I made a big mistake, I rode a Gold Wing

[BluRider]

Wife hinted that she would be willing to ride behind me on the motorcycle so while she was trying on jackets and cute boots at the Honda shop I took a 03 Wing for a test ride. Wow! Its not your granpa's gold wing. So while I consider a trade of my ST for the wing I have some questions:

Can I get a windshield that I can look over and still have the quiet air?
How about summer heat, will the wing cook me like my ST? Baker wings effective?

Reliability? my ST has killed 2 thermostats, back brakes failed, still has coolant leaks, rear wheel bearings probably bad (I'm afraid to check) What problems does the wing have that I should check on this used bike?

Thanks in advance for your informed opinions

[half_a_tiger]

As with any used vehicles, whether 2 or 4 wheels, there is no guarantee that you'll get a perfectly healthy unit. You'll just have to go through the routine of checking everything out along the way. Best is to listen to how the engine runs, look for body/engine scrape marks, check out tire wear, and any oil leaks. That could tell you a lot about how the previous owner took care of the bike. Otherwise, the Wing will be as reliable & trouble-free as any well-maintained vehicle. Good luck!

[motomac]

The '03's had a lot of rewelds done on the frame. Make sure the frame has been taken care of. This is not a problem as very few frames actually cracked to the point of breaking apart, but there was a huge recall to reweld frames.

Baker wind wings are almost a necessity if you live in a high summer heat area. The bike does a good job of getting the engine heat away from the rider, but the windshield and fairing are so good at protecting the rider from the elements that you need the wings to get air into the cockpit. The little ones on the mirrors are very helpful for both the rider and co-rider.

[Mellow]

Wife hinted that she would be willing to ride behind me on the motorcycle so while she was trying on jackets and cute boots at the Honda shop I took a 03 Wing for a test ride. Wow! Its not your granpa's gold wing. So while I consider a trade of my ST for the wing I have some questions:

Can I get a windshield that I can look over and still have the quiet air?
How about summer heat, will the wing cook me like my ST? Baker wings effective?

Reliability? my ST has killed 2 thermostats, back brakes failed, still has coolant leaks, rear wheel bearings probably bad (I'm afraid to check) What problems does the wing have that I should check on this used bike?

Thanks in advance for your informed opinions

Since the bike is at a dealer, I'm thinking they won't resell it without making sure the recalls were done - but never hurts to ask.

As Mac says, the baker wings are a must. I have just the mirror wings and they do a great job of pushing air into your chest or up your arm and through your jacket. It's also supposed to help with passenger buffeting. The windshield vent also helps but not as effective as the baker wings.

I have a clearview short shield and it's still 1 notch before it's shortest height. I can look over it about 4 inches, I'm not a tall person (watch it). It's more effective than the stock shield at giving you some clean air but there's also the Windbender by firecreek that has many different configurations but you loose the vent if you go with theirs.

As Mac says, you won't feel heat in the summer from the bike itself, but more from the lack of airflow due to all the plastic. Again, the bakers make all the difference. I didn't have them on my '01 Wing and I don't know how I survived.

The wing doesn't have any rear wheel bearings and it's a single sided swingarm so the tire/wheel looks a lot like a car tire/wheel when you take it off. The front tire is the same basic configuration as the ST.

I've had 2 GL1800's for a total of 95,000 miles and I've yet to take my '05 in for anything. My '01 had a sticking speedometer and a faulty turn sig cancel switch but that's it. That being said, the 2001-2005 wings all exhibit an overheating situation. If you are in stop/go traffic and the ambient temp is on the warm side - over 70 degrees - your forward motion cancels out the effectiveness of the radiator fans and the bike starts to heat up. Seems like a stupid thing for a $15k+ bike to do but it's something to be aware of. If you know the situation, you can figure out what to do. It will only happen if you are moving at 10-15 mph, warm ambient temp and no headwind. Even with this seemingly stupid flaw, I like the bike a lot.

Now, what you'll miss from the ST:
Brakes - I used to think the Wing had great brakes 'til I rode my ST.. going back to a wing I felt like I was trying to stop an 18 wheeler.. you get used to it and it's not that the wing brakes are bad, it's just the ST brakes are incredible by comparison.

Gas mileage - having a 280-300+ mile tank is great and I miss that the most, you'll get 180-200+ miles per tank on the Wing.

Quickness - The ST is quick and the Wing isn't bad but the ST just feels a lot quicker. In fact, you'll hit the rev limiter on the Wing a few times getting used to the difference.

Hope that helps.

[hojo in sc]

I had a Wind Bender shield on mine and loved it. Baker Wings were also great to have. Wife loved the wing, but I wanted the ST for sportier riding and got tired of the Wing overheating when I worked at bike races ...

This is the only drawback for ME, it may NOT be for YOU. It will be a problem in long construction zones, aka Parade Speeds. The GL1800 has the rad. fans blowing forward at about 15 mph, so, when your driving at 15 mph, there is a cancellation of air flow and nothing goes past the rad. If my wife hadn't let me get the ST, I would have taken the fans and reversed them like several guys were doing.

