Interstate vs Goldwing

[mat4uscg]

I have a 97 Tourer and love it. Looking to adding another bike to the garage. I want a long haul cruiser and have been looking at Interstates and Goldwings but have not ridden either. I like the looks of the I/S but need input from anyopne who has experience with both .

Thanks,

[sandy]

I bought an I/S to replace my tourer. After driving both bikes for a month, I decided to resell the I/S. Compared to the Tourer, it was top heavy. Last summer, I bought an '05 Wing. The Wing is heads above the tourer in power, handling and braking. As Razor once told me, the Valk has "attitude" and the wing is just another wing. The wing will be more complicated to work on but It's joy to ride. I love both bikes and will keep both as long as I can afford both.

[Ken Tarver]

'08 wing and '97 tourer here.....i like 'em both for different reasons.

if had to go back to having one bike, i would keep the wing

Ken

[Disco]

If you work on your Tourer, you'd be able to carry that experience over to an Interstate.  When long distance touring became an option for my SO, one of my main criteria was ABS.  I feel better having her on the 'wing because of the ABS. 

We did a 3-day, 1,000 mile weekend in May, and got 40-42 mpg two-up and fully loaded.  And, it's still breaking in.  Valkyries are cool, but the 'wing does just about everything better. 

My best advice is, if you are truly considering a 'wing, take one for a test ride.  My other best advice is, if you are not truly considering a 'wing, DO NOT take one for a test ride.   

[John G.]

mat4uscg----I would not attempt to sway you either way as each of the bikes you are considering are great bikes.  However, if you decide on a I/S I am about 75% sure the bike below will be up for sale very shortly.  It is a 2000 I/S with only 13848 miles (Today).  You can see by the photo how it is configured.  It is an excellent bike in excellent condition with only a very minor scratch by the r/h rear clearance light and the fog light switch does not work.  It has just been serviced with Amsoil and new plugs and checked out by my local dealer.  I have numerous extra parts for this bike that include an extra set of exhaust, extra fuel tank(new), extra rear fender(new), kick stand, rear tail light assy, seat and tank cover, and more which I am in the process of cataloging and photoing.  This is just something to keep in mind just in case you are interested.  The reason I am considering selling is as you can see the bike needs more riding but my wife and I are in the planning stages of moving to Thailand for maybe a few years.  You can contact me by email if you desire. 

                 
                 

[RLD]

I once rode an I/S without the tour pack on and it made a huge difference in the "top heavy" feeling. Both bikes have their strong points, personnaly, I'll stick with the Valk I/S as I'm just not a "wing" kind of guy but to each his own. Yes, I have ridden the new wing and it did nothing to change my opinion. A dealer thought a long ride would convince me to finally trade my Valk.

[joefromperry]

I have an Interstate, which I've been riding since 2005, including many long distance trips. My son has a Goldwing SE (1999), and from time to time when we're on the trips, we switch bikes for a while. No doubt the Wing is the more comfortable of the two bikes, and (I think) much easier to handle at slow speeds. But the Valk has tons of power, and it's not a bad ride at all. In fact, I just returned from a 1300 mile ride over four days, and I had no problems with comfort, etc. Hope it helps.

[..]

A Victory Vision? The looks aren't for everyone but they ride very well.

[PatrickDoss]

I have both an I/S and a 1500 Wing.  I rode an 1800 Wing for a week when my friend was selling it to see if I wanted to buy it, but I just couldn't justify the extra money (plus I'd just spent a ton on suspension upgrades to the 1500 Wing).  If I could only have one, I'd probably go with the Wing because it gets better fuel economy for those long trips, and has a bit more luggage capacity.  However, the I/S seems to be holding it's value real well compared to the older Wings, and it looks like a motorcycle.  If you get an 1800 Wing, it can best just about anything else in the same category in ride quality, handling, and power.  If you get an I/S and keep it in good shape, no one will ever know what kind of "new" motorcycle that is, which is kinda fun.

The Valkyrie's been discontinued for 6 years and the I/S for 8 years.  Parts and service will eventually become an issue as many older Wing owners have already run into dealerships that have something called a "10-year rule", in which they simply won't even accept your bike to work on if it's over 10 years old.  Their "logic" in this is due to parts availability and the probability that they will order several hundred dollars worth of parts and then you won't pay for it out of anger, leaving them with a bike that's worth less than they have invested in it.

So, basically, your call dude, good luck.

[mat4uscg]

Thanks for all your help,
i think i will go with a Wing