ATTENTION Video to come preview: I wanted to add to this, as with all technical electronical type stuff there is a chance of failure of components which is understandable. I have had my oil light come on every time I have ridden the bike over the last two weeks. The experience has not detracted from my opinion of liking the motorcycle itself. However this experience has soiled how I feel about Honda with how they have handled it, I have brought it in twice with the oil light on and they have noted it was full on oil the first time, less than 250 miles later it was in again for the oil light issue again and the hill assist light is on. they are struggling to resolve it. Also the foot peg rubbers are wearing to the metal already and Honda says those are not under warranty. So I am not aware of Honda typically making a problematic product however I feel at this point IF you have a problem I wouldn’t expect Honda to stand behind you. I am making a video on it right now, hopefully it’ll be up in the next couple weeks.
Thank you! I have an updated few videos, ultimately the bike was declared a lemon and I no longer have it. I’m pretty sure mine was a one off, I hope you have a good experience.
The issue with the side door not opening is known by now. On some bikes, I think, the fit/finish of that door is not too perfect and they do jam. Max at Traxxion found a great solution. I did just that and it is a life saver. Drill a tiny hole below the upper tab on the door so the hole will face the gas door button. Plug the hole with a tiny rubber plug which can be made from anything. Keep a small nail or pin with your tool set. Any issues, that pin via the hole will open the fuel door, no problem. Other than that, I love my 2020 DCT Tour. Super machine. .
Thanks for the review. I ride a 2018 GW Tour DCT airbag and absolutely love it. Prior to it I rode a GW F6B and BMW K1200GT. The new bike combines everything I loved from my two previous motorcycles: electric windshield, front wishbone suspension, TPMS, heated seat and grips....but adds DCT which is fabulous. This bike will go further than my previous GW on it smaller tank and, believe it or not I like the idle-stop function. I've had the bike 6 weeks and rode 8000 km without any issues. Like you, I have a smile on my face as soon as I press the start button. Enough said, I am going for a ride.
Can you explain the "Idle stop function", first I heard of that, is it similar to our despised stop/start function on late model cars? Hoping by 2020 Honda works out some of the little issues & will buy one. Have several bikes, including a 97 GL1500 that's a dependable work horse.
@@alexsystems2001 Thanks for quick reply. Glad to hear it's not on US models. Have start/stop on my 2016 Malibu and manually override it each time start it, pain in the but. PS: really like the nice Black color of your Wing, my 97 Wing is Pearl Black. Their pretty when clean, but quick to show dust.
@@larryj8924 The feature is not on US bike but unlike GM cars it can be turned on or off by hitting the start button while the engine is running. The function works very well and all you hear is a click and the bike is in motion, unlike some cars where you can hear the starter engage and the engine turn over.
Ricky Chua thank you very very much. Being new on TH-cam it’s super hard to get in front of the camera and organize my thoughts I’m glad it was received well.
DH I like HD. My first road bike was Honda cb 750 in San Diego CA. I was 18 and was learning how to be a corpsmen. After 9 months I got orders for Portsmouth Va. being young and dumb I got on and made the trip in 12 days. A year later I sold it and got a Sportster three other people had owned and it had 2300 miles on it. Good engine but the fit and finish was bad plus I had to tighten everything every 50 miles. I have owned 3 gold wings and never had a problem. My biggest complaint about Harley is the noise
I appreciate the honest review. no pomp or flair, just an honest review. I with there were more like this. I recently saw a 28k 2019 goldwing go on sale for 19k thats one hell of a sale considering the dealership isnt going to lose money on anything. it shows just how much profit they make on these bikes.... I love the new model though!
Outstanding review. I'm gonna stay with my BMW K1600 GT. It all beeps, has alarm and easy to open cases and fill gas. WOW, u just never know what you get until sometimes you get it or watch a great review like yours. Thanks buddy! I'll wait another few years for the wing. I love the ride and power but everything else you showed I gonna stay with what I got.
Scotty thank you very much for the positive comment! Although the goldwing has been amazing, I took the BMW out a couple weeks ago, it really was nice to be on a sporty bike again and zip through traffic. It has put me on the fence if I want to switch back, but it’s not due to any fatal flaw in the goldwing, it’s just not entirely my style of riding-ish, thank you again for the comment!
@@alexsystems2001 You're very welcome and thank you for the video reviews! At least the GoldWing is going in the right direction. I would think after a while the weight would feel light but ride it as you said then jump back on the BMW, so much lighter. The Wing would be perfect if it was 600lbs with another 20-30 HP and ESA suspension. Maybe 2020 or 2022 they will get even better and I"ll demo one again. :)
Enjoyed this blurb a lot. My last bike was the same, a K1600GT which I loved. My only real issue with it was I have the inseam of a girl scout, so it was very tall for me and helped contribute to a couple drops that could have been avoided. Now, I'm without a left foot and the DCT is really the only way I see to get back in the saddle. The BMW was a great bike. My biggest problem besides the height was the seat left a lot to be desired, but that's an easy enough fix.
Here’s a “tip” “trick” or whatever you want to call it, there’s a quick start feature if you want to jump on the bike and take off in a hurry. Walk up to the bike and hold down the start button and the bike will start immediately without having to turn the ignition knob. You’re welcome 👍🏼. Great video by the way!!! Keep us updated.
That is one beautiful bike. I appreciate you taking the time to go over the pros and cons that you have found. Those are all legitimate gripes. For the gas tank/pump problem, I would simply carry some shop towels with you everywhere and place them over the plastic before you lift the pump. on either sides of the gas tank opening.
Thank you for your comment, it definitely was one beautiful bike. It was unfortunately lemoned and Honda has it back due to the low oil pressure light regularly coming on and staying on. I think others have had a good experience with it but in the end it didn’t work out for me.
Good job! No fluff. Very honest. Shortcomings are all legitimate and appreciated. I've had 4 so far. My next will be an informed buy. I've also had 4 BMW's and 4 Harley's. Chaio.
I just started shopping for my first Gold Wing and am amazed at how many left overs are in the marketplace. Mid February 2020 and I am finding dozens of left over '18s and '19s with over $6K knocked off of MSRP on the Tour DCT Models. Not interested in an Airbag. Great Videos on You Tube on the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly on the new Wing. For $20K I'm willing to roll the dice and pay extra for a more comfortable saddle. Thanks for the video and congrats on your patience with Honda. JP
Stephen J.P. Ingley thank you for the comment! They are a wonderful bike to ride, mine is a bit broken right now, but if you get a good one they are nice to ride, very smooth, very comfortable, very powerful. I think I’m not the only one with issues which is I think part of the reason these aren’t flying off the showroom floor. If you get one, please check in and let us know what you think!
Stephen J.P. Ingley I’m doing exactly the same thing, about to shop for an 18 for less than 19 before tax and fees. Will upgrade seat if needed. Pretty excited about the new model for way less than other baggers.
It’s 4 am in the morning and I’ve been looking at vids on touring bike and really liked your vids more the others. You did a comparison on why you changed to likes/dislikes in great order. Really informative towards my decision making.
Ed D. King thank you for the positive comment, I hope whatever decision you make works well for you and you get many miles of safe riding! I have a video about my oil light issue as well if you haven’t come across it. Still no resolution to this day, I’ve been riding my old BMW since.
Thanks for the review. Very informative. Greatly appreciate the time you took to explain the little annoyances on your "Rolls Royce" (& the dealers) which by the way is cool. Finding it difficult to believe that the Japanese aren't paying attention to details of such nature. Anyway have a great time riding your cool new GW. GB✌.
Thanks for the review. I sold a 2002 BMW R1150R to by a 2018 Honda Goldwing Standard, so I really appreciated the comparison. I wish you had said more about how the Honda rides.
Thank you. Unfortunately they didn’t hear them to begin with. I had to hire “representation” to convince them that I needed help. I no longer have the bike.
My local dealer refused to allow me to test ride a 2008 Vespa 300 scooter. I watched it sit there for three years before an associate bought it for his wife. The new DCT’s came out, same dealership refused me explaining the bike was sold. Funny there was no sold tag on it. I ended up buying a two seat Toyota 86 Roadster for $26,000 never having to wear any riding gear. A part of me misses riding, but, when its 109 my AC works wonders to change my mind. But, I miss the group Goldwing riding I used to participate in years ago. Good Video. I enjoyed your perspectives sir.
