Hi everyone. No, I don't own a Honda.

[chewy999]

Get a wing and enjoy the addiction with the rest of us !

That's a good thing? Right?

Especially if you have a mechanical background!

[shezonit]

I have rented both a CB750 and a CB400 in Thailand for some wild twisty riding in the mountains there. I LOVED the sound of the CB750 and on highway it was a rocket. However, the narrow, rough rural roads and tight parking in town made it a challenge. The next trip I got the CB400 and it was PERFECT for that riding situation. Fast enough, light enough, a lot of fun.
As for an OldWing.... I first got a GL1100 Standard and liked it, but then couldn't keep up with my riding pal on his GL1200 Standard. He explained that the front end suspension was upgraded on the 1200. He let me ride his, a big difference in ride. I then sold the 1100 and found a 1200 Standard. Just saying..... All the old Wings are cool. Think about what type of riding you do, and go for the best tool for the job.



'84 GL1200 Standard, '08 Concours 14, '10 KLX250S

[Thumpy]

Get a wing and enjoy the addiction with the rest of us !

That's a good thing? Right?

Especially if you have a mechanical background!

Yup. That won't be a problem. I was browsing some of the tech postings and found images of the airbox with carbs setup. Oh my gawd! Spent over an hour just looking at that.

I have rented both a CB750 and a CB400 in Thailand for some wild twisty riding in the mountains there. I LOVED the sound of the CB750 and on highway it was a rocket. However, the narrow, rough rural roads and tight parking in town made it a challenge. The next trip I got the CB400 and it was PERFECT for that riding situation. Fast enough, light enough, a lot of fun.
As for an OldWing.... I first got a GL1100 Standard and liked it, but then couldn't keep up with my riding pal on his GL1200 Standard. He explained that the front end suspension was upgraded on the 1200. He let me ride his, a big difference in ride. I then sold the 1100 and found a 1200 Standard. Just saying..... All the old Wings are cool. Think about what type of riding you do, and go for the best tool for the job.



'84 GL1200 Standard, '08 Concours 14, '10 KLX250S

An Old Wing is what I would be looking for. Tearing something down and building it back up is something I really enjoy. If I do get a GL, it won't matter to me if it is 1000 or bigger. I just enjoy riding. For tearing up the corners, my Triumph is pretty good. A Gold Wing would be ideal though for longer hauls. I know if I do decide to buy one of these, it will probably need work done to it and riding it reliably might not be possible. We have all seen what some people have done to motorbikes and consider it proper.

[Neil]

Welcome, have you got a wing yet, I mean it has been 5 days since you joined

[rcmatt007]

As the four cylinder wings go, and for "longer hauls" the 1200 is far and the best, in terms of power and suspension

[Thumpy]

Welcome, have you got a wing yet, I mean it has been 5 days since you joined

HAHA... ya, I wish.

As the four cylinder wings go, and for "longer hauls" the 1200 is far and the best, in terms of power and suspension

I will take note of that. Guess Honda worked out ride issues as the years progressed. I haven't had a chance to go through the tech section, but I'm sure there are workarounds to respring early Wings. My Triumph or 'modern classic' has a bad habit of slipping the front wheel going hard around corners. Almost low-siding will wake you up in a hurry. That is an issue I will address this spring when I do a refresh of the bike.

[theburgundian]

Hello and welcome here. Seriously, it's your wife's Triumph? Real men don't ride it, they prefer having their (four -or six) balls out, isn't it guys?

I'm only kidding! The bonnie is a really good bike but maybe a bit too heavy for its power... but in metallic green, OMG, I can't be sure I would keep my Wing...

[Thumpy]

Hello and welcome here. Seriously, it's your wife's Triumph? Real men don't ride it, they prefer having their (four -or six) balls out, isn't it guys?

I'm only kidding! The bonnie is a really good bike but maybe a bit too heavy for its power... but in metallic green, OMG, I can't be sure I would keep my Wing...

