Going over to the Tupperware side....

[W0X0F]

Well, my SO wants me to get a new bike as my Valk is now 16+ years old with 110K miles.  Plus, as I've owned this bike close to 15 years and I turn 65 in a few weeks, if I keep the next bike 15 years, I will be an octogenarian.  That means I probably should get a bike that I can convert to a trike in the future. 

As a result, while not exactly going over to the dark side, I am looking at getting a '16 Goldwing.  Tom/Ron and anyone else who would like to chip in, since my last Wing was a 1978 model (which I owned until 1992) with the Vetter "Set Up", anything I should consider when purchasing?

One question is, there seems to be a lot of chatter about whether or not to install a belly pan.  Is there something on the bottom of the bike that needs protection?   

Also a lot of discussion about lifts and whether or not an adapter is needed.  I also have read that when lifting the bike, the bike will sit on the exhaust.  So, what is the real story on using a lift with a newer 1800 Wing?  Plus, is there a reason I could just not continue using the lift I used on my Valk (sans the Valk adapter)?

Along this line, I actually watched a youtube video this morning about how to remove the rear wheel by laying the Wing on the ground on its side.  Is there a reason to do it this way vs using a lift?  Or is this technique just for those too cheap to buy a lift?

Finally (for the moment), one person said they needed to remove their trailer hitch assembly each time they needed to remove the rear wheel.  Really????

Thanks for any insight you can enlighten me with.  At the very least I will be looking for a backrest, heel/toe shifter, louder horns, trailer hitch and fog/riding lights - any suggestions as to which kind?

I guess that also means I will be getting rid of my Valk.  If anyone is interested in a well maintained '00 Interstate, I will give them a fantastic deal (when compared to what people on the national board are asking).  Kelly Blue Book is claiming I should be able to get $4900 as a trade-in, but, the few dealers I've spoken with won't touch a '00 bike much less one with 110K miles. I will be selling for quite a bit less than $4900, which seems ridiculous for that old of a bike.

Tim

[hubcapsc]

Also a lot of discussion about lifts and whether or not an adapter is needed.  I also have read that when lifting the bike, the bike will sit on the exhaust.  So, what is the real story on using a lift with a newer 1800 Wing? 

Bleghhh on pushing my bike over into the ditch to change tires 
but I saw it on youtube too...

I made a wooden adapter... I got a new Sears stiff Aluminum jack,
but only because my nine year old sagged-out one is pretty
much a beater.



http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,83406.0.html

I wouldn't want a belly pan... YMMV...

-Mike

[The emperor has no clothes]

Well, my SO wants me to get a new bike as my Valk is now 16+ years old with 110K miles.  Plus, as I've owned this bike close to 15 years and I turn 65 in a few weeks, if I keep the next bike 15 years, I will be an octogenarian.  That means I probably should get a bike that I can convert to a trike in the future. 

As a result, while not exactly going over to the dark side, I am looking at getting a '16 Goldwing.  Tom/Ron and anyone else who would like to chip in, since my last Wing was a 1978 model (which I owned until 1992) with the Vetter "Set Up", anything I should consider when purchasing?

One question is, there seems to be a lot of chatter about whether or not to install a belly pan.  Is there something on the bottom of the bike that needs protection?   

Also a lot of discussion about lifts and whether or not an adapter is needed.  I also have read that when lifting the bike, the bike will sit on the exhaust.  So, what is the real story on using a lift with a newer 1800 Wing?  Plus, is there a reason I could just not continue using the lift I used on my Valk (sans the Valk adapter)?

Along this line, I actually watched a youtube video this morning about how to remove the rear wheel by laying the Wing on the ground on its side.  Is there a reason to do it this way vs using a lift?  Or is this technique just for those too cheap to buy a lift?

Finally (for the moment), one person said they needed to remove their trailer hitch assembly each time they needed to remove the rear wheel.  Really????

Thanks for any insight you can enlighten me with.  At the very least I will be looking for a backrest, heel/toe shifter, louder horns, trailer hitch and fog/riding lights - any suggestions as to which kind?

I guess that also means I will be getting rid of my Valk.  If anyone is interested in a well maintained '00 Interstate, I will give them a fantastic deal (when compared to what people on the national board are asking).  Kelly Blue Book is claiming I should be able to get $4900 as a trade-in, but, the few dealers I've spoken with won't touch a '00 bike much less one with 110K miles. I will be selling for quite a bit less than $4900, which seems ridiculous for that old of a bike.

Tim

less than $4900 ? Seems worth more than that.

[NautiBrit]

Tim,

If you're considering triking in a few years, you may want to look at a CanAm Spyder and keep the I/S for those special occasion rides. I have a Spyder and a Standard and put many miles on both, love both, but know that my 2-wheel days are numbered.

I'm not against triking a Wing, but much prefer a bike that has been engineered from the ground up to be a trike, with all of the safety factors already built in. Whatever you choose, good luck and ride safe.

[Big Tom 10628]

Sounds like we need a Pik-A-Nik ride to discuss this over Mikes Salsa.....


Being a guy who likes to save money, my recommendation is to seek a used Trike, while you are still using the IS.

Here is an interesting 2010 to peruse.......

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/mcy/5367977769.html

[BigMac (SoCal)]

They put the belly pan on to protect the coolant tank from damage from objects flying up and bottoming out. I would recommend it. Here's a link to Highland Cycle in Highland Ca. I have know the owner for 15 years and they know there stuff when it comes to trikes.