I thing Honda engineered that bike very well. for instance, gas procedure: 1) open side door, press gas release button, take gas cloth out( every rider should have one) 2) unscrew gas cap, place gas cap in side door where the gas rag was (there is a perfect well for it) place fuel pump in tank with Gas rag under it protecting your paint. 3)when finished, take out fuel pump using gas rag to catch any drops of fuel from pump. put gas rag back in side compartment grabbing gas cap and putting it back on the tank, shut both doors and your done.
Tonto Gonzales thank you for the comment! I’ve never had a gas rag, my BMW you fill it just like a car, literally, you stick the pump nozzle in, lock it, it clicks when done, you don’t have to fiddle with the cap, no deep well, no mess. I think the goldwing is designed like most bikes but I based my observations on what I came from the best I could.
@@alexsystems2001- the gas rag is to catch those pesky droplets of gas when putting pump nozzle in and out of tank. also handy to lay down to protect paint from gas nozzle.
I have a 2018 Indian Chief Limited. Nice bike, but it feels like there’s a heater on the seat! I’m one with air cooled bikes and thinking of a Goldwing. So, it’s nice to hear from a owner instead of a dealer!! So please post updates on your bike experience. Thanks
Hello there About the video I totally agree with you on the complicated tanking procedure with the two leads to open and one more to screw off. We have already forgotten the screw one on a petroleum station. About your wishes to take the side cases away in to the hotel or what ever place you are staying we think it’s much more convenient just to take the inner case in fabric. And finally not being able to look the upper tank storing case must be a big mistake from Honda, but who knows this mistake if you are not a Honda Goldwing owner. Looking forward to more information from you.
Great video, very informative! I just bought a 2019 GW Tour 4 days ago. Had 12 miles on it so I'm taking it real easy breakin it in. I completely understand your comments and I thought some of the same things as you mentioned in this video. But, there isn't a biker on the planet that's satisfied with their bike, new or not. They will find some way to fix the little problems they don't like. And they will customize their bike to their liking. Adapt, improvise, overcome! - Gunny Highway USMC You really should get yourself down to the Southern Oregon coast. Great rides along 101 all the way to the Redwoods in Cali! Keep it safe man!
Awesome review! The things that you pointed out are obviously some things that anyone buying the goldwing would be annoyed about. Very informative and unbiased review. you just got a new subscriber. keep up the good work. 🙏🙏
Rajesh Khairajani thank you very much for the positive comment. I am getting a new video going about my first unexpected service experience that has so far kept my bike out of service for 6 days.
Good review. I’m not shopping for a GW however, I do like a good, honest, consumer review. My last 7 have been 3 BMWS then 3 HD baggers, and 1 Indian. I still have a 2012 CVO Ultra & the 2016 Indian. I’m getting rid of one of those & buying a K1600B very soon. I do like the GWs of a couple years back & nearly bought one. I rode it at a Honda Hoot a few years back and found out as you did that the local dealers were pissy about a test ride. So, I bought a new CVO Ultra then went by that same dealer to rub it in. Again, nice job.
Murf Rirhke thank you very much for the comment and the positive feedback. It was very hard to break away from BMW, their dealer system is amazing, and their bikes are a lot of fun, I went through my service records of my BMW and found with the miles I’ve put on it I spent over $10,000 in repairs to it, so I wanted to give Honda a try. I definitely think for spirited, enthusiastic and soulful motorcycles and motorcycling that Honda doesn’t tick those boxes but BMW definitely did and Harley has the soul and the following.
@@alexsystems2001 Same experience here ! I own a 2015 r1200RT, a wonderful bike. I plan to buy a '21 Wing DCT Airbag model. The BMW has been expensive ! 2 tires, oil changes, air filter change, and 12K tuneup has run me about 2 grand thus far. While I now do oil changes myself (bike is out of warranty), labor cost from my Ohio dealer is very costly. BMW's are fine bikes. My boxer, however, does not compare to the 6 cyl Wing in terms of smoothness...not even close ! What I will NOT miss by going back to Honda (I rode an '81 Wing for 12 years) is the dreaded BMW gearbox "clunk". DCT will take care of that ! Nor will I miss the handlebar buzz at highway speeds. Thanks for great video !
@@geraldfrieberg7921 thank you for the comment! I hope whatever you decide on works out well. Unfortunately my goldwing is back in the hands on Honda as a lemon and I’m back on my R1150RT-P. The GoldWing is a fine bike and I hope for 2021 they worked out some of the kinks. I had an issue with the oil light coming on and not going out, that was the issue that lemoned it. However before 3,000 miles the rubbers on the foot pegs wore through, the plastic over the instrument cluster started to be come hazy, the hill start assist and ABS lights would come on regularly, the side cases wouldn’t open if the doors were a little preloaded with clothes inside, the door you have to open to unlatch the fuel door frequently would take a lot of finagling to open, it became a problematic bike pretty quickly. Problematic isn’t too bad if they can fix it but even the worn out rubber on the foot pegs at 3,000 miles at first the dealer was going to charge me, the oil light they never fixed when when I brought it in with the light illuminated, the other lights were too intermittent for them to fix, the hazed dash glass was never fixed. My feelings, although the BMW is expensive to keep on the road, I found when it did/does break the technicians usually know how to fix it. As for the BMW maintenance I got the tools to do a valve adjustment and throttle body sync on mine and someone created a manual to flush the complicate ABS pump unit so that saved me a ton of money. I posted a video of the issues with the goldwing on the channel. I hope whatever decision you make works out well. Thank you again for the comment!
Great bikes these Gold Wings, any of them. I have had a GL1200 and GL1500. Now waiting on a 20 DCT airbag Tour model. All the journalism addressed the changes for the 20 model. Center storage door was one of them. Also refining/ smoothing out the shift points of the DCT transmission, passenger grab rails were raised to create a better grip and navigation and system firmware updates. As always Honda creates a great product with a track record of reliability and performance. Naysayers are everywhere and will complain about just about anything. Some haven’t even tried a product. There loss, those type people miss out on great things in life. Congrats on a great bike. Life’s short, just buy the bike.
Road Glide thank you for the awesome comment! I hope my issues are isolated that I’ve had with my oil light continuously coming on and the dealer not fixing it after numerous trips in. I do hope you enjoy your new bike when you get it, check in and let us know what you think.
Nice review. The GW is no question, a solid machine and Honda is by far a very good bike maker for years. All those silly minor issues could effect the purchase of the bike. It's a shame that Honda could not sit a bit more tighter before realising the bike. My main concern was the lack of storage space and above that, it may found some readers strange, the look of the bike all around same as a typical car that turned me off. Riding the bike got me excited on the first 20 mins or so and then I lost the vitamin. I got board !!!!! Too car like riding. That is why I got hooked like no other bike ever to buy a new BMW K1600 Grand America. By far, the best bike I ever had. This bike got me so sick to ride when ever I can. Before you buy any bike, please ride them all. Your body and mind will guide you right. Do not be shy and ride a long test rides, hwy and city a like. Happy riding.
BTW...I sold my K1600 Grand America. Sadly, I had too many electrical issues. Got tired going to the dealer so many times. The only one that was really close to mine was the GW Tour. I took it for a ride at few dealers and came to conclusion that the GW will do me good. I have great experience with Honda in the past.
I'm in the same predicament as you were. Looking to upgrade from my '07 VTX 1300R. Although I was able to test drive with no issues so I guess I should be happy that I didn't have to deal with that part of it like you did. I really enjoyed your review, there are a few things that I myself didn't like, as you pointed out in your video. I appreciate your review and think you were very honest and clear. Keep up the great work.
Heres a "tip" there are keychains you can buy that link to your smartphone and you can set up alerts to go off if you walk away from them! They sell them at Walmart and Amazon has some there are tons of different kinds like "tagged" but you have to read the features some are just "find my key" helper sorry i dont have a specific brand or link Your point of there being no beeping or nothing letting you know the bike is locked up is a very good point this bike is not cheap and is supposed to be top of the line.
Good honest review. You convinced me to hold onto my 2005 ST1300 for now until Honda address all those little negatives you pointed out. Honda likely had a former Harley designer involved to screw things up as much as they did. As for getting a test ride up here in Canada, I've experienced the same attitude as you had from Honda. They say there are test ride events but they are usually for one day in different cities, they don't even have info on when or where they are you got to look it up on the internet. To add to that I recently found out that they won't service my bike because it's too old.
