Voyagers not holding their value

[SapperMedic]

I have started looking for my next money pit and thought about branching out to another manufacturer, IMHO the only ones holding any kind of value is the Venture,Victory Cross Country and Goldwing. I saw a 2010 Kaw Voyager with all the extras for $9700, a 2010 Polaris Spyder for $9800 and a 2010 Victory Vision for $9400. The Voyager just feels cheap from the moment I sat on it. The Spyders are awesome, but I can't get used to that Snowmobile feel, and the Vision just looks to "Buck Rogers" for me. I have to wait until mid to late June to finish getting the cash, but it is either a 01-07 Goldwing, or that pretty little Maroon 08 RSV if it is still available. What are your thoughts on the other bikes? I can't afford 18-20 grand for a Cross Country, and the Harleys are too hard on my bad shoulders with the vibration.

[deepforkriver]

It just doesnt get much more ergonomic and smooth than the goldwings. Proven motors/tranny/drivetrain and gas mileage to boot.

Tons of farckle and show chrome. You will just have to learn how to "ride by pushbutton".

I am giving Honda 2 years for updates and 'Miles' 6 months of riding, to decide if I am going the F6B direction. Everyone should have all the farkle out for sale for them by then and 'Miles' will have 60k miles of roadtest/trials complete.

 

Good Luck!

[Barrycuda]

I have been contemplating a voyager since my other bike is a Vulcan. My bike is hands down THE most reliable, trouble free, low maintenance bike. I felt the venture was too big, bulky, and honestly, I am still not slam dunk sure of the bike, even though its been great to me.

That said, the voyager, does not hold the value, it runs REALLY hot, especially on the R side where your leg feels like its being BBQd... Flip side, the bike handles marvelously, is low center of gravity for my short height and has modern features like CD player, fuel injection, and optional ABS. I rode one for an hour. Sweet bike. I agree the plastic is a tad flimsy, but ask yourself if that's a deterrent versus modern comfort creatures. The motor although a V twin, rarely if ever has problems. Mine is a 2000, 1500cc and it moves...

 

I like the Harley Ultra classics and again is great for low center of gravity. They seem to have antiquated technology, along with the insane over priced tag that comes with it. You tube : victory versus Harley and see what that's about regarding the way Harley does things. Actually steered me away( again) from HD.

 

The venture seems to have the best of what most people want and need. I agree the cabs and cassette deck need to be replaced with CD and FI...

Currently I am still keeping my eyes open. Heading to Tennessee in a few weeks with he venture so I will get a true chance to see how she performs long distance...

[Miles]

Wilkie, in my opinion, if you are going to go with a bike that is not a Venture, then the '04 to '05 Wing is the bike to go with. Yes, I love....LOVE...my new F6B. It is by far the funnest, fastest, best handling 1800 Sport Wing that I have ever owned. And Deepforkriver is right about the farkles being done within the next year, and my test riding.

 

But...having owned a '03 Wing, and a '04 Wing, and a '06 Wing, I would recommend a 2004 to a 2005 Wing, and here is why.

 

The 2001 to 2002, and some of the 2003 Wings had issues with the cracked cross-member on the frame. Buying a used one, it is difficult to tell whether that frame issue has been correctly resolved on that bike, or not. I know that my 2003 Wing, with over 100,000 miles on it in the first year...was discovered to have a frame that was completely cracked...all the way around...on that cross-member. We did not discover this until Mother Honda inspected the bike at the factory in Marysville, OH, when they were taking my '03 in...and giving me an '04 in exchange, because of the miles I had ridden in that one year.

 

The point being that "if" the bike had a cracked frame, and was repaired/replaced under warranty, or is the frame has cracked since that time...it is not worth getting. There are '01 to '03 Wings out there that have huge mileage on them, and are riding along just fine, after the repairs to the frame, and some that did not need the repairs to the frame, but why take the chance. Also, it was the first couple years of the new model, so...get one that is a few years into the new model.

 

On the '04 & '05 Wings, the reason they are BETTER than an '06 or later Wing...is that in '04 & '05 you still could get an ABS version of the bike without having to be a pimp daddy, by adding so much garbage to your Wing, that to get ABS on an '06 or later, you were forced to have the Comfort package (heated grips and heated seat) and the Nav package (Hondas' version of a GPS) and finally they would let you have the ABS added on after all that. The issue is that a heated seat is just plain STUPID...and the Honda GPS does not allow you to do everything while in motion. You have to STOP the bike to make some adjustments.

 

So, by buying a '04 or an '05...you get a proven production bike...no frame issues, and available ABS (if you want it) without having to wear a purple felt hat that says you're a pimp daddy.

 

The '04 & '05 Wings will cost less than a later model also, so that is good.

 

Personal opinion...get the ABS version.

 

[SilvrT]

I have to wait until mid to late June to finish getting the cash, but it is either a 01-07 Goldwing,

 

If you can, get a 2006 or 7 as there were several updates starting with the 2006. Do some digging on one of the goldwing forums about this before you pull the plug.

[Miles]

If you can, get a 2006 or 7 as there were several updates starting with the 2006. Do some digging on one of the goldwing forums about this before you pull the plug.

 

Wilkie, for Pete's sake, do not listen to anything that a Pumpkin rider has to say. Have you seen the colour (that is color fo us US folks, but colour for those Canadians) of his bike ?

 

The only real upgrade to the '06 and later bike...'06 to '10, was the alternator going from an 1100 watt to a 1300 watt. The bike has more than enough electrical juice with the 1100 watt alternator...so much that in 2012 they downgraded it to a 1200 watt.

 

Do not pay attention that that masked man behind the curtain up in B.C.

