Ryan has this amazing ability to make me completely fall in love with a motorcycle I've never given a second thought to in a video under 10 minutes long. Time and time again
@@MrSimonmcc "plastic maggot"? Isn't the CX500 not the Version nowadays would've been sold as "naked"? I mean, ok, I stripped everything down nevertheless but here in Germany it's just the "ugliest good Motorcycle ever" due to it's clutch/engine form. Great thing though, love it. Thought I'd resell them after I've fixed it and traveled a little bit with it, like the Beta I had before. Years later and I gobble up parts for it.
My dad bought an ‘82 GL500 Silverwing in 1983. It’s June 2023 and that bike is still sitting in my dad’s garage, and still takes him around town. That’s also the bike that taught me how to ride a motorcycle, and took me to school a whole bunch of times. That bike has seen a lot of history and it’s only ever asked for regular oil changes and maintenance.
This is the only channel on the internet that can make me feel nostalgic for a motorcycle I've never owned. Truly a blessing. Never stop doing what you do
I worked at the Grand Canyon during college. I saw the world’s hardest working 500cc bike ever - a Silverwing, 2-up with a well-fed (typical North American) couple, TOWING A TRAILER. At 7000’ altitude. Mind. Blown. But it’s a Honda. And if you don’t love Honda, for all it’s done for motorcyclry, you simply don’t love bikes and God hates you.
To give everyone an idea of what a terrific all-rounder this bike is: I started riding in my early 50s, mostly to save on commuting costs, but also, motorcycle. Saw a dirt-cheap GL500 for sale; bought it, then used it to learn about riding and servicing carbeureted bikes as I got it ready to ride. She's been inactive for a couple of years, but my beloved "Imoto" and I racked up 20,000 miles a year for 7 years. To work and back (over 100 miles sometimes) in all kinds of weather; a few trips camping down the Blue Ridge Parkway, one time all the way to Key West, then up to New Orleans, then home to NJ...freeway, secondary roads, gravel, dirt, sand. Day, night, rain. No problems, even with a top-heavy load of camping gear or tools. First time I rode into NYC, about 2 weeks after I bought her, I wound up riding to every borough except Staten Island, during both morning and evening peak traffic hours (long story; work-related). With full Interstate kit and some new tires, she performed wonderfully. Didn't overheat, took every nasty pothole in stride, always ready to zoom out of trouble, and superb low-speed handling even with the dorky factory "buckhorn" bars (which I replaced with Daytona-style bars). Average high 40s in mpg, simple and rugged, plenty of parts still around... super-sexy 80s styling...and the sound of that quirky little engine is very nice. Best advice I can give any first-time Twisted Twin owner: RIDE THE HELL OUT OF IT
@@AshleyPomeroy Parking is the easy part (although if you're not careful about your choice, either the cops or some thieves will make off with your bike). The hard parts are: thousands of unruly pedestrians, dense, aggressive traffic, and sudden changes in road surface.
I have a CX650 Custom and I want a silver wing either GL500 or a GL650. I love the way the CX runs, the twisted twin is so beautiful. But I don't want to ride it on a highway for hours at a time. I might buy a GL for highways and keep my CX for fun. (For those unaware, the CX series is the GL without the fairing and bags. A naked GL.)
I honestly just watch these videos for their humour and excellent production quality. I don't even like motorcycles, but I'm still super excited whenever I see a new f9 video in my feed.
Same - in fact, not only do I not like motorcycles, I don’t care for videos, not crazy about talking, and electricity is of the devil and gets me worried about infetterence. Still, I keep coming back for this channel.
You don’t have to give up the pillion. You could replace the trunk with a second seat. There was also a kit that allowed you to have both, mounting the trunk farther back above the tail light. This is how my Silverwing was equipped. Great bike! Not fast, but that’s not what it was for.
I think the point is : given it's 500ccs and above average weight, riding with the extra weight of a pillion would make it too slow and not powerful enough.
@@williamjacksebastian 1st world Problem.....I have ridden motorcycles with 100 cc (Suzuki Ax-100, Honda Eco-100) with pillion and luggage in 1000 km trips through Colombian geography.....and yes...I rode an average of 80 km/k in flat but...I enjoy every minute of those trips
@@williamjacksebastian I had one with the rack that moved the trunk back and allowed for a passenger. My wife and I put quite a few miles on it that way. Quick? No. But it still pulled away from most cars and was a lot of fun!
@@williamjacksebastian I did a weekend trip with my ex-wife on one, yeah you plan if you intend to pass, but it could cruise along at 120 km/h two-up no problem.
My dad had a SilverWing several years ago. Prior to that purchase I didn’t even know they existed. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen in person. Nice to see you’ve got one to cruise around on. Keep up the good work!
The Silverwing was my first bike, taught myself to ride on it. Put 97k miles on the thing before I sold it for $300. It was a really great bike mostly. Every time it fell over it snapped off a mirror before landing on the fiberglass fairing and all 3 versions of the CX500 I’ve had didn’t generate power, necessitating a car battery in a bag on the back that needed to be constantly recharged so the spark plugs kept firing. Range was greatly extended by rigging an on/off switch to the headlight.
I bought a 1982 gl500 with 2k miles for $800 in 1998. I rode it the next 17 years and put 35k miles on it including a 1500 mile and 3000 mile tour with a passenger. Sold it to a friend in 2015 and he used it as a daily rider until he passed away in 2019. The GL 500 is an amazing motorcycle! Thanks for reviewing one of the best!
This bike was made as a 500 and 650. I owned the 500 silverwing and the goldwing at the same time. My wife and I rode over 600 miles in one day on the Silverwing at highway speed. I used the same bike in the early 80’s to help with the development of MSF range training program. Great bike.
@@maximilianeissner4759 yup but its electronics burn out and you wind up on the internet looking for a replacement. Kept extra used one on the bike. When I sold mine it came with two spares. Another little problem the carbs are linked and tend to leak . Real pain in but to work on.
Last year I was looking for a cheap freeway flyer with saddlebags. Ended up finding a retired police ST1300. It’s as much fun as a minivan but gets the job done. The current prices on touring bikes will not assault my checkbook. Love the silverwing Watched the intro a 2nd time, Epic
I'm wondering what's going to happen as the people with the disposable income to buy a tourer die. For those in the upper half of the country, long motorcycle rides are largely a seasonal activity, and for those in the southern half, they just have to deal with the fact that wages haven't been keeping up with inflation. I wonder at what point Royal Enfield is going to decide that they want to introduce a larger motorcycle that's more in line with what the Silverwing represented, as they seem to be the main ones looking to expand the range of offerings of less expensive motorcycles.
@@Kingsoupturbopeople who sleep on the ST1300 are the dudes that get their shit rocked by a police officer riding them. They're fast bikes, and despite what the squids say they're not outrunning the cops on st1300s. They're better riders than most people on 2 wheels
@@SmallSpoonBrigade The call amongst the more astute Harley crowd is buying new is for suckers. Plenty have a summertime fling with the outlaw biker image, only to leave that possibility languishing in the garage for when you have the time (I mean hell, I do it with books). Eventually those bikes get sold for a steep discount, barely used. Maybe not SilverWing territory in its heyday, but there's ALWAYS someone trying to clear out their garage. The notion of selling a competent piece of machinery for a decent price new left a decade ago. Everything now is hype.
I'm telling you, this channel seats right at the top with TOP GEAR, excellent content, excellent footage, excellent camera work and let us not forget about the script and story telling. Job well done.
Honda CTX700D was a great SilverWing successor, especially with automatic dual-clutch transmission. I had one and sold it recently at 34K kilometers. Never had an issue, could do 500 km in a day without feeling tired, and averaged 3.2 - 3.4 liters per 100 km. That's 70 mpg. The bike shared the parts with NC range.
As someone who’s been looking at the 80’s Silverwing. I am both estatic you’re covering it in the detail you do, and heartbroken that you’ll contribute to the prices to slowly rise now that people see ts 😭
You can do what I'm working on. Get a CX and try to add some aero and luggage capabilities to it. You can buy a poorly made cafe and re-work the rear end pretty cheaply.
Somehow the quality of the videos keep improving. Not by leaps, but steadily. They are expanding the standard of a youtube review and merging with documentary, infographics and movies. They are by now the reason i keep checking the channel to make sure i didn't miss a video
I had one,rode it everyday for a few years,to work and hollidays in wales,it never let me down and that huge fairing always kept me dry in bad weather. I loved every minute spent on this bike ❤
There is no place wetter than Wales riding in the winter ! I worked in Haverfordwest in 1970 and had a Bonneville that not only did not keep me dry but had Lucas electrics :) Thank God for Oiled Belstaff ...