Sam Ross thank you for the comment. I’m sorry that you haven’t had the best of luck with Honda either. That’s something I’ve found with BMW no matter the age I haven’t found a dealer that turns me away I have a 1998 R1200C and the couple times I’ve needed to bring it in they don’t scoff at it at all. I’ve been riding my old police bike since November because I don’t want to be left stranded on this goldwing, the dealer and Honda corporate can’t figure out an oil light issue. i have a video about the oil light issue. Honda had my bike for a month and gave it back with no resolution.
I've had my new goldwing six weeks now and over 4000 miles with no problems, I love it. I have 2 Honda dealers in my area and road the new goldwing at both of them with no problems. One dealer asked for my license and turned me loose and asked me to be back by closing time, the other dealer just said be back by closing time without asking for any identification. The dealer you went to is not the norm, they are not required to take a credit application for test ride. I spoke to my local dealer and they were shocked to hear that they had asked for that information.
Tommy Bernard yes I was shocked too when I was looking around, but it shows in their inventory, the closest dealer to me when I was looking had 2 brand new 2016 Honda GoldWings still in the showroom they wouldn’t let anyone ride either those are now 3 years old. So people go elsewhere. The part that shocked me is even the ‘demo’ dealers on Honda’s website all told me no test rides except Huntington Beach Honda who as I said wanted a credit app, then emailing Honda about this concern, I got absolutely NO response at all whatsoever.
Bmwryder Dealerships do that because they don’t want to take the risk with any potential insurance claims. The $2,000 security deposit is their insurance claim deductible.
Wow, your review was much better then I expected! I used to have a honda St1300 and loved it, but it didn't have cruise control or music so I bought a 2013 Goldwing, and love it. In 2018, they wouldn't let test drive the GW and I had the same experience you did, so I purchased a 2018 BMW K1300 GTL and kept my 2013 Goldwing. It seems my 2013 is more comfortable and has more room, which I like. I am glad I didn't buy the Gen 3 Goldwing.
Jeff Bailey thank you for the positive feedback! It’s amazing what a test ride will do, it sells a product. Hopefully Honda learns that at some point in time. How are you liking the BMW so far? It’s a great bike.
@@alexsystems2001 it is a good bike and more fun the my 2013 goldwing but for driving to work, going on trips, the goldwing is better for me. No buyers remorse on the goldwing, the k1300 gtl seems more like a toy and there are times I question the decision as the bikes are so much a like in what they do, but they feel so different. My wife likes the goldwing more too. The things I love about the BMW - adjustable windshield, Love the LED lighting, the attractive looks,different on the fly fuel maps which gives the bike different feel for each setting; better layout with a thumb wheel to contol music and contols, knowledgable staff who worked at bmw for years when i take the bike in for service. The suspension on the bmw is much better too. The new GW I hear has some suspension issues which concerned me regarding the front end, especially for heavy riders.
Jeff Bailey that’s pretty cool you get the best of both worlds! I think, BMW even my old BMW is an amazing experience to ride, very sporty. It sounds like your BMW lives up to that experience. Also side note on the suspension, I haven’t had any real gripes about it either way and I’m 6’2 nearly 300lbs, I firm it up a little in the menu if I’m going to be riding twisty roads, I am after all nearly a rider and part of a passenger. 🤣
Greetings, like you l had one Honda dealership flat out refuse me to test ride their 2018 Goldwing Tour DCT model. The dealership that allowed me a test ride, required a $2000.00 credit card deposit! Refunded, when you returned the bike with no damage. I enjoyed the demo ride, one of the smoothest motorcycles l have ever ridden. But did not purchase, as the dealership really tried to belittle and demean my trade in. A 2016 Harley Davidson standard model, in like new condition with just a little over 7000 kilometres. Safe Travels.
Have not ridden the new Goldwing, but it is smaller than the old one on which I felt cramped at 6'-2". If you're tall, try the Harley Road Glide, very relaxed ergos for a tall rider, I love mine. And the new M8 motor is a big improvement over the twin cam in my opinion.
Just wanted to say I watched Max at Traction Dynamics and saw where he had the fix for the gas lid so they sent me a black plug, started out with a 3/8 bit and finished with a 1/2 inch bit and problem solved. I just now installed it so I tried it out and if you get in that situation where the door will not open it will now with the fix he came up with. Looks factory ! Hope this helps you , it works perfectly.
I bought a used 1988 Honda Magna, rode it for 6 years and 74k. I put oil, gas, tires, and plugs and never an issue while i owned that bike. I smiled too. Love Honda. Great video.
It would be nice if you could include some basic specs but man did you do a great job with the review of the day-to-day living with the bike! You have an excellent bike there and I am sure you won’t regret your purchase decision! Honda reliability with that package is mind blowing. That engine will last forever and most people will likely sell their bikes due to their lack of interest in riding or their concerns over safety when it comes to riding motorcycles. I have been riding a 2011 Triumph Tiger 800XC (past 3 yrs) and have done a ton of upgrades to the bike just to make it work for daily commutes and such. This thing comes with everything and extra (Apple car play, speakers, etc). Plus you probably don’t need to do a valve check every 14k mikes on the thing. Your video convinced me that this will be my next bike. I think it’s a better buy than the BMW 1200 GS Adventure that I was initially considering.
Thank you very much for the comment. I was thinking of including basic specs, but I was feeling like 20 minutes was pushing the average TH-cam viewers limit as it is since most specs other people cover 😅. I’m loving it so far though, there are little things but most bikes have little things that are funky. How is your Triumph with the exception of adding some things? As for services, I will find out at about 5,000 miles what is needed there and give a service update. Again thank you for the comment! Update us here if you end up getting a new goldwing and tell us what you think.
Good review, well thought out and good info. I bought a 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Classic brand new in 2016 and LOVE it, but started looking at the new Goldwings after seeing a bunch of really positive reviews about them. The Honda dealership I went to so I could look at and possibly test ride a Goldwing treated me like they weren't interested in the slightest in selling me anything. Credit check and deposit to test ride a $20k plus bike when I arrive on a just under $30k Harley??? And I actually handed over my credit card before changing my mind about the whole thing. I can't see doing business with ANY company (or individual) that treats potential clients this shoddily. I can only imagine what their after sale service would be like. Go to virtually ANY Harley dealership and they are more than happy to let you test ride ANY motorcycle on the property, no issues or delays. And service after the sale at EVERY Harley dealership I've ever been to is always first rate. Yeah, they're expensive. But you get the service level you'd expect at that price point. Guess Honda didn't want to sell me their premium bike. They succeeded.
Terrence Lucas thank you for the positive feedback I appreciate it! I agree 100% if I couldn’t do the test ride at the dealer that I went to there is no way I would have signed papers on this expensive of a bike. I don’t know how some people do it. It will be interesting to see the follow up service visits and stuff. I’m sure Harley is a lot like BMW they really take care of you in the service department too, I don’t think Honda will come close, but we’ll see. Again thank you for the comment and information.
That was a great review! One of the reasons I didn’t buy the Goldwing is exactly what you said... no test rides. No way, no how am I spend $20k+ on a bike I can’t even test ride. Subscribed!
DannoDog thank you for the subscribe, the comment and watching! I’m finding out that seems to put off quite a few people and I emailed Honda corporate trying to find a dealer I could test ride one at and Honda’s response was basically that the dealers are privately owned so they can do what they want. Which is unfortunate, it hurts their brand. I feel it’s a bad way of doing business. It’ll be interesting as time goes on and services and warranty stuff arises and see if they care at all on that stuff.
Now that is kind of messed up call so when I bought mine gold wing trike with no questions or nothing they let me ride it I told him on the road before and haven’t rode one before but they said that I had my motorcycle ass is already say what they were all here let me drive it that was cool and the fan that automatically let me want to buy that because I knew what I was sitting on and how nice it felt keep me drive going straight regardless and then a 2013 that I got it’s awesome I want as far as dress it up with some LED lights sound nice and proud I was of it ever since then I’ve been proud of mine even more so after I put the lights on it just imagine you got the engine light up with LEDs runningboards on Neath on the ground lit up your rims later it don’t get no beautiful than that I think Honda for let me buy this because I don’t rest up and get it looking real nice if it was Christmas time or anytime and that you see that yeah we think Santa Claus is covered they dress Wheel real well😀👉🏼👌
kesha padilla thank you, I have other videos of my update on the bike, I no longer have it, the bike is back with Honda due to some issues I was experiencing.
I don't think I would like such a recessed fuel port, probably blocking any view of the fuel as it reaches the fill line. Can anyone tell me if either side case will hold one full size helmet?