Dave
http://www.highlandcycles.com/   

[W0X0F]

Wow, a lot of good information here.

Mike, thanks so much for the link to all of your photos.  I think I understand the issue of whether or not an adapter is needed with a lift.

Meathead, well, I think my bike is worth more than $4900, but, I am somewhat prejudiced.  I only paid $10k for it 15 years ago, so $4900 seems a lot of money IMHO.  But I took the bike out for a 3hr ride yesterday afternoon and she pulls as strong today with 110k miles as she did the day I got her.  I still get a grin on my face...  I really, don't want to get rid of her.

Nautibrit - I test rode the Spyder about a year or two ago during the Arizona Bike Week event.  I rode the full touring model.  I even rode a Goldwing trike as well.  To be perfectly honest, I did NOT like the ride of a trike, whether the wheels were in front or in the rear.  On a long day ride, I am guessing I would be beat to death on a trike.  I have never had such a rough ride on a motorcycle - and that was with either of them.  Besides, call me old school, but a semi-automatic tranny defeats the purpose of a motorcycle.  Since I plan to ride as long as possible, I want to ride a 2 wheeler for as much of that time as I can.  I was just thinking it would be cheaper in the long run to get a Wing now, and convert it later.  And now that they are selling a front wheel trike conversion for the Wing, I could go either AC or DC.

Tom - I think you are correctomundo.  A pik-a-nik ride, or a Taco Tuesday ride, is definitely called for.  I did peruse the link you sent.  If I read it correctly, the dude has less than 400 miles on it? I find that hard to believe.  Maybe 400 miles since the conversion perhaps?  In any case, that looks like a screaming deal.  Just wish I had the room for 2 bikes. 

Dave - thanks for your thoughts on the belly pan.  As far as Highland Cycle, they don't seem to have any '16 Goldwings either.  That is the big thing I don't understand, virtually no one has any '16 Goldwings in stock.  As far as I can determine the only dealer in all of Phoenix that has a '16 is Apache Motorcycles on West Camelback.  I even checked LA CycleSports, which seems to have a huge online sales presence, no luck there either.  I am not understanding the lack of availability.

Again, thanks for all of the information.  Much appreciated!
 

[NautiBrit]

Tim,
I'm not going to beat a dead horse, but a 3- wheeler takes a lot of miles to get acquainted with. Most Spyder riders don't get comfortable for the first 1K miles. As for beat up, my wife and I rode to Alaska on the Spider last year, pulling a trailer. We completed 8,622 miles in 25 days and didn't have one bad day. The Ultimate seat and backrest was a godsend, as the standard seat would undoubtedly have killed us. All that being said, my wife still preferred the Interstate we had several years ago to any other bike, before or since.

[W0X0F]

Tim,
I'm not going to beat a dead horse, but a 3- wheeler takes a lot of miles to get acquainted with. Most Spyder riders don't get comfortable for the first 1K miles. As for beat up, my wife and I rode to Alaska on the Spider last year, pulling a trailer. We completed 8,622 miles in 25 days and didn't have one bad day. The Ultimate seat and backrest was a godsend, as the standard seat would undoubtedly have killed us. All that being said, my wife still preferred the Interstate we had several years ago to any other bike, before or since.

Nah, no dead horses by me.  But, I was was just surprised by how rough a trike rides compared to a two wheeler.  It never occurred to me that the ride would be so different and I had never heard that mentioned before.  I've heard about the differences in handling and steering, but, not about the smoothness (or lack thereof) of the ride. 

I love the looks of the Spyder, and I probably would end up in a ditch with all the bells and whistles with the various screen displays.  Sure would keep me busy on a long ride.

In any case, when push comes to shove, I know I will have a trike one day.  I would rather ride a trike than no bike at all.  But today is not that day.

Tim

[The emperor has no clothes]

Tim,
I'm not going to beat a dead horse, but a 3- wheeler takes a lot of miles to get acquainted with. Most Spyder riders don't get comfortable for the first 1K miles. As for beat up, my wife and I rode to Alaska on the Spider last year, pulling a trailer. We completed 8,622 miles in 25 days and didn't have one bad day. The Ultimate seat and backrest was a godsend, as the standard seat would undoubtedly have killed us. All that being said, my wife still preferred the Interstate we had several years ago to any other bike, before or since.

Nah, no dead horses by me.  But, I was was just surprised by how rough a trike rides compared to a two wheeler.  It never occurred to me that the ride would be so different and I had never heard that mentioned before.  I've heard about the differences in handling and steering, but, not about the smoothness (or lack thereof) of the ride. 

I love the looks of the Spyder, and I probably would end up in a ditch with all the bells and whistles with the various screen displays.  Sure would keep me busy on a long ride.

In any case, when push comes to shove, I know I will have a trike one day.  I would rather ride a trike than no bike at all.  But today is not that day.

Tim

I have no experience with trikes of either configuration. But I've seen George on the Spyder and it is as smooth and quick as any of the Valkyries . 

[NautiBrit]

[/quote]I have no experience with trikes of either configuration. But I've seen George on the Spyder and it is as smooth and quick as any of the Valkyries . 
[/quote]

Thanks Rob, it took some miles to get there. I still remember picking up my first Spyder in 2008 from the dealer in Lake Havasu and riding it back to Phoenix. I was all over the road and thought that maybe I had made a big mistake. Since then I've put almost 80,000 miles on 2 Spyders and yes, they're different, but still a lot of fun. And isn't that what riding is all about? That being said, I will ride my Valk until they pry it from between my knees.