Considering getting a Different bike | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Considering getting a Different bike

I think the last 'weaponized' Goldwing was the first one, the GL1000, 80hp on 585lbs. Since them the bike has evolved to be a big comfy touring bike, the motorcycle equivalent of a Lincoln Towncar 118hp on 900lbs.

In 1975, there wasn't much on the road that could challenge a Wing for performance or comfort. The performance part has waned, and as each successive Wing became a comfier couch. Over the years, performance didn't change much -- a modern GL1800 goes zero to 60 and thru a quarter mile at about the same speed as it's it Great-Great-Great-Grandfather did 50 years ago.
 
jemlinus said:
If you think Goldwing is a couch with a motor, I beg the differ. It's a gorgeous piece of machinery. And becomes a weapon when you want it to be.
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The 1800Wing that i had for 16 years was a great bike till it got old. I called it the "Couchrocket" for a good reason. It would accelerate really well for a 900 lb bike. Handling was ok, but limited by crude suspension even with a reworked rear shock and beefier front springs.
When pushed too hard, the bike is very unforgiving. Cycle Canada magazine lost one of their test riders in 2002 when the 1800 that he was on ran out of road and found the armco up North.
It was a great bike for my wife, but she can't ride anymore,i don't miss it
 
and then you run out of highway.

... holy I wrote that and then I read it above :| must have heard it somewhere before.
 
Pierro Zambotti. RIP
 
The Burgman is a turd compared to the hi tech wing.
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The usual shite from the severely ill-informed ....nothing new there. :rolleyes:

Seems even mods can't stick to a topic.

.......

I think OP has a lot of sense ....he'd fit a bit better on the Vstrom but he's watching his insurance costs and fuel costs so the CB500x appeals.
 
Honda 500 is a really nice motor, it rides more like a big single that doesn't vibrate much then anything that came before it, you really can't go wrong with it, they are cranking them out by the thousands so there will be lots of scrap parts available and if it was a bad motor design you would have heard about it by now.
Brakes, suspension and frame are definitely not the best, it should have a 4 pot brake up front and a 2 pot in rear, anything less is going to be underwhelming. ;) they should have put some Italian parts on there.
 
MacDoc said:
The usual shite from the severely ill-informed ....nothing new there. :rolleyes:

Seems even mods can't stick to a topic.

.......

I think OP has a lot of sense ....he'd fit a bit better on the Vstrom but he's watching his insurance costs and fuel costs so the CB500x appeals.
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Personally I like the Bergman, and it's friend the Beemer scooter. They are stupid simple to ride and the comfort and performance will surprise you.

I've done a couple of romps thru the K-Highlands with guys on Bergman 650s, those things can hold 120 all day long and with a good rider they move through the twisties nicely.

For me? Not if anyone is watching.
 
CB500X is a good choice
I was very close to buying one a month ago

poor economy and expensive insurance notwithstanding
weight and HP can't be beat on a long ride in poor conditions
and the deal on the Capo was the clincher
 
I’m 6’2 and really like my cb500x with a few mods. I added motowerx foot peg lowering brackets and a Seat Concepts seat and that helped with the comfort on the knees and feeling not to cramped. I like when I’m out for a ride and if pavement ends, I just keep cruising on the gravel. Cheap insurance and great gas mileage help too.
 
I'm sorry but I'll say go big or go home. You only live once. I'll say get a bike that has more power. CB1000, Ninja or Z1000, MT-10, S1000R or even Supersport 600. I bought mine 4month ago, but I'm about to pull a trigger on a R6 or ZX-6R.
 
Trials said:
Honda 500 is a really nice motor, it rides more like a big single that doesn't vibrate much then anything that came before it, you really can't go wrong with it, they are cranking them out by the thousands so there will be lots of scrap parts available and if it was a bad motor design you would have heard about it by now.
Brakes, suspension and frame are definitely not the best, it should have a 4 pot brake up front and a 2 pot in rear, anything less is going to be underwhelming. ;) they should have put some Italian parts on there.
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Every bike has it's target market and the CB500 family found theirs. I don't think it needs anything -- riders that need more ooomph, mnore suspension, or more or braking will choose other bikes. While Honda's 500s are not my cup of tea, the package is BINGO for tons of riders.

We can all ask for something to be better on every bike - more dependability, more performance, more character - for as long as I've been riding ther has never been a holy grail bike (FJR excepted), I don't think there is one on the horizon.
 
Current model brakes is not a lot to ask for, better brakes would be better money spent then the addition of ABS and that is pretty obvious because you can't fix mediocre performance brakes just by pumping them when they start to slide, it ain't happenin.
 
I'm sorry but I'll say go big or go home. You only live once. I'll say get a bike that has more power. CB1000, Ninja or Z1000, MT-10, S1000R or even Supersport 600. I bought mine 4month ago, but I'm about to pull a trigger on a R6 or ZX-6R.
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and ride it where??? Stop light to stoplight?? To the bank to pay for the insurance, to the gas station every 250 km ....??
Sure my liter bikes were fun for a bit ...but then the expense of afternoon jaunts added up ....and when you hit the valve adjustment time.....that twin is a lot less costly to do....and sitting in traffic leaned over a liter bike on a 35c day sucks...
 
I hear you -- my FJR is a slow cooker this time of year -- the motor heat makes the gas tank hot! The only bike I've ridden that is hotter is an ST1300 -- in city traffic it feels like you're riding BBQ.
 
Mad Mike said:
I hear you -- my FJR is a slow cooker this time of year -- the motor heat makes the gas tank hot! The only bike I've ridden that is hotter is an ST1300 -- in city traffic it feels like you're riding BBQ.
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But at least it comes with decent 21st century brakes.
 
Mad Mike said:
I hear you -- my FJR is a slow cooker this time of year -- the motor heat makes the gas tank hot! The only bike I've ridden that is hotter is an ST1300 -- in city traffic it feels like you're riding BBQ.
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Not trying to hijack the thread but I've recently been eyeing the FJR and the ST1300. For whatever reason, since I sold my KTM 990SMT I've become smitten with the idea of a sport touring bike with the emphasis on mile-eating comfort.

You mention the heat issue with the FJR - what year do you own? What can you tell me about it vs. the ST1300? In short, convince me that my life will be incomplete until I have one (or the other).
 
Fuel injected engines make for very high fuel temperatures in the tank because the fuel circulates from the tank, through an electric fuel pump that uses the fuel for coolant, then through the hot fuel rail and any gas that does not go through the hot fuel injectors to get burned goes past them and right back into the fuel tank to get heated again. It helps to keep lots of fuel in the tank, helps even more if you can maintain some forward motion and air cooling. The bigger the fuel pump and the bigger the motor, the worse the fuel heat problem becomes, in a worst case scenario you can literally boil your fuel. It's never a problem under normal operating conditions.
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