Thank you for the comment! As for your question, neither side case held my full face Shoei RF-1100 helmet, I could kind of squash it into the rear trunk but it preloaded the trunk lid making it difficult to release open. The RF-1100 is a bit of a larger helmet though and mine is a 2XL. So you may have different results with a smaller helmet.
I’ve ridden an R1100RT police and they are comfy but I really don’t like their rear drive compared the the Honda St1300 or GW. BMW shops will lie to you to keep from having to do the annual maintenance. They put me off enough times that my rear drive in a K75RT, a bike I loved, failed and would require more than I paid for the bike to fix. I put 100K, 180K on ST1300s just changing fluids when I changed the rear tire. A world of difference. Now, at 73 I have a 2015 GW that needs nothing. I’d love a newer GW but at my age and riding habits I probably have my last bike. I can see myself riding this bike thru 300K. Honda knows how to build a bike for American riders
Kim Horton thank you! I agree mostly, the BMW is very expensive to keep on the road, and the dealer network can sometimes miss the mark. It sounds like you have a gem of a goldwing! Mine has been broken since November, I’ve been riding my BMW since then, my goldwings oil light comes on while riding, the last time I had it out once it warmed up it started tapping as well, so I don’t want to be put into a dangerous situation. Honda more so has been ignoring the issues and just pushed to keep riding it until it fails. Again thank you for the comment, I’m glad your Wing is treating you well and giving you much riding pleasure. And 73! Good on you! Keep riding as long as you can, it keeps you young. I hope you have many many more safe miles.
Dale VD thank you for the comment! It’s a wonderful bike to ride and I think quite a good looking bike too, it seems there are a few minor shortcomings though.
That fuel cap portion was pretty interesting. I have a Victory Vision and other than having to turn the handlebars and turn the key left to unlatch the door, it's not too bad once you know how to do it. There is a shelf they built into it to hold the fuel cap securely while fueling. I love the new GWs and may migrate over some day, however, after watching your clip from the gas station, I would be tempted to remove the gas cap compartment latch and replace it with a velcro tab to hold it down. That would eliminate the side panel step.
Thank you for the comment, I’m am not sure what an integral helmet is, but one helmet was difficult enough to fit in the top case so I doubt 2 would fit unless maybe they were open face helmets maybe but I’m still not sure. As for an aftermarket top case, I think the rear top case has the speakers and stuff build into it, you can’t remove it unless you dismantle a lot of parts. I don’t have the bike anymore though, it was lemoned out. If you go to the dealer they might show you the helmet lock next to the seat, but that is a horrible thing when the weather isn’t too good if it’s raining and you have to lock your helmet on the bike it’s gonna get all wet. It is nicer to be able to put them in the cases. I would recommend you bring both helmets with you to the dealer to see if they fit. Also the luggage was pretty small in general the one trip I went on with it I didn’t have much room between all 3 cases.
I would very much like to know about the cost of ownership. maintenance, tire wear, all of it. I already don't like the seat of the 2019. it too hard. The earlier model like the 2014 was much more comfy.
ydeardorff thank you for the comment I wish I could give that to you but I didn’t have the bike long enough to experience any of that. The bike is back with Honda. I only got less than 4,000 miles on it and I had too many issues with it. Thank you though.
From the sound of it all, you might be happier with the previous generation of GW. Some things were better...storage, gas cap, locking mechanisms, remote trunk opening or use a key. Even the sound system was better. But the new one has better nav. and is fun, lighter and more fuel efficient. I loved my 2015, and like my 2018. Would I go back? I just don't know.
Thank you for the comment, I was definitely thinking about it, but so far I love the goldwing. 🤔 there are still tons on brand new 2016’s sitting in showrooms. BUT none of the ones I found had ABS, navigation and XM, for example the dealer nearest me has 2 2016’s in stock brand new, but doesn’t have any of those features. Going from BMW where ABS has been on the bikes since the 1980’s I wouldn’t buy a new bike without ABS. More so this video was to help show people a little more in depth what they might expect before the buy one.
i wish these videos would say how tall they were and show where their feet touched. and also talk about buffeting. those are my main issues with bikes.
buzz Cutt thank you for the comment! I am 6’2” and I am flat footed on the ground. Buffeting, like how do you get beat up by the wind? I think the windshield is great for me coming off of my old BMW but the fairing leaves a little to be desired around the top of the motor. I would get wet on my shins in a bit of rain which didn’t happen on my BMW, I would get rocks smacking my shins when there was road debris, they would be cold when it’s cold. But overall the wind wasn’t too bad with the windshield up for me.
Good video. I have a 2014 Valkyrie. I used to have a 1987 BMW K 100 RT. Each bike has its idiosyncrasies. I have been satisfied with both. The gas cap access is a pain in the butt, though, something that is low tech, but defies improvement. I pry the lid up with the key, carefully, remove it, then insert and turn the key down below while I hold the cap edgewise. I am waiting for when I break the cramped lid off with the gas nozzle. I'm too lazy, so far, to adapt some tab or something else to help out. Eventually, I shall.
TheBasenjidog thank you for the positive comment! I agree every bike has its idiosyncrasies but there seems to be something to really like about every bike too! A Valkyrie! Wowee, those are beautiful bikes.
Great video Thank You. A couple of things, I have never closed my panniers and not checked that they are closed I hate stuffing around with multi keys like on my Buell Ulysses. May I say my GL1500 had it great with one key that would lock and unlock, then you operated the latches. I do worry what happen if those electric fails? Can we open them another way, can we ride the Bike with a Bypass? Newer bikes out here in the Bush have NO back up by Dealerships. Just a ute ride for 1200 ks. Motel while its repaired. Hence Bike sales down. Maybe the mirrors folding in would be for Parked Storage and not for moving around on? But yes I see your point. I think if I was selling my GL1500 and buying new Id take a good look at the BMW 6 cylinder and compare with the new Wing? For me the Dct (yes extra $$) and comfort would win me over. I enjoyed your review totally and mean no offence just replying.
Anthony C. Roberson thank you for the comment. yeah it’s a little disappointing, but overall, I don’t think I’ve ever had the ‘perfect’ vehicle. Heck my 2017 Lexus LS 460, a company that touts ‘pursuit of perfection’ as their slogan, the headliner is lumpy, the trunk lid doesn’t stay open, the infotainment system quits working intermittently etc etc but, what do I get with my alternatives? 😋
All though my sportster is put oil in and go it idles weird when cold from time to time but for some reason turning it off and then firing it back up it goes away.
The gas filling problem you mentioned is not as bad as the 2012 goldwing I owned. The gas cover had to opened with a key which was a real pain plus the second time I went to unlock it I dropped my key onto it and chipped the paint. Every bike manufacturer does somethings that don't make sense. I will say that one thing you didn't mention about the bike is its powerful motor and the its water cooled and has a history of going for many miles. The guy I ride with sold his 2017 Harley road glide and purchased another BMW which has things he didn't like. Get over it and ride on.
Would be willing to describe what the issues were? I'd like to know for my decision making. I like the 2014 model, but like the looks of the new model better....
ydeardorff my specific issue was I had the oil light keep coming on. At first I was told by the dealer over the phone I didn’t know how to check my oil, but I brought it in and they confirmed it was full of oil. So I believe the order was they kept the bike for a while, gave it back “fixed” the next morning the oil light was back on, then they kept it again for a while and gave it back “fixed” and the next day the oil light was back on, the last and final time corporate came out to look at it with their district service and parts tech, and it was “fixed” and the oil light came back on again. So after so many attempts they have the bike now. I did a video detailing a portion of the issues I had with it. th-cam.com/video/AhbR8PPpAUg/w-d-xo.html Honestly, I feel it’s a dream to ride, some people complain about the tech but I think the newer BMW’s have super outdated tech, I applaud Honda to giving the bike modern stuff, it was risky but it definitely was nice for the time that I had it, the computer controlled suspension worked well, I didn’t have any of the suspension issues people complained about, the only real couple of odd things were the luggage situation and the way to fill the fuel. I would MAYBE consider getting another one in a couple more years to give them time to work out any potential bugs and get more user feedback.
I have a little over 20K miles on my 2018 Goldwing tour. I am finding most of the negative comment and quirks I see on youtube in regards to the new wing make over are not warranted. I had a K1600GTL for a year and put 10K on the BMW. Loved it even though it had quirks. I have owned almost every generation Goldwing except the first one. They were all great bikes for what they were made for (miles of pleasure). I have yet to experience anything negative which has been mentioned on any review.
