To kick tires or not to kick tires

Woodswoman

Member
... that is the question.

My husband has been very, VERY interested in the new Goldwing, particularly the model without the trunk but with the DCT. On paper, it looks very much up his alley.

A Honda dealer relatively near us just got one in this week and uncrated it. So poor Mike is in biking agony right now: He really wants to go see this thing, but he's afraid he'll fall in love with it ... and it costs like $26,000!!

I'm very supportive of his interest in a different bike. He has ridden big Kawasakis (first a Nomad, and then a Vaquero) for around 10 years now. Change is sometimes just what you need to rekindle your interest in riding; God knows that worked for me when I switched from heavyweight cruisers to the CTX700.

Mike's been retired for 5 years. I thought he'd indulge himself and ride more once he stopped working, but in fact he is riding less. His all-time low came in 2017, when he only rolled on about 900 miles.

Pretty hard to justify that 26 grand on a new bike under such circumstances ... but what if it turns out he'd love the thing?? Can't put a price tag on excitement.

Talk about your first world problems. ;)
 

casper

New member
I just saw the new wing, sat on it, wrote my impressions of it in the other forum. You can really tell the weight drop. It comes up nicely off the student stand whereas I then again tried the old model and it was a beast to get up I think the new one world be a good ride.

Having said that, and I was also very interested and hoped I wouldn't be so enamored of it that I would just have to buy it. But I realized that the C does everything I want and need it to do, for 1/4 the price. I liked the new wing, but I came to the conclusion that I cannot justify it at all, I usually put around 8K a year on it, so it's not like I'm not getting my enjoyment out of it. But my cost to enjoyment ratio, and I can afford it if I really wanted to, was simply way to low to do it. So I walked away from it happy with what I've got.
 
Have him try the CTX700 DCT when he takes a look at the Goldwing. Not saying Mike's situation is the same as mine, but my riding dwindled with the onset of my arthritis, carpel tunnel, and loss of clutch control on my CB 750. Nothing like stalling the bike at an intersection in front of an 18 wheeler to get your attention. :eek: I couldn't afford or handle the heft of a Goldwing, but not being able to stall a DCT bike was the game changer for me and rekindled my enthusiasm. The CTX 700 DCT was the answer!
 
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12MANY

New member
I wish I could even afford to consider one but if I could I would research the cost diff with the trunk and without. A trunk removal kit is around $500.00 if you don’t like it and around $2000.00 with tax and shipping to add one if you wished you got it.
08L73-MKC-A10ZA Gold Wing Tour Trunk Installation Kit (required) $854.95
08L73-MKC-A10ZH Gold Wing Tour Trunk - Candy Ardent Red $899.95
I don’t think they are going to change the bike much going forward for years to come and they are famous for holding their resale value so if you only keep it a couple years and decide to sale it with low miles it would probably be good $$ competition against a newer model down the road and I think having the trunk would help in that endeavor. Just looking on Cycle Trader, the trunk less F6B,s are selling for around $5000.00 less than Gold Wings. As I get older my riding days will eventually will be coming to an end so if this was my last bike and spent $29,000 incl title tax and tags and 3 years later sold it for $23,000 or a little less I would feel that it was worth every penny. I would also recommend getting a helmet cam so when your riding days are over and gone you can go back and enjoy watching how much fun it all was and that is priceless!!!
 

casper

New member
I also think that he needs to analyze why he's not been riding more. Shifting issues? Or heft of the bike? Obviously a reason for not riding in all that free time. That might change the discussion.
 

MJC

Super Moderator
Maybe it is that the Kawaski Vulcan, Nomad was his best ever bike, when he moved to Vaquero (even tho it is a Vulcan) it just was not a Nomad. And little by little lost the need to ride.

I had a Nomad, and after making mods to it, rode many miles, I just love that bike and the Vulcan Forum members. I was sad when they stoped making that bike and came out with the Vaquero to replace it. I would have never looked at a Goldwing, old guys bike, just not for me. I had planed on getting a 2nd Nomad, just to have it when it was time to retire my 07 Nomad. (had over 100K miles)

Now after things changed and I could no longer ride without the DCT, Honda started looking a lot better to me. From 2015 when I got my CTX700 DCT, you would think I would ride more? No in two years I only put 15K on the bike. Plus I have all the time to ride.

