OK, SO You ride an RT, Have You Owned a Goldwing?

[cookie]

My neighbor owns a 1997 Honda Gold wing. I own a 2008 R1200RT. We rode up the Skyway to Butte Meadows in Northern California near Chico.
As I watched him ride that 850 pound machine I was wondering what that felt like. The two bikes are so different you would have to use your imagination to come up with any similarities. The heavy full dressers must have a much lower center of gravity, watching him effortlessly come up to a stop sign and put out one foot while my top heavy RT want to lean over coming to a stop especially with 2 up. We were riding with our wives on the back.
Have you converted from a full dresser like a Gold Wing or Electra-Glide?
What is it like to ride one of those beasts? I am a bit intimidated yet I see slight older men riding these bikes all the time.
Don't get me wrong I love the RT. It is not a cruiser and it is not a sport bike. The RT is a very nimble versatile compromise with lots of fun built in.
I am curious to hear from you converts or from those of you that still ride both style of bikes. I enjoy the wind protection of the RT yet I can still look over the top of the windscreen. My buddy has to stay behind the windscreen at all times, I would not like that.
Maybe I need to go ride an LT?

 

[lkraus]

The heavy full dressers must have a much lower center of gravity, watching him effortlessly come up to a stop sign and put out one foot while my top heavy RT want to lean over coming to a stop especially with 2 up. We were riding with our wives on the back.

I don't find the RT to be particularly top heavy, even with a passenger. If you feel the RT is trying to lean as you stop, be sure you get off the front brake and use only the rear brake to scrub off the last few mph.

One of my fondest memories was riding with my brother-in-law and his wife in California, they on their Gold wing and my wife and I on a rented RT. Watching him try to maneuver that yacht was hoot. We could make a simple feet-up U-turn and then wait while he did some kind of back and forth pattern. Tie a paint roller on the back and you'd have a giant spirograph. The Wing has a reverse gear for good reason.

 

[pauls1150]

I've had two Harleys and ridden a few friends' bikes also. Yes HDs are lower and narrower than my RT (which does feel good), and with real tires (factory Goodyears are just such crap!), they will handle quite decently too. (Some years of twin-cam really NEED to have the motor mounts realigned before the bike will handle properly.) But I really enjoy the "flickability" of my RT, plus it's just a more versatile bike, anything in the line of duty.
Sounds like the passengers need to be firmly told to stay centered - they don't understand how much they affect what you need to do to properly keep control.

 

[Dtominovich@yahoo.com]

I don't find the RT to be particularly top heavy, even with a passenger. If you feel the RT is trying to lean as you stop, be sure you get off the front brake and use only the rear brake to scrub off the last few mph.

One of my fondest memories was riding with my brother-in-law and his wife in California, they on their Gold wing and my wife and I on a rented RT. Watching him try to maneuver that yacht was hoot. We could make a simple feet-up U-turn and then wait while he did some kind of back and forth pattern. Tie a paint roller on the back and you'd have a giant spirograph. The Wing has a reverse gear for good reason.

With the right rider, the wing can turn as well as you do. Don't assume that the bike is the problem.

 

[Riverdawg]

Windshield

A Madstat or Windbender on a Wing shield resolves the looking over the screen issue. My 13" Madstat on my 2013 Goldwing allows me to look over all the time with less noise than my stock 2010 RT.

 

[mjac]

With the right rider, the wing can turn as well as you do. Don't assume that the bike is the problem.

What he said, at least my Wing will.

 

[cookie]

I was impressed

I was very impressed how my neighbor was able to ride the gold wing. I might like a ride like that you never know. I enjoyed watching him counter steer the big bike into submission.
The closest thing I have ever come to a highway cruiser like a gold wing is , well, never.
I can't put my RT in the same category and a Yamaha Virago, no, the Yamaha XS 1100 Special, no, maybe the Honda 750, no, Kawasaki 900, no how about the Honda 500 I/4 , no. Suzuki, no, Hodaka....., trail 90....
I had a hair stylist back when I had hair and he had a full dressed Harley. He said I could take it out for a spin anytime I wanted and I was just not comfortable with the idea, they just look like they will fall over and never get back up.
Thank you for the comments, I am going to have to go find one and take a spin.

