GL1800Riders Forums banner

Why is it Such a Sin...............

5K views 42 replies 24 participants last post by  SteelTraveler 
#1 ·
...........to think that buying a Goldwing for your first cycle is so bad? :shrug:

I got into riding cycles 14 years ago after taking a week off work attending basic cycle school, and qualifying for my m/c license.

For years I always admire the Goldwing for it's quietness, size, and listening to other riders brag about the Goldwing.

A day after leaving cycle school, I followed up my pricing I did earlier and bought a new 2003 red Goldwing and bought a 2012 since.

Tell me what I did wrong???
 
#3 ·
What you did wrong is not let the dealer sell you 3-4 progressively larger bikes along the way. You made him miss out on a lot of money he could have made by selling you learner bikes. I have a friend that is 6' 5" tall and weight 220 lbs that was sold a 883, I still tease him about that, he had out grew it in about a day and a half and never rode it again. Lol
 
#4 ·
It was your money and you bought what you wanted, period! Who gives a rats behind what any body else thinks.
 
#5 · (Edited)
...........to think that buying a Goldwing for your first cycle is so bad? :shrug:

I got into riding cycles 14 years ago after taking a week off work attending basic cycle school, and qualifying for my m/c license.

For years I always admire the Goldwing for it's quietness, size, and listening to other riders brag about the Goldwing.

A day after leaving cycle school, I followed up my pricing I did earlier and bought a new 2003 red Goldwing and bought a 2012 since.

Tell me what I did wrong???
If you have had good luck, then all power to ya !! :thumbup:

But, a 900 lb 100hp touring bike isn't what I would recommend to anyone for their very first bike or after not riding for decades. :D
I've been riding on the street every year for 46 years (10 years on dirt prior) and have known of too many older gentlemen that bought the biggest and best bike they could find and then promptly dumped it when they had a passenger or got into situations where they weren't able to manhandle that big of a bike and/or didn't know how to properly use the power. There's times where big egos and/or pocketbooks doesn't do you any favors. I agree with WVMANDINGO though about not buying 3-4 step ups, but at least one should be considered.
Btw, in my 46 years on the street I've had one speeding ticket, never dropped a bike and have had one unavoidable wreck.
 
#7 ·
But, a 900 lb 100hp touring bike isn't what I would recommend to anyone for their very first bike or after not riding for decades. :D
.
It's generally agreed upon by most riders that it's easier to start on a smaller bike and progress to larger one.
I totally understand the pros and cons of having a big cycle for your first ride, but 80% of riders here would say buy smaller first.


If I did that I would be facing replacement cost in a couple years.


Actually sometimes I wonder if it would be fun just to tool around on a lighter bike.
 
#6 · (Edited)
It's generally agreed upon by most riders that it's easier to start on a smaller bike and progress to larger one. Beginner mistakes where small and light bikes are more forgiving have to do with balance, counter steering, lean angles, HP to weight ratios, and things like that. Small bikes are generally more forgiving of mistakes than bigger ones.

I see the same argument on the dirtbike, sportbike and track forums I frequent. Some start on the 200HP 1000CC sportbike and some start on a 30HP 250CC bike. There are success stories and failures in both camps but generally the failures on the big bikes are bigger fails. (or at least cost more to fix)

The vast majority of riders start on something small and then progress to large but there isn't a "right" or "wrong".

Now...your bike is a trike so IMO it's even less important to start with something small. I don't think any of those small bike advantages I listed above really come into play on a big trike vs. a small one and 20 years riding small bikes wouldn't have prepared you to ride your trike that much better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kiwi and bgross
#11 · (Edited)
2WheelNut described very well what most riders consider prudent (i.e. moving up from a smaller bike to a larger bike as your skills improve).


Common sense should always be invoked. Just as a bike can be too big for your skill level, it can also be too small for your physical size. For example, a Sportster 883 is too small for someone who is 6'5", as WVMANDINGO said. That must have been a funny sight. lol.