A Hetzel thank you for the comment. I feel a lot of the professional reviewers mainly highlighted the negatives. Which I didn’t like, I felt it didn’t represent the whole bike. Which is why I was honest in my experience good or bad, even showing the fuel filler flap trouble at the gas station, but made sure to highlight the positives of the bike too. With all that said, I took my own feelings and made a video myself. I am being 100% honest, I know I would love to see more super positive and happy goldwing owners videos. I would click your subscribe button and thumbs up your video if you made one. The more real owner experiences the better more informed decisions consumers can make, and that makes TH-cam a valuable tool. Again thank you for your comment!
I have a 2012 Harley Electra glide with 67K on it. I am about to buy another bike. I am REALLY torn between another HD or a GW. Truly torn. The GW is more powerful and has a lot more features for the price but man the HD has that look to it!!!> This video DID NOT HELP ME DECIDE!!! :) (heck I am evening thinking BMW now). Like the review. The rear speakers was an issue on the HD. I had to upgrade those.
angelo iezzi That is quite the tough spot you are in. I don’t think there is really a ‘bad’ choice of motorcycle and I know what it’s like to have to make a decision to change brands. I had a ton of hesitation and doubt. Something that was comforting though, I know if I got the BMW they tend to take a bit of a hit on resale so I got a Honda figuring worst case scenario I could trade it in or resell it and not take quite the hit. BUT so far really love the goldwing though aside from a couple quirks, which you’ll find with any bike. If you think about it, please follow up, let us know what you chose and why. Thank you for the positive comment!
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited and even had Fuel Moto do a build on it. HD IS a culture and we both know that....I did demo a tour DCT and it is leaps and bounds a better ride than an HD...I have also taken the K1600GTL out and the same hands down over an HD..It is a shame that most HD riders wouldn't pay the same and have a much more exhilarating ride and just want that cool factor....TONS of folks switching their HD for a Wing :)
I to have a harley-davidson and was getting ready to buy a new touring bike. I test rode both of the limited harley models and the new goldwing dct . I rode each bike nearly 120 miles, same route with curves and straightaways. I added the positive and negative side to see which bike would be best for me. The goldwing won hands down. I have road my new goldwing over 4000 miles in 6 weeks with no problems and love it more and more every day. I still have my harley and ride it but not as much. I believe if you test ride the new goldwing you will love it.
angelo iezzi I’ve owned a 2012 H-D Ultra Classic Electra Glide CVO and a 2016 Road Glide Ultra CVO. I now own a 2018 GW Tour DCT and hands down the GW blows H-D out of the water for comfort. The audio is somewhat lacking, but can be improved which I did. Like all motorcycles, the seat lacks true comfort, but the aftermarket is catching up now, as there are a few options out there and more and more aftermarket parts and accessories are coming out every week now. I can honestly say, I don’t enjoy riding my H-D CVO anymore. My legs don’t get hot from the exhaust, the suspension is so much smoother, the infotainment system is amazing if you have a good Bluetooth communication device. I have the Cardo PackTalk and paired up with an Apple iPhone, I have Apple CarPlay available to use. I don’t miss the loud exhaust of my H-D, and now realizing it was actually fatiguing me much faster, I enjoy the much quieter GW. I can actually hear my music while riding without it being necessary for the system to be so loud that people 2-3 blocks away could listen to my choice of music. The only reason I still have my 2016 Road Glide Ultra CVO is because I’m upside down on the value vs what I owe. So my CVO is my backup bike.
Excellent vid. Also bought the new GL1800, but went for the DCT (really sweet, but we'll see how it works after 50k miles). You didn't mention the double wishbone front end, something that works great for me. A tip: the gas flap has a lip on the underside that will hold the unscrewed gas cap while you're filling. My experience with the dealer was different than yours. Salesman saw me lurking around the Wing, handed me the fob and told me to bring it back "sometime today". My gripes with this bike are the firm seat (my Harley Road King is more comfortable) and a ludicrous helmet lock system. I love the engine, the aerodynamics, the adjustable wind screen, and the DCT transmission. Please keep posting, I want to see how this bike grows on you.
gnrands50 thank you for the comment. Congratulations on your new goldwing! Check back in here someday and let everyone know how it’s doing for you as well. Also, I absolutely agree with you on the helmet lock system, I’ve tried to lock 2 helmets to mine and it’s nearly useless, my XXL shoei fits in the trunk though, I have to pull off the Bluetooth dealie to make it fit best, but it does fit. As for the seat, I got a little bit uncomfortable on a recent 350 mile ride. I might look into a different seat someday. On my BMW I got a Sargent seat for it and it made a big difference on the longer rides, it’s a bit more wide a flat so there are less pressure points. I saw that little ledge too for the gas cap but with the skirt for emissions on our fuel nozzles here in California it rests on the flap a bit and gets in the way a to rest the fuel cap there without knocking it off. That’s good to know too that there are some dealers doing this bike some justice. Since it was hard for me to find a dealer willing to offer a demo ride, I pretty much only had articles and TH-cam videos to go by and there are people complaining about everything. I think if more people got to ride one very little of that would actually be a problem. As for the suspension, that’s my bad, I came from a BMW with very similar suspension, so the bike is smooth, comfortable and handles nicely for the size of bike with minimal dive to the front end when stopping, I didn’t experience the old suspension so for now I’m pretty neutral on it. The suspension on mine looks just like anyone else’s, near the little bump stop, but my 320lb butt doesn’t seem to bother the suspension much.
A test ride will sell a bike if it's any good and if a dealer won't allow test rides, either the bike sucks or they are too risk averse. A test ride is what sold me on BMW. I had been riding a 1600 Nomad and sold it in anticipation of getting something else in 2010. I test rode a Voyager and the Kawasaki dealer wanted me to only do a very short ride. I went a little farther. Didn't really like the Voyager. Heavier than the Nomad, vibrated more, not really any quicker and was more cramped. Next up Ultra. I had to follow the salesman on a 4 miles ride. It was ok, good low speed handling, but nothing stood out. Next up was a Vision. Was better than the Voyager or Ultra, but it had a couple shortcomings. Brakes felt wooden and the cruise control looked like something from the JC Whitney catalog. Storage was less than it looks. The same dealer that sold Victory's sold BMWs. He had a leftover 2009 RT and tossed me the keys and said have fun. I had to put gas in it to get back. I bought the bike with a 49L topcase. I've been thinking about a new bike, but the bikes I'd be interested in have gotten a lot more expensive. My RT was 19K OTD with the topcase. The RT today would be around 26K OTD. The new Goldwing would be on my short list, as would the new RT. The Challenger would if it came with a topcase for the price offered, but it's too expensive for what it is. Might was well get a K bike then. What I don't like about the K bikes is the cost of maintenance. A Valve check alone is 4-500 and to change the clearances double that. On my RT, I do everything. HDs look nice, but...everytime I make a pro/cons list, the cruising styled tourers come out last.
I appreciate the comment. For some reason that’s what a lot of people took from this video. I think I talked about good stuff too. It was just my early impressions of the bike. Either way I appreciate your comment and I hope the video helped.
Nice interview, I completely agree on the minus and plus points about the Honda Goldwing, but you have good and bad points with every bike. I hope Honda will work on it. One thing I can tell you I have had several motorcycles but this is the best motorbike that I have ever driven. I subscribe to your channel I am curious what you think about it after a few months.👍✌
Motorvrienden De Pallieters thank you very much for the positive comment! I really love it so far. Every motorcycle has its good and bad points. Thank you for the subscription too. This bike doesn’t get enough good press and there isn’t enough information for people buying them which I think can cause people to not consider it, I almost didn’t with some pro reviews complaining about the luggage size, fuel tank and suspension, but so far none of that has been a problem for me. Hopefully this will help anyone thinking about getting one.
@@alexsystems2001 My opinion is that this new Goldwing is the rolls royce among the motorbikes. The longer I ride it, the better I have it than you forget the minor flaws of the motorcycle 👍😉✌
FYI, I noticed Corbin is making high capacity doors for the luggage on this new goldwing. Here is a link. If any of you have tried it. How does it work for you? www.corbin.com/honda/h18gwdoor.shtml
RanGer498 they do look like they fit quite nicely, and supposedly you can get it pre painted. I’m just hesitant and hoping someone has already ordered them and can give some feedback.
