Another Goldwing review

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Nashcat

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Another review, with no real world information. The tester says the front wheel handles bumps better, and the larger rear tire slows down the slow speed handling. Everything else could be written from the Honda brochure. They were testing in Austin, Texas, so why didn't they ride it to South Dakota (or any other state) and then write the article? Or, at least El Paso and back.

Only about one more month until real reviews show up. You know the ones. Somebody buys one, and doesn't come home for 3 days because he doesn't want to stop riding. Or the one that buys it, rides it a couple of hundred miles and wants his money back because it really sucks. Either way, it's a real review. If I buy one, I'll write a review, and it's almost 4 hours from the dealer to my home, which is probably 10 times farther that the review rides that I've seen.

Ride Safe
John
 
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I just went to the bike show and the link in the first post kind of sums it up.
5/8 of what the 2017 GW was
Smaller bags, so you can't pack the kitchen sink, ST top box is bigger
Lighter, so it's heading in the ST direction
Looks like the recent CTX 1300 with a 1833cc
200/55/16" rear
All in all, when my ST quits, this is the bike for me
 
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When I first the advertisements in early 2000 for the ST1300 I knew from first site I would own one. I think I bought my ST in 07. I'm starting to have the same feeling about the 2018 GW. I currently own an 05 ST and an 07 GW. I told my wife before I retire the 05 and 07 bikes will be gone and I'll own the latest GW. I'm in no hurry as I still have 11 years before I retire. As for reviews, when it comes to bikes and cars they're something you have to test yourself.

As for Goldwing's I like my 07. The only thing I don't like is the large faring and wind screen. Riding the 07 at over 65 mph the wind buffeting behind the helmet is terrible. For two up riding the GW is awesome. For solo riding I will take the ST every time.
 
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ST Gui

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which is probably 10 times farther that the review rides that I've seen.
Well in all fairness so far Honda hasn't given any reviewers much time in the bike to give an in depth review. Lots of writers but not that many if any demo opportunities for rider-writer-reviewers to get the all the time they want on the bike. We all know or should know that these are just 'first-looks' and every single review I've seen mentions getting the bike for longer in-depth 'real' reviews. Just the high points good or bad. And everybody wants to say something about the bike. And something is about all they get time for. For now.

And as far as someone owning a bike making the review a 'real' review... Amazon is full of Verified Purchases of real reviews and one thing that's very apparent is just because someone owns a product doesn't mean they know how to write a cogent objective meaningful review which is what I'm waiting for. 'It's great!' or 'It sucks!' is neither objective or helpful. A good reviewer will among other things note and qualify any biases and subjectivity keeping them clearly separate from fact. Most people don't seem to be able to do that. Getting useful information requires interrogation. Not what I call a review.

In the past we'd have to wait two-three months from when a magazine gets a bike to the review appearing in print. That should be quicker in the Netosphere but by how much I don't know. Maybe Bones can talk about that. In the end no other person no matter how long they've owned or ridden a machine is smart enough to make the decision for me not even a 'real' reviewer. All they can do is get me into the dealer. After that it's all me. I'd say that pretty much the case for all of us. Some guy can say 'It sucks!' but what's he know. Something? Nothing? Are his priorities what matter to the rest of us. Possibly/probably not.
 

CYYJ

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The person who wrote that review (David Booth) is my next-door neighbor. I have a lot of respect for his reviews - he is a Professional Engineer as well as an automotive enthusiast, and has several bikes in his garage.

Michael

They were testing in Austin, Texas, so why didn't they ride it to South Dakota (or any other state) and then write the article?
John:

Probably because it's colder than a witches' teat in South Dakota right now, and Honda likely did not equip the test bike with studded snow tires. :)

Michael
 

ST Gui

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CYYJ said:
The person who wrote that review (David Booth) is my next-door neighbor. I have a lot of respect for his reviews - he is a Professional Engineer as well as an automotive enthusiast, and has several bikes in his garage.
I don't know how much or how little time Booth had with the 'Wing but he did a nice job with his 10 things article.

Much of that is information Honda will never put in a brochure and probably would rather not have in print anywhere.

Some of it's stuff that you would find in the brochure and now confirmed by an actual rider who isn't a Honda employee or ad copy writer. Of course in grassy knoll fashion I suppose he could be on the pad with Honda. (No I don't believe that for a second.)

