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Do you remember your first ride on a Goldwing?

15K views 107 replies 103 participants last post by  dosxxs 
#1 ·
I had a nice, long conversation with speckfisher yesterday, and he was reminiscing about his first experience on a Goldwing. It reminded me of mine...

I had been riding a new Sportster 1200C for about 9 months when I started to consider a touring bike. My SO had unexepectedly become interested in riding on the bike (and even got her own bike for awhile). The Sporty was just too small and uncomfortable, so we began looking at Ultra Classics. I was active in a HOG chapter, so that was a natural progression. We rented an Ultra for a weekend trip to West Texas and I was more than disappointed in the performance, brakes and the heat coming off the engine. One night I was looking on eBay and came across a 2005 Yellow Goldwing (Level 1) that was being auctioned off by a local car dealership. It only had 1800 miles on it, so just for grins, I put in a ridiculously low bid. I can remember going back into my office at 11pm and seeing that I had won the auction! My initial feeling was buyers remorse, I never expected to win.

The next day, we drove to McKinney to pick up the bike. It was already getting dark when I rode out of the parking lot. I was more than a little intimidated by the size of the bike, but was amazed at how balanced it was and easy to handle compared to the Ultra. As soon as I got on 121 heading back to Carrollton I knew I had made the right decision. I could not believe how smooth and powerful this thing was. It took me a couple of weeks before I was comfortable to get the SO on the back of the bike, and then we were both hooked. I kept my Sportster for a few months to ride around town, and to the HOG events. But, more and more, I found myself just riding the Wing. I eventually sold the Sportster and the Wing has been my primary form of transportation ever since. I have not even owned a car since 2006.

My last HOG ride was when I showed up to a 4th of July ride on my Wing. They made it clear that I was not welcome unless I was on a Harley. Oh well, another chapter in the book. I sold the 2005 a year later and bought a new 2007 with ABS and a Bushtec trailer. I now have a 2012, and the same Bushtec. We have ridden to more than 43 states on a Wing, and hope to add a few more this summer.

What's your story?
 
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#102 ·
Hi gang, new to the board. This is my first post here.
My GW story goes back a ways.
WAAAY back in 1974 I bought a brand new BMW R90/6. Over the next 30 plus years I rode the wheels off of that bike, accumulating over 172,000 miles on it. In the early 1990s I taught a friend of mine to ride on a little Yamaha he bought. He was quickly looking for a bigger bike. One day while out riding, we saw this 76 GL1000 with a For Sale sign. Knowing how good they were, I told him to buy it. He did. (In the back of my mind I was kinda sorry that I didn't buy it myself) But I was still riding my Beemer. He rode it quite a bit over the next 20 years, but eventually he caught the Harley bug and the GL sat unused. Last year he said he was going to sell it and gave me first crack at. $400. Couldn't beat it with a stick.
I finally owned that Wing! It suffered from sitting too long and needed some TLC, but I knew that going in.
My first ride on it was riding it home the 70 miles or so from his house. I remember two first impressions clearly. First, the damned LOUD exhaust system he put on it would have to go! Second, the carbs were all clogged up and it ran poorly, but it was still a BLAST to ride! I remember thinking "If it is this much fun to ride running poorly, it's gonna be GREAT when it's restored to good operation!"
It is now in my shop and I've been working on it when I can. I rebuilt the front brakes, installed a new water pump, rebuilt the carbs and bought a complete electronic ignition system for it from C5 Ignitions. I'm "HOPING" to have it on the road this spring!
My best buddy has a 99 GL1500 and I'm looking forward to some long rides with him.
Now....
I know at some point he's going to want me to try out his 1500 and possibly buy it from him, since he's been looking at a new 1800. I'm not sure I want to ride it though. I'm afraid I won't be happy with the one I have!
Decisions, decisions. :lol:
 

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#103 ·
First wing was a gl1200a about 10 years ago. Could not believe the power, and it had a radio, cruse and talk about smooth.....

Wife said "honey just buy the bike!" What a dream ride. Upgraded to an 1800 a few yrs later and we take it for many of our vacations.

Still living the dream.
 
#106 ·
198I, bought a 1978 wing after 14 years of riding. Started with a 1965 Triumph then went to a 750 Honda. I had the 78 for 14 years then bought a 1985 wing, great bike. My best purchase was a new 1800 in 04 which I am still riding. In a year or so I will be looking for a 2012 or newer. Will keep riding as long as I can.
 
#107 ·
Currently riding a Voyager XII Kawasaki, this is my second Voyager. I have always liked the seating position of these bikes. I have rode GL1100 and didn't like foot peg location, same with GL1200 only it seemed better than GL1100 to me. So that's how I ended up with Voyager XII. Went to a Honda dealer a couple years back to look at a GL1500 and test drove and loved it but was having a terrible time envisioning my wife on the back and me holding it up right. So returned it to dealer and ask to ride a GL1800 because I heard they were better handling. Well that was a mistake at this dealer the not so smart salesman put me on a beat up 1800 that has been used hard and beat up. The suspension was rock hard and it was such a terrible test drive when I returned after about 7 miles my back was aching. I ask if something was wrong with the suspension or if it was altered and salesman said that's the way they ride and that's a great bike. Well the condition of the bike was deplorable at the least. So I figured that's it for me. well a couple years past by and I felt compelled to keep looking as I figured that salesman was not that intelligent anyway for doing that to me. Then I saw the new 2012's, Found another dealer and the first thing he did was offer me to take a demo ride on a new 2012. He went over the bike showed me the functions and said be real careful when you pull out of here because these thing will go and I don't want you to spin out in this traffic. He told me to take it the rest of the day if I wanted, just come back at closing time which was about 6 hours away. As I started down the road I had to have one, can't stop thinking about it. So soon very soon my wife and are going to have one!!:lol:
 
#108 ·
In 1980 my friend and I thought we could ride anything after terrorizing the town on our Yamaha 100's. His dad had a brand new black and gold GL and let us take it for a ride. WOW did I fall in love after that smooth ride. I knew I would own one some day. 25 years later I bought my first 1995 GL1500 Aspencade on E-bay. Man was I on cloud 9. My wife and I toured all over the Southern states on that one. I bought a new 2005 VTX 1300 for the wife in 2006 and really liked that one so I sold the GL1500 and bought another VTX 1300. I found out after a few years that I missed the comforts of the Goldwing. In 2010 I bought a brand new 2008 Level 4 Goldwing and the rest is history. I love these things!
 
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