Honda Goldwing... What do you think of this??

[Chaharly]

Saw this on youtube. I don't really know what to think of it... What do you think?

 

[BlueSky]

He's making the case for his newly designed replacement shock. His shock makes the wing stiffer in the front than the rear. Don't know which is the most preferrable.

[M61A1MECH]

Highly debated topic over on the various Goldwing boards, I talked with a new 2018 owner the other day, he said the stock suspension on the 2018 was the best he has seen on any of the Goldwings he has owned.

 

I have not had the opportunity to ride a new Goldwing, and I may not, as one of the folks over on the 1800Riders forum said if you cannot afford to buy a new one, do not ride one, because if you do you will want to buy one.

[RandyR]

The 2018 GW has a new front suspension.

 

https://www.cycleworld.com/honda-gold-wing-mainstream-motorcycle-without-telescopic-fork

[Chaharly]

He's making the case for his newly designed replacement shock. His shock makes the wing stiffer in the front than the rear. Don't know which is the most preferrable.

 

 

 

Ahh. I watched the video maybe 3/4 of tge way throygh. Didnt realize he was trying to sell a product!

[Chaharly]

Highly debated topic over on the various Goldwing boards, I talked with a new 2018 owner the other day, he said the stock suspension on the 2018 was the best he has seen on any of the Goldwings he has owned.

 

I have not had the opportunity to ride a new Goldwing, and I may not, as one of the folks over on the 1800Riders forum said if you cannot afford to buy a new one, do not ride one, because if you do you will want to buy one.

 

Ya know im kind of thinking that double wishbone suspension probably just doesnt travel as much as a more traditional front fork style. Ive ridden every model of goldwing and I honestly think they know what theyre doing, but i guess time will tell...

[Chaharly]

The 2018 GW has a new front suspension.

 

https://www.cycleworld.com/honda-gold-wing-mainstream-motorcycle-without-telescopic-fork

 

From the youtube reviews ive seen alot of people like it, but its hard to trust a youtube review sponsored by any motorcycle company.

 

Like do you really think theyre gonna rag on the 30k dollar Goldwing that honda let them test ride

[cowpuc]

O.K.,, seems how Cha pried the lid open here and there is NO WAY - NO HOW I can end up back on probation with Dan and Jeff (dont wanna do that right now = Jeff smells funny) cause I am just writing a simple answer to a simple question asked within the confines of our clubhouse,,,, here goes:

 

Personally,, I have found the release of the new Wing to be extremely invigorating after what happened concerning the recent release of the new Venture.. Dollar for dollar and technology to technology - I view what Mom Yam did by going belt driven, air cooled, push rod motored V-Twin as a step backward in touring motorcycle progress when compared to what Honda did with this new Wing.. I was so inspired and so intrigued with this new Honda when I first saw it that I immediately went and joined a couple Wing forums just to be part of the excitement and I gotta tell ya = EXCITING this journey has been!!! Some personal highlights and uptakes from my perspective:

 

1. Having made somewhat of a career of building old school customs and dealing with both springer and girder front ends (the new Wing front end is basically a girder front end that is operated by a set of tie rod ends = pretty cool really) - I have thouroughly enjoyed reading and following along the stories and videos of folks getting a first hand "feel" of such motorcycle geometry.. To hear modern day bikers talk of this "new" technology and how smooth it is brings a huge smile to my face each time I read another article/thread post or watch another video about it!! One of my very favorite stories that I will never forget is one that came from a person who, because of his background with the Goldwings, got invited to go to Austin to test the new Wings and his response after "flying" the Wing (he really did "fly" it = there is actually a video out there showing him and his wife AIR BORN during that test time!!!!!) was simply = I have a completely modified suspension Gen 2 Wing (the prior 1800 to this new one) that rides/handles as perfect as you can get with a Gen 2 and this new one is superior to that fully "Traxxionized" version in everyway = it is perfect and he wrote his findings in an online bike magazine! After that same person purchased one of the new ones though he discovered that his earlier perception was far from accurate. Last that I have read, this same person is now in the process of reshocking both front and rear of his new Wing because, according to him the OEM shocks are far from accurate.. So,, how could such a talented and season rider/Wing owner make such a mistake?? Personally, IMHO, this is a perfect example of someone getting exposure to a "ride" that is probably totally foreign to him (unless he grew up on Chops with a springer or girder front end on it).. Fact is,,, bar none,, there never has been, and never will be a motorcycle as comfortable to cover zillions of miles on and live in the seat of as a Soft Tail Chop with either a good springer or girder front end suckin up all the vibes in the process...