I would never advise any new rider to go directly to a 900 lb touring bike as his first bike. You made the choice to flout conventional wisdom on this and it worked out for you. That's great. I've certainly done the same many times in my life.


However, in general...for most people, it's not a prudent thing to do.
 
#12 ·
It was a hilarious sight, especially when he tried to take his wife for a ride. he got a little angry at the dealer for not steering him in the right direction but ultimately he knew it was his own fault. He was afraid of getting something too big.
 
#13 · (Edited)
...........to think that buying a Goldwing for your first cycle is so bad? :shrug:

I got into riding cycles 14 years ago after taking a week off work attending basic cycle school, and qualifying for my m/c license.

For years I always admire the Goldwing for it's quietness, size, and listening to other riders brag about the Goldwing.

A day after leaving cycle school, I followed up my pricing I did earlier and bought a new 2003 red Goldwing and bought a 2012 since.

Tell me what I did wrong???

Sin probably is a poor choice of words since you didn't kill yourself or anyone else...which happens all to often with motorcyclists who have ridden less than a year.

Sounds like you bet on your natural skills, balance, strength and dexterity and have done fine. Most others might not have fared as well simply because they had not developed the skills to be confident and operate any heavy weight motorcycle safely.....key word is "skills". Look up bicycle and motorcycle accident and death statistics and you'll figure out the answer to your own question.
 
#14 ·
You bought what you wanted. You learned how to ride it ... Or you are getting there. I think you did great! Just learn to trust the engine on your new Wing. As long as the rear wheel is turning, it is really hard to fall over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bgross
#15 ·
I hadn't rode in 15+ yrs my last bike was a 1980 Kawasaki 650 LTD bought a 2002 Goldwing in 03 it handled better than the 650 and didn't have a bit of trouble riding the wing after that long of a lay off. I did get an eye opener bring it home last 3/4 of a mile is gravel and hadn't ridden gravel in a long time but I made it home.
 
#20 · (Edited)
My first street bike was a 900 Ninja which I bought from a private seller.



When the owner heard it was going to be my first street bike, he almost didn't sell it to me. I understood his concern, but after a lengthy discussion it was mine.

I loved that bike with is speed and acceleration.....after a handful of years my riding style changed and I stepped into my first Goldwing.



Buy the bike that makes you happy.... Good choice !

Kurt
 
#21 ·
1st Gold Wing

I bought a Goldwing before I even had my license. I hadn't owned a motorcycle for 30 years and that was a 1976 Honda 360. After 30 years of not riding, I bought a Goldwing and had to have the previous owner deliver it to my house. After I took the training class for my license I took my time and while I'm no expert, I feel comfortable with the Wing. My wife and I have put about 25,000 miles on it since.
 
#25 ·
It worked well for you, which is what really matters. You may be lucky, skilled, blessed, or a combination of all three.

As far as "sin"? Only if YOU think so. (Romans 14:14)

Would I recommend it for most people? Nope.
Lots of reasons, many of which have been covered - from "testosterone poisoning" (e.g., the 16 year old with the sport bike), physical limitations (strength, height, injuries), simple zero etc.

We had a guy show up on the FJR board who was all excited about his brand new FJR that he was going to pick up the following weekend. He'd done lots of research and was confident hat he'd bought the perfect bike. He'd just finished the MSF Basic Rider course and gotten his license.
Nearly all of us had similar advice: carefully ride your new bike home and park it in the garage; go to Craig's List or eBay and find a cheap "beater" bike; spend a couple months learning how to actually ride in every imaginable condition, from low speed/no traffic to twisties/freeway/weekend warrior traffic. Know that you're gonna drop it a couple times, probably in a parking lot at low speed.
Then slowly "start over" with the FJR - little by little, carefully building your skill set with the new "tool". Then, sell the "beater" to another new rider and let the process go on.