This is an example of the old world of entertainment. Brilliant writing, pacing, and performance, because the guy who is making this content is ACTUALLY talented and puts the time/effort into the work that it deserves. Gold star. Wish other youtubers would follow his lead, only Papameat/Meatcanyon comes to mind.
One of the greatest tourer paired with one of the greatest production team on TH-cam in the form of Ryan and co. _Ingenious combo._ Look at the right side of the video at 0:44, at the red container.
Agreed. I had a EuroSport, and they threw all the bells and whistles at it. Maybe because it was the last of the line. I miss that bike more than every other one I've owned. Really rare now.
My first bike was a CX500C, a close cousin to this GL500. Even now I miss it. Shouldn't have sold it but the young fellow who pulled it away on his trailer has probably given it a good home. Ryan is right though. Honda should make another small tourer and not just throw bags on an adv. I'd love an inexpensive, low maintenance, fuel injected traverse V twin with shaft drive. It was such an amazing combination to ride.
The production of this video is exactly what the community at large desires. Way to go F9. Your continued dedication to quality, humor, and unique presentation is outstanding and honorable. 🙏🏻 My first bike was an ‘81 GL 500 silverwing, not quite as fancy as the one young Ryan is perched upon, but the stripped down, reddish/brown version. Odd for a bike tagged with “silverwing” to be brown imo…but such things were what we had in the wild and loose 80’s. It ended up being a fun, little, rural, hooligan machine. 😂
Hands down you’re are the best Host I’ve come across, not only on TH-cam, but any shows similar on TV! You absolutely should have your own show/series on every major network!
Had a couple of friends who owned them back in the day. The bikes were competent, and although uninspiring by big tourer standards, they were enjoyable for day trips. When one considers that much lesser bikes have circled the globe, they suddenly appear to be a brilliant answer to an unasked question, back then. Now, there might be more customers who would be thrilled by such a bike.
@@perrycalabrese3475motorbikes tend to be more of a fashion accessory these days. Everyone was riding cafe races 5 years ago and now it's all adventures. The only sport bikes you see are overweight 50 year old posers on a bmw r1000 or duca panagale that never go over 2k rpm. Tourers seem to be slow sellers as well and I doubt that's just down to the $30 grand prices.
The Honda CB 500X and the Kawasaki Versy 650 are probably the most comparable bikes to the baby Wing made today. I had a 2014 CB 500F and toured just fine with soft saddlebags and a rack on the back. Just don't expect a rolling couch with surround sound and just about any midsize standard bike can make a decent tourer.
In April my wife was perusing ads on marketplace and found an 83 GL650 Interstate . I’ve gotten very attached to it. It may not be the fastest or the best handling but it feels great to ride. It’s a great looking bike as well. Thanks to Ryan for reminding people what great bikes these are
A CX500 was my second bike and I put 1000s of miles on it. Then I got a Silverwing and put on many more 1000s. Such a magic 1 up tourer. Never a problem with either.
So, I was literally just thinking of the Silver Wing a few days ago, and it is like you plucked this straight from my brain! This is a bike I had been wanting for a while now because it is a smaller, inexpensive touring bike that I would love to tinker with and just ride. Thank you for all these great videos!!
Mate, you can't go wrong with these old bikes for touring. I've just fixed up an old FJ1200 and toured it around France and Spain. It's a perfect touring bike that is surprisingly good in the twisty roads.
Everything about this video was so spectacularly done that I've come back to rewatch it more times than I care to admit. From the well done intro with the adapted version of Santa Catalina 26 miles song to the background on the water having Silverwing, it truly is a work of art.
When I was in college I had an ‘83 GL650 Silverwing, bought used from Johnson’s Honda in Ellensburg, WA. Clear, aftermarket windshield, and a cool little tail trunk that could be fitted in place of the rear seat. Great little bike and, yeah, I’d ride one today!
Putting HONDA SILVERWING on the barge in the background was a classy touch. Love your content Fortnine, it's so well put together. I foresee a big future for you.
From Leo: I was a Honda salesman during those years. Honda did make the CX500 into a 650 in the last years. The 650 engine made a good improvement on bikes heavily loaded at highway speeds. Sadly, they never allowed the 650cc engine into the SilverWing version. They were too cramped for me because of my height, but the SilverWing was a well executed design.
I've been riding a CX500EC (a sport-tour version of the Silverwing) for half a year now and it's been an amazing bike. These deserve way more love than they already get!
I had all but forgotten the Silverwing. I'm happy that you resurrected yours. If it was in production now, Honda couldn't make them fast enough. It was far ahead of it's time as far as market niche. Great video.
I owned one of theses 1988-1997. I enjoyed about 55k miles on this machine, including an epic road trip from my home in Los Angeles all the to Milwaukee, where I proudly parked it in the Harley Davidson headquarters parking lot. My CA license plate, along with many dead bugs on the windscreen earned me some respect from the bikers assembled there. I took a tour of the engine factory there, which at the time was building Evo units. The Honda was a true friend. It never left me stranded anywhere. Engine valve adjustments can be done in 10 minutes with 10, 12, and 17mm wrench and two feeler gauges. The only weak component on the whole machine was the rear airshock, which developed a leak. It was ridiculously expensive to replace from Honda, and was unique to the GL500. I believe WORKS Performance eventually offered a coil over replacement. Performance was leisurely, with my top speed achieved being 89mph. Engine RPM were always high--this engine is a revver! That said, the engine was designed for a turbo application, and is therefore quite over built and stout for a mere 500cc in na configuration. Expect about 6000 rpm for highway cruising in today's freeway system. You will always be hunting for the 6th gear that is not there. I replaced my SilverWng with Honda's subsequent midsizer, Pacific Coast 800. That bike had many similar qualities, but was substantially less comfortable on long trips. Later, I purchased a 20017 CTX700 (I prefer midsizers) and modded heavily in an effort to replicate the comfort and utility of the SilverWing. That project was a failure. The comfort just wasn't there.
I love my Silverwing. Over 100000 km and still running strong with regular maintenance. As a beginner a while ago I wanted a small touring bike. The Silverwing was the only answer, because there is nothing else on the market nowadays. Mine is an ´82 in Silver as shown in the video.
I had an ‘83, it was a 650, burgundy, the trunk was mounted behind the passenger seat, had tape player and whip like antenna with a flag on it. Was a comfortable, fun bike and now my aged back wishes I still had it. Good memories!
This was my very first road bike. My father ended up giving it me because he upgraded to a Harley lol... By the time I have gotten the bike she already had 42000 miles on her.. The bike never gave up. She didnt have the power but it was always fun to do lawn burn outs with her lol.. This bike will always have a special spot in my heart. I wonder if that bike is still out there giving somebody the same joy it gave me🙂
I had one of these back in the 80's. My dad had the Goldwing. He picked up the Silverwing for me because it was dirt cheap. It was a good bike and was 100% Honda. Turn the key and go. I now own its "replacement" the Silverwing scooter and it is a great little bike. It has a great CVT and a smooth ride. Mine has seen trips fro Chicago to New Orleans on a few occasions without breaking a sweat. Even though it is a scooter, it is still a Silverwing at heart.
I just did a 6000 mile tour around the western US last month on a Honda Cb500x that I turned into a pretty capable tourer. (Larger windscreen, barkbuster handguards, heated grips, comfier seat, and saddlebags) now it’s probably the closest thing to a modern “silver wing” that you can get.
Let’s just say it prefers back roads and two lane highways. But I also did this trip fully loaded with camping gear and I’m 250lbs. A sub 200lb rider could probably cruise comfortably at 85 all day if they did a sprocket swap
That Silverwing sounds exactly like the type of bike I would gladly own. Small enough to be a commuter yet with enough cargo capacity to go to the Alps for a few days? That's not just a small tourer, that's a VW Golf on two wheels However, I think that the small tourer class was replaced by maxi scooters long ago. Like the Suzuki Burgmann you've reviewed a while back. Honda has a few of those in their line-up today
My '09 Ninja 250 has the capacity to go camping for a few days, sadly because it's carbureted and has a small displacement, the Alps would be asking too much. But, you can pack a surprising amount on it.
