Anyone Plan to Upgrade to Goldwing?

Just checked their prices and even an 02's value w/ 35k miles is $10k.

I don't consider anything that requires manual shifting to be an upgrade.

dspevack wrote:

I don't consider anything that requires manual shifting to be an upgrade.

I like my Silverwing but riding a few tanks of gas out is a bit more comfy on the Goldwing.

B.T.W………….If you have a few miles under your butt shifting becomes second nature

I wouldn't consider a Goldwing an upgrade.

thomphoto wrote:

I wouldn't consider a Goldwing an upgrade.

I had thought about it. But after having a hard time "Swinging" my leg over the seat of the Gwing in the dealer showroom, I realized that the open design of the large scooter suits me just fine.

I upgraded my Goldwing with a Silverwing

I have thought about it, maybe a brand new one when the year 2022 arrives

No...it has not crossed my mined.

I have a friend who has a GL1500 Goldwing. He's offerred to let me ride it and I have taken it off the stand, sat on it and balanced it. There's no question that it's battleship-heavy, but, surprisingly, it is very well balanced and holding it up while stopped was not a problem for me...but I wonder what would happen if you ended up at a stop sign on an off-camber intersection, or if there was oil or grease at an intersection? Once that machine starts a downward trend, I don't think you're going to be able to stop it...the only alternative, I suspect, is to abandon ship at that point.

I like the Goldwing, but I think the Silverwing is really preferable, at least for me, and I don't consider it a downgrade to own it. I chose it.

I think about upgrading (yes, I think it would be an upgrade) every now and then. If I ever do so, I will not be getting rid of my Silver Wing. I would not consider a Gold Wing something to ride around town to do errands or a quick 30 minute therapy ride. Now if I was going for a trip somewhere, that's where I'm thinking a Gold Wing would be the nicer ride. I would also have to decide where to put the Gold Wing. I have a 2 car garage that fits wifey's car, my car and the Silver Wing. No room for a Gold Wing, so I would have to decide to leave my car out during riding season. Doable, but not likeable...

Had two G.W. GREAT for Long trips and best for this but not around town. also note I am now ridding a silverwing!!!!!!!!!

My wife and I both rode Goldwings for years. Hard to beat as a distance cruiser. My Silverwing is much more practical and easier to ride in town.

ok talked out of it for now.......

If I were to ride something that weighs in at 900 lbs and is mostly for highway use, I would skip a GW and go straight to a Mazda Miata! More storage, passenger won't affect you, dry in the rain, warm in the winter, about as much wind in your face, tires last a lot longer, hurts less in an accident.

To me, any bike should be light and manueverable (sp?). I bought a 2007 Vespa GTS last November to replace the Chinese scooter, and find myself selecting that over the Swing most days. It's a blast to ride. By 3-4 hours into a ride, I find it more wearing than the Silverwing. But up to that point I prefer it. It makes the Swing feel rough, if you can believe that!

Having purchased over 75 new bikes. I don't think move to GoldWing would be upgrade------Having had only one barge, Kawasaki Voyager,and several HD Electra Glides, I find/found SilverWing Fine.

Try this riding alone----need to go----pull over on side road with GoldWing, screw up on U turn on dirt road. Could take forever to get out.

Bikes should weigh no more than 500 lbs, 400 being better.

I have ridden 1800 GoldWings-go good, horrible gas mileage----on new bike purchase looked at them recently. Deals were out there.

Don't think I want to run one up on my lift alone. Other turnoff----don't need the fat girlfriend that goes with many GoldWings.

10 months or so from now, I will be ready fo another new bike, would hope there will be some new developments on the 250cc plus scooter market.

John Grinsel

My personal opinion?
Never had a desire for a GoldWing. Then again, I've never had a desire for a Harley. They are both fine bikes for what they are intended to do, just not my cup of tea, as it were.
I like light-middle to middle weight and sized bikes, using the definition from the 70s. In those days, at least with the Brit bike crowd I rode with, 90cc to 200cc topping scales at around 250lbs. or so was a light. Middle weight ran 250cc to 500cc. 750cc was a large bike.
I 've had quite a number of bikes and tried bigger weights and sizes, still like the middleweights.
Of course, to each their own, that's just what I like.

All the goldwings I sat on at the dealer were missing a wheel on the back

tonylumps wrote:

All the goldwings I sat on at the dealer were missing a wheel on the back

LOL! Yeah them Goldwings with only two wheels are a lot tougher to drive.
Personally I like the ones with 4 wheels.