Lots of GL1800 owners (not all) get very defensive over this issue and yell back at ya to 'just drive faster'. Well, there are times that you can't. And when you can't, you have to pull over to let the fans do their job. Does this mean I won't own another GL1800, absolutely not. I just won't use it under certain circumstances. As a matter of fact, when my kids are all out of college, my wife told me to plan on buying a Wing and that I can keep the ST.

[Mellow]

I've heard, this was fixed starting in 2006 models.. bigger radiators and fans, I haven't seen anyone with a 2006+ model say they've had this issue.. but, I wasn't searching for it so I can't say for certain.

[motomac]

I've heard, this was fixed starting in 2006 models.. bigger radiators and fans, I haven't seen anyone with a 2006+ model say they've had this issue.. but, I wasn't searching for it so I can't say for certain.


I am on my third 1800. The '01 which I managed a total of 103,000 miles never overheated, the '06 which I totaled at 45,602 never overheated and the '02 which I have now has not over heated. I've put 6,000+ on it since I bought it used August 31. The '01 fans would come on, but the tempertaure gauge never went into the red like a lot of them did. The '06 of course had the bigger everything, radiators, fans, alternator. The '02 and I have got caught in construction/slow moving traffic, but I guess I was moving enough or not enough to not get the big swing in temps.

[clang]

Is that correct Mellow, you only get 180-200 on a tank? My Dad is strongly looking at replacing his Valkyrie with a new wing but was wanting to be able to go 200-240 on a tank. This may send him towards something else.

[Mellow]

180 is an aggressive riding number. You can easily hit 200 and probably much more if you ride conservatively. My Valk only did 120-140 but I could ride it like a banshee and get 80 on a tank.. yeow.. riding the same way on the wing I still get in the 180 range. Those 6 valk carbs make a big difference.

[hojo in sc]

I've heard, this was fixed starting in 2006 models.. bigger radiators and fans, I haven't seen anyone with a 2006+ model say they've had this issue.. but, I wasn't searching for it so I can't say for certain.

I had a 2005, so I'm not sure of the changes made in '06, but when I visited the (BIG) Gold Wing dealer, he told me nothing had changed, perhaps he overlooked that part.

I know, there are a lot of folks that never saw it overheat, but proably all of them had never been in that type of circumstance, and that is great, but for me, I had been in stop and go traffic and saw it go way up, but fortunately, traffic started to move before it red-lined. On two other occasions, however, I did have to take pull over and let the 2005 Wing cool off, as I was traveling at slow speeds up a mountain. It was very un-nerving and I started to take all the tupperware off to reverse the fans when I said the heck with it, I'm getting the ST. Again, it won't keep me from getting another Wing, just that if you drive at least a pre 2006 model, it is something to be aware of and drive accordingly.

[motomac]

Gas mileage varies with the direction of the wind and the speed you go down the road. Like Joe says, 180 with high speeds (above 75). With the wind at my back, I've gotten as much as 276 miles with a tankfull. But that is a rarity. Usually 200-230 again, depending on which way the wind blows. I have gotten as low as 27 MPG going west across MT because I was running into a 40 MPH head wind.

[Mean]

Isn't there room for a bigger tank? Why do the STs have bigger tanks? That makes no sense. I would demand that the GW to have at least a 9 gallon tank if I were doing the design.

G

[motomac]

Unlike the ST the Gold Wing gas tank is completely under the seat. The top shelter is just a hidey hole for the air filter and electronics.

[Mean]

I suppose the bigger engine and extra electronics don't leave any room. Still not a good idea. Make a bike more comfortable with a bigger engine and naturally lower gas mileage but give it a smaller tank. Duh!

G

[msnyder755]

I really can't speak for the earlier models since I never owned one so I probably shouldn't even be posting but the 07 is an incredible machine. I haven't had any problems with overheating. The handling is amazing for a machine its size but in reality after a few days of riding the size shrinks dramatically and you don't even notice it. I do disagree with Joe in regards to the brakes as I think the wing has excellent brakes on par with the ST.
The air wings are the only option as the windscreen and fairing block 98 of all the frontal wind which on a hot day can get toasty. Gas milage will vary depending on the type of riding your doing. If you cruising on highways or interstates you can expect about 220 when the light comes on. This was our average during vacation this past year where we did 9 states and just over 5000 miles in 15 days. Now get into some twisty stuff and mountains etc etc you can expect about 200 max more like about 180 or so. I am still confused by why so many are concerned with gas mileage to be honest cause after 200 miles on any bike Im ready to walk around anyway. I mean really take an extra vacation day and enjoy the ride I mean is making the miles really the point. Its the quality of the ride not the quantity...IMHO...ok enough of that back to the topic at hand.

I have had as much fun on the wing if not a little more because of the comfort for the wife than with the ST. In my opinion you can't go wrong with the wing or the ST it just depends on what your looking for in your ride.

If you looking for an awesome motorcyle with lots of creature comforts to go out and enjoy the ride and have fun get a Wing.