Consider the NC750 with aftermarket luggage. Saddly, the engine lacksthe character of the CX500/650 used in the Sliverwings but they can be had for around $5000 used and if you get a DCT model, 90% of the advantages of a maxi scooter.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade I have known people ride over the Alps on a 125cc scooter, and 200 cc motorcycles, keep the weight down, take your time and its no problem, you will lose a little power at high altitude, but knock it down a gear and you will be ok
This bike has one heckuva loyal following. You can't imagine the fierce loyalty of the owners until you've experienced it from behind the parts counter 🙂 Pacific Coast was/is even more so. Ah... the days of manual chokes. 😛
I restored an '81 Silverwing for my very first bike and loved every minute I had it! Any weather, any road condition, any amount of gear I had, 50 lb bags of seed slung across the back on gravel roads, hundreds of miles a day on the interstates, my Silverwing never gave up no matter what I put it through. Amazing bike
@@ii7317 a million views for the channel will generate over 5k for them If you feel they don’t deserve that money for the work put in please keep blocking ads But I’ll do the right thing thanks
My brother and I came across a CX650 Custom back in like 2003. I think the purchase price was $50 and a case of beer. It'd been in a garage for years, but a fresh battery and a quick once-over on the carbs had it running like new again. It was comfortable as hell, reasonably quick, and very fun. Despite the unexpected and expensive starter clutch repair, we both still miss that bike.
Rode an 83 for a decade, never had any problems. Loved being able to adjust the valves w/o pulling the gas tank. One of the more comfortable rides I've ever owned.
I owned one of these bikes. The V Twin setting sideways and the shaft drive gave a very smooth ride. The passenger seat could be removed and the backrest could be moved forward for better riding comfort. The hard side luggage could be easily removed and the upper trunk was large enough to store your helmet. The air suspension was controlled with a button, on my bike anyway, and was easily increased or decreased to match the road conditions. Hands down it was the best bike I've ever owned.
Those f9 reviews are better advertisement then anything the manufacturers could do. I bought my first bike, a xsr900 partly because of your video, which even came to the conclusion that the bikes would make sense and all I thought was :“hell year is want that!“ You do a awesome job.
My 22’ NC750x DCT with Shad top box and saddlebags has everything you talked about. It handles like a dream, gets 70mpg, can comfortably carry a passenger and was only $10k. I do love your videos and want to see you planning board where you figure out what your next episode will be. You have to be completely spaced out to come up with some of the ideas you use.
Thats true. I looked at an NC 700 when I had a CB 500. I liked it because it had the factory bags and a fairing. The one thing I wasn't sure of though was they made it more of a cruiser riding position, and I was never a fan of that riding style.
Looking for a light bike that could go two up, with luggage for mild touring, abs and low seat height I came up with the NC750 from Honda and the 650 Adventura from CFMoto. Both have slightly higher seats than I'd like. If Honda wanted to capture this market either develop the NC750 or better yet make a 1000cc opposed 4 cylinder, lightly stressed and making 75 - 85hp (dust off and modernize the original Goldwing) . Keep it light and cheap.
The day i got my M2, i jumped in a Silverwing and road 2 up from Niagara to Cape Bretton. Bike didn't miss a beat, rain or shine. I moved up to GL1100's now, but I still get nostalgic about that Silverwing.
I grew up riding on 80’s Hondas with my grandfather. I still restore and ride them today. I had a GL500 for years up to a few years ago. It would do anything! Run interstate speed, comfy, would get 50+mpg no matter how you rode it. I was always amazed by how much attention it got. Then when you tell the Goldwing/harley folks it’s a 500. You mean 1500? No 500……. They were left speechless. For it’s day and even today it’s a very useful and capable machine. Bigger isn’t always better Another killer video, Ryan! You are the motorcycle video king!
Student mate of mine had one. It looked heavy for its engine size and had oil leaking issues, but featurewise I believe a modern incarnation of such a one-seater touring bike indeed would become a classic hit: Keep the shaft drive, keep focus on tarmac driving (low centerpoint of gravity). This would also be a successor to the Honda Deauville. Wishes? Extend electrical supply for the modern extras, increased luggage capacity, and extended mileage. Perfect.
Ryan- there was an aftermarket kit which moved the top case farther back, and allowed room for the optional Honda pillion seat. I got my silver wing used, and came with a two piece seat and the top case. It was at least a year before I realized that configuration wasn't stock. It worked quite well. I ASSUME the stock silverwing allowed you to switch the top case with the pillion seat, and vice versa.
I had one back in the '90s, that had the aftermarket kit included. A great bike. Can't remember why I sold it, aside from the metallic brown paint... I guess I was fickle in my youth.
I owned a 1981 Silverwing base model, no fairing or bags....it was a great riding motorcycle, I wish I still had it, sold it to buy a 1984 Honda VF 700 C
I’d totally buy this if Honda dusted it off and brought it back to life. I didn’t realize that ever existed. As always, amazing video….love the 80’s theme and the bags of coke in the luggage bag made me ROFL. Well done!
Nobody will buy it, at the moment the touring bikes are the adventure bikes. These ones are the ones that you see travelling through countries and states.
@@fs5866 Funny how fads come and go. The adventure bike has the market now, its exemplar the BMW GS boxer has simply set the stage. While the adventure bikes are mostly very comfortable, they are also very tall, big and expensive. The GL500/GL650 is extremely comfortable, not too tall and not too heavy, though it is top heavy.
@@awuma Can't disagree with the whole premise of an adv bike, they do it all, certainly do not excel at any but they do it all, commuting, highway, bit of off-roading, can pack up luggage, can carry 2 people comfortably, they're plenty fast with loads of power, pack in the greatest tech of all the categories. I mean, they certainly remove the need to have like 3 bikes for a different purpose. Sure they are more expensive but once you buy one, it may as well be the only bike you will ever really need.
My dad had one of these when we lived in Ontario, we moved 3 times across the country since he originally left it parked in front of his friends house before the city had it towed. Took them 10 years to finally do it! Wish he never just let it stay there though.
I wanted to upgrade my bike to a small touring bike. I tried two Silverwings, and found out real quick, that once you are used to the smoothness of a four cylinder bike, you can’t go back to a two cylinder engine. I eventually bought a Goldwing, and loved the smoothness it provided.
I've been interested in a 4 cylinder engine/bike for a short bit now. I started on a Rebel 250 (single piston), went to a Shadow 1100 (v-twin), and then back to a single piston bike (KLR650) and find myself just loving the single pistons more than a heavy V-twin. Is there a light(er) weight 4 cylinder engine out there? Or is it only sport bikes and highway-couches??
@@MotoDash1100 Honda VFR800/1200 platforms, S1000XR, Tuono V4, Yamaha MT10, Kawasaki Z800, 900 and 1000 bikes. To name a few. It depends on the bike a lot. Good luck though :)
The GL1500 motorcycle is such a superb machine, with IMHO no equal for the low cost of ownership. With dedicated practice the big heavy bike (infinitely more comfortable on highway) can be ridden better than a novice can ride smaller machines. Focus on skills, and don't rule out a bike because it's big or heavy GL1500 was around 1400lbs with my wife and I combined with luggage for a 1500 mile trip. My 165lb and nearly 50 year old body was taxed only during some low speed riding, and the difference between passenger comfort on our GL 1500 gold wing, and that silver wing are huge beyond words. Very few passengers would be able to take 1500 miles on the back of that Silverwing, and I would never consider interstate riding at high elevation on such an underpowered machine. Without passenger and luggage, the big bike does not feel heavy at all to me, yes fully loaded it's a challenge to park, but can be mastered. There is no way around the huge lack of passenger comfort and equally huge lack of highway power of that Silverwing in comparison.
Honda Silverwing was my first motorcycle, got it in 1996 at the age of 18 for $650 in good condition. The interchangeable backseat/trunk option was awesome, I’d love to see them bring that back.
I still have, and ride, my 82 GL500I. I fit an aftermarket swing hinge to the trunk - so now it can hover over the pinion rear seat as the driver's backrest or swing back to be the passenger backrest. I also have every electronic accessory for the GL fairing, including an altimeter, ambient temperature gauge, AM/FM/CB/Intercom and Aux/MP3. I have loved this motorcycle since 1982.