Believe it or not, he actually did it.

You were fortunate and have done well. Congratulations!
No sin.
 
#27 ·
I had not been on a bike since Fall of 1989. I was a MSF Instructor, rode my '82 Aspencade 70,000+ miles in the 7 years I owned it. I did the step from a Honda 350 to 750 to Aspencade.
I retired Aug 2015, bought a GW Tike conversion rode it 6 weeks before I got my present 2012 GoldWing.
Seemed like I had never been off a bike. There was a learning curve as to leaning, speed cornering but it came back very fast.
Have put over 4500 miles on the bike since acquiring it Oct 1.
If you take things slow and are aware of YOUR limitations, you will be just fine.
Just remember, every car out there is out to kill you!
It will make things easier to explain, "Why did they do that?"

Ride on!!
 
#29 ·
Im in a similar boat with Racer 57. Started with a 1/2 clapped out light underpowered bike and rode off road, and then progressed through.
I had been riding about 40 years ( yes im getting old ) and I bought a 2009 Wing. Done track days, raced sidecars, raced and trials off road etc had a bunch of bikes.
On the first ride with my newly acquired Wing it became apparent I had to learn to ride this bike as it was different to any other bike I had ridden. Mainly dealing with the weight and spent quite some times doing low speed riding on a local paved area. I take mine off the sealed roads occasionally and don't have too much trouble provided I can maintain a reasonable ground clearance.
It has been some years since the OP has bought his Wing and is into his second. With zero riding experience. Learnt to ride it successfully and now asks if it is a sin. Probably not, but would you recommend any Joe Blogs follow your example. I can think of many examples of it ending badly, attended 4 funerals and seen a few smashed up bikes.


Young guys getting a licence and buying an R 1, ZZR or similar has had disastrous consequences here, and I suspect its similar in the US.
Locally that has been improved and new licence holders are restricted with the power available on their brand of choice. You can not legally ride a larger capacity and powered bike until you complete a mandatory period of riding, and then demonstrate you can ride it. The result was there was a dramatic reduction in deaths of riders in the first 5 years of riding.


One of the worst things I have had to do, and more than once is to walk down the road looking for and retrieving body parts, the other looking into the eyes of the deceased family and passing on the awful news.


Similarly the stats are horrific for returning riders. **** yes I can ride. Rode everywhere when I was a young chappie. Kids are gone now and I have a few more $$, I'm sure you are familiar with that scenario.


So back to the original question. I would not recommend it at all, same for the high and ultra high performance bikes available today.
 
#30 ·
:coffee1:I wouldn't recommend it myself. But my first bike was a 75 Suzuki GT750"Water Buffalo". A big bike by the standards of that era. It was a handful but not like the bikes of today. I do think if a person is fit enough they can handle a Goldwing with practice easily because they are very user friendly as in well balanced.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Wow...seems a bit rude. Are trikes not motorcycles? Maybe I'm misinterpreting your post and you didn't intend it to be rude but it did come across that way.

Yes...pretty much everyone that follows this forum regularly knows he has a trike. I even reference it in post 6 when we were still on topic.
 
#36 ·
I am glad it worked out for you buying such a big bike for your first bike.

Here in Washington State, the motorcycle safety course is taught on 250cc Honda Rebels with good reason. I am not an advocate of buying a 250cc Rebel, but they are a good motorcycle to learn the function of riding on.

A used 750 Honda or 800 Suzuki Boulevard would be my recommendation. Many of those can be had for $3000 and after a year of riding it sold for the same money even with a little bit of road rash.

A new rider on a Goldwing does the duck walk a little longer than on a medium sized motorcycle. I still use the duck walk from time to time. lol

I still enjoy a mid sized motorcycle. I have an 800cc Kawasaki Drifter and a 600cc Honda Silverwing Maxi Scooter. Plenty of power to weight ratio and easy to park and move around. The Silverwing has step through design and storage under the seat and it is faster than my 1500cc Goldwing was. My Silverwing is my first choice to ride on most days.

