remark was "Whoa!...".
My concern was low speed control with a 900 lb bike, passenger and gear. I found out that the LT has a considerable higher CG than the wing, which translates into harder low speed control.
To make the story shorter, I took the wife on our first jaunt this weekend, only 220 miles, to see how it ran, check the wife's clothing, and get the feel for it. It was absolutely amazing.
I was able to corner with more control than with my BMW F650GS, and stopping was no problem, as the balance is perfect. I just put both feet down, and had no effort at all with the balance and weight.
While I will use the BMW for about town, the Wing will be used for weekend jaunts with the wife, and long, comfortable cruises. She's very happy, and wasn't nervous at all. And you know what they say, "If Mommas happy, everybody's happy".
Two really big thumbs up for an amazing motorcycle, I couldn't have made a better choice.

Robert

Robert, that was a very nice write up. I have gone from being being a little concerned to getting really excited. I am on a mission now.

Thanks to everyone who reponded.

 

[drmcmtru]

As everyone else,don't even hesitate. I love my 1500. Have spoken with some that own a 1500,and an 1800. Sounds funny,but most liked the 1500 better for road trips,and/or trailer towing. My advice is to sit on each and see which you like better.Either way,you will want to get hiway pegs asap with your height. Pick your size and color and enjoy.The weight really isn't a factor. However,if you go with a 1500 make sure it has reverse! Good luck and safe riding.

 

[bstar]

My wife like yours loves riding, she falls asleep on the back on long trips and can't wait til the next ride.We've done some long days in the saddle when we were younger,now at 65 I ride til we feel its time to rest,Stopping periodicly and stretching is good when the snow is on the roof and the whiskers are long Ha Ha.But still we ride on,these machines
are made to last. Riding ,especially a Wing is a passion for most of us here as you can see. Good luck with your "Mission" as you put it.

-Robert-

 

[marcsvette]

When the wife and I decided to find the word comfort and motorcycle used together we found that it basically comes down to Honda and BMW. The Honda has more Goodies to play with and the most of any bike to add. It also has the best warrenty and dealer network. BMW dealers are few and far between. Our state has one! Now add to it the Honda will last forever and it became a no brainer.
We really enjoy ours.

 

[redgoldwing1]

Yet Another

Here is yet another account...We have always wanted a GW to tour on - I'm just at 6' & 160 lbs- not a big fellow. So, same as you, the Wing has always appeared TOO BIG & HEAVY for a person like me, especially with always riding 2 up with the wife (another 115 lbs).
Well, a friend asked me to take a ride on his new 03 Wing to check if I could detect a wabble in the front end - I could not. And OMG was I surprized at how that Wing handled - once the wheels rolled. It was goodby BMW (R1200RT - the bike that a lot of state troopers are going to now). Long story short - in 4 weeks the BMW wsa sold and the 08 Wing was sitting under both of us as we tooled down the highway.
So, don't let the size/weight be what's stopping you. It's just not a factor. As with ANY bike, they all have a "point of no return" in a drop; Wings are no different - no worse but better than some because of the low CG.
Good luck on your "mission" & let the forum know how it all turns out.

 

[Chopin]

I clock in at 6.0 ft, 180#. Remember, the bigger you are the more top heavy the bike becomes. This bike would be perfectly happy to ride by itself. If you can sit on this bike and lean it 45 degrees side to side without your legs collapsing under, you can ride this bike. Besides , your fear of the weight will be overshadowed by the " fixed " fairing issue that many of us seem to note first here when we talk about our first ride.

 

[Hardshell]

Hi Guys,
Thank you for all your input.
I bought a new 2009 Wing with all the bells and whistles, including Garmin maps,XM Radio, heated everything, etc.

I haven't been on any trips yet, but have had a chance to log 1400 miles or so. Unfortunately, they had to replace the alternator and a luggage bag sensor, but I guess that's good in that I would rather get the bad parts fixed now rather than have these issues on a long trip.

We are going to Texas, Las Vegas and NM in the sping for our first trip, so I'm hoping all goes well.
It is a bear as far as weight goes, but I found if I crank up the laod adjusters up to around 22 when riding single, I can really throw into the curves and it's very responsive for a bike this big.

I still am keeping my BMW F650GS Twin (2009) because this is easier on my back than the bolt upright riding style of the Wing.

But it sure is a beautiful machine and I'm glad I got this instead of the BMW KLT. My wife is also excited because she has never been on a motorcycle before and she's looking forward to this trip.

Thanks again, Guys.

BTW, the first thing I did was to strip off the wheel weights, install Dyna Beads and fill the tires with Nitrogen. Rides like I'm on glass.

Regards,
Robert

 

[Chopin]

BTW, the first thing I did was to strip off the wheel weights, install Dyna Beads and fill the tires with Nitrogen. Rides like I'm on glass.

Regards,
Robert

Dyna Beads ? I'm intrigued.

 

[Hardshell]

Hi,
Dyna Beads are a Ceramic bead that replaces any wheel weights, gives you at least a 30% increase in tire mileage and the smoothest ride you'll ever have. I also have it in my BMW, my Dodge 3500, and both of my trailers.

www.dynabeads.com

Robert

 

[Coach Sal]

I was a rider for forty years as well and just bought my first wing in November. I was never intimidated but always thought that twisty roads were for smaller sportier bikes. I couldn't have been further from the truth. The truth is that the Gold Wing is a gentle giant. A huge bike with massive power that handles better than most of the sport bikes that I have owned over the years. My last bike was a VTX 1300 and going from that to the wing was like moving from a dump truck into a Mercedez. Slow speed handling is not an issue in fact it is better than lighter bikes, however, you could encounter a problem if you are a short person whose feet do not reach the ground well since the wing sits a bit high. DO NOT HESTITATE! You will never be sorry that you purchased a Gold Wing, in fact, you may never be able to ride another bike again. Good luck