 

[motorcycle_1300]

It just doesnt get much more ergonomic and smooth than the goldwings. Proven motors/tranny/drivetrain and gas mileage to boot.

Tons of farckle and show chrome. You will just have to learn how to "ride by pushbutton".

 

 

I own a 2004 Goldwing, it is a nice bike, however it is not designed for riders over 6 feet not enough lgroom knees are always bent too much, should have the seat recut to move my butt back a couple inches, my 2007 RSV has 4 times the miles because it is far more comfortable for me to ride. All that Goldwing plastic just sort of snaps on as the rubber gromets that the pins pop into wear things get loose and rattle( it is a easy fix) but I suspect someday something is going to go flying. I love the engine and transmission on the wing, probably the only reason I keep it. I just use it for local rides and day trips. When I head out for five or six 800 mile days the RSV is my bike of choice

 

Al

[SilvrT]

The only real upgrade to the '06 and later bike...'06 to '10, was the alternator going from an 1100 watt to a 1300 watt.

 

Did they not also change the alternator drive gear in 2006? Seems to me the pre- '06 gears were prone to failure. And didn't they put a better radio & speakers into the 2006 & up? ... oh, and weren't the radiators and cooling fans bigger? ... but these are just stuff I've heard ... I'm certainly no expert so like you say ... folks should not listen to me.

Edited May 7, 2013 by SilvrT

[Wade 2000]

I don't understand why the Vulcan Voyager isn't holding its value better. They are giving the new ones away. I've talked to a couple guys who own them and haven't heard a cross word about them except that the gear ratios are not matched well. I have not ridden one but cosmetically it is one of the best looking new bikes and I love the design on the frame mounted fairing.

There are some good deals on Victorys out there. Last year a dealer had a demo model Cross Country (not the Tourer with the trunk) it was still new never titled with 700 miles and he offered it to me for $11,900.00 and you can add a quick release trunk for probably another grand or so. It was tempting but I couldn't get permission.

The Goldwing is a great bike and handles great but I hate the foot position. If you are under six foot it may work for you.

[Miles]

Did they not also change the alternator drive gear in 2006? Seems to me the pre- '06 gears were prone to failure. And didn't they put a better radio & speakers into the 2006 & up? ... oh, and weren't the radiators and cooling fans bigger? ... but these are just stuff I've heard ... I'm certainly no expert so like you say ... folks should not listen to me.

 

 

SEE..even the masked man behind the curtain says that others should not listen to him.

Just wait until midnight, and that bike of his will turn into a Pumpkin...oops...it already did:rotf:

 

Yes, Rick, the alternator drive gear was improved, and I took that to be included in the upgrade of the '06 and later years, with the lasrger 1300 watt alternator. As far as better radios and speaker in the '06 and later Wings, the radio and speakers in my '06 were the same as what was in my '03 & '04 Wings. The radiator and cooling fans were also the same as earlier bikes...BUT...what they did was to chnage the ECM unit, so that the '04 and later bikes would not overheat at slow speeds like the '01 - '03 bikes would. If ridden in 1st to 3rd gear and slow speeds...heavy traffic, hot weather, the '01 to '03 Wings would get very hot on the guage, shoing up to the Red zone. The problem was in the direction that the cooling fans were spinning, and the ECM units. They changed all that for the '04 bikes, and problem resolved.

 

After all this harassment, I better have to buy you lunch on Saturday. It is the least I can do.

 

Edited May 8, 2013 by Miles

[SilvrT]

SEE..even ther masked man behind the curtain says that others should not listen to him.

Just wait until midnight, and that bike of his will turn into a Pumpkin...oops...it already did:rotf:

 

Yes, Rick, the alternator drive gear was improved, and I took that to be included in the upgrade of the '06 and later years, with the lasrger 1300 watt alternator. As far as better radios and speaker in the '06 and later Wings, the radio and speakers in my '06 were the same as what was in my '03 & '04 Wings. The radiator and cooling fans were also the same as earlier bikes...BUT...what they did was to chnage the ECM unit, so that the '04 and later bikes would not overheat at slow speeds like the '01 - '03 bikes would. If ridden in 1st to 3rd gear and slow speeds...heavy traffic, hot weather, the '01 to '03 Wings would get very hot on the guage, shoing up to the Red zone. The problem was in the direction that the cooling fans were spinning, and the ECM units. They changed all that for the '04 bikes, and problem resolved.

 

After all this harassment, I better have to buy you lunch on Saturday. It is the least I can do.

 

 

OK, maybe it wasn't a standard upgrade; however, one could get the "Premium Audio package, which had six speakers and an 80 watts per channel external amplifier."

 

And yes, the ECM was changed... dang, I read about that and I failed to mention that specifically ... kinda figured it was part of the rad & fan changes ; however, I did read that the radiators and cooling fans were changed to bigger units ... dunno about the direction of the fans although I've also read where folks have reversed them. I read a lot about this stuff .... suppose one shouldn't always believe in what they read eh?

 

As for lunch, it better not be in a doggie bag !

[AngryAmish]

Here's the Voyageur ..........

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owEeVAcWh5s]For Sale! 2012 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS Pearl Alpine White / Pearl Luster Beige - YouTube[/ame]

[Barrycuda]

Here's the Voyageur ..........

 

 

Angry, that's an excellent video. That guy covered all the bases. Over all, I do not see why the voyager isn't more popular. I do know early models did not have that vent to draw heat away and many complain of the intense, dangerous heat . I have not ridden one with the new dissipation set up...

Edited May 8, 2013 by Barrycuda

[timgray]

Have you looked at the Triumph Trophy?