I believe it already exists: I ride a Yamaha Tracer 7GT. Basically a MT07 with slightly altered suspension and a windscreen, fairing, comfort seat and storage. It cost me new in 21 10.000 euro and I absolutely adore the bike. It filters easy through traffic, can be economical and is comfortable for a days ride. The only thing it lacks is cruise control
yeah, an option for cruise control on mid range bikes would be so helpful. i have a kawasaki 650 Versys year 2021, bought it new for £9k, and i bought a plastic palm grip, so as you put weight on it it clamps around throttle, but when you let go of it the throttle moves with your hand, makes life a bit straight forward for motorway journeys. (its called a Oxford Cruise Throttle Grip Assist if anyone looking for one).
Love this video, Ryan and the team did a great job. I do think Honda's NT700V Deauville hit a lot of the same notes as this Silverwing, especially with the factory topbox. I would love to see Ryan do a video with one of those.
I owned a '98 Deauville. It was beaten up, scratched, colour faded, but i loved that bike. I commuted to work day in, day out in all weather and it was excellent. Not too daunting for me as a (relatiely) inexperienced rider, enough power to keep to legal speeds, comfortable, and the scoop windshield kept the rain off. I'd love to see RF9 give it some attention.
My bro rode almost 100 000km on a Deauville. Called it the second ugliest bike in the world and only got rid of it when insurance wrote it off for a fist sized hole in the front fairing. He moved on to a V-strom 650, which he's now sold to me as my first bike.
Luggage latches are made of cheese, but I agree. I did 20k or so on mine (with factory top box), with the only issue being a fuel pump. Have plenty of warning before finally giving up
@@christophercox9150 I owned one too, it came with the optional extra wide pannier lids, I modified the left hand side fairing pocket to take a car radio. I did own a GL1500 before hand so yes I turned this bike into a mini Wing basically.
Being a a shorter inseamed gent, I had a silver wing in the 90’s, after my 1980 GS 550. Took it often to my various boat jobs across the gulf states. It was comfortable and plenty roomy enough for hours and hours in the saddle.
Great video. Love the boats lined-up in the back that say Honda and Silverwing. I looked at a couple of these when I first got into bikes. Really wanted one but never successfully bought one. Their reliability is legendary. I did end up with a 1000cc Kawasaki Concours, though, and that thing is pretty rock-solid, too...
From Leo: The 1000cc Concours was a great bike. I had three of them. Toured 36 states, commuted, went on day trips, everything. 100,000 plus on the first one, 25,000 on the 2nd one until I hit a truck. 80,000 plus on the third one. Always plenty of power, good mileage, not too heavy for daily, casual use, not too light for touring with a passenger. Even a great national club; the Concours owners group. 100% reliable,
At 500 or 650 cc, it didn't need to be all that fast. At the time the US had a national speed limit of 55 MPH. Didn't mean out in west Texas people didn't continue to drive 70, but law enforcement around most of the state was significantly higher than it is today.
I would like to see Fortnine's take on Honda's mini moto lineup. I picked up a Monkey last year after riding every type of motorcycle for years and couldn't see myself ever getting rid of it. Although I would like to add a larger bike one day to my stable again, in addition of course.
@@sys-administrator Haha, that's part of the charm I think with alot of the mini moto lineup. They sure have expanded it alot over the years but we're certainly limited on which models are available here in Canada.
@@sys-administrator That does sound pretty rad. I would love to take a Dax for a ride sometime. I need to go through the first few gears pretty quick on my Monkey when going through town, but I am able to get it up to 120km/h on the flats in 5th.
@@GregLanz Thanks, I got lucky finding one second hand with only 17km on the odo after the previous owner decided to sell due to some health issues. Every dealer I called had them pre-sold.
Ryan has this amazing ability to make me completely fall in love with a motorcycle I've never given a second thought to in a video under 10 minutes long. Time and time again
Seriously. By the end of that video I was ready to make a "Bring Back the Silverwing" banner and stand outside Honda HQ waving it.
Dude, I was just thinking the same thing. I definitely had a moment of "I wonder if someone is selling one locally..." 😅
It completely turned me off even more
@@TheDeadeye5 me too, even after getting up close and personal with a CX500, aka the plastic maggot, many moons ago.
@@MrSimonmcc "plastic maggot"? Isn't the CX500 not the Version nowadays would've been sold as "naked"? I mean, ok, I stripped everything down nevertheless but here in Germany it's just the "ugliest good Motorcycle ever" due to it's clutch/engine form.
Great thing though, love it. Thought I'd resell them after I've fixed it and traveled a little bit with it, like the Beta I had before. Years later and I gobble up parts for it.
That opening is exactly the quality I've come to expect from this channel.
Really? Coz I saw two ads
@@SalmanKhan-ze3zh get ad block, thats your fault
@SalmanKhan-ze3zh they're not doing this for free. Watch the ads and support these works of art.
@@SalmanKhan-ze3zh = Freeloader
…and everything in between and the end! 😊
8:43 the most perfect squeak in cinematic history
Bet that wasn't just that one take :D
My dad bought an ‘82 GL500 Silverwing in 1983. It’s June 2023 and that bike is still sitting in my dad’s garage, and still takes him around town. That’s also the bike that taught me how to ride a motorcycle, and took me to school a whole bunch of times. That bike has seen a lot of history and it’s only ever asked for regular oil changes and maintenance.
Hondas never die ❤
Thanks for sharing this story!
Hondas❤️
And a low coolant level.
If ur dad named it "the ancient one" I'll lost it
My dad has a 83 gold wing aspencade and I grew up on the back of it I love it so much I rode it for the first time last week
This is the only channel on the internet that can make me feel nostalgic for a motorcycle I've never owned. Truly a blessing. Never stop doing what you do
I worked at the Grand Canyon during college. I saw the world’s hardest working 500cc bike ever - a Silverwing, 2-up with a well-fed (typical North American) couple, TOWING A TRAILER. At 7000’ altitude. Mind. Blown.
But it’s a Honda. And if you don’t love Honda, for all it’s done for motorcyclry, you simply don’t love bikes and God hates you.
To give everyone an idea of what a terrific all-rounder this bike is:
I started riding in my early 50s, mostly to save on commuting costs, but also, motorcycle.
Saw a dirt-cheap GL500 for sale; bought it, then used it to learn about riding and servicing carbeureted bikes as I got it ready to ride.
She's been inactive for a couple of years, but my beloved "Imoto" and I racked up 20,000 miles a year for 7 years.
To work and back (over 100 miles sometimes) in all kinds of weather; a few trips camping down the Blue Ridge Parkway, one time all the way to Key West, then up to New Orleans, then home to NJ...freeway, secondary roads, gravel, dirt, sand. Day, night, rain. No problems, even with a top-heavy load of camping gear or tools.
First time I rode into NYC, about 2 weeks after I bought her, I wound up riding to every borough except Staten Island, during both morning and evening peak traffic hours (long story; work-related). With full Interstate kit and some new tires, she performed wonderfully. Didn't overheat, took every nasty pothole in stride, always ready to zoom out of trouble, and superb low-speed handling even with the dorky factory "buckhorn" bars (which I replaced with Daytona-style bars).
Average high 40s in mpg, simple and rugged, plenty of parts still around... super-sexy 80s styling...and the sound of that quirky little engine is very nice.
Best advice I can give any first-time Twisted Twin owner: RIDE THE HELL OUT OF IT
Riding a motorbike in New York sounds nightmarish. Especially parking. But crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on a Silverwing must feel epic.
@@AshleyPomeroy Parking is the easy part (although if you're not careful about your choice, either the cops or some thieves will make off with your bike). The hard parts are: thousands of unruly pedestrians, dense, aggressive traffic, and sudden changes in road surface.
My friend has a honda gl 500 in México it's a great bike
Hah! "Imoto," "Sister," in Japanese
I have a CX650 Custom and I want a silver wing either GL500 or a GL650. I love the way the CX runs, the twisted twin is so beautiful. But I don't want to ride it on a highway for hours at a time. I might buy a GL for highways and keep my CX for fun. (For those unaware, the CX series is the GL without the fairing and bags. A naked GL.)
I honestly just watch these videos for their humour and excellent production quality. I don't even like motorcycles, but I'm still super excited whenever I see a new f9 video in my feed.
Exactly the same for me!
That's awesome but unfortunate.
Wish you had more interest in them.
He has outstanding taste in bikes and what they should do and not do.
Sad, just sad😢
How could you enjoy these videos of you don’t like motorcycles??
Same - in fact, not only do I not like motorcycles, I don’t care for videos, not crazy about talking, and electricity is of the devil and gets me worried about infetterence. Still, I keep coming back for this channel.
You don’t have to give up the pillion. You could replace the trunk with a second seat. There was also a kit that allowed you to have both, mounting the trunk farther back above the tail light. This is how my Silverwing was equipped. Great bike! Not fast, but that’s not what it was for.