So why not? It is not the same, the people I ride with just do not want to or have the time to ride. This CTX is just not my Nomad, After riding over 200K miles localy I have been on just about every road there is, I would have to go 200 miles away to find new roads, something that I plan on doing but not all the time. Would a new DCT Goldwing be better then a CTX700, you would think so but it would not get me riding more, just longer trips with more days between them.

Now if you think Mike is past his Gotta Get Out And Ride stage, do not get the Goldwing. Get him a CTX700 DCT, and let him ride local roads just for the enjoyment. Nothing will kill the Gotta Get Out And Ride feeling faster then a big ass bike that at the end of a ride you are happy to get off of. Maybe going from the Nomad to the Vaquero killed his need to Get Out And Ride already? Ask Mike, why he wants to look at the new Goldwing, is it the DCT or is it something more, what about the weight of the bike, ride etc...
 

12MANY

New member
Looking at your riding area I can see where riding the same bike over time in an area where you don’t have a lot of different roads to chose from to ride can get pretty boring and you can loose interest. A comfortable long range bike is just what the doctor ordered to travel farther away on rides to see some new scenery. I have the same problem where I live where I have been in the same area for over 30 years and have run out of single day trips to see something new. If he has no problem riding a Vaquero compare its specs to the Wing and it is awful close to the same bike but way better. The 2018 Vaquero weighs 844.5 lbs with 5.3 gal, the DCT Wing is 842 with 5.5 gal. Vaquero torque is 107.6 and 72 HP , Wing torque is 125 and 125 HP, with the same fuel economy. Vaquero seat height is 28.7 ,Wing is 29.3 only .6 higher. Wing around $28,000 Vaquero $17,000.:mad:

http://www.hondaprokevin.com/2018-h...changes-touring-motorcycle-dct-automatic-bike
 

MJC

Super Moderator
I am at the spot in my life that no bike is worth over $15K. I just can not see it. I had a Road King before the Nomad and everyone would ask, Why did you sell the RK and get a Nonad. I would say, when I was riding the RK I just feft like I paid too much for it, and it was not worth the price. Just me but can not see spending big money on a bike. I play the Lotto once a week and if I win then I may go for it, but a bike would not be 1st on my list. Maybe a few used bikes.....lol.

With all that said, will be testingg out the new Goldwing, with a group from a meg I work for every now and then. I am looking forward to the DCT on the Goldwing. The group is bringing me along becuase they know I can only ride a DCT and they know I ride the CTX700.
 

Woodswoman

Member
In the end, we went and kicked the tires.

Nice bike, that Goldwing. Reeeeally nice bike, no doubt about it. I didn't throw a leg over it today, but of course my boy did. Mike walked away having found nothing in terms of ergonomics to kill the deal, if less than 5 minutes in the saddle on a showroom floor can tell a person anything.

At the end of the day, his conclusion seems to be: Not never, but not this year.

At dinner tonight, he said, "If on my next birthday I was going to be 64 instead of 74, things might be different."

The whole problem is the price tag. This bike would cost more than the last car he bought.
 

Woodswoman

Member
The psychological stuff isn't as easy to sort out. Mike has thought it over in depth and seems to be a bit mixed up about it all in his own mind.

Yup, he's got lots of time to ride. But I'm still working, and he doesn't have a regular riding buddy other than me. He says it's less interesting and a little lonely to ride solo.

Most of the prime routes in these parts, while lovely, are very well known to us. We've done 'em so often that he feels it gets a little repetitive.

Then there's the effort it takes to gear up. That sounds very silly as I write it. But it's true, because we adhere to ATGATT. (Or at least I do, and he mostly does.) If you're really not excited about riding, and there's nobody waiting to go with you, putting on all that stuff and going over roads you know like the back of your hand could seem not worth the trouble.

I'll leave aside the fact that the Vaquero -- a bike he really loves -- tips the scale at almost 900 pounds and is a top-heavy booger. I seem to be the only one who thinks Mike would benefit from a lighter bike. (I'll add that he has ridden my CTX several times, and it doesn't excite him.)

