It handles as well as your bike...

[BlueWing]

I have an '02 GL1800 and an '05 FJR in our garage; I can honestly say that when riding the same road (ie Hwy 243 in the San Jacinto Mtns.) I'm always faster when riding the FJR. The GL1800 is fast, smooth and comfortable, however, it is not a sport bike. It's big and it's heavy. I don't understand the desire by some to grind off lower pieces of the 1800 trying to prove what a great bike it is in the twistys. I guess it's still part of the Alpha Male syndrome.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

The GL1800 absolutely corners in a straight line as well as an FJR. Those who doubt it haven't taken both bikes straight before. Fortunately, I like roads like this:

 

[JimLor]

:blink:

 

[Bounce]

These numbers are from an '06 Goldwing brochure:  Dry weight 822 to 838.  So wet it going to easily be over 900 lbs.

Understood that mfgr dry weight seldom meshes with actual wet weight. Also, each mfgr seems to whip up their dry wegith numbers a little differently, so the margins of error are different all the time. That's why I used the MCNews numbers (where they actually weigh the bikes instead of extrapolating from a published dry weight).

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

:blink:

sorry...got distracted...darn work and stuff

 

[skyway]

I'm not trying to bash the wing for what it is, I think it's great bike.  But last summer I met a guy on one who had ridden multiple track days and thought the same as the guy you met.  He even went so far as to invite himself along to show me on Hwy49 between Mariposa and Coulterville.  Now I'm not the fastest guy on the highway, and don't try to be either, but damn If there was word that could up 'smoked him' I would have wrote it here.
Just in case some peeps haven't seen it, here's what a part of the highway looks like.

Mmmmmm........yummy.

Didn't we ride that road during last year's Cal24 rally?

I think I remember that view. If so, I was taking that road at a fairly good clip, at least for me, and was spanked by a fellow rally rider on a BMW 1150RT. He caught up fairly quickly, I let him by, and could not match his pace.

Now I don't profess to be the best rider out there at all, but still, humbling experience.

Yes this was part of the Cal24 route (you gotta love all that freeway slabbing they make you do) and don't let the 1150RT fool you, it is a great handling bike when put in the right hands. I know a guy here in town who absolutely spanks sport bikes around this area.

 

[zorkler]

my reply , wow thats great . And when are you going to take your head out of your ass ( of course to myself ) . put my helmet on and smile all the way home . some people egos are just too big for real life .

 

[Derek]

i know a couple of locals who want to show me that their bikes can beat mine. i let them think what they want. i don't want to prove a point so badly that one of us pushes it past our skill level. it scares me to think how i'd feel to come out of the twisties and they didn't. i ride harder riding alone and pick my moments to goose it through some well known curves with good site lines. but i stay in my comfort zone. racing my local roads would be way too much fun and way too stupid. i pass plenty of sport bikes but when they take it as a challenge i just let it go and give them a friendly wave as i pass them while they're gassing up.

derek

 

[madmike2]

I wouldn't hold it against him. As already stated, he's just enthusiastic about his bike. Besides maybe his Beemer buddy has 2" chicken strips to explain his handling comparison.  :haha:
BTW if anyone has a software design position for me in Mariposa I can start as soon as I find a place to stay in Coulterville. 

Try N37 29.075 W119 57.906, or anything is downtown Mariposa, its only 1 or 2 blocks long.

Good luck finding much in Coulterville. You'd be better looking in Sonora or Jamestown (but J'town will be iffy).

It is now forecast to rain on Saturday..so it might all be moot. I doesn't wanna ryde thet rode in thuh wet whether.

 

[Ari Rankum]

Some of our buds here are current or ex-Wing owners and they'll tell it like it is, I'm sure 

The OP got it right. The Wing handles great for a big bike (I had the GL1500 - which was similar weight but smaller than the GL1800), but it is *no* FJR. It's not even a little bit close. I got rid of the Wing because, if you close your eyes (don't do this), it feels just like riding a small Miata.

When people say the Goldwing handles great, they, just like I was, are gushing over how much better it handles than you'd think a 900 pound bike would handle.

 

[PapaUtah]

Perhaps "Spider" could settle this argument...

 

[madmike2]

The GL1800 absolutely corners in a straight line as well as an FJR. Those who doubt it haven't taken both bikes straight before.

:haha: :rolf: :lmao: :clap:

Andrew, youse is too much!

 

[twowheelnut]

Tell you what, I'll put money on Honda Al, the local Honda shop owner, that he could whoop-up on any of us with him riding a Gold Wing - hell, he'd even kick our asses on a Silver Wing! And, he's only about 75, too!

In my personal experience, I was quicker on the Wing than on the VFR or FJR. I have a timed route for just such testing - it's a twisty route with one straight, and an overall length of one mile. The FJR was 4 seconds slower than the Wing and 2 seconds faster than the VFR. Of course, that's just me as someone else may have a different time on said bikes and course.

 

[odot]

um....we need video of that, sir. Oops....did I call you sir, twn? Sorry. :haha:

 

[Toecutter]

It is now forecast to rain on Saturday..so it might all be moot. I doesn't wanna ryde thet rode in thuh wet whether.

I've been sending some energy in a selfish direction. Maybe it's working.

 

[HaulinAshe]

I ride and race (MX) with a guy who is sooo fast and about 10 years older than ME (so he's older than dirt). He has an 1500 GW and rides the thing backwards better than most of us forward. Took my FJR to see him today and he returned with a smile.

Sorta half crotch-rocket, half Gold Wing

he said.

Exactly!

I said...

Not sure how well I could ride it backwards. The throttle is a little stiff and touchy.

he replied with a smile.You gotta love a guy with that much two-wheel talent and taste!

My brother has a 1500 GW that I ride sometimes. I used to own a BMW way back. Almost bought a new one. But the FJR is in a class by itself. Only the love of the owners compares between them all. Ride on!!!

 

[FriscoJim]

TeeRex - I think he is a victim of Honda advertising.

I recently had a Honda Dealer tell me that a Wing had the rocord for doing the Dragon last year. I've seen a video of two Wings tearing it up but I couldn't imagine out of ALL bikes out there that a Wing would be the fastest on the Dragon. I just smiled and walked away.

Also the comparison to the 1500 GW is not fair - the new 1800 will leave the old one in the dust. I took my old Valk in for service when the new 1800 first came out - while waiting they said "try this". The new Wing will outrun a Valk easily and you do not realize how fast you are going.

 

[Toecutter]

I recently had a Honda Dealer tell me that a Wing had the rocord for doing the Dragon last year.  I've seen a video of two Wings tearing it up but I couldn't imagine out of ALL bikes out there that a Wing would be the fastest on the Dragon.

No kidding? Damn. Just wait 'til Spyder runs it on his Harley...

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

I recently had a Honda Dealer tell me that a Wing had the rocord for doing the Dragon last year.  I've seen a video of two Wings tearing it up but I couldn't imagine out of ALL bikes out there that a Wing would be the fastest on the Dragon.

No kidding? Damn. Just wait 'til Spyder runs it on his Harley...

ROTFLMFAO :haha: :haha: :haha: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[gr8eyes]

I don't believe there is any way a GW is faster than an FJR around anything given the same rider on both, however..........Reg Pridmore had an instructor, riding a goldwing at his CLASS school at Barber 2 years ago. He was passing almost everyone around the track. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it. And liquidsilver was on an FZ1. I'm not sure if he passed him or not but..... John is as fast as I've seen personally.

Glenn