I think the point is : given it's 500ccs and above average weight, riding with the extra weight of a pillion would make it too slow and not powerful enough.
@@williamjacksebastian 1st world Problem.....I have ridden motorcycles with 100 cc (Suzuki Ax-100, Honda Eco-100) with pillion and luggage in 1000 km trips through Colombian geography.....and yes...I rode an average of 80 km/k in flat but...I enjoy every minute of those trips
@@williamjacksebastian
I had one with the rack that moved the trunk back and allowed for a passenger. My wife and I put quite a few miles on it that way. Quick? No. But it still pulled away from most cars and was a lot of fun!
Always amused by "not enough power".
@@williamjacksebastian I did a weekend trip with my ex-wife on one, yeah you plan if you intend to pass, but it could cruise along at 120 km/h two-up no problem.
This video it's a work of art : image, production, script, music. ... and I believe this Honda it's one Ryan's favorite bikes ever.
I hope it’s been said a million times before, but the production value of this channel is unreal. Easily 1 of the best channels on TH-cam.
Rest assured, it has been said...
But it's still worth saying
My dad had a SilverWing several years ago. Prior to that purchase I didn’t even know they existed. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen in person. Nice to see you’ve got one to cruise around on. Keep up the good work!
The only way this gets better is the ghost of Prince shows up.
Always thought Honda SilverWing was a scooter
@@InMotoVitait is, they brought the name back for a big scooter in 2001
The Silverwing was my first bike, taught myself to ride on it. Put 97k miles on the thing before I sold it for $300. It was a really great bike mostly. Every time it fell over it snapped off a mirror before landing on the fiberglass fairing and all 3 versions of the CX500 I’ve had didn’t generate power, necessitating a car battery in a bag on the back that needed to be constantly recharged so the spark plugs kept firing. Range was greatly extended by rigging an on/off switch to the headlight.
I bought a 1982 gl500 with 2k miles for $800 in 1998. I rode it the next 17 years and put 35k miles on it including a 1500 mile and 3000 mile tour with a passenger. Sold it to a friend in 2015 and he used it as a daily rider until he passed away in 2019. The GL 500 is an amazing motorcycle! Thanks for reviewing one of the best!
This bike was made as a 500 and 650. I owned the 500 silverwing and the goldwing at the same time. My wife and I rode over 600 miles in one day on the Silverwing at highway speed. I used the same bike in the early 80’s to help with the development of MSF range training program. Great bike.
There's a Malaysian couple who rode two up around the world on a honda rs150 underbone bike😂
Hmm, you were driving a 550 silver wing ? It's got short legs in two ways. The frame is short and the gearing makes run a lot of rpm at those speeds.
@@jamesberry7150 it's a Honda so it'll just eat those rpms, like it does the many maintenance free miles
@@maximilianeissner4759 yup but its electronics burn out and you wind up on the internet looking for a replacement. Kept extra used one on the bike. When I sold mine it came with two spares. Another little problem the carbs are linked and tend to leak . Real pain in but to work on.
Last year I was looking for a cheap freeway flyer with saddlebags. Ended up finding a retired police ST1300. It’s as much fun as a minivan but gets the job done. The current prices on touring bikes will not assault my checkbook. Love the silverwing
Watched the intro a 2nd time, Epic
I'm wondering what's going to happen as the people with the disposable income to buy a tourer die. For those in the upper half of the country, long motorcycle rides are largely a seasonal activity, and for those in the southern half, they just have to deal with the fact that wages haven't been keeping up with inflation.
I wonder at what point Royal Enfield is going to decide that they want to introduce a larger motorcycle that's more in line with what the Silverwing represented, as they seem to be the main ones looking to expand the range of offerings of less expensive motorcycles.
I've read the ST1300 is decently sporty (for a tourer) and pulls pretty well, in the category its supposed to be tops!
@@Kingsoupturbopeople who sleep on the ST1300 are the dudes that get their shit rocked by a police officer riding them. They're fast bikes, and despite what the squids say they're not outrunning the cops on st1300s. They're better riders than most people on 2 wheels
@@SmallSpoonBrigade The call amongst the more astute Harley crowd is buying new is for suckers.
Plenty have a summertime fling with the outlaw biker image, only to leave that possibility languishing in the garage for when you have the time (I mean hell, I do it with books).
Eventually those bikes get sold for a steep discount, barely used. Maybe not SilverWing territory in its heyday, but there's ALWAYS someone trying to clear out their garage.
The notion of selling a competent piece of machinery for a decent price new left a decade ago. Everything now is hype.
@@XPsychowaffleXRyan should make a video about that! ;)
This is why I Tour on my Honda PC800...dead reliable, comfortable. Added 40L scooter box on the back and my wife and I can ride for days
The opening and closing segment of video is no doubt cinema quality. Big applause to Fort9 team. Ryan and other crew are doing great work.
This continues to be some of the finest TH-cam content. The effort is appreciated!
I don't even have a moto, nor I plan to buy one, but the production quality is so high, I watch every video
It's epic
I'm telling you, this channel seats right at the top with TOP GEAR, excellent content, excellent footage, excellent camera work and let us not forget about the script and story telling. Job well done.
I was about to comment that his analogies and descriptions are very Clarkson-esque
Just without the racism and workplace abuse, which is a nice bonus.
top gear i found rubbish, this is so much better
Honda CTX700D was a great SilverWing successor, especially with automatic dual-clutch transmission. I had one and sold it recently at 34K kilometers. Never had an issue, could do 500 km in a day without feeling tired, and averaged 3.2 - 3.4 liters per 100 km. That's 70 mpg. The bike shared the parts with NC range.
Ah yes I forgot about the CTX700! Was there a top box for it? ~RF9
I've got one, but I've often wanted to try a SW to see if I'm missing anything. And yes, you can get a top box for one.
As someone who’s been looking at the 80’s Silverwing. I am both estatic you’re covering it in the detail you do, and heartbroken that you’ll contribute to the prices to slowly rise now that people see ts 😭
You can do what I'm working on. Get a CX and try to add some aero and luggage capabilities to it. You can buy a poorly made cafe and re-work the rear end pretty cheaply.
Don't be silly. No one wants an 80's Honda Silver Wing bad enough to pay a lot of money for one. They'll stay way within your price range I'm sure...
I'm in the same boat. I've been looking for a good one to buy at the right price. Now the prices are going to increase dammit!
Your riding way beyond my dreams and stop to cover one I will problem not afford though not because its not a legendary ride. 🙌
I don’t think this video will be enough to drive them up. They will be cheap for the rest of time
4:42 That was a smooth commercial that didn't even feel like one. Even stepping on the doll and timing the squeak with the music was great. 8:43
Somehow the quality of the videos keep improving. Not by leaps, but steadily.
They are expanding the standard of a youtube review and merging with documentary, infographics and movies.
They are by now the reason i keep checking the channel to make sure i didn't miss a video
I had one,rode it everyday for a few years,to work and hollidays in wales,it never let me down and that huge fairing always kept me dry in bad weather. I loved every minute spent on this bike ❤
There is no place wetter than Wales riding in the winter ! I worked in Haverfordwest in 1970 and had a Bonneville that not only did not keep me dry but had Lucas electrics :) Thank God for Oiled Belstaff ...
This is an example of the old world of entertainment. Brilliant writing, pacing, and performance, because the guy who is making this content is ACTUALLY talented and puts the time/effort into the work that it deserves. Gold star. Wish other youtubers would follow his lead, only Papameat/Meatcanyon comes to mind.
Don't forget the amazing editing and art direction. Top notch.
One of the greatest tourer paired with one of the greatest production team on TH-cam in the form of Ryan and co.
_Ingenious combo._
Look at the right side of the video at 0:44, at the red container.
Until recently, I had a '79 CX500C. I loved that bike. 43 years old and it ran like brand new.
Agreed. I had a EuroSport, and they threw all the bells and whistles at it. Maybe because it was the last of the line. I miss that bike more than every other one I've owned. Really rare now.
I've got an 82 C in my shed. Bought in 84. Parked it after 2nd stator died.
how much?