@@hawkslayers1 I’ve got additional videos on it but I had issues with the oil light coming on regularly. The dealer did all sorts of things then finally said they won’t do anything else. They just left me with a bike with lights on the dash. Then as that was worked thru with Honda corporate, other lights started coming on like the hill hold light and stuff. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they seemed to care or even provided transportation back and forth to the dealer every time it had to go in for service. That was the biggest pain. I brought it in the first time and they thought maybe the filter was just creating low oil pressure, so they replaced that and checked the oil level, I rode it home and then had to come back right away and drop it off again the light came right back on. It was like they were playing science experiment with my bike and didn’t care about my time. They replaced the sensor, the computer and all sorts of stuff. It was finally lemoned. I don’t think you’ll have the same problems as me, lemon anything is few and far between but once you go thru it, it really sours you to the brand. Honda wasn’t very easy to work with during it all. I wrote them several certified letters and finally had to get an attorney involved because they just gave up on my bike and I was stuck with a nearly $30,000 motorcycle that was having troubles, I was making the payment and paying for insurance and registration and it was sitting in my garage. I certainly didn’t want to go on a long ride with my oil light coming on here and there knowing they don’t cover towing or help out at all. My AAA only covers to a max of 200 miles I wouldn’t want to pay for it to be towed the rest of the way back home from the other side of the country if the oil light was correct and the engine was starved for oil. I ended up going back to a BMW 😅 my last two BMW’s lasted for over 100,000 miles each. I’m also sort of glad I did, after the little bit of time I had with the goldwing the luggage started to get annoying, between not being able to store my helmet in the cases to not being able to remove the cases to pack anything. Also the electronic lids on the cases got really annoying, if you packed anything that pre-loaded the lids they wouldn’t open. Like if you packed your jacket into a side case and it pressed on the lid, you’d have to push inward and then try the release again before it unlatched. I don’t know what was wrong with mechanical latches and a key 😅. I really don’t mean to sound sour but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Again, I highly doubt you’ll have the same problems as me, but that’s just the experience I had. On a positive note, the bike was real smooth, quiet and comfortable, and really really looks beautiful. I wish you the best and that you have safe travels.
@@alexsystems2001 thank for the reply in the uk I believe Honda are somewhat different to they’re customers hopefully I won’t find how good they are and it will be reliable 🤞🏻 I have a bmwr1250gs at the moment the ultimate edition but I find the seat terribly uncomfortable even putting on a comfort seat doesn’t help , happy riding and be safe out there brother
Hi I'm a 1500cc Goldwing owner been on one since 94 I own 2 a 1993 and a 1995 both SE What I seen in the 2001 on up to present was Honda went cheap and fancy both my bikes came with beautiful chrome covers in the front rear spoilers with led's and two toned colors. I like the 1800 engine and that is as far as it goes let me know when you drop it how much it will cost just from a fall from oops I lost my balance. I went to Honda and I dropped my bike in front of the dealer to go there few scratches on the chrome crash bars drop that cheap crap lets see if those lil guard's protect it. Another thing I find a lot of less space on the actually both 1800's I can put a full face helmet in a side bag left or right all because lets put these little braces to ease the lids to slowly open. You just said you had to purchase the inner bags what a sham the bags were included on the older wings. If you ever wreak it and the insurance company wants to offer it back to you at a price I'll go $1000 over what you paid the insurance company for it cause I want to do a engine and electronic swap into a 1500 giving a older wing a real upgrade. Honda quit listening to its original owners of GW's I wont buy a minney version of what is supposed to be the largest touring machine on the market.
Why do you assume the new Goldwing is meant to be the "largest touring bike" on the market? Honda's update of the Goldwing was way overdue and the new version is a marvel in innovation. Manufacturers that live in the past can't expect to be successful. The new GW still has crash bars that prevent scratching body panels in case of a "oops" but now they're hidden by plastic caps and my GW Tour DCT airbag is two tone 3-stage metallic paint. I also believe TPMS, cruise control, Bluetooth, LED screen with GPS and all LED lighting is much more useful than chrome trims and fake wood dash panels. Comparing a GL1500 to the new GW Tour is like comparing a Ford Crown Victoria to a brand new Mustang Boss...
@@jean-pierrejutras480 Well Guess you never read a 1100 Goldwing Brochure or 1200 Goldwing brochure and then a 1500 Goldwing brochure the 1500 was the marvel it can hold more luggage at the time of any other bike. I know the 1500 will ride through a cross wind better then the 1800 wing cause it is heavier I pass them up every time on a major crosswind. Sure this is innovation but it was not supposed to be Goldwing. It dose not deserve to be called Goldwing. You know why they left usa rider's like me whom sang the song either go bigger or go home. Yeah hidden under what plastic that breaks and off to the dealer for what new parts where Honda wants its riders not on the road in the shop buying stuff that would not need to be touched for a lot more drops. I'm looking at Yamaha if the put a big engine in something similar to a Riken make it a tourer with luggage that would dwarf the 1500 wing I'd buy it but Honda could get the game back too then I'd would buy it. But doubt that will happen cause once I hit 70 I wont be going on long rides any more. The Goldwing was not meant to be a sport bike but a touring machine Honda listened to the babies of the world not people whom enjoy to pull a 600 lb pop up trailer and gear. I laugh at the tiny speakers they put on it the whole bike looks like they had 100 people build some part for the bike then ok lets put it together who cares if it looks normal it is not supposed to be the worlds best tourer any more just 10th best.
@@jeffsmith8449 We surely share the same passion for Honda motorcycles and I owned a 13 F6B that I replaced with a 18 GW Tour DCT airbag and I also own a 78 GL1000. I can see a progression between each generation and after selling basically the same model for 17 years Honda had to bring the GW into the 21st century...I've never ridden a GL1500, but I know that the new GW is a huge improvement over the 01 - 17 GL1800. I guess Honda can't please every rider...but after owning 3 BMWs and 1 GL1800 I can truly say Honda hit a homerun with their new GW.
@@jean-pierrejutras480 So I'm taking it your a Honda dealer. You know when Honda came out with the first 1800 wing you know how many riders as there old wings got over 130,000 miles on them switch and went HD a lot of Honda dealers went out of business cause Honda when they brought out only one tone colors and oh God that ugly bright yellow color they even tried to bring in a two tone color scheme back in 2016-17 but it was like poorly done areas were just striped with decals while other areas had the decals and were properly clear coated I told a dealer how cheap that was he said he would have it clear coated but I'd have to pay them to take the parts off and to have it painted I looked at him and said oh really something that should have been done in the factory I have to cough up probably 600 to 900 more for no thanks I'll keep my 1500 see ya!
Charles Sadler good observation. But no, I had just washed the bike on the center stand for the video walk around and that is a little stream of water that came trickling out when I put it on the side stand. I didn’t see it until I used the video 😋 at 2:12 you can see the little pools of water at the valve cover bolts too and a little bit on the ground. I was waiting for someone to ask that question.
I’m not sure what you mean, I’m used to the BMW with that little flag kill switch around the push button starter that breaks, so I never use the kill switch for fear of snapping it off, So my habit of using the kick stand engine stop which is usually have the bike in first and the clutch pressed then put down the kick stand, that kills the engine then I shut off the “key switch”.
tim gear thank you very much for the positive comment. I’d have to think more so how to go about that. I really like to show things like the gas filling issue I had and the mirrors. So I would want a way to show the bike in action. I’ll give it a try on my next video to be a little descriptive on how the bike rides and handles.
I've had 3 1800s and a 77 1000 and an 82 aspencade. From 77 on they made great improvements to the bike. On the 2018 and up they made several more improvements some which were good, Bluetooth, power windshield Dct etc. My only objection and as far as I am concerned it is fatal. Lack of room in the bags on a "Touring Bike" is not my idea of any Touring bike. Other annoyance is Apple Car play and no Android auto. So I have to buy an Apple to use the sound system?? I suggest you look at the bags on an older Gl1800 and see the space difference. Honda says they only took 10 liters out of the luggage capacity. But in so doing the also reduced the shape of the bags so they are not as deep both on sides and top. I will keep riding my 2014 until either it or me dies unless Honda improves luggage capacity on their "Touring Bike".
The best bags were on the GL1500. I had a 1991 GL1500SE which I traded in on a 2003 GL1800. I have a briefcase that just fit in the trunk on the 1500 but not in the 1800. I now have and 1800 40 Anniversary with navigation and ABS. The trunk and bags on the 1800's are definitely smaller than on the 1500, and they even smaller still on the new 1800 than on mine. The trunk on the new 1800 will NOT hold two full face helmets and the helmet lock is virtually unusable. I don't like the smaller fairing on the new bike, and the gas tank is too small. Honda would have done a lot better if they had simply used the new engine on the previous generation 1800.