If you looking for an awesome motorcycle with some creature comforts to go out an enjoy the ride and have fun but do it with a little more performance capabilities keep the ST.

Both are fine machines that anyone should be proud to own.

[Mellow]

I suppose the bigger engine and extra electronics don't leave any room. Still not a good idea. Make a bike more comfortable with a bigger engine and naturally lower gas mileage but give it a smaller tank. Duh!

G

It doesn't matter how big they made it, someone would always want more.. LOL

Coming from the Valk to the wing was great. I think a 200 mile range is acceptable. But is it hard to get used to coming from a bike with a 300 mile range.

Here's what the tank looks like just for grins. I had everything apart to put a new shock spring in before UPS lost it. :nuts1:

They used as much space as they could.

[Gonzo]

Yeah, Mellow,
Our company has had so many problems with UPS that we just won't use them any more. This is not to say that other shippers don't have any problems, but UPS is the worst in my opinion.

Of course, I also have a personal grudge against UPS when their driver nearly killed me making an illegal U-turn, and their insurance carrier Liberty Mutual gave me hell and victimized me again.

rant off.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...

gonzo

[Mellow]

I've only had 2 things not delivered ever.. one was delivered 2 streets down and that person stopped by and gave me the package. It's been 2 weeks now and no one has delivered the shock/spring so there's no telling where it is.

[tommyboy]

UPS lost my wife's new laptop that was supposed to be a Christmas present last year. I was able to track it right to the Cerritos, CA breakout center. From there it was "out for delivery" for a week and a half before they admited it was stolen. After wrangling with Dell, the new computer was delivered (by FedEx) in Mid January.

[sherob]

/Thread hijack

Fedex... our last DR test, they decided to deliver 1 box of our tapes to Wichita Falls, 1 box to Fort Worth, and 1 box to the correct location in Los Colinas(Dallas) :eek: Took us 1 day to get this fixed plus charges :rolleyes: Then... I love this... we sent them back to Denver, 2 boxes arrived, 1 box sat in Dallas for 2 weeks... lost :eek:

/Thread returned ;)

[RaYzerman]

This summer my buddies and I were sitting in the 90+ heat, crawling over the bridge waiting to get across the border at Niagara Falls. The '05 was starting to overheat, but never redlined. My '02 was fine, and the '04 was warm but OK.
I have a Cee Bailey windshield with the Naca vent, and it is cut straight across at the top giving you the illusion the top corners are higher. The stock w/s is cut slightly curved. Both block a lot of ventilation, the Naca vent helps a bit, and the Cee Bailey takes helmet noise away.
My '02 seems to get better gas mileage than anyone else's Wing I have met so far.... I can get 240 miles on a good day... lucky, I guess, but what the other guys say is right on.
Great machine, I am surprised I like it this much. Needed it for the SO's back condition. Have since sold my ST. Both are great bikes.

[Mean]

Mine is bigger than yours.

G

[hojo in sc]

I called UPS and 'blessed' for putting a new moto tire in front of the garage door with several cars in the driveway...they never rang the doorbell. If I hadn't come home when I did, my wife would have opened the garage door, jumped in the car, then backed out over the tire :eek:

[chalayko]

We too took a Gold Wing on a test ride. It was all over in a matter of minutes. She said "I LIKE THIS!" and that was it. Well, I liked it too. Lots of room and lots of power. The ST1100 is being traded in tomorrow morning on a dark orange 2007 Wing. Thanks guys for all your tips and help over the past few years. If you're passing through Victoria, B.C. give me a call, my contact info is at www.cliffhalayko.com We have room for bikes and people. Just a bit of warning is all we ask.
Cheers,
Cliff.

[sherob]

We too took a Gold Wing on a test ride. It was all over in a matter of minutes. She said "I LIKE THIS!" and that was it. Well, I liked it too. Lots of room and lots of power. The ST1100 is being traded in tomorrow morning on a dark orange 2007 Wing. Thanks guys for all your tips and help over the past few years. If you're passing through Victoria, B.C. give me a call, my contact info is at www.cliffhalayko.com We have room for bikes and people. Just a bit of warning is all we ask.
Cheers,
Cliff.

There are some of us on here that do ride Wings :crackup No need to go anywhere else ;)

[skidlid1300]

I never found more of an easier bike to work on than my ol '78 Gold Wing. Honda got it right when they came out with the first generation Gold Wings. There aren't any overheating issues, and that 78 is so comfortable to ride. It just purrs along. I love the sound of that 1,000 cc engine. I've had mine since '81, and don't see a reason to get rid of it. I have ridden it in all sorts of weather - from 17 degrees to 110 degree days. never found my bike to be a problem... :)

[TNST_Rider]

Unlike the ST the Gold Wing gas tank is completely under the seat. The top shelter is just a hidey hole for the air filter and electronics.

Looked at an ST1100 design lately?;)

ST11's tank is completely below the seat, the top shelter just hides the air filter and the tank holds 7.4 gal (I've pumped 7.2 more than once and rolled up to the gas pump under engine power...)