Ha! Sadly, my wife is scared of riding. I have tried to get her to ride pillion, she just says no. I won't push it. When she was younger, her big sister took her for rides on a motorbike and she probably wasn't very good.

Yes, the Bonnie is seriously fat when it comes to weight. Changing the exhausts would cut a lot of weight but I don't want the bike to be loud. There are other things to trim as well but I would like to preserve the stock appearance of this bike. Or, at least do modifications that can easily be reversed.

[rcmatt007]

sounds like the wife is a keeper if she lets you ride, so I agree, don't push it

[theburgundian]

My wife seems to be like yours, che doesn't really like ridin motorcycle... it's not a very problem most of the time, but sometimes rides are a little bit too solo

[rcmatt007]

I do admit that I really enjoy having a SO who loves to ride... if, heaven forbid, I were to lose her, being on two wheels would be on my short list of attributes I would look for, we go on lots of long trips and I would not enjoy them so much being alone

[chewy999]

It is great to have a partner to share the rides with. Jo loves to go on the back on the CB1300. Sure she'll love the GL when it finally hits the road, told you she is perfect.

[rcmatt007]

lucky man!

[Thumpy]

sounds like the wife is a keeper if she lets you ride, so I agree, don't push it

It actually works out well. I say, "I'm going riding." She says, "Okay, be careful. I'm going shopping." All I hear is "be careful"...
But she will often pick up her sister and they go to a restaurant or coffee shop. I usually know where they are so I go meet them if I'm not too far away.

The being careful thing, I pay attention to that. I learned very early, two accidents and many offs into the weeds. I walked away from every one. Luck? No such thing! That's just what happened then. I wound up in the hospital after someone ran me over on my ten speed bicycle. Didn't see me and turned left, right into me. Oh well. Now I rely on me and what I am doing behind the handle bars.

My wife seems to be like yours, che doesn't really like ridin motorcycle... it's not a very problem most of the time, but sometimes rides are a little bit too solo

I ride solo all the time. My wife is important to me and I find other ways to somehow include her. If I find someplace special, I will get home and tell her about it and then we go there together in the car or truck. One time I found a garden and flower center out in the country. Ya... that cost me about $200 in plants and shrubs. It was a good trip though.

I do admit that I really enjoy having a SO who loves to ride... if, heaven forbid, I were to lose her, being on two wheels would be on my short list of attributes I would look for, we go on lots of long trips and I would not enjoy them so much being alone

Significant Other, or wife or daughter, it would be a horrible if something were to happen while on a ride. My daughter, one day out of the blue said she was thinking of buying a scooter. She was 22 at the time and I had a discussion with her about why I thought it was a bad idea for her to ride a scoot. First, she had no experience on a two wheeled motorized vehicle and second, the drivers in Edmonton do not pay attention. The conversation was a lot more than just that, but she agreed with me in the end. If we lived on a farm or larger acreage, I would have bought a couple of dirt bikes long ago for just thrashing around in the weeds. I think everyone who wants to ride, should get experience dirt riding before getting serious about a road bike. That's not always possible though.

It is great to have a partner to share the rides with. Jo loves to go on the back on the CB1300. Sure she'll love the GL when it finally hits the road, told you she is perfect.

That's great for the two of you. Glad to hear it. I only know that my wife is really okay with my bike riding but she does question me when I buy things for the bike. Sheesh! So far it has been a louder horn and new Metzelers with tubes. Along with a wheel balancer, tire levers, wheel weights, a compressor, a backrest that won't get used, some oil filters and a brighter head light. I thought she was going to have a stroke when I took her with me to buy synthetic oil for the bike. She said, "You don't spend that much on me when we go have a drink". She totally forgets about the random bouquets of flowers I bring home for no reason at all. She always loves those but then again, they are gone after a couple of weeks.

[rcmatt007]

I just made my kids take the riders course first (that was after my daughter wrecked her mothers bike with a sidecar)