Mark here's a company that offers expanded size saddlebag doors for the '18 up GWs and are pre-painted, too: www.corbin.com/honda/h18gwdoor.shtml Sucks that one would have to spend more $ on an already expensive touring bike so they can tour on it. Perhaps Honda should offer upsized saddlebag and trunk doors as an option to attract the riders who need to bring stuff with them?
@@waynecampbell4840 well, I have a follow up video regarding the bike, Honda has it back and I got my money back. The low oil light as well as various other lights kept coming on and I kept bringing it back to the dealer and they couldn’t fix it and I kept escalating it to Honda corporate and they kept kicking it back to the dealer and ultimately I had to hire and attorney to help me and Honda no longer holds a favorable spot in my heart. I ended up getting a BMW R1250GS-A and it’s been flawless for almost 15,000 miles. The really bad part is I would have been happy if they just replaced the bike but they absolutely refused to, their customer service was terrible. Defects happen, but make it right, these bikes aren’t cheap. Anyways, that probably biased my view but I certainly wouldn’t buy one again.
I really appreciate your review and comments regarding the new GL1800. I have owned two of these bikes, a 2006 and a 2012. I am hoping to buy the new model in the near future and this review showed some honest flaws in the design. The fuel door and fill port was a big one for me. No doubt the paint will suffer over time and that just seems like someone got lazy at Honda. Very nice review and I look forward to future posts. I would like to know, and I don’t believe you mentioned this, the new front end design without the telescoping forks; Does it seem to be a well thought out design or something that might need a Traxxion upgrade later on? Thanks.
I like those new go wings the compartments storages is like smaller areBut are used to ride at 1600 Vulcan classic had a nice ride to it but with my back and my hips need some little different like those going trikes the new ones I’d rather have the older model like a 2012 1314 so we’re out in there
I did enjoy your Honda goldwing review! It gave me insights to functions others didn't an I thought retracted mirrors hitting handles shows lack of thoroughness! The passenger grip narrowness was an over sight too! I got to speak to Mr Honda when he used my 750cb for 100cc oversized piston systems for his shops! He called me "Master Barnett" an I said, "Who is this really?" An heard laughter on line! Oh, on my test ride around America, my only problem was hinged trick fuel tank cap that got pounded down an broke hinge!
Nice job here Alex. BTW a BMW K1600 GTL, the equivalent of a Gold Wing is not thousands more but on par with the Gold Wing. Now on with my .02. A Focus Group comprised of Gold Wing owners culled from the GWRRA and Iron Butt participants would have helped mitigate many small but some completely overlooked important issues brought up here. Nonetheless, Honda still did a great job. However where it gets lost in translation is at a many Honda dealership where they are selling way more of other Honda products than premium priced Ultra luxurious Touring motorcycles. If a dealership doesn’t sell enough Gold Wings to have one each of the DCT and Manual transmission Gold Wings as demonstrators. As you noted this is an automotive level priced motorcycle, a non essential product for the most part. In any event, on a better note, this bike is a Torque Monster in Sport mode in a low RPM range. The DCT model is absolute sublime in smoothness, a a result there’s never, at times, passenger helmet knock in aggressive accelerations or downshifts to stop. For more answers, solutions and fixes for this great motorcycle check out Traxxion Dynamics and Cruisemans Garage videos. Ride safe and ride often.
Thank you for the compliment, it’s quite hard getting in front of the camera. I also agree maybe I misspoke, the goldwing seems to be priced higher than the K1600GTL’s. That’s why it was so hard for me with the difficulty to get a test ride and stuff to say ‘hmm I wanna spend more on a different brand with a bike I can’t test ride’ I almost gave up. I also agree on the engine. I didn’t believe it when the dealer said ‘you might want to keep it out of sport mode until you are more comfortable with the whole bike’ well, I put it in sport mode, for what it is, it turns into a rocket 🤣. Surprised me! Again thank you for the comment, I’ve watched and subscribed to cruisemans garage, very helpful dude, and the traxxion channel, I’ve checked out a few of his videos but I haven’t explored it too much since I want to keep it pretty stock until I get a few more miles on it.
Bmwryder Sounds good. There’s mention through out Traxxion Dynamic’s videos regarding many of the issues you speak of not just suspension upgrading. If anything will give ideas. Also he mentions quality lighting accessory solutions as well. Check out Wing Ding 41 a yearly gathering, this year in Nashville, TN. Sponsored by the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA). They have great benefits. Just thoughts. Ride safe and ride often.
A YZ good question, by the way thank you for watching and the comment. Here we have 2 documents one that is registration, it’s basically a receipt that says you’ve paid the fees to use the vehicle this year and that is required to be in your vehicle in California. The other thing I think you might be referencing is the title or pink slip for the vehicle, that is the form needed for transfer of ownership, that stays at home in a safe place. Also, we have to have insurance cards with us either electronic or paper. I was pulled over at a drunk driver checkpoint one night commuting to work, I checked out sober of course but my insurance cards were electronic on my phone, and my battery was dead, so I did get a small fine and a ticket then had to go to the court and prove I had insurance at the time of citation. Big pain, so I make sure I have the paper copies of what they want me to have. It would be nice if there was a quick small locking place on the wing it could be put.
You need to ride the Harley or Indian and check out their torque. After all 1800 ccs is not 114-117 or even the new 124 c.i. motors either. Or even 2400 cc or the Triumph Rocker III at 2294 cc. Doesn't the Honda come with a plug in for the passenger to the radio and intercom, for their helmet? I would want highway foot pegs on it as well or forward positioning pegs of some kind. I would require some kind of bars on it to help pick it up if it were to go down. Looks to me that you need to keep some W D 40 with you so you can keep the levers oiled and free moving, I had a lock cap on my fuel tank do the same thing till I started carrying a lubricant with me. Can't you put the cap on the machine that you are getting gas from? That is what I do. Now coming to the parts that you are not happy with, I feel that you are getting a little nitpicking but with that said; you are buying something that is not top quality and not hand Italian made either, this is a mass produced bike made for an imported market to keep the costs as low as possible and still try to compete with other foreign markets as well. This Honda is well below the costs of a Harley or Indian as well; but you get what you pay for as well in my book. So just enjoy it and remember, that there is a lot of us out here that are on disability that have to buy used and worn out bike and rebuilt them if we want anything to compare to what you are riding daily. Count your blessing and stop the winning ok? That'e not why anyone come to anyone's channel to hear someone complain about what they bought.
I really like the personal owner rating video... I have been Harley for awhile and traded my 2016 ultra on a 2018 Indian roadmaster and got up to 5000 miles on the roadmaster and bailed out on the Indian... love hate relationship on that bike...was always thinking about Honda GW and haven't found much information about it until your video... anyway your type of information video I should say... thanks... maybe I will go look at a GW
Chris W thank you very much for the positive comment! I really appreciate it, let us know what you end up thinking. I don’t want to spoil it because I plan on putting it in a later video but I will, I’m at about 2,500 miles now and the side cover issue for the gas cap stopped happening and it’s working every time so I’m guessing with use things have gone past the break in point. I’ve ridden in rain and the windshield is pretty good. I really like the smooth ride, the low center of gravity with the fuel tank under the seat and the flat opposed 6 cylinder keep the weight on the bike really low so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is. The case lid issues of them being a little hard to trigger the closed light has gotten better too I’m assuming the rubber seals have gotten a little more contoured and mushy breaking in. The cases are a little small though. Other than that I’m still pretty happy with it. I’d check out cruisemans garage videos too, he has a lot of insight on his goldwing.
That problem when you need to become serious buyer before you can test ride the bike also happen here in Indonesia, these guys need to rework their policies
Reza Laluyan thank you for the comment, yes I think it has cost them a few customers, you can go to some Harley and BMW dealers and test ride no problem. I got lucky I don’t have the bike anymore Honda took it back when I had too many issues with it.
@@alexsystems2001 yes that goes here too, you'll have no problem when you try to test ride a bmw, harley, or ducati bike, heck even kawasaki or yamaha wouldn't give you problem for test riding their bike, but when it comes to honda, my experience is when i try to purchase their cbr250rr, i ask them if i could test ride the bike first, they didn't let me, they say that i have to make sure that i will buy the bike first then they would let me test ride the bike
Surprised you didn't complain about the Navigation. I hate that you can't turn on the maps while moving. I'm not saying you should be able to calculate a route or anything, but to be able to pull up the map should be possible.