Dan,

Is this thing for real, or is it photoshopped? I'll bet if you used the 2 wheels up front and left the stock 1 in the rear you could surprise the hell out of the Can-Am Spyder guys.

I've been watching this thread and I've been thinking the same as most of you -- a GW is just too heavy. But the Can-Am I like. Not gonna give up my SWing for it though.

And I already have a fast 4-wheeled Honda -- it's called Civic Si.

Not photoshopped...offered as a Goldwing conversion kit by Hannigan Sidecars...see link...

http://www.hannigansidecar.com/content/reversetrike.html

I could buy 6 silverwings and and bolt them together for that kind of money

I'm trying to picture a 12 wheeled Silverwing....

I have been a fan of the Goldwing for a long time. It is what I always though I would want as a long distance 2-up tourer. All the comforts, storage, 6 cylinder smooth, quiet. I have researched the many ways this could be modified or adapted for me to ride. At one point I thought I wanted a trike but I really like leaning into the turns (so does my wifey).

I will have one in the future. I do know one thing for sure I will never sell my Silverwing. It has saved me thousands of dollars already. Every time I get the itch and test ride a different bike, later while evaluating the newest ride I say ask myself how is this better than the Silverwing. I have yet to come up with a good enough reason to switch!

I have the best of both worlds, my 2004 SW and a '01 Goldwing 1800. For longer rides there's nothing like the silky smooth and nearly silent power of the big 'Wing. I've ridden it coast to coast and from B.C. to Mexico. There just isn't anything on two wheels that's near as good for touring. That said, I love my SW for local and errand use. It's definitely easier in slow traffic and in crowded parking lots. The two bikes are different enough that they each serve their purpose well. If I could only keep one of them it would be tough to decide which one would stay. Lucky for me that's not a decision I have to make.

i have both goldwing and s-wing. but i have to admit the s-wing is a hell of a lot funner to ride in town. theres enough power to do what you need to and still get good gas milage

I have a 2001 GL1800ABS, a 2003 Honda ReflexABS and I just bought a 2004 Silverwing about a week ago.

I have to say that each of them are unique in their riding styles. I guess that is why I own one of each now. Certainly if you like the silverwing, you will enjoy the Goldwing if you are looking to put on alot of touring miles and want to carry more stuff or a passenger with more comfort.

I just wish the Reflex and Silverwing had better options to include things like the Goldwing such as a AM/FM Radio and CB so I can still listen to my tunes and talk to my buddies when I am riding something else.

I've often thought I'd like one, until I see a perfectly good Gold Wing blinged up with tons of useless chrome rubbish, extra lights, aerials, flags, the optional teddy bear, the standard issue fat girlfriend (as first noted by Mr Grinsel ) and usually blasting out the intro from Dire Straits 'Money For Nothing', wishing they were on Route 66, not the A66 from Penrith to Scotch Corner in Northern England.

bikerdaryl wrote:

I have a 2001 GL1800ABS, a 2003 Honda ReflexABS and I just bought a 2004 Silverwing about a week ago.

I have to say that each of them are unique in their riding styles. I guess that is why I own one of each now.

That is an amazing range Honda motorcycles/scooters (what ever you want to call them). I am curious how you will use each of these. [/quote]

honda_silver wrote:

That is an amazing range Honda motorcycles/scooters (what ever you want to call them). I am curious how you will use each of these.

I do not normally drive a car and rely on my motorcycles to get around life as much as possible.

The Reflex is for commuting to work since it gets 70+ MPG and all the riding is on the streets. Plus it will be a learner bike for my girlfriend that is just learning to ride. At $20 per 2 weeks of commuting, it is saving me a ton of money in gas and wear and tear on our cars that are alot more spendy. I was riding this bike on motorcycle runs when I was just one up because it is fun to ride through the twisties.

My average maint costs on the Reflex are about 600 a year so it is certainly cheapest to ride. But with the addition of the Silverwing, I may be putting less miles on it this year.


The Silverwing will be for the weekends playing around while riding single up for awhile and then it will become my girlfriends main bike when she has learned all she needs from the Reflex. Or for when we want to go to Portland and be able to find a good parking spot(Portland has dedicated motorcycle parking that is much easier to find a spot than a car.)
With average MPG of 40-50 not quite the commuter bike I would like and it seems that upkeep will be abit more than the reflex with the additional costs of a larger engine and tires. Not to mention actually having to buy oil filters(the Reflex does not need them.)

