Still Thinking Goldwing

[ezgoin721]

I just got back from 2200 miles on the new (to me) Interstate!  I was riding with a passenger, and towing a Bushtec trailer.  I loved the Interstate.  It ran silky smooth the entire trip without so much as a hiccup (except for being a little cold blooded when starting on those cool high altitude mornings), and pulled the loaded trailer without a whimper, even up the 11,000 ft altitude  Beartooth pass.  I only saw a couple other Valkyries during the whole trip, and maybe one Interstate.  However, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I still found myself with Goldwing envy!

My friend was riding a 2002 1800 Goldwing, and that thing is so smooth, quiet, and powerful, I was kind of jealous!  Also, I was amazed at how many Goldwings I saw in and around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  Almost as many Goldwings as HD's.

I loved the Valk, but on one stretch where we ran a full tank of fuel running 75 mph on the interstate, pushing a 30 mph headwind, I actually got only 21 mpg, and my buddy on the Goldwing got 34 on the same run.  I did see 49 mpg during a day of touring around Yellowstone without the trailer, and running 40 - 45 mph, but overall, I probably got 28-30 mpg on most tanks.

Granted, I was towing a trailer much of the time, but that Bushtec trailer tows so easy you hardly know it's there!

I'm thinking Goldwing!

[SANDMAN5]

IMHO, it's a no-lose situation. I'd like to have either one. 1800 Wings
do have some advantages, but if you had one it'd be 'just another Wing'.
That's one of the biggest advantages of owning a Valkyrie. You don't see
hundreds of them everywhere you go. (Except for Inzane, of course) YMMV.

[Fudd]

Wings are fine but, I'd prefer chrome to tupperware.

[FLAVALK]

Well then you should get one! Why not???? If I could, I'd have both 

[gwise]

Had a Goldwing, loved it. Got a Valk Interstate. Loved it. Sold it. Got another Goldwing, love it. Missed my Valk, so I bought another Valk (tourer). So now I have both. Love em both. I made the Valk into solo. When my wife rides I take the Wing, she has to be comfy, you know. Best of both worlds I have to say.
   Gregg

[Chattanooga Mark]

If you like the Gold Wing and can get one, by all means then do so. They are very nice. You may do OK if you trade in the I/S too. A local Honda shop told me last week if I ever wanted to sell it they'd love to have it.

All the best,

Mark

[sandy]

I have both and love both. The 98 Tourer has 121K on it and the wing is an '05 with 44K. I won't tow the trailer with the Valk anymore. Worse brakes and handling. Valk got 25MPG at 65 MPH. Wing gets 32+ at 70 MPH.

[ezgoin721]

IMHO, it's a no-lose situation. I'd like to have either one. 1800 Wings
do have some advantages, but if you had one it'd be 'just another Wing'.
That's one of the biggest advantages of owning a Valkyrie. You don't see
hundreds of them everywhere you go. (Except for Inzane, of course) YMMV.

You make a good point!  One of the reasons I bought my first Valk years ago was because you don't see two of them on every street corner.  I sold my 2001 Standard years ago and bought a Suzuki M109R.  I love it, but it's really not half the bike that the Valk is.  Way more power though!  I now have the 109, an Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird, a Kawasaki KLR 650 dual sport, and the Interstate!  If I go for a Goldwing, I'm afraid the Interstate will have to go, as beautiful as it is!

I test road a 2012 Goldwing this weekend, and for $21K, could ride it home!  They look much less like an old timers bike now thanks to the new paint scheme and a few minor body changes.  However, that's a base model, but I currently have a line on a 2008 loaded with everything except air bag and only 4300 miles, for $17K.  Tempting!

[ezgoin721]

Wings are fine but, I'd prefer chrome to tupperware.

I agree that the Interstates are better looking.  Even though the 2012 Goldwings are much improved in teh looks dept!

[Gear Jammer]

.  I only saw a couple other Valkyries during the whole trip, and maybe one Interstate.  However, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I still found myself with Goldwing envy!

 Also, I was amazed at how many Goldwings I saw in and around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  Almost as many Goldwings as HD's.

Nobody rides a Valk for the mileage    And almost as many GW's as HD's ??      I've no doubt the GW is one of the premier bikes in the MC Tour class, but there's only ONE Valkyrie class    They're in a class by themselves.  Regardless of being a Standard, Tourer or Interstate, the look is unmistakable, the sound is mean and the attitude is "in your face" .  Even GW riders smile in admiration when they see a Valk.    I was looking at Wings when I found the Valkyrie.  I'm so glad I made the choice I did    

[LandElephant]

I owned a 2001 I/S and ran it for 120K miles in 5 years.  Bought a 2006 Goldwing with everything on it.  I believe the two biggest things that seperate the two are that the wing gets better mileage per gallon because of fuel injection and it doesn't require as much maintenance as the Valk.