I owned that exact same bike !! Bought it in '79 .... sold my CX500 Custom in '83 .... worst m/c decision I ever made
I had one in 1979 and did 100,000 miles in 7 years with no breakdowns. Saw it 10 years later still going strong. Great bike
My first bike was a CX500C, a close cousin to this GL500. Even now I miss it. Shouldn't have sold it but the young fellow who pulled it away on his trailer has probably given it a good home. Ryan is right though. Honda should make another small tourer and not just throw bags on an adv. I'd love an inexpensive, low maintenance, fuel injected traverse V twin with shaft drive. It was such an amazing combination to ride.
After I bought a Kawasaki Concours, I sold my 1982 CX500C. What was I thinking!
I have a CX650C. I want a silverwing to accompany it lol. I love my 650 so much. It's just so good.
The production of this video is exactly what the community at large desires. Way to go F9. Your continued dedication to quality, humor, and unique presentation is outstanding and honorable. 🙏🏻 My first bike was an ‘81 GL 500 silverwing, not quite as fancy as the one young Ryan is perched upon, but the stripped down, reddish/brown version. Odd for a bike tagged with “silverwing” to be brown imo…but such things were what we had in the wild and loose 80’s. It ended up being a fun, little, rural, hooligan machine. 😂
Top Gear quality at 10 min TH-cam style.👌
All Goldwings are not gold.
@@stacyhamilton2619 fair point. And I’m still just as shocked. 😂
The production quality of this channel never disappoints. By far the best motorcycle channel on YT
This and 44 teeth
It’s the best channel on TH-cam.
It did disappoint me this time. His microphone is peaking throughout this video. Very badly at some points.
@@pyro637 Shaddip
@@pyro637 honestly I thought that was them doing an 80’s “bit”. You’re right though, audio production was off for this one.
Hands down you’re are the best Host I’ve come across, not only on TH-cam, but any shows similar on TV! You absolutely should have your own show/series on every major network!
Why are old bike reviews so fascinating? More of these please
this guy just cannot stop coming out with QUALITY CONTENT. btw I loved the honda silverwing detail on the ship
the only motorcyle channel that actually puts in effort in cinematography. Loving it!
Totally blown by the fact that even the doll's noise was pitch perfect with the music 😮
Had a couple of friends who owned them back in the day. The bikes were competent, and although uninspiring by big tourer standards, they were enjoyable for day trips. When one considers that much lesser bikes have circled the globe, they suddenly appear to be a brilliant answer to an unasked question, back then. Now, there might be more customers who would be thrilled by such a bike.
I've heard that the gearing was too low, that cruising speed was a little too 'buzzy'. Can you or your friends confirm that? Cheers.
Baggers can't even keep up with me where I ride my ADV Silverwing.
@@perrycalabrese3475motorbikes tend to be more of a fashion accessory these days. Everyone was riding cafe races 5 years ago and now it's all adventures. The only sport bikes you see are overweight 50 year old posers on a bmw r1000 or duca panagale that never go over 2k rpm. Tourers seem to be slow sellers as well and I doubt that's just down to the $30 grand prices.
My buddy had a Silverwing, I had the cx custom 550 in the 80s. Fun machines at the time. Damn I'm getting old.
The Honda CB 500X and the Kawasaki Versy 650 are probably the most comparable bikes to the baby Wing made today. I had a 2014 CB 500F and toured just fine with soft saddlebags and a rack on the back. Just don't expect a rolling couch with surround sound and just about any midsize standard bike can make a decent tourer.
In April my wife was perusing ads on marketplace and found an 83 GL650 Interstate . I’ve gotten very attached to it. It may not be the fastest or the best handling but it feels great to ride. It’s a great looking bike as well. Thanks to Ryan for reminding people what great bikes these are
I had a GL 500 but it was underpowered if you wanted to take a pillion. I then bought a GL 650 and it was perfect.
I had the 650 also. Loved it.
A CX500 was my second bike and I put 1000s of miles on it. Then I got a Silverwing and put on many more 1000s. Such a magic 1 up tourer. Never a problem with either.
So, I was literally just thinking of the Silver Wing a few days ago, and it is like you plucked this straight from my brain! This is a bike I had been wanting for a while now because it is a smaller, inexpensive touring bike that I would love to tinker with and just ride. Thank you for all these great videos!!
Basic maintenance is easy (e.g. valve clearance). Good idea to have some SS protection tubing for when it gets dropped.
Mate, you can't go wrong with these old bikes for touring. I've just fixed up an old FJ1200 and toured it around France and Spain. It's a perfect touring bike that is surprisingly good in the twisty roads.
We own 6 in various conditions. Love the silver wing! I’m a 5 ft 4 in woman, and this bike is a joy to ride!
Awesome. I also choose to own the same 80s Honda's. Ride safe.Hello from new Zealand.
Craigslist prices just spiked 20%.
Everything about this video was so spectacularly done that I've come back to rewatch it more times than I care to admit. From the well done intro with the adapted version of Santa Catalina 26 miles song to the background on the water having Silverwing, it truly is a work of art.
When I was in college I had an ‘83 GL650 Silverwing, bought used from Johnson’s Honda in Ellensburg, WA. Clear, aftermarket windshield, and a cool little tail trunk that could be fitted in place of the rear seat. Great little bike and, yeah, I’d ride one today!
Loved the begging of the video, love Fortnine, love how Ryan presents, and now I’m obsessed for a silverwing.
Dito! Plus I need a new safety razor and new glasses.
Lol when that blow up doll hit that high note in the song it killed me! 8:20
Putting HONDA SILVERWING on the barge in the background was a classy touch. Love your content Fortnine, it's so well put together. I foresee a big future for you.
Came looking for this comment :-)
it's those little details that make this channel unique,I thought I was seeing things at first.
From Leo: I was a Honda salesman during those years. Honda did make the CX500 into a 650 in the last years. The 650 engine made a good improvement on bikes heavily loaded at highway speeds. Sadly, they never allowed the 650cc engine into the SilverWing version. They were too cramped for me because of my height, but the SilverWing was a well executed design.
1983 GL650 Silverwing Interstate
Owned a GL650 silverwing. They definitely made them.
I have one as well
The 1983 Silverwing had the 650 engine. It had more power, but also more heat and vibration
@@johnkuhn5814 No, actually it had less vibration because the bike was also geared higher, and generated no more heat than a 500.
The production value of this channel is absolutely bonkers you guys are killing it
I've been riding a CX500EC (a sport-tour version of the Silverwing) for half a year now and it's been an amazing bike. These deserve way more love than they already get!
I had all but forgotten the Silverwing. I'm happy that you resurrected yours. If it was in production now, Honda couldn't make them fast enough. It was far ahead of it's time as far as market niche. Great video.
I owned one of theses 1988-1997. I enjoyed about 55k miles on this machine, including an epic road trip from my home in Los Angeles all the to Milwaukee, where I proudly parked it in the Harley Davidson headquarters parking lot. My CA license plate, along with many dead bugs on the windscreen earned me some respect from the bikers assembled there. I took a tour of the engine factory there, which at the time was building Evo units.
The Honda was a true friend. It never left me stranded anywhere. Engine valve adjustments can be done in 10 minutes with 10, 12, and 17mm wrench and two feeler gauges. The only weak component on the whole machine was the rear airshock, which developed a leak. It was ridiculously expensive to replace from Honda, and was unique to the GL500. I believe WORKS Performance eventually offered a coil over replacement.
Performance was leisurely, with my top speed achieved being 89mph. Engine RPM were always high--this engine is a revver! That said, the engine was designed for a turbo application, and is therefore quite over built and stout for a mere 500cc in na configuration. Expect about 6000 rpm for highway cruising in today's freeway system. You will always be hunting for the 6th gear that is not there.
I replaced my SilverWng with Honda's subsequent midsizer, Pacific Coast 800. That bike had many similar qualities, but was substantially less comfortable on long trips.
Later, I purchased a 20017 CTX700 (I prefer midsizers) and modded heavily in an effort to replicate the comfort and utility of the SilverWing. That project was a failure. The comfort just wasn't there.
I love my Silverwing. Over 100000 km and still running strong with regular maintenance. As a beginner a while ago I wanted a small touring bike. The Silverwing was the only answer, because there is nothing else on the market nowadays. Mine is an ´82 in Silver as shown in the video.
I had an ‘83, it was a 650, burgundy, the trunk was mounted behind the passenger seat, had tape player and whip like antenna with a flag on it. Was a comfortable, fun bike and now my aged back wishes I still had it. Good memories!