There's at least one bit there that I haven't seen before (maybe others have). It was mentioned that someone might die a fiery death while trying to use the One Knob to Rule Them All. I might not be recalling that exactly. But when underway the knob is disabled and some of its functions are then handled by switchgear on the left grip. A very sound touch. And like Jobs did with the iPhone Honda pared down submenus. What were those engineers smoking??

I was disappointed to read that he found the DCT a little balky. Slow-speed maneuvering is where I don't want any hitches in the git-along. Not that I want them anywhere. Maybe that can be mitigated with break-in miles or software. Or a 2019.

This bike still impresses me. Can't wait for more detailed reviews especially those testing gas mileage.
 

dduelin

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This review speaks a little bit to the weather at the time and how it affected length of test rides and type of riding done at Honda's release party in Austin. The author also discusses the GW's DCT characteristics in more depth than previous reviews. Having had a DCT bike for 25,000 miles I'd say not to pay a whole lot of attention to single reviews but read many for consensus. Automatic shifting transmissions are a polarizing feature and represent such a paradigm shift that I think it's very difficult for reviewers to be objective in a test of a few hundred or even a few thousand miles. DCT operation presented with choices of multiple modes on a strange bike......... there can't be any way a reviewer can adequately explore them all on a first ride review.

http://canadamotoguide.com/2018/01/2...nda-gold-wing/
 

Nashcat

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I'm not bashing Honda or any of the reviewers. In fact I'm waiting for the dealer to call as soon as he gets in their demo bikes. And as soon as I take a demo ride, I'll probably write the check. I just want to see a review that isn't done under the watchful eyes of Honda engineers.

When I bought my ST1300, I had never seen one in person, much less ridden one. But I read a review while sitting in a doctor's office. The review consisted of 3 riders over several days, comparing a ST1300, a FJR, and a Connie. The ST came up short in horsepower, acceleration, and a couple of other things according to the specs given. The thing that convinced me was the 3 riders were beginning to fight over who got to ride the ST. In their summaries, they all mentioned how the ST fell short in some of the specs, but they still would buy it over the other two bikes tested. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with a FJR Or Connie, but 3 riders, over several days and many different roads, all picked the ST. I have a Wing and a ST1300 and really and honestly can't tell you which one I like better. I'm riding to a RTE this morning, and won't know which one I'll take, until I turn the key. If the 2018 Wing is anything like these bikes, I'll be happy.

I do have a question for the DCT guys. Can you still drag the rear brake, during slow speed maneuvers? The reason I ask is, I have a car with a DCT, and when you apply the brake at slow speeds, the clutch disengages.

Ride Safe
John
 

dduelin

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I'm not bashing Honda or any of the reviewers. In fact I'm waiting for the dealer to call as soon as he gets in their demo bikes. And as soon as I take a demo ride, I'll probably write the check. I just want to see a review that isn't done under the watchful eyes of Honda engineers.

When I bought my ST1300, I had never seen one in person, much less ridden one. But I read a review while sitting in a doctor's office. The review consisted of 3 riders over several days, comparing a ST1300, a FJR, and a Connie. The ST came up short in horsepower, acceleration, and a couple of other things according to the specs given. The thing that convinced me was the 3 riders were beginning to fight over who got to ride the ST. In their summaries, they all mentioned how the ST fell short in some of the specs, but they still would buy it over the other two bikes tested. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with a FJR Or Connie, but 3 riders, over several days and many different roads, all picked the ST. I have a Wing and a ST1300 and really and honestly can't tell you which one I like better. I'm riding to a RTE this morning, and won't know which one I'll take, until I turn the key. If the 2018 Wing is anything like these bikes, I'll be happy.

I do have a question for the DCT guys. Can you still drag the rear brake, during slow speed maneuvers? The reason I ask is, I have a car with a DCT, and when you apply the brake at slow speeds, the clutch disengages.

Ride Safe
John
John, yes you can drag rear brake to do slow speed maneuvers. I've posted a video of a DCT 700 doing one handed circles and figure 8's.
 
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ST Gui

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I don't like the guy's writing style. Long on subjectivity short on objectivity. Word count is obviously more important that unbiased informative content. He also makes the same mistake a lot of other 'reviewers' do— dismissing Honda's business decisions as something they 'forgot'.

'Honda can't make a bike for everybody'. True dat. Also a reviewer can't speak for everybody.

That said there are several bits new to me so I appreciate that. Some reviewers are better than others so I'll read every posted link to get whatever I can out of it so thanks for that.
 
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