Didn't get rid of the Valk because I didn't like it, but because I have owned wings since 1975.  I wouldn't change the decision one bit. The benefit though is that I met some great people on this board and truely prefer to spend time with them instead of many of the wing riders that I have met (don;t know your friend so I'll leave that part alone).

Charlie Morse
Land Elephant

[BF]

IMHO, Wings are very, very nice......but they're also very, very vanilla.  If you've seen one Wing, you've pretty much seen them all. 

If you're still thinkin' Wing.....then you still must want a Wing. 

I'd say go out and rent one for a weekend or two and see if that's what you really want.  If after that you're still thinkin' Wing, then by all means, go buy a Wing and pass the Valk on to someone else. 

[BigAl]

Yah.. that is what you ought to do . Be A Wing Dinger.

You thought Harleys were generic, you picked a real winner.

Tupperware Torpedo.

See yah.

No offense Charley, you are one of the good ones I know on here.

Charley hammers out mucho miles on his wing and really gets around this USA.

I don't think a Valk would fill his bill, due to the fact parts and such are getting harder to find.

[Bigun]

Wings are fine but, I'd prefer chrome to tupperware.

My thoughts exactly. Really wish Mother Honda had seen fit to keep 2 heavyweight tourers/ cruisers and just updated the Valk with the 1800 motor and left the styling the same.

[Willow]

Different strokes, different tastes. 

It's what makes the world, or at least the people in it, somewhat interesting.

[hubcapsc]

This thread got me wondering about solo goldwings...



-Mike

[Gear Jammer]

now that would be different 

[Valkahuna]

+1. Technically the Wing is a great machine. But... since it is called a motorcycle, there should be a big honking motor visible, and two wheels showing. I know they are in there somewhere, but where? I've always thought that if I got to a GW, then I may as well drive a convertible.

IMHO, it's like the Buick of two wheelers. Lots of folks drive them, but not me. Put a Valk next to a Wing anywhere, and see which bike folks stop to look at.
 

Wings are fine but, I'd prefer chrome to tupperware.

My thoughts exactly. Really wish Mother Honda had seen fit to keep 2 heavyweight tourers/ cruisers and just updated the Valk with the 1800 motor and left the styling the same.

[39 Chev]

This thread got me wondering about solo goldwings...


-Mike

Where did you find that pic of the Gold Wing with no trunk?  Any more pics?

It almost looks like this guy was trying to "Super-Valk" a Gold Wing???

[Paxton]

My Gold Wing is naked... even more so than the Valk...


If I was frequently traveling with the wife long distances, then the newest GW makes sense...
 ???
However, when you are riding the GW back at home,
it looks like you are driving the Limo to work... or to buy a gallon of milk.
 

Personally, I'd rather ride the Valk.
The "koolness-factor" makes the choice a no brainer....
just my thoughts...

"If you have no intention of loving or being loved by your Valkyrie,
then the whole journey is pointless." 

[hubcapsc]

This thread got me wondering about solo goldwings...


-Mike

Where did you find that pic of the Gold Wing with no trunk?  Any more pics?

It almost looks like this guy was trying to "Super-Valk" a Gold Wing???

I googled "solo goldwing" and picked this from the list: http://tinyurl.com/43sw77o         

There's more pictures...

_mike

[Gear Jammer]

This thread got me wondering about solo goldwings...


-Mike

Where did you find that pic of the Gold Wing with no trunk?  Any more pics?

It almost looks like this guy was trying to "Super-Valk" a Gold Wing???

I googled "solo goldwing" and picked this from the list: http://tinyurl.com/43sw77o         

There's more pictures...

_mike

Thanks Mike 

[LandElephant]

Big Al,
I actually have put more miles on my Valk I/S (120 K in 5 years) in the same time as I have my Goldwing (99K).  The difference has been two winters with limited riding time (snow and ice) and 4 months where the doctor wouldn't let me ride (although I did some) during my cancer treatments.

I think I made it pretty clear the weekend I was down there that I don't like the GWRRA or the OLD MAN philosphy that many of the wingers have.  You are right, I hammer this wing just like I hammered my Valk.

Different strokes for different folks is the right way to look at it.  But I will say this, it may have more plastic and may be vanilla looking, but spend some time on one and you will find that Mother Honda made the best of both world in this bike.  Long cruising or canyon cutting, with a good rider you can keep up with just about anyone.  No it's not a crotch rocket, but it will carve the curves.

I stay with the VRCC more for the people I've met than the motorcycle.  It may be the wrong philosphy (because there are wingers here too) but, I try and stay away from large groups of wingers. Just not my crowd.  I am a lone rider and prefer that. It's why I enjoy riding with you, Joe, Gordon, Greg, Paul, and Ron so much.  Someday you'll have to call me and say "want to ride this weekend" and put the 500 miles each way on so I can show you some of the area whereever I am at.  but as Joe says "you do live in God's motorcycle country"  at least part of it.

Just my humble $0.02 and that's about what it's worth.


Charlie Morse
Land Elephant