This was my very first road bike. My father ended up giving it me because he upgraded to a Harley lol... By the time I have gotten the bike she already had 42000 miles on her.. The bike never gave up. She didnt have the power but it was always fun to do lawn burn outs with her lol.. This bike will always have a special spot in my heart. I wonder if that bike is still out there giving somebody the same joy it gave me🙂
So proud to be a motorcyclist with these high quality uploads... Some of the best on this platform..
I had one of these back in the 80's. My dad had the Goldwing. He picked up the Silverwing for me because it was dirt cheap. It was a good bike and was 100% Honda. Turn the key and go. I now own its "replacement" the Silverwing scooter and it is a great little bike. It has a great CVT and a smooth ride. Mine has seen trips fro Chicago to New Orleans on a few occasions without breaking a sweat. Even though it is a scooter, it is still a Silverwing at heart.
Hart to beat the Silver Wing sport touring scooter.
Yes I wish they would bring it back too
I just did a 6000 mile tour around the western US last month on a Honda Cb500x that I turned into a pretty capable tourer. (Larger windscreen, barkbuster handguards, heated grips, comfier seat, and saddlebags) now it’s probably the closest thing to a modern “silver wing” that you can get.
I too have a "touring" cb500x and with a hair over 40k miles on her, I find it hard to justify a larger/faster/heavier bike!
Let’s just say it prefers back roads and two lane highways. But I also did this trip fully loaded with camping gear and I’m 250lbs. A sub 200lb rider could probably cruise comfortably at 85 all day if they did a sprocket swap
That Silverwing sounds exactly like the type of bike I would gladly own. Small enough to be a commuter yet with enough cargo capacity to go to the Alps for a few days? That's not just a small tourer, that's a VW Golf on two wheels
However, I think that the small tourer class was replaced by maxi scooters long ago. Like the Suzuki Burgmann you've reviewed a while back. Honda has a few of those in their line-up today
My '09 Ninja 250 has the capacity to go camping for a few days, sadly because it's carbureted and has a small displacement, the Alps would be asking too much. But, you can pack a surprising amount on it.
Consider the NC750 with aftermarket luggage. Saddly, the engine lacksthe character of the CX500/650 used in the Sliverwings but they can be had for around $5000 used and if you get a DCT model, 90% of the advantages of a maxi scooter.
I think small tourers would still sell in the US. We have a thing against scooters over here, remember.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade I have known people ride over the Alps on a 125cc scooter, and 200 cc motorcycles, keep the weight down, take your time and its no problem, you will lose a little power at high altitude, but knock it down a gear and you will be ok
This bike has one heckuva loyal following. You can't imagine the fierce loyalty of the owners until you've experienced it from behind the parts counter 🙂 Pacific Coast was/is even more so. Ah... the days of manual chokes. 😛
I restored an '81 Silverwing for my very first bike and loved every minute I had it! Any weather, any road condition, any amount of gear I had, 50 lb bags of seed slung across the back on gravel roads, hundreds of miles a day on the interstates, my Silverwing never gave up no matter what I put it through. Amazing bike
Adblocker off and will watch multiple times
The quality of the videos on this channel never disappoints
That will generate 0.001 pennies for the channel. Don't bother supporting Google.
@@ii7317 a million views for the channel will generate over 5k for them
If you feel they don’t deserve that money for the work put in please keep blocking ads
But I’ll do the right thing thanks
@@ImDavidJames if you want to support them, buying something from their shop will be much more effective, but 🤷♂
My brother and I came across a CX650 Custom back in like 2003. I think the purchase price was $50 and a case of beer. It'd been in a garage for years, but a fresh battery and a quick once-over on the carbs had it running like new again. It was comfortable as hell, reasonably quick, and very fun. Despite the unexpected and expensive starter clutch repair, we both still miss that bike.
Rode an 83 for a decade, never had any problems. Loved being able to adjust the valves w/o pulling the gas tank. One of the more comfortable rides I've ever owned.
The ONLY channel that I watch each video at LEAST twice. Man, you are a legend.
As far as the Silverwing, they'd be crazy NOT to bring it back.
I owned one of these bikes. The V Twin setting sideways and the shaft drive gave a very smooth ride. The passenger seat could be removed and the backrest could be moved forward for better riding comfort. The hard side luggage could be easily removed and the upper trunk was large enough to store your helmet. The air suspension was controlled with a button, on my bike anyway, and was easily increased or decreased to match the road conditions. Hands down it was the best bike I've ever owned.
Those f9 reviews are better advertisement then anything the manufacturers could do. I bought my first bike, a xsr900 partly because of your video, which even came to the conclusion that the bikes would make sense and all I thought was :“hell year is want that!“
You do a awesome job.
Literally changing motorcycle history, and the future; one video at a time. ❤
My 22’ NC750x DCT with Shad top box and saddlebags has everything you talked about. It handles like a dream, gets 70mpg, can comfortably carry a passenger and was only $10k.
I do love your videos and want to see you planning board where you figure out what your next episode will be. You have to be completely spaced out to come up with some of the ideas you use.
Thats true. I looked at an NC 700 when I had a CB 500. I liked it because it had the factory bags and a fairing. The one thing I wasn't sure of though was they made it more of a cruiser riding position, and I was never a fan of that riding style.
Looking for a light bike that could go two up, with luggage for mild touring, abs and low seat height I came up with the NC750 from Honda and the 650 Adventura from CFMoto. Both have slightly higher seats than I'd like. If Honda wanted to capture this market either develop the NC750 or better yet make a 1000cc opposed 4 cylinder, lightly stressed and making 75 - 85hp (dust off and modernize the original Goldwing) . Keep it light and cheap.
Is that American MPG? I would have thought it would get more if not. My triumph t120 gets 70mpg
@@cgmoog > 1000cc 4 cylinder
> Boxer
> Cheap
Take this inline twin and you WILL like it.
@@ilikelampshades6 My 2016 Triumph T100 got 55mpg.
10 seconds into the video and I had to sign in to leave a thumbs-up. That ukulele intro is classic.
The day i got my M2, i jumped in a Silverwing and road 2 up from Niagara to Cape Bretton. Bike didn't miss a beat, rain or shine.
I moved up to GL1100's now, but I still get nostalgic about that Silverwing.
NEW FORTNINE! WHOOO! MY FAVOURITE SEVEN-FOOT TALL 14-YEAR-OLD CANADIAN RETURNS!
I grew up riding on 80’s Hondas with my grandfather. I still restore and ride them today. I had a GL500 for years up to a few years ago. It would do anything! Run interstate speed, comfy, would get 50+mpg no matter how you rode it. I was always amazed by how much attention it got. Then when you tell the Goldwing/harley folks it’s a 500. You mean 1500? No 500……. They were left speechless. For it’s day and even today it’s a very useful and capable machine. Bigger isn’t always better
Another killer video, Ryan! You are the motorcycle video king!
Student mate of mine had one. It looked heavy for its engine size and had oil leaking issues, but featurewise I believe a modern incarnation of such a one-seater touring bike indeed would become a classic hit: Keep the shaft drive, keep focus on tarmac driving (low centerpoint of gravity). This would also be a successor to the Honda Deauville. Wishes? Extend electrical supply for the modern extras, increased luggage capacity, and extended mileage. Perfect.
Ryan- there was an aftermarket kit which moved the top case farther back, and allowed room for the optional Honda pillion seat. I got my silver wing used, and came with a two piece seat and the top case. It was at least a year before I realized that configuration wasn't stock. It worked quite well. I ASSUME the stock silverwing allowed you to switch the top case with the pillion seat, and vice versa.
Your assumption about the seat is correct.
Same here. Bought one second hand with the aftermarket kit installed. First bike I ever purchased,
I had one back in the '90s, that had the aftermarket kit included. A great bike. Can't remember why I sold it, aside from the metallic brown paint... I guess I was fickle in my youth.
I owned a 1981 Silverwing base model, no fairing or bags....it was a great riding motorcycle, I wish I still had it, sold it to buy a 1984 Honda VF 700 C
Always gonna be the best motorcycle channel out there, and like 50% is just the incredible cinematography.
I’d totally buy this if Honda dusted it off and brought it back to life. I didn’t realize that ever existed. As always, amazing video….love the 80’s theme and the bags of coke in the luggage bag made me ROFL. Well done!
Nobody will buy it, at the moment the touring bikes are the adventure bikes.
These ones are the ones that you see travelling through countries and states.
@@fs5866 Funny how fads come and go. The adventure bike has the market now, its exemplar the BMW GS boxer has simply set the stage. While the adventure bikes are mostly very comfortable, they are also very tall, big and expensive. The GL500/GL650 is extremely comfortable, not too tall and not too heavy, though it is top heavy.