The Goldwing is for 2 up riding when we want to go together on runs or riding. Plus any long distance riding or when we want to have our Bushtec motorcycle trailer with all our gear. I do alot of long distance riding, 500+ miles a day or long motorcycle trips where I pack everything we need for a weekend into the trailer for camping or hoteling.)

Not into Gold Wings -- far too heavy. My 1972 Honda AN600 only weighed about a hundred pounds more, and it had four wheels, a roof, and doors. Of course, it only had 36 bhp. But it got 44 mpg -- do that with a GW.

Might consider the upcoming sport touring version of the VFR1200 should Honda deem us worthy here in the states. And if they don't overprice it too much.

Thought about it several times and still think about it. The guy I bought my swing from had a Goldwing, Silverwing (before I bought it) and a yellow (think Bronzewing just for fun) Reflex. The wife preferred the Reflex over the swing so I got the best of the three for most of my needs. I have done some 1-up touring with it and enjoyed it but for really long distance, I too would rather have the bigger GW.

Was in a motoshop yesterday and found a very nice GL1500 with only about 56K on the clock.

I looked it over pretty carefully and admired it a bunch, but I came to two irrefutable (in my mind) conclusions:

1. Very heavy
2. Very complex

Much as I like the bike, I'm only allotted space for one motorcycle in the garage, so whatever I have has to do it all for me. The Goldwing would be great for the freeway, the open road, etc, but that's only a small proportion of my use for a motorcycle. I spend a lot more time on the two lanes, the mountain roads, the country lanes and so on and I just can't see how the Goldwing would be better for that than the SWing. While the SWing is probably not as good a long-distance tourer as the GL, it can still do it when called and it can do a bunch of stuff better...

So I didn't buy the GL...the SWing still lives here...

I don't have to, my husband has a new Goldwing. Nothing compares to the smoothness and comfort of a Goldwing on longer rides.Don't get me wrong, I love my Silverwing but even after 1 hour of riding my throttle hand is sore and after 2 hours my butt starts to get sore. I've rode on his Goldwing for 14 hours only stopping for gas and it was like sitting in a Lazyboy chair. We both love our Honda's but in reality... one is a bike, one is a scooter.... there is no comparison, both great machines but totally different.

I made the mistake of taking a test ride - the Silverwing was immediately history - I loved the Silverwing, but this machine is something spectacular - I still lurk here on occasion and saw several posts - They certainly are more complicated than a Silverwing - Yup, they're heavier too - BUT, it handles like a sport bike - It has nearly every gadget known to motorcycles - But the ride, handling, "operation," and reliability makes for one exciting ride - I was told I wouldn't ride it to the store any longer - too much trouble - I ride it ever time I can, everywhere - I ride in the winter, heat, rain, (oh, no, not the rain, I don't want it dirty! ) You can say anything about what you "think" it will be like compared to the Silverwing - RIDE ONE - If you're seriously able / willing to buy it, you're done, you will - I've never ridden anything even close to this machine, and I tried them all (well the big bikes anyway - Harley - Victory Vision, etc. ) NOTHING compared - I don't mean to go on too much, but, I don't possess the right descriptive brevity to make "it" short... - Just ride one once... Don . . .

I'am too lazy and old, to mess with a shifter, as soon as the G/Wing comes out with an automatic trans. I will take a test ride. In the mean time, I will continue to enjoy scootin around on my S/Wing. Ride Safe...
Robert in Az.

Robert... I want to add that shifting is just one major thing. I have a friend that has a Valkyrie that I tried to get on before I bought my Silverwing. It hurt to raise my leg up and when I did and straddled the big guy, I couldn't get it off the side stand. Goldwing may be easier than the Valkyrie to handle, but for me, the difference in comfort is not worth the pain. I admit, I don't make a lot of cross country trips. My Silverwing is gonna last me a long long time. My wife and I just rode for over 2,600 miles on our Swing with ZERO monkey butt(s) or any other pain. When I get to the point of not being able to climb on it, I will give up riding all together. Maybe the wife will be driving by then and I can be the passenger. Now, that would be nice.
I am not knocking the GW in anyway. They are the top of the line riding experience for those that can afford and handle them. But I don't in the slightest feel that I am suffering with my Swing. Both are Great machines.

Hey Gary, Thanks for your thoughts on the G/Wing, I see I'm just a little older than you, which makes me think the G/Wing may be too much of a bike for me. Like I mentioned before, the S/Wing is the perfect ride for me, I feel like a kid with a new toy every time I jump on and go for a ride. Ride Safe...Robert in Az.