I just bought a used 2011 Honda PCX 125cc scooter for my girl friend to learn on. I spent $750 on it and when she is done dropping it, and riding it, I will sell it for $750. My hope is that she will be able to handle the 600cc Silverwing in the future, but she might end up on a 400cc Maxi Scooter.

I have some friends who bought new Harleys for their first bike. The bikes sat in the garage and didn't get ridden because they were worried about damaging the bike on a tip over. One told me he was scared to death every time he got on it. Those bikes get sold after 4 or 5 years with 800 miles on them at a large loss.





 
#38 ·
I am glad it worked out for you buying such a big bike for your first bike.
Thanks for your feed back and the pictures.
Your right about the scared feeling when buying and riding such a large and expensive bike.

I remember the first morning after I rode my Goldwing home.
I went out in the garage, starred at my new ride and said:
Mike, "What the f@ck did you buy?"

For weeks after, I didn't even play the radio when riding and rode it to parking lots and applied what I learn in cycle school.


Now it's all second nature to me.
 
#39 ·
I can't say if the size of the bike really is that big of deal as long as the bike is not physically to big for the operator, or he lack the maturity to respect the potential dangers that face them. I started very young so it is only my opinion, not my personal experience. At 8 years old I rode my first mini bike, it was a learning curve stepping up from a bicycle to a motor driven bike. At 12 years old I rode my first motorcycle a Yamaha LS2 100, again a new learning curve because of the requirement of operating a gear lever and clutch. In both Cases skills developed very quickly, and I could have rode much bigger bikes within a week or two. When I turned 16 I purchased a 750 Kawasaki ( a big bike at that time) and their was virtually no learning curve to riding the bigger bike, just a little getting use to some of the nuances of a heavier bike, the same was true when I moved up to a 1100 Kawasaki about a year later, and every bike since that time.
My son did not ever ride a motorcycle as a child, he purchased his first motorcycle at 18, a VTX 1300. He rode it around town and at the State Police test course for about a week before going on a 1000 mile four day trip with me. I was very nervous at first as we rode through some of the most twisty roads you will see anywhere. It didn't take five miles before my mine was completely at ease, he rode the bike completely within his ability and handled it like he had been riding 20 years. For him I think it would have been a mistake to get a smaller bike to train on. He was able to keep the bike 4 years before moving on to something else.
 
#41 ·
My answer to Michael's question would be with some more questions.

Do you think it would be a good idea for a tractor trailer to be the first vehicle a person drives after getting their license?

Would a 747 be a good choice for a new pilot that just got his pilot's license?

I'm not suggesting that a Wing is as extreme as a semi or jetliner, but the message is the same. It's generally a good idea to get a feel for a vehicle and learn the basics on something easy to handle before moving on to something bigger. To me, that is just simple common sense with a reasonable amount of caution. I see a lot of people riding big bikes that have no business being on them.

Just because you survived it doesn't mean it was a good idea. If I got on I-480 during rush hour and did 120 all the way to work, weaving in and out of traffic, regardless of whether I survived, it would still be a bad idea.
 
#42 · (Edited)
This is certainly not bad advice, and in most cases it's probably the best advice. But I don't think it is a one size fits all. I am just suggesting that there is a learning requirement on whatever you ride. Whatever you ride, you will have to develop the skills to ride it. There is very little that learning to drive a VW bettle will teach you, that can be applied to driving a tractor trailer, or that flying a Cessna will do to prepare you to fly a space shuttle. For the record I actually know a couple of people who attended truck driving school and got jobs driving trucks before ever purchasing there first car. They had their license but had very little actual time behind the wheel. And likewise I have seen people on small bikes who have no business on them, that's why I think their maturity and coordination are bigger factors than the size of the bike.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top