The main thing is possibly this: Mike doesn't feel like riding is a challenge anymore. He has, after all, been riding on and off since his 20s (whereas I didn't take it up until 15 years ago).
 
If you're really not excited about riding, and there's nobody waiting to go with you, putting on all that stuff and going over roads you know like the back of your hand could seem not worth the trouble.

Add dealing with major metropolitan area traffic (I'm in San Francisco) and I think it gets worse.

I've got very few street miles since racing was always my focus. But the bike-friendly/fun roads that I can get to have all got 40-60 minutes minimum of major freeway traffic between me and them, or if not (like Highway 1 down the coast) they are narrow and prone to a fair amount of tourist traffic as well as local traffic.

If a four hour ride has at least two hours of "seems like rush hour most of the day" traffic my incentive drops. If the weather is anything less than decent it drops some more.

I have to admit that with the amount of distracted drivers on the road I'm less than keen to go riding by myself, I'd like to have someone along to socialize with at the stops and call for help if some clown punts me off the road and drives on never noticing that action.

Could Mike get a moto-boost by doing more wrenching/fiddling time? I bought my CTX as a project bike, and I can spend lots of time thinking/designing/making things and feel like it was a successful day (or middle of the night) of motorcycle activity without doing any riding at all. If I get it done (the destination) then I'll look forward to seeing how it works, but in the meantime fiddling, not riding, makes up the "journey" part of the trip.

cheers,
Michael
 

12MANY

New member
Could Mike get a moto-boost by doing more wrenching/fiddling time? I bought my CTX as a project bike, and I can spend lots of time thinking/designing/making things and feel like it was a successful day (or middle of the night) of motorcycle activity without doing any riding at all. If I get it done (the destination) then I'll look forward to seeing how it works, but in the meantime fiddling, not riding, makes up the "journey" part of the trip.

cheers,
Michael

I have been riding since I was 14 years old and still look forward to the weekend when I can take off and clear my mind of all of the crap I have to deal with on a weekly bases. Even if it’s the same old trail I usually follow. It’s the closest thing to meditation I have ever found and have done my best thinking or problem solving while mindlessly riding around not talking to anyone and just operating the machine. Einstein was said to have come to his best thoughts staring out the window of his office thinking about nothing. Maybe he needs to go the other way. There are plenty of smaller and older bikes on Craigs List that need a little love to be refurbished and are a blast to ride. Sometimes riding the old technology is way more fun than the new and a lot less expensive and I agree with Michael Moore that fiddling with the bike is more than half the fun. I am currently rearranging my “ Dash Trash” volt meter , temp gauge , tire temp/psi gauge and GPS to all fit unobtrusively up front to look like it was designed to be there. Also working on green led strip lights to attach to my Madstad shield mount to let me know to shut off the turn signals properly. I know there is a cure for that but spent my allowance on the GPS. Strategizing on how to most cost efficiently upgrade my bike to my liking takes my mind off thinking of the real world serious problems I am tired of constantly thinking of.
 
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mtvic

Member
From your posts, it sounds more like you feel he's dealing with depression. You may want to consider a different type of talk with him and maybe get him to visit his Physician. I see this a lot with my clients when they retire and the other one still works. After 40 or more years in a life pattern then having it change dramatically can be tough on both partners.
 

Woodswoman

Member
From your posts, it sounds more like you feel he's dealing with depression. You may want to consider a different type of talk with him and maybe get him to visit his Physician. I see this a lot with my clients when they retire and the other one still works. After 40 or more years in a life pattern then having it change dramatically can be tough on both partners.

Thank you for this very kind thought, mtvic. I appreciate it -- and agree there's a grain of truth in what you say.

It's more likely in Mike's case to be boredom rather than full-on depression. He has an extremely intelligent and agile mind, and used to get a lot of satisfaction out of his career (color systems analyst for an international copier company). For the first couple of years after he retired, he had the best of both worlds, because he did some part-time consulting work. But that dried up. And his specialized job skill simply doesn't translate into anything he could spin up into a side job or volunteer gig here in the boondocks.