Robert, it is not the "AGE" that determines what ride we need. My friend with the Valkyrie is almost 74 (in August). He can pick it up and put it in his pocket. Well, he could with a bigger pocket.

I act ten years older than him. His dad just died in Oct 10 at age 97. I was embarrassed by what the older man could do better than me. I will enjoy my Scoot. As you said it is the "perfect ride for me". Me too.

I constantly go back and forth with the SW/GW predicament. I would also love a big, smooth highway ride for my wife and I. But, and this is a big BUT, getting on/off a GW is nowhere near as easy as a SW. I would have no problem with the shifting thing, as I learned on and owned bikes in the 60's and 70's.
That being said, every time I jump on my SW and just twist the throttle and go, I say to myself that it couldn't get any better than this.

Well said Big Bird... +1

Although "Jumping On" may be an exaggeration for me...

Just a comment on "mounting the beast" - The "Beast" just sits there. I can lift my leg over it, BUT, the GW is very stable. Just step on the foot peg and you're mostly above it, certainly less than the approx: 50% from the ground level - I was at a friends house, a former rider. I mounted from the right side while it was on the kick stand. He grabbed the bike thinking it would tip. That was even more stunning to him than the bike! I just laughed. When it's on the center stand, it's even easier. He was "beside himself." He said he'd never seen any bike mounted like that. All he really saw was the front suspension compress a bit. It's easy to get on and off.

On another note - I did worry a bit about the CVT - I 'kinda' liked that about the Silverwing. (a lot actually) It worked well - But, as soon as I hit 2nd gear, the front tire hit the ground again and I never looked back! (it's very easy and comfortable to shift - you get used to it within minutes)

One other thing...I quickly learned to "ride" all over again. You do NOT muscle one of these in any way - You QUICKLY learn to "work with the machine."

I also had two previous GW, a GL1100 and GL1500. Great bikes to ride long distance and in nasty weather. But for short jaunts and easy day trips, I prefer the Swing.
But, let's not be silly: a new Swing is $9500 and a new GL1800 is north of $20,000- that's how you can tell what things are better in America!
Plus, I'd of thought perhaps the engine/ drive train might need some rebuilding on the GW after about 150K mileage. Any Swings make it that long?

welchnh wrote:

Plus, I'd of thought perhaps the engine/ drive train might need some rebuilding on the GW after about 150K mileage. Any Swings make it that long?

Yes.

Skip the Wing and get a Rune....




(I have a wing too though...)

I have the best of both worlds, my '04 SW and an '01 GW. This is my fifth Goldwing. I sold my 1500 with 170,000 miles on it and it was running and shifting like new. A fellow I know here has a GW that currently has 375,000 miles on his '93. He did have to change a clutch though. I use the SW for errands and around town and The GW for longer rides. The wife doesn't like the backseat on the SW much, she's been spoiled by the GW's saddle. The day may come when the big wing will be too heavy for me, it's almost twice the weight of the SW, so the scooter is a hedge against advancing age. I really enjoy the SW but there's nothing like a long haul at 75-80mph on the Goldwing with the silent six smoothly powering the big bike. At 70mph the tach indicates 3050rpm which is one reason it's quiet.

DH has a G'wing and we love it for long trips. He rides to work on some pretty heavy traffic freeways so he appreciates it for what it can do in highway conditions. He does use my S'wing at times for quick runs to the store from the house and really likes it. The S'wing definitely suits my purposes and needs while the G'wing fits his needs and our requirements for long trips.

Not necessarily planning to upgrade, but am thinking about selling both SilverWings and purchasing a new GoldWing.

jdeereanton wrote:

Not necessarily planning to upgrade, but am thinking about selling both SilverWings and purchasing a new GoldWing.

Nice.
If the stars were all in alignment I would keep my Swing and add a Gwing.

A few qualifying introductions for my comments. I live near San Francisco where there is lots of in-town driving, lots of open country roads, lots of freeways (some very busy and some in the valleys where the speed limit is 70mph and everyone goes 80), lots of hills (from sea level to 2000 foot high parks/homes, mountains to 4000 feet (just 5 miles from where I live), steep city streets if you are in San Francisco, flat city streets (where I live), and long range touring if that is your thing. I am 67 and not that strong.