 

2. When I read "using CRF technology" associated with the new Goldwing back at the release I KNEW I was in for a very very special treat and that is another part of why I immediately headed to the Wing forums to be part of all the excitement I knew was coming! Many years ago during my dirtbike racing career I jumped from Yamaha to Honda when Honda introduced the CR250M in 73 = I worked in a Honda shop at the time and had a heads up of what was coming so I ordered a new one up - site unseen.. It was absolutely, postitively a PHENOMENAL machine. Chrome moly frame, flywheelless ignition (INSTANT REVS), porting like you cant even imagine (looking down the barrel = it had "spiderwebs" for lands for the rings to ride on = BEAUTIFUL piece of artwork!!), magnesium all over for weight reduction, aluminum tanked, SUPER light weight and talk about a wheely machine = anyone familiar with Motocross and riding an MX bike on the back wheel thru the "whoops" could easily take one of these factory race bikes and ride it thru 5 gears on the back wheel (hey Cha,, I included a video just for you at the end of this that features a bunch of my old buddies who I bumped into at our local "bike time" a while back = if you watch that and listen carefully to it - when Beechy mentions thinking I was born on a "Unicycle" cause I used to go by his house on the back wheel - he is talking about that amazing Elsinore doing her thing!! = there is also another friend of mine who bought one and it scared him so bad he only rode it 2x and parked it - he is the one who I bought Elsie #2 from also mentioned in the vid!!).. When I went back to work at the Honda shop toting 2 1st Place Trophies (250 and Open Class) after my first weekend of racing on "Elsie" the owner of the shop walked in the back room and said "WOW,, looks like you and your new Elsinore are getting along just fine" - to which I replied = "THERE IS MAGIC BETWEEN THOSE BARS!!" and I meant it.

Thru many years of racing, it wasn't until 2002 when Honda introduced the CRF450f that I once again actually "felt" that same "feeling" in a motorcycle. What Honda did with modern 4 stroke technology was just amazing.. Of course,, it was the total package that produced the magic but, in my mind when I read "CR" or now "CRF" - I pay attention and I was THRILLED to read this in association with the new Wing!! Due to some health issues, having spent many hours with nothing much to do but read and watch videos about one of my favorite subjects (guess what that is) - I can honestly say that I have enjoyed all the RnD vids that show exactly what those guys at Honda went thru in their attempt to put that same magic between the bars of this new Wing..

 

3. Regardless of how near sighted each one of us can be,, the fact of the matter is,, no manufacturer no where no how is able to produce the perfect bike for all persons.. Before Yamaha introduced the Mono Shock, many of us track competitors cantilevered (tig welded new mounts for the rear shocks = leaning them forward, giving the rear suspension substantially more travel) our swing arms and went aftermarket on the rear shocks (believe it or not, I still have the original set of CRF250M shocks off my 1st Elsie with no more than 5 hours on them - I went to "Konies" back in the day) and shimmed up or forks to meet our specific needs.. IMHO, it just stands to reason that bike producers will try to produce something "middle of the perverbial road" to please as many people as possible with OEM stuff = makes sense in my pea brain.. Understanding this is how I think,, it will probably come as no surprise to hear me say that I for one ABSOLUTELY enjoy aftermarket supplier videos like the one you posted.. Fact is,, I LOVE seeing new product in development = I'm an American = capitalism is a marvelous thing IMHO!!

Experience has taught me that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily go hand in hand with the art of diplomacy.. One of the bike shops that I grew up in as a kid was owned by one of the most sarcastic individuals a person could ever meet.. If this person detected even a hint of one of us young neighborhood gearheads "sandbaggin" him (pretending when we didnt know something when he KNEW that we did know" he would blantantly call us out on it.. He played no games, just flat out honest truth (and he was a GENIUS when it came to Yamaha's = matter of fact, Yamaha engineers from Japan actually came to his little shop on more than one occasion to discuss product development) and he called a spade a spade.. I will NEVER forget when Yamaha introduced the Virago 750 with its clunky starter system,,, he and I were standing in the shop talking about that bike and he flat out called it a "PIECE OF JUNK" right in front of some customers = he was just that way! He also single handedly developed a regrind for those starter bendix gears that solved 90% of the clunking and grinding in those 750's but you would have been surprised with the number of Virago riders who were just as happy as could be about the noises their bikes made and refused to let us "fix" their new bikes... My friend (the owner of the shop) never hesitated in telling them they were "senile" for doing so which is a PERFECT example of why I say that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily goes hand in hand with the art of diplomacy..

 

Sorry I got so long winded Cha but YOU asked for it brother

 

Here's that video I mentioned!!