@@awuma Can't disagree with the whole premise of an adv bike, they do it all, certainly do not excel at any but they do it all, commuting, highway, bit of off-roading, can pack up luggage, can carry 2 people comfortably, they're plenty fast with loads of power, pack in the greatest tech of all the categories.
I mean, they certainly remove the need to have like 3 bikes for a different purpose.
Sure they are more expensive but once you buy one, it may as well be the only bike you will ever really need.
My dad had one of these when we lived in Ontario, we moved 3 times across the country since he originally left it parked in front of his friends house before the city had it towed. Took them 10 years to finally do it! Wish he never just let it stay there though.
I wanted to upgrade my bike to a small touring bike. I tried two Silverwings, and found out real quick, that once you are used to the smoothness of a four cylinder bike, you can’t go back to a two cylinder engine. I eventually bought a Goldwing, and loved the smoothness it provided.
I've been interested in a 4 cylinder engine/bike for a short bit now.
I started on a Rebel 250 (single piston), went to a Shadow 1100 (v-twin), and then back to a single piston bike (KLR650) and find myself just loving the single pistons more than a heavy V-twin.
Is there a light(er) weight 4 cylinder engine out there? Or is it only sport bikes and highway-couches??
@@MotoDash1100 Honda VFR800/1200 platforms, S1000XR, Tuono V4, Yamaha MT10, Kawasaki Z800, 900 and 1000 bikes. To name a few. It depends on the bike a lot. Good luck though :)
The GL1500 motorcycle is such a superb machine, with IMHO no equal for the low cost of ownership. With dedicated practice the big heavy bike (infinitely more comfortable on highway) can be ridden better than a novice can ride smaller machines.
Focus on skills, and don't rule out a bike because it's big or heavy
GL1500 was around 1400lbs with my wife and I combined with luggage for a 1500 mile trip. My 165lb and nearly 50 year old body was taxed only during some low speed riding, and the difference between passenger comfort on our GL 1500 gold wing, and that silver wing are huge beyond words.
Very few passengers would be able to take 1500 miles on the back of that Silverwing, and I would never consider interstate riding at high elevation on such an underpowered machine.
Without passenger and luggage, the big bike does not feel heavy at all to me, yes fully loaded it's a challenge to park, but can be mastered. There is no way around the huge lack of passenger comfort and equally huge lack of highway power of that Silverwing in comparison.
My first bike was a CX500c so... this hits close to home!
Same! And my buddy had a GL500, basically a naked SilverWing.
The writing is always so witty and humorous. Love it.
This was my 1st bike I bought used in 1989. Seeing this video makes me wish I kept it.
I hope that you kept it for a long time.
My first bike was a 1980 Honda CX500 Deluxe and it's still in my garage 20 years later. Love that thing.
Cx500 deluxe was my first bike as well. Like you, I loved it. Part of it was just because it was a bit of a stand out with the guzzi style v-twin.
@iowarider55 my second bike is a Guzzi V7 haha. Didn't stray far since I loved the style!
Most entertaining videos on TH-cam!
What a way to film, you can tell the amount of effort put into the videos
Honda Silverwing was my first motorcycle, got it in 1996 at the age of 18 for $650 in good condition.
The interchangeable backseat/trunk option was awesome, I’d love to see them bring that back.
I still have, and ride, my 82 GL500I. I fit an aftermarket swing hinge to the trunk - so now it can hover over the pinion rear seat as the driver's backrest or swing back to be the passenger backrest. I also have every electronic accessory for the GL fairing, including an altimeter, ambient temperature gauge, AM/FM/CB/Intercom and Aux/MP3. I have loved this motorcycle since 1982.
I believe it already exists: I ride a Yamaha Tracer 7GT. Basically a MT07 with slightly altered suspension and a windscreen, fairing, comfort seat and storage. It cost me new in 21 10.000 euro and I absolutely adore the bike. It filters easy through traffic, can be economical and is comfortable for a days ride. The only thing it lacks is cruise control
yeah, an option for cruise control on mid range bikes would be so helpful.
i have a kawasaki 650 Versys year 2021, bought it new for £9k, and i bought a plastic palm grip, so as you put weight on it it clamps around throttle, but when you let go of it the throttle moves with your hand, makes life a bit straight forward for motorway journeys. (its called a Oxford Cruise Throttle Grip Assist if anyone looking for one).
It looks like that bike is UK and Euro only. I can't find any place that sells it in the states 😢
@@BladeoftheImmortal2005correct. It's made at Yamaha's EU factory and is specific to that market. Similar to the up-spec'ed Tenere's only in EU/UK
@@kkattrap dang because I would have probably looked into it
@@BladeoftheImmortal2005 if you an find a Versys 650LT, I know a few bike reviewers who claim that's the slightly superior bike
There was a period in my life where this bike had so much allure for me! Loved seeing it appreciated by Ryan.
08:49 , i do that smile every time i crank my ST1100. Disruptive felling rules
I just love the efforts put into these videos of F9. Great job again and thanks for the entertainment =)
Love this video, Ryan and the team did a great job. I do think Honda's NT700V Deauville hit a lot of the same notes as this Silverwing, especially with the factory topbox. I would love to see Ryan do a video with one of those.
I owned a '98 Deauville. It was beaten up, scratched, colour faded, but i loved that bike. I commuted to work day in, day out in all weather and it was excellent. Not too daunting for me as a (relatiely) inexperienced rider, enough power to keep to legal speeds, comfortable, and the scoop windshield kept the rain off. I'd love to see RF9 give it some attention.
My bro rode almost 100 000km on a Deauville. Called it the second ugliest bike in the world and only got rid of it when insurance wrote it off for a fist sized hole in the front fairing. He moved on to a V-strom 650, which he's now sold to me as my first bike.
Luggage latches are made of cheese, but I agree. I did 20k or so on mine (with factory top box), with the only issue being a fuel pump. Have plenty of warning before finally giving up
@@christophercox9150 I owned one too, it came with the optional extra wide pannier lids, I modified the left hand side fairing pocket to take a car radio. I did own a GL1500 before hand so yes I turned this bike into a mini Wing basically.
The coolest laid back motorcycle channel of them all. Eclectic choices, humour, great technical understanding and a pinch of nostalgia. Great show.
Being a a shorter inseamed gent, I had a silver wing in the 90’s, after my 1980 GS 550. Took it often to my various boat jobs across the gulf states. It was comfortable and plenty roomy enough for hours and hours in the saddle.
Great video. Love the boats lined-up in the back that say Honda and Silverwing. I looked at a couple of these when I first got into bikes. Really wanted one but never successfully bought one. Their reliability is legendary. I did end up with a 1000cc Kawasaki Concours, though, and that thing is pretty rock-solid, too...
From Leo: The 1000cc Concours was a great bike. I had three of them. Toured 36 states, commuted, went on day trips, everything. 100,000 plus on the first one, 25,000 on the 2nd one until I hit a truck. 80,000 plus on the third one. Always plenty of power, good mileage, not too heavy for daily, casual use, not too light for touring with a passenger. Even a great national club; the Concours owners group. 100% reliable,
I have the standard version, many happy years worth of riding on it.
This was my first motorcycle. Absolute donkey of a bike. Slow as hell but made me fall in love with the sport.
At 500 or 650 cc, it didn't need to be all that fast. At the time the US had a national speed limit of 55 MPH. Didn't mean out in west Texas people didn't continue to drive 70, but law enforcement around most of the state was significantly higher than it is today.
I would like to see Fortnine's take on Honda's mini moto lineup. I picked up a Monkey last year after riding every type of motorcycle for years and couldn't see myself ever getting rid of it. Although I would like to add a larger bike one day to my stable again, in addition of course.
@@sys-administrator Haha, that's part of the charm I think with alot of the mini moto lineup. They sure have expanded it alot over the years but we're certainly limited on which models are available here in Canada.
Congratulations, the Monkey is looking very tempting
@@sys-administrator That does sound pretty rad. I would love to take a Dax for a ride sometime. I need to go through the first few gears pretty quick on my Monkey when going through town, but I am able to get it up to 120km/h on the flats in 5th.
@@GregLanz Thanks, I got lucky finding one second hand with only 17km on the odo after the previous owner decided to sell due to some health issues. Every dealer I called had them pre-sold.
Why do i always become obsessed with whatever motorcycle fortnine's latest video promoted 😅
I never thought a motorcycle could actually look this good. Im in love