He has tried out and pursued quite a few new interests in the last few years, and I encourage all of them. I figure that's the least I can do considering it'll be years yet before I earn my retirement and can join him. Not to mention my job pays for the motorcycle parts. ;)
 
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kujawskir

Member
At dinner tonight, he said, "If on my next birthday I was going to be 64 instead of 74, things might be different."

The whole problem is the price tag. This bike would cost more than the last car he bought.

I just posted a vid link in the Bar with a terrific article on a 91 yr old rider enjoying life. Across 11 to 20 years, $26 K plus maint. costs is not as bad as all that.

Saw a reviewer who took his wife 2-up on a 2-day test of the new GW, forced the whole trip to one day because of approaching weather, and did not have any negatives about the long time in the saddle, that says something.

He also was disappointed even his wife's small helmet could not fit in the side-bag. Now that's not where the helmet belongs, but the size for other things the GW has been known ready to carry at that price tag is an issue there. If I'm paying Cadillac prices I want more than a cup-holder or two.

+1 checking out things like a CTX700 or CTX1300 (it's gotta come back around sometime) or even the Kawi sport-bagger for around 15K. Anything with a slipper clutch and shift assist is going to help a lot in the left wrist department.

+1 finding a reason for not going out, and making sure the new bike addresses that at least a little.

+ good luck,
+ K.
 

MJC

Super Moderator
I can understand that Woodswoman. The good news is (if you went to the dealer I am thinking of) the demo Goldwing will be for sell come 9/18, used but new. So Mike can put his name on the list of buyers now and be the 1st one to make a offer on it. Maybe new but used will be just what he is looking for.

Good luck to you and Mike. I may be up your way come spring, maybe we could get a ride in together. Would be great if Mike could show me some good riding roads, plus I would love to meet you guys.

mj
 

Glen e

New member
I think I can kind of understand how he feels. I’ve been retired for four years and I’m extremely busy with hobbies, projects, great family, friends and a charity, however there are times where I just get up and wonder exactly what I’m gonna do today. And I do think it’s boredom, but after you’ve been in business or any type of career, and have received accomplishments and successes, retirement can seem rather “Flat” at times. Until you are retired, you can’t understand how anybody could die early, but once you do, you kind of understand it… If you don’t make moves to counter it.
 
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Thank you for this very kind thought, mtvic. I appreciate it -- and agree there's a grain of truth in what you say.

It's more likely in Mike's case to be boredom rather than full-on depression. He has an extremely intelligent and agile mind, and used to get a lot of satisfaction out of his career (color systems analyst for an international copier company). For the first couple of years after he retired, he had the best of both worlds, because he did some part-time consulting work. But that dried up. And his specialized job skill simply doesn't translate into anything he could spin up into a side job or volunteer gig here in the boondocks.

He has tried out and pursued quite a few new interests in the last few years, and I encourage all of them. I figure that's the least I can do considering it'll be years yet before I earn my retirement and can join him. Not to mention my job pays for the motorcycle parts. ;)

Woodswoman, this thread resonates with all of us over-70 retirees....It highlights the mind vs body struggles that come with aging. My wife is still working also, and I'm keenly aware that she is now the breadwinner. I do have to fight the feelings of inadequacy, even though I know she doesn't feel that way.

My wife also encouraged me to get back into motorcycling to get my enthusiasm and activity in the positive direction. I applaud you for your sensitivity to Mike's situation, and send you both warm thoughts for the future.:)

Spring is coming....Ride safe,
 
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Woodswoman

Member
The good news is (if you went to the dealer I am thinking of) the demo Goldwing will be for sell come 9/18, used but new. So Mike can put his name on the list of buyers now and be the 1st one to make a offer on it. Maybe new but used will be just what he is looking for.

Dutchess Rec in Poughkeepsie. Their sales guy was smart enough to remember that Mike had phoned a few months back to inquire about availability; he called a few days ago and mentioned they'd uncrated their first one.

The 'Wing they had stuffed and mounted wasn't the right trim line, but ... do you know whether they offer test rides, MJ?? I've not encountered any metric dealer in New York State that does.
 
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