Puc

 

[bongobobny]

From the youtube reviews ive seen alot of people like it, but its hard to trust a youtube review sponsored by any motorcycle company.

 

Like do you really think theyre gonna rag on the 30k dollar Goldwing that honda let them test ride

Uh HUH!! And everything on Facebook is 100% true too...

[Chaharly]

O.K.,, seems how Cha pried the lid open here and there is NO WAY - NO HOW I can end up back on probation with Dan and Jeff (dont wanna do that right now = Jeff smells funny) cause I am just writing a simple answer to a simple question asked within the confines of our clubhouse,,,, here goes:

 

Personally,, I have found the release of the new Wing to be extremely invigorating after what happened concerning the recent release of the new Venture.. Dollar for dollar and technology to technology - I view what Mom Yam did by going belt driven, air cooled, push rod motored V-Twin as a step backward in touring motorcycle progress when compared to what Honda did with this new Wing.. I was so inspired and so intrigued with this new Honda when I first saw it that I immediately went and joined a couple Wing forums just to be part of the excitement and I gotta tell ya = EXCITING this journey has been!!! Some personal highlights and uptakes from my perspective:

 

1. Having made somewhat of a career of building old school customs and dealing with both springer and girder front ends (the new Wing front end is basically a girder front end that is operated by a set of tie rod ends = pretty cool really) - I have thouroughly enjoyed reading and following along the stories and videos of folks getting a first hand "feel" of such motorcycle geometry.. To hear modern day bikers talk of this "new" technology and how smooth it is brings a huge smile to my face each time I read another article/thread post or watch another video about it!! One of my very favorite stories that I will never forget is one that came from a person who, because of his background with the Goldwings, got invited to go to Austin to test the new Wings and his response after "flying" the Wing (he really did "fly" it = there is actually a video out there showing him and his wife AIR BORN during that test time!!!!!) was simply = I have a completely modified suspension Gen 2 Wing (the prior 1800 to this new one) that rides/handles as perfect as you can get with a Gen 2 and this new one is superior to that fully "Traxxionized" version in everyway = it is perfect and he wrote his findings in an online bike magazine! After that same person purchased one of the new ones though he discovered that his earlier perception was far from accurate. Last that I have read, this same person is now in the process of reshocking both front and rear of his new Wing because, according to him the OEM shocks are far from accurate.. So,, how could such a talented and season rider/Wing owner make such a mistake?? Personally, IMHO, this is a perfect example of someone getting exposure to a "ride" that is probably totally foreign to him (unless he grew up on Chops with a springer or girder front end on it).. Fact is,,, bar none,, there never has been, and never will be a motorcycle as comfortable to cover zillions of miles on and live in the seat of as a Soft Tail Chop with either a good springer or girder front end suckin up all the vibes in the process...

 

2. When I read "using CRF technology" associated with the new Goldwing back at the release I KNEW I was in for a very very special treat and that is another part of why I immediately headed to the Wing forums to be part of all the excitement I knew was coming! Many years ago during my dirtbike racing career I jumped from Yamaha to Honda when Honda introduced the CR250M in 73 = I worked in a Honda shop at the time and had a heads up of what was coming so I ordered a new one up - site unseen.. It was absolutely, postitively a PHENOMENAL machine. Chrome moly frame, flywheelless ignition (INSTANT REVS), porting like you cant even imagine (looking down the barrel = it had "spiderwebs" for lands for the rings to ride on = BEAUTIFUL piece of artwork!!), magnesium all over for weight reduction, aluminum tanked, SUPER light weight and talk about a wheely machine = anyone familiar with Motocross and riding an MX bike on the back wheel thru the "whoops" could easily take one of these factory race bikes and ride it thru 5 gears on the back wheel (hey Cha,, I included a video just for you at the end of this that features a bunch of my old buddies who I bumped into at our local "bike time" a while back = if you watch that and listen carefully to it - when Beechy mentions thinking I was born on a "Unicycle" cause I used to go by his house on the back wheel - he is talking about that amazing Elsinore doing her thing!! = there is also another friend of mine who bought one and it scared him so bad he only rode it 2x and parked it - he is the one who I bought Elsie #2 from also mentioned in the vid!!).. When I went back to work at the Honda shop toting 2 1st Place Trophies (250 and Open Class) after my first weekend of racing on "Elsie" the owner of the shop walked in the back room and said "WOW,, looks like you and your new Elsinore are getting along just fine" - to which I replied = "THERE IS MAGIC BETWEEN THOSE BARS!!" and I meant it.