 

[bdimon]

I rode my 1989 Gold Wing for 260,000 miles before buying a used 2005 R1200RT. Although the Wing carried its 900 pounds well, the 300 pound lighter RT is definitely more nimble. Moreover, the wider Wing was harder to hold up at a standstill. My knees hurt much less after a long stop and go commute on the RT.

As far as maintenance goes, the Wing was easier thanks to the hydraulic valves. However the plastic is more brittle and has tabs that break and cheap screws that strip. As far as repairs, in a quarter million miles I went through two alternator stators at $200 each and several sets of brushes at $5 per pair. The automotive style alternator on the GL1500 is easy to remove and replace. I had to replace the driveshaft and U-Joint around 130,000 miles. Oh yeah, the brake rotors wore out about 150,000.

So why did I get rid of it? I had a fuel problem that started in 2005 and steadily deteriorated until the bike became uncontrollable in 2012. This was its first serious problem and the computerized carburetors were too complicated for me. It needed a master mechanic but there was none to be found. The Honda dealers would not touch a bike older than eight to ten years. The dealer I bought the bike from told me that if he worked on my bike, he would have a line of customers out the door wanting him to work on their old bikes. He seemed pissed when I asked him why that would be a problem. When I realized I would get no support from the Honda dealer, my brand loyalty died.

Those BMW dealers seemed to enjoy working on old bikes and had an enthusiasm that was lacking at the Japanese shops. I marveled at the full dresser that was so light in spite of having more power than my GL1500. I know that lots of riders think the RT is heavy but these things are relative. The better handling was more than just the lighter weight. The BMW has a much better quality suspension than the Honda. BMW puts a premium on good handling; the Gold Wing's cheap suspension was only good for a cushy ride.

The only thing I miss about the Wing is the wonderful luggage. One turn of the key locks or unlocks the trunk and both saddlebags. Best of all, nothing falls out when you open the saddlebag. Add top loading panniers to the RT and you would have the perfect dresser.

 

[greenwald]

With the right rider, the wing can turn as well as you do. Don't assume that the bike is the problem.

+1 !

 

[ducster]

I have a 2006 R1200RT and couple of years ago I bought a 1987 GL1200 SE-I. Although the wing IS heavy ( 850 lbs I believe) it is amazing how well balanced it is. Traffic lights and stop signs are drama free thanks to the extremely low COG, and
the seat height, which must be at least 4" lower than the R12RT. The lower seat really helps when I have a passenger compared with the rt, because I have to adjust the suspension pre load to account for the passenger, which increases the ride height on the RT making it even more difficult to get my feet firmly on the pavement.

The RT shines once moving though. IT handles way better than my Goldwing, though I think the advantage would be negated quite a bit if you compare to the current version of the Goldwing. I have not ridden one of those, but the bike mags have sung high praise for the handling of the current version of the GW. If Honda only made getting a test ride as easy as BMW does, there might be one in my garage now.

 

[dpmonk]

my Goldwing experience

First of all I was supprised how well the GW handled. Then I actually drug my feet off the pegs a few times in sharp curves. My first one had a nasty habit of bouncing off the road if you happened to hit a dip in a curve, that was back in 83. I bought an 07 model and it was a strong running bike. Low center of gravity, there again had the same problem dragging my feet on the concrete in very average curves. Main problem was that my hip joints would hurt after a few hundred miles. Solved that by trading for the 09 GS. Jesse luggage, Russel seat were added and now I have the most comfy touring bike that can haul the kitchen sink I ever owned. The disadvantage is that it is pretty tall.

Try this. Pull to the side of a narrow 2 lane road with little or no shoulder. Do a U turn, especially when loaded with luggage and passenger. Which one is most agile?

 

[mpmarty]

A year or so ago I was frustrated by dropping my 06RT at low speed stops. Looked at the HDs and thought "wow! low seat I could reach the ground with BOTH FEET". So I bought an electra glide classic and scared myself sh**less just going out my driveway. No linked brakes and I couldn't reach the footbrake sitting on the bike. Locked up the front wheel on my steep downhill gravel driveway and managed to "rescue" myself and after riding to town to fill up the tank I brought it home and sold it. Put the RT seat in the low position and quit bit**ing about my knees too close to my chin..

edit to add: On my Yamaha Venture Royal I had the same problems too high and too heavy to handle at low speeds or stopped. Best long distance tourer I've ever had though.

