Goldwing vs Sport bike
- Thread starter nobbie48
- Start date
Depends on who is riding them.
There was a guy in California that used to ride super crazy on an SS.
There was an intervention and he was forced to switch to a Goldwing.
He's became not nearly as crazy, but still pretty fast.
One of the issues of the wing is that it is smooth. Fast doesn't feel fast.
GL1200 Interstate with a trailer hitch on it. Kinda seemed like it lost power halfway through? (undoubtedly for the best) Claimed 94hp when new but I don't think they were all available for this skirmish. Cop never had his foot fully planted.
If you're using these kind of videos as a performance metric, consider that if the rider were issued a proper sportbike they would probably just be dead
If you're using these kind of videos as a performance metric, consider that if the rider were issued a proper sportbike they would probably just be dead
I had a GL1200 Interstate. On a trip out to Manitoba with some friends they started getting away from me and I feared I might loose them in traffic. I punched it to catch the guy leading us.
Above 140-150 it started a little weave. At 160 (what I needed to finally catch the leader) the weave became very intense. Neither I or my buddy behind me was sure I would get it slowed down in one piece.
Did Deals Gap on the same bike 2 up and had a great time.
On the upside travelling 1 up on a Wing means you have an extra saddle bag for beer on ice.
Above 140-150 it started a little weave. At 160 (what I needed to finally catch the leader) the weave became very intense. Neither I or my buddy behind me was sure I would get it slowed down in one piece.
Did Deals Gap on the same bike 2 up and had a great time.
On the upside travelling 1 up on a Wing means you have an extra saddle bag for beer on ice.
First thing first I’m not that fast nor do I even care that much.
That said I may ruffle a few feathers with this one but I can cruise faster than anyone really needs to go while on the street with my 1190 adventure with bags and comfort. I was riding spirited on the 507 with a SS behind me wondering if he was going to pass me. I was carrying over 40lbs of flooring adhesive i had picked up along the way. So I was not pushing. He never did pass wich left me puzzled. I love sport bikes but they are not comfortable at all.
I wonder why with all the other options out there do people ride SS?
Unless they do track days that makes perfect sense to me.
That said I may ruffle a few feathers with this one but I can cruise faster than anyone really needs to go while on the street with my 1190 adventure with bags and comfort. I was riding spirited on the 507 with a SS behind me wondering if he was going to pass me. I was carrying over 40lbs of flooring adhesive i had picked up along the way. So I was not pushing. He never did pass wich left me puzzled. I love sport bikes but they are not comfortable at all.
I wonder why with all the other options out there do people ride SS?
Unless they do track days that makes perfect sense to me.
When I switched from a Sportster to a GL1200 I came near to wrecking. The Sportster told you how fast you were going by vibration and wind buffeting.
I was on a road I had traveled many times on the Sportie and was coming up to a curve on the wing for the first time. Then I realized I was going significantly faster than I thought. Fortunately still enough straightaway to use the brakes.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I've had 2 Wings, a 2000 GL1500, and a 76 GL1000. The 1500 was smooth and I never experienced a control issue.
The 1000 used to start feeling sloppy at 150, I deleted the Vetter and it behaved well to 160, at 190 it starts a scary weave that comes on fast.
I've ridden quick with others on GL1800s, with an expert rider on board, they will run with most sport riders.
Last edited:
It's all about the rider. I'm thinking about a particular ST1300 and then 2018 GW rider I knew that paid big bucks for suspension upgrades on his bikes and rode them very aggressively. Zero "chicken strips", shredded tires and a ferocious pace. An equivalent rider on a sport bike might have outpaced him, but not by much.
Practically speaking, if you enjoy spirited riding, any GW will take you far beyond seizure speeds on most Ontario roads.
Last edited:
Because they aren't looking for comfort. They want a race bike with lights and mirrors.
Yeah and then they put topcase, panniers, helibars, a big cushy comfort seat and lowered footpegs on it.
bigpoppa
Well-known member
I see more guys on adv bikes with these farkles than I do with crotch rockets in 2022Yeah and then they put topcase, panniers, helibars, a big cushy comfort seat and lowered footpegs on it.
Maybe its different out there in bc.
There's just a certain diehard gixxerbro breed out there that will never relent, they still ride the SS.
Which is puzzling to me, as there are so many great naked bikes out there now that offer 90% of the performance, way more comfort, and usable power, but whatever floats their boats.
PS a dead giveaway of the poser ADV is a guy who is on offroad adventure bike but is fat. (includes me)
(All the hardcore dirt riders i've met are in shape, presumably on the count of always standing on their foot pegs and lifting their bikes up.)
Apparently there was some thought on Hondas part about making the GL a performance bike. Randakk does what Honda didn't.
I'll wait for a Goldwing GP.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Not all Fat guys (like me) are ADV posers, some of us enjoy softcore adventures - hydro cuts, fire and logging roads.
I do agree that many ADV owners can't muster the courage to try a dirt road, even if they are fit, skinny, and wearing Thor.
I've owned almost nothing but sport bikes (although some have been standard bikes dressed up as sport bikes), but that doesn't mean I haven't ridden anything else.
I put 2000 km on an adventure bike in Australia, and for the type of riding that I do (pavement), I thought it was rubbish. Too high, too top-heavy, too soft, too vague, inadequate cornering clearance despite being so high because the suspension was so comically soft. And the tires were awful (for pavement use). Online reviews of the same bike (BMW F800GS) were glowing in praise, but every review I could find was written as if pavement had not been invented yet. Other members in our group - all track-oriented sport riders - had pretty comparable opinions of the various other BMW GS bikes. We were all on BMW GS adventure bikes because that's all the rental agency had on offer.
The mechanical cousins of that bike that aren't adventure-oriented, are fine. In fact, every overseas trip that has involved renting a motorcycle, has involved some F800 variant. The F800R is my favourite, but I have no objection to the F800ST/GT, either ... as a rental bike. (I would not buy one, but that's another matter.)
It isn't that I'm anti-BMW. Same trip, I turned some laps at Phillip Island on a S1000RR. Great bike. Easy to get used to. At the same time ... I would not have wanted to do the rest of the trip, the street portion, on that bike. If I had my 'druthers, I would have picked an F800R or F800GT.
I want light, neutral, accurate, predictable steering, reasonable ride height and weight, and compliant but well-damped suspension, and decent tires, and ample cornering clearance.
I KNOW there are some street-oriented adventure bikes (which come with tires and suspension tuned for pavement use), the Ducati Multistrada comes to mind. Meh. Doesn't turn my crank. I'm not buying a bike unless it interests me.
On that aforementioned Australia trip, the topic "If this bike were a car, what would it be?" came up. The consensus was that it was a Ford Explorer - an anonymous box that does everything and goes anywhere, but doesn't do anything particularly well. It's "there".