Thru many years of racing, it wasn't until 2002 when Honda introduced the CRF450f that I once again actually "felt" that same "feeling" in a motorcycle. What Honda did with modern 4 stroke technology was just amazing.. Of course,, it was the total package that produced the magic but, in my mind when I read "CR" or now "CRF" - I pay attention and I was THRILLED to read this in association with the new Wing!! Due to some health issues, having spent many hours with nothing much to do but read and watch videos about one of my favorite subjects (guess what that is) - I can honestly say that I have enjoyed all the RnD vids that show exactly what those guys at Honda went thru in their attempt to put that same magic between the bars of this new Wing..

 

3. Regardless of how near sighted each one of us can be,, the fact of the matter is,, no manufacturer no where no how is able to produce the perfect bike for all persons.. Before Yamaha introduced the Mono Shock, many of us track competitors cantilevered (tig welded new mounts for the rear shocks = leaning them forward, giving the rear suspension substantially more travel) our swing arms and went aftermarket on the rear shocks (believe it or not, I still have the original set of CRF250M shocks off my 1st Elsie with no more than 5 hours on them - I went to "Konies" back in the day) and shimmed up or forks to meet our specific needs.. IMHO, it just stands to reason that bike producers will try to produce something "middle of the perverbial road" to please as many people as possible with OEM stuff = makes sense in my pea brain.. Understanding this is how I think,, it will probably come as no surprise to hear me say that I for one ABSOLUTELY enjoy aftermarket supplier videos like the one you posted.. Fact is,, I LOVE seeing new product in development = I'm an American = capitalism is a marvelous thing IMHO!!

Experience has taught me that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily go hand in hand with the art of diplomacy.. One of the bike shops that I grew up in as a kid was owned by one of the most sarcastic individuals a person could ever meet.. If this person detected even a hint of one of us young neighborhood gearheads "sandbaggin" him (pretending when we didnt know something when he KNEW that we did know" he would blantantly call us out on it.. He played no games, just flat out honest truth (and he was a GENIUS when it came to Yamaha's = matter of fact, Yamaha engineers from Japan actually came to his little shop on more than one occasion to discuss product development) and he called a spade a spade.. I will NEVER forget when Yamaha introduced the Virago 750 with its clunky starter system,,, he and I were standing in the shop talking about that bike and he flat out called it a "PIECE OF JUNK" right in front of some customers = he was just that way! He also single handedly developed a regrind for those starter bendix gears that solved 90% of the clunking and grinding in those 750's but you would have been surprised with the number of Virago riders who were just as happy as could be about the noises their bikes made and refused to let us "fix" their new bikes... My friend (the owner of the shop) never hesitated in telling them they were "senile" for doing so which is a PERFECT example of why I say that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily goes hand in hand with the art of diplomacy..

 

Sorry I got so long winded Cha but YOU asked for it brother

 

Here's that video I mentioned!!

Puc

 

 

Puc, when your fingers hit the keyboard everyone here knows its gonna be something good! You make a lot of sense for an old timer and I get a sort of CTFW sense of awe when you state your opinion! You make a lot of sense!!

"Personally,, I have found the release of the new Wing to be extremely invigorating after what happened concerning the recent release of the new Venture.. Dollar for dollar and technology to technology - I view what Mom Yam did by going belt driven, air cooled, push rod motored V-Twin as a step backward in touring motorcycle progress when compared to what Honda did with this new Wing..

 

Youre right on the money here Puc! I was super disappointed with the launch of the new Star Venture as were a decent lot of us! Anyone who likes to check out what's behind that hill that this snakey old gravel road climbs wouldn't be too thrilled with the belt cooled (though, 1500 GL's at least are NOT dirt machines!!! That low weight slung way forward basically makes it impossible to keep it where you want to go!!), and if they're going to call it a Venture, it needs the Venture heart! The V-4 that started it all! When I saw leaked photos of the 2018 Wing I immediately fell in love! I need to test ride one as soon as possible!! I'll probably never own one, but the Goldwing is and has always been an excellent machine! I've probably put 10k miles on the front and back of different 1500s and I absolutely love them, but its the V-4 and the Venture package that keeps me going back to my first gen!

 

After that same person purchased one of the new ones though he discovered that his earlier perception was far from accurate. Last that I have read, this same person is now in the process of reshocking both front and rear of his new Wing because, according to him the OEM shocks are far from accurate.. So,, how could such a talented and season rider/Wing owner make such a mistake?? Personally, IMHO, this is a perfect example of someone getting exposure to a "ride" that is probably totally foreign to him (unless he grew up on Chops with a springer or girder front end on it).. Fact is,,, bar none,, there never has been, and never will be a motorcycle as comfortable to cover zillions of miles on and live in the seat of as a Soft Tail Chop with either a good springer or girder front end suckin up all the vibes in the process...