During this year I have owned the following:

Piaggio LT50 Scooter (2003) - 50cc 2 cycle, 200lb, 3hp. Amazing how peppy a little 2 cycle can be -but noisy, low top end, terrible suspension/handling, and horrible gas mileage for such a small engine). STATUS - Sold it as I was afraid of getting run over when on any highway where the speed limit was over 35mph.

Piaggio BV200 Scooter (2003) - 200cc, 350lb, 21hp. This scooter rocked! It would steadily accelerate up to 75mph(actual) and handled like a dream. I was amazed at how good the suspension/ride was for a small scooter. This scooter has been replaced with the BV series 250cc plus. I think that this scooter equates to the 300cc scooters that are sold today (in weight, in horsepower, and I assume in ride). This scooter was great for riding around the city, country roads - and freeways if you did not have to go that far. If I only did City driving - this would be my choice. I think it is far better than the the typical 150cc scooter in that it handles/rides so much better - but some smaller City riders would not like the extra 100 pounds. The BV is a scooter size that starts to feel/handle like a motorcycle (e.g., counter steer, lean) and not like a small scooter. STATUS - Wife (of 40 plus years - so I do listen!) insisted that I limit my 2 wheel rides to two - so I sold it.

SilverWing (2003) Scooter - 600cc, 500lbs. Love it. Love it. Love it. My favorite ride. Don't like the buffeting or suspension issues - but expect that getting the Givi Airflow and Hyperpro springs will take care of my issues. It suits most of my riding needs to a tee. STATUS - This scooter is not going anywhere!

Goldwing GL1500 (1990) - 1500cc, 900lbs, 100hp. Got this for longer rides and the California freeways. Still learning how to ride/handle this ride. For me, I am never taking this to the grocery store or into town - it is just toooo big! Turning it on a hill (for me) is pretty scary. I need to practice riding drills to be able to handle this beast - which is what I am doing. I imagine that the folks that enjoy this ride the most are pretty strong as it is a challenge at low speeds - once you get it up to 10 plus mph it is a dream to handle (not so much when you are doing slow starting, stopping, turning). But it is all manageable - you just need to practice. On freeways this ride is simply amazing - trucks don't bother me, cross winds are no problem, bumps in road are easy to deal with, in summary - this ride is made for touring and you won't be disappointed. Freeways on the SilverWing are bit scary - but not so on the GoldWing. I got the Goldwing GL1500 because it was the first Goldwing that had a reverse (and I use it and need it). Plus, you can get one with a bunch of miles (that still has a lot of life left) for not so much. I went used as I was not sure how much I would use (have not used it that much yet - still getting used to it) the Goldwing and if I would like it (great on freeways - but don't like to lug it around town). My suggestion if you are thinking Goldwing is to go used - if you don't like it you can sell it for about what you paid for it - if you do like it you can keep it or trade up to a newer model. Check out goldwingfacts.com if you want some goldwing buying tips. Once you get into the 2001 model year (GL1800) the used prices skyrocket and once you get pre-1988 you are into smaller/older models of Goldwings that don't have as many of the bells/whistles - but the price drop may be attractive to you. Keep looking until you get the right/good deal. STATUS - Keeping this ride for now. Still learning how to handle it. There are a lot of resources on how best to handle this bike (YouTube, books, forums, etc.).

The above are just my thoughts/opinions - and to each his own.

PS - Multiple scooter/motorcycle purchases/use. Here are my thoughts/findings regarding this matter.
Registration - In California, if you don't buy a pricey ride, the registration is a bit over $100 each year for each ride.
Insurance - I have Geico which I like because you can do 'what ifs' to find your insurance sweetspot so you don't buy to much and don't end of with too little. If your rides are 'used' and therefore not worth as much, the insurance is fairly reasonable. I pay about $230 annually for the SWing and GWing and have decent coverage (but no collision on the GWing as that would double my policy). My recollection is that adding an extra ride only marginally increases your insurance rate.
Gas/Maintenance Costs - I only ride so much (hours/miles) each year so that I doubt buying more rides increases/decreases the gas/maintenance costs by much.
Storage - This can be a problem. But when I buy used I am OK with a cover and outside storage for at least one of my rides.
Widgets - It seems that most of this forum have bought their share of widgets for their SWing, and with each one costing from $100 to $500 it starts to add up. If you have multiple rides you will need to resist the urge to buy more widgets or your costs will skyrocket.

So, If you are dreaming about a GoldWing - then buy if you can afford to pay a bit more for your hobby - cut back somewhere else! You won't be sorry.