 

[jayjay]

First of all I was supprised how well the GW handled. Then I actually drug my feet off the pegs a few times in sharp curves. My first one had a nasty habit of bouncing off the road if you happened to hit a dip in a curve, that was back in 83. I bought an 07 model and it was a strong running bike. Low center of gravity, there again had the same problem dragging my feet on the concrete in very average curves. Main problem was that my hip joints would hurt after a few hundred miles. Solved that by trading for the 09 GS. Jesse luggage, Russel seat were added and now I have the most comfy touring bike that can haul the kitchen sink I ever owned. The disadvantage is that it is pretty tall.

Try this. Pull to the side of a narrow 2 lane road with little or no shoulder. Do a U turn, especially when loaded with luggage and passenger. Which one is most agile?

Those early Gold Wings were severely undersprung. I had a 1980 that I finally upgraded the front and rear springs, and it handled a lot better. With the original springs it wallowed around at high speed.

Haven't ridden any GW larger than 1100, though.

JayJay

 

[AKsuited]

My last big road trip on the bike was down South, to Columbia, SC and over to the Dragon and then back to New York. At a gas station somewhere in SC, I saw a couple on "his and hers" Goldwings. The wife did the tightest U-turn I've ever seen on that Goldwing after filling up at the gas pump. I was very impressed.

Harry

 

[kurt1305]

I sold my 2012 Gold Wing and bought a 2013 RT. Hated the Wing. While supposedly improved, it was still severely under sprung and the anti-dive front fork would jar your teeth out. Race Tech or Traxxion has the cure, but in that price range, you shouldn't have to spend $1600 to fix it. I also found the seating position cramped and the technology (except the new that year USB connection in the trunk) outdated. The wind screen is non-adjustable, causes buffeting and works way too well in the Texas heat. The seat could use firmer foam and another inch of rearward space. On the up side, it handles well for a 900 pound bike.

 

[SeabeckS]

+1 !

+2, our BIL rides a Valkyrie. I have to work really hard to stay ahead of him on an R11S. (Though it was a bit easier on a Ducati...lol).

But then, he's a grad of the CHP moto academy...and I'm NOT!

 

[f14rio]

all's i figger is that everybody who rides a gold wing...

...ain't totally stupid. and a lot of them has driven bmw machines and didn't buy them.
which marque has the highest ratio of repeat buyers would be a nice thing to know.
also, an extensive dealer network is a significant factor in the bike buying equation..
bottom line... for a multi thousand mile trip, I'm gonna take the bike that gives me the highest probability of getting back to where I started from on the day I expected to be there. the probability that that machine may be my 2009 Harley cross bones is very real and the probability that that machine is not my 2010 r12r is also very real

 

[165280]

I don't find the RT to be particularly top heavy, even with a passenger. If you feel the RT is trying to lean as you stop, be sure you get off the front brake and use only the rear brake to scrub off the last few mph.

One of my fondest memories was riding with my brother-in-law and his wife in California, they on their Gold wing and my wife and I on a rented RT. Watching him try to maneuver that yacht was hoot. We could make a simple feet-up U-turn and then wait while he did some kind of back and forth pattern. Tie a paint roller on the back and you'd have a giant spirograph. The Wing has a reverse gear for good reason.

With the right rider, the wing can turn as well as you do. Don't assume that the bike is the problem.

Pretty much rider dependent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1MlK5VPZ84

All bikes should have an ease of uTurning if they know how to counterbalance well.

This has a nice comparison between the wing and k1600. Basicaly says the Wing is a nice comfortable cadillac while the k1600 is more like the cadillac retirement for sport bike riders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-DYOUhgCrU

 

[royce]

... As I watched him ride that 850 pound machine I was wondering what that felt like ... ?

Might be the driver. The best riders I've tried to keep up with--but never quite got there--were old men. Don't sell 'em short. I've ridden Gold Wings and they are great machines when piloted by great pilots.

 

[xlarry]

... I'm gonna take the bike that gives me the highest probability of getting back to where I started from on the day I expected to be there. the probability that that machine may be my 2009 Harley cross bones is very real...

If that is your priority, you should buy a Goldwing. It's certainly not a Harley. Both my '01 Electra Glide and "10 Road Glide were very troublesome.

I have 23,000 miles on my '13 RT so I am hopeful it will be reliable.