 

I don't think many people my age or even many quite a bit older have much experience with choppers at all! I don't know anyone with that sort of experience or enthusiasm around here!!

 

You mean Like this?? Similar to how the new GL allows more up and down travel vs having the spring action go toward the frame of the bike... I can see how that would make a difference, but on a chopper at least, where the front forks go way out like that do they even corner at all? Not bashing! I'm just curious!!

 

When I went back to work at the Honda shop toting 2 1st Place Trophies (250 and Open Class) after my first weekend of racing on "Elsie" the owner of the shop walked in the back room and said "WOW,, looks like you and your new Elsinore are getting along just fine" - to which I replied = "THERE IS MAGIC BETWEEN THOSE BARS!!" and I meant it.

 

Thru many years of racing, it wasn't until 2002 when Honda introduced the CRF450f that I once again actually "felt" that same "feeling" in a motorcycle. What Honda did with modern 4 stroke technology was just amazing.. Of course,, it was the total package that produced the magic but, in my mind when I read "CR" or now "CRF" - I pay attention and I was THRILLED to read this in association with the new Wing!! Due to some health issues, having spent many hours with nothing much to do but read and watch videos about one of my favorite subjects (guess what that is) - I can honestly say that I have enjoyed all the RnD vids that show exactly what those guys at Honda went thru in their attempt to put that same magic between the bars of this new Wing..

 

I think I'm feelin it too puc! Almost makes me want to save up 30k Dollars!!! Did you find most of the videos on youtube just searching around? I'm gonna have to look into this, and I really hope they accomplish making magic.

 

 

Regardless of how near sighted each one of us can be,, the fact of the matter is,, no manufacturer no where no how is able to produce the perfect bike for all persons.. Before Yamaha introduced the Mono Shock, many of us track competitors cantilevered (tig welded new mounts for the rear shocks = leaning them forward, giving the rear suspension substantially more travel) our swing arms and went aftermarket on the rear shocks (believe it or not, I still have the original set of CRF250M shocks off my 1st Elsie with no more than 5 hours on them - I went to "Konies" back in the day) and shimmed up or forks to meet our specific needs.. IMHO, it just stands to reason that bike producers will try to produce something "middle of the perverbial road" to please as many people as possible with OEM stuff = makes sense in my pea brain.. Understanding this is how I think,, it will probably come as no surprise to hear me say that I for one ABSOLUTELY enjoy aftermarket supplier videos like the one you posted..

Experience has taught me that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily go hand in hand with the art of diplomacy.. One of the bike shops that I grew up in as a kid was owned by one of the most sarcastic individuals a person could ever meet.. If this person detected even a hint of one of us young neighborhood gearheads "sandbaggin" him (pretending when we didnt know something when he KNEW that we did know" he would blantantly call us out on it.. He played no games, just flat out honest truth (and he was a GENIUS when it came to Yamaha's = matter of fact, Yamaha engineers from Japan actually came to his little shop on more than one occasion to discuss product development) and he called a spade a spade.. I will NEVER forget when Yamaha introduced the Virago 750 with its clunky starter system,,, he and I were standing in the shop talking about that bike and he flat out called it a "PIECE OF JUNK" right in front of some customers = he was just that way! He also single handedly developed a regrind for those starter bendix gears that solved 90% of the clunking and grinding in those 750's but you would have been surprised with the number of Virago riders who were just as happy as could be about the noises their bikes made and refused to let us "fix" their new bikes... My friend (the owner of the shop) never hesitated in telling them they were "senile" for doing so which is a PERFECT example of why I say that neither truth nor intelligence necessarily goes hand in hand with the art of diplomacy..

 

The owner of that shop sounds like a good guy, I wish all salesmen were a little more like him! I walk into our local Yam shop and I've got more sales and mechanical knowledge than they do, and I am by NO MEANS a professional!!! When you said Yamaha came to his shop to talk to him that impressed on me the commitment to what Yamaha does. Like you said, they try to make bikes that everyone wants to buy, to have a broader market, but you can lose some of the magic in it that way! I looked at some pictures of the old CRF250M and the first thing I thought was... NEW SHOCKS as well! I love the aftermarket! We probably still couldn't be riding these old bikes without such a deep aftermarket base!

 

And that's alright puc! You can get as long winded as you want! I'm not quite as talented at painting a picture through text like you are, but I try!

 

Hope everythings going good your way, take care!

[Yammer Dan]

I AIN'T LOOKING AT NO WING!! But a Shock or Shocks might be something I'll need.......

 

Hey Puc!! Pick up something ta snack on when you come in. I left the door open!! Need a little air in here with Jeff today!!!