Thank you for the comment, there are things people have fully experienced like the luggage space, fuel capacity, navigation and suspension issues. I haven’t experienced them to the fullest yet. I have hit the 2,000 mile mark in the now 2.5 months I’ve had the bike but I haven’t done any long distance riding with many destinations or stops. So there are things I plan on touching on in a later video. Also I like built in satellite GPS systems because they work when you don’t have cell coverage but I think for the most part I would use the voice controlled apple car play through my phone. I’ve used car play so far for navigating around locally.
@@alexsystems2001 I currently ride a 2015 Goldwing and a 2015 HD Ultra Limited. My buddies have all moved to the 2018 or 2019 DCT models. I like the bikes but I believe Honda short changed us on some of the features. For instance, a bike this expensive should have a touch screen system instead of a control knob. Other bikes in its class and price range have had this functionality for 5 years. The Apple CarPlay is a huge plus. My friends use Waze most of the time, where I can't. Still, if you're riding and just want to see where you are, you shouldn't have to stop the bike to bring up the Nav map. That just bugs me. It's the same way on my 2015 Wing. That storage compartment that doesn't lock is no different than on the older wings. They have one on the fairing, and I have absolutely walked away and forgotten my phone in there. You were spot on with that one. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Bluetooth if you decide to connect a headset to it and maybe ride with a group of folks with headsets. My friends struggle with that on the new Wings. It works reliably, but the set up kind of comes and goes and we waste a lot of time at stops trying to get their headsets resync'd with the bikes.
Fallon Ocean I don’t think there was any mechanical differences I think maybe height of the windshield but that’s a maybe? Other than that I think it is the same bike. I was looking at both and I opted for the trunk because the more storage on long trips the better, the necessities is cool, but I’ve been on some long trips, emergency supplies are nice to have with you too like bottled water, granola bars, a small first aid kit etc etc and didn’t want to have to cut back on my supplies.
Bmwryder Those are some great points! Extra storage is always a plus for sure. And, after watching your video, I did watch a video of the trunk being removed. So u can take it off if u ever want to ride without it. And it is simple. U can easily find the video on here. Your bike is beautiful. And the black is definitely the best color on it!!! Thank u for responding and thank u for doing this video!!
Welcome to the World of Honda, i own a Goldwing F6C Valkyrie 1832cc and i came from the Harley World , but if you look around there are dealers that let you test ride, Where i live in NH Naults Honda in Manchester is one of them, and they don't care if you are buying that day. Sadly Honda America needs to Step up it's Game, because their Dealer network is Awful, like break in service i was told by the 8 or so dealers in my area everything from 250 miles to 1000 miles and everything in between, and prices from 150 to 600 dollars for the 1st service until again i called Naults (sadly not the closest) and they told me what Honda told me 1st service was 4000 miles and it was about $150
Bruce NHBeachBiker thank you for the comment, I am finding out the product is pretty good but the customer service is lacking. I had a 1975 goldwing I got used about 10 years ago and I didn’t interact with the dealer there was a small ma and pa shop I had it repaired at. So this is my first experience with Honda dealers.
@@alexsystems2001 well you have to remember 99.8% of dealers of any brand have a 10 year cut off, after 10 years parts become hard to find, and as a retired Harley service manager i've worked dealers that followed the 10 year rule and they were very profitable, the ones that fixed old bikes struggled to make money, because in the service dept you are selling time, and it you are wasting time and lift and storage place you are losing money.
When I asked a Honda sales guy if I could take a test ride he literally laughed at me. He said nobody lets you test ride bikes. I had to sadly inform him that I'd ridden a BMW K1600 and a HD Ultra within the last week and I'm buying the one I like best. I can understand not letting young kids taking out the latest rocket ships but I'm an old guy who just pulled into the lot in my $70k truck.
Dirt Beard it’s surprising at how many people come to Honda’s defense on the lack of test rides. I called Honda corporate because of an array of issues with my goldwing. The latest being an oil light that keeps coming on that they have kept my bike out of service for over 30 days. I asked about loaners and demo bikes and stuff, Honda’s response was they just don’t do it. So I mentioned BMW and Harley, Honda then basically told me their customers aren’t necessarily as seasoned of riders as BMW and Harley. It’s appalling at the lack of care for their customers and potential customers. It’s appalling how many people are OK with it. With my bike being out of service and them providing no resolution I asked them if I break down somewhere, is a tow included or anything? They told me no, I have to figure out how to get it to the dealer. Just overall not a brand that seems to stand behind their customers.
If you are storing the bike and have the mirrors folded in, why would you need to move the bars side to side? Seems like it is a good way to make sure you aren’t riding the bike with the mirrors folded in... but hey, what do I know??? Good review.
Joey Honz Thank you for the question, with my situation, I would like to be able to lock the handlebars with the mirrors folded in. At work people are quite careless and a friend of mine had the mirror knocked off of his bike in the motorcycle parking because it’s quite tight there. So I have one of two options with this goldwing fold the mirrors in or lock the handlebars, I can’t do both. The goldwing mirrors make the bike quite wide
Thank you for the video yeah I own several bikes I don't have a big preference on brand I own two older H D's a breakout and bad boy hey 2016 Triumph Thunderbird hey Brand New 2019 Ducati Diavel s a 2015 Yamaha Raider 1900 and I can't wait to get the 2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT but I have had serious consideration of the Honda Goldwing F6B which I don't think they call the F6B now it's your bike so I appreciate the video of great deal I think I will also love that bike and I completely agree with you about the detachable bags I really wish they would put them on there they really are a great help for certain people like you and me
Drew Larsson thank you for the positive feedback. Sounds like you have had quite a few bikes to have a pretty well rounded feeling of what you like and don’t like. Let us know what you end up getting.
mark angelo fancubila Garcia thank you for the comment, have you sat on one how does it feel sitting on one, I’ve wondered how it is. Please let us know.
Have a 2016 Wing and were looking at a 2019, but are wondering how you secure your helmet(s) when you take them off to go eat, etc. while traveling. Older models have hooks that pop out beneath the trunk and lock the helmets thru the D-ring. And with the smaller truck space, I don’t see how you can secure/store a couple $500 full face helmets. Suggestions?
Betty Bowden thank you for the question, there is a little pop out latch next to the passenger seat and a hook that goes into that latch. That hook goes through the D Rings on the helmets. However it’s a bit of a hassle to get 2 helmets on 1 hook. You can... kind of... sort of with a lot of fuss stick 1 full face helmet in the trunk it’s it’s empty. My 2 cents worth, I wouldn’t get another goldwing, but that’s just because mine is having problems. I posted a video about it. Anyways good luck on whatever decision you make I hope it goes swell.
Glad you like the bike - yes, you’ve identified a few issues and yes, there are more. With a few more miles and a bit more research and maybe you’ll solve some of the issues you are having. There’s a TH-cam site that has addressed the potential issue of not being able to open the 1st gas door, ‘Fuel Door Emergency trick’ - Max McAllister with Traxxion Dynamics - yes, he’s selling a upgrade to the bike’s suspension system but he also helps solve other issues and problems for the 2018+ GW. electricalconnection.com sells a solution for the gas cap and it works great ($2.95) - however this is something almost anyone (not me) can DIY (sorry Lewis - he sells the best fog light(s) kit). Another excellent site it cruisemansgarage.com - he’s also selling in particular GW Maintenance videos but does a ton of stuff online for free! I’ve got the DCT model with 21,000 miles and it’s a great bike - just rode my old bike 07 GW last week 230,000 clicks (night and day difference) and I’m so glad I made the plunge.
Hi. I am very much interested in buying goldwing. But have a confusion between goldwing and bmw gtl 1600. Which one do you think is the best one to go for.
Aruna Aslam thank you for the comment that’s a good question, I really like my old BMW, but I also like the goldwing. I think any bike you look at there will be oddly designed things. I guess it depends a lot on what type of riding you want to do I think the BMW will be more sporty with more luggage. But I think the goldwing is more smooth, maybe with more room between the driver and passenger and stuff. I would totally suggest a test ride on both to help with your decision.
I think the gas fill situation may come from the EPA dictates, as my 2017 H D occasionally will burp , when filling for no apparent reason. I am interested in one, but would be interested in tire life. 10,000 miles is not acceptable.
Donald Remington I plan on posting more videos as I go through the ownership experience. So I had a question on the tire life. Do you mean 10,000 miles is not enough? I don’t know what the tire life is yet, but I found on the BMW the front tire to last between 10,000 and 12,000 miles and the rear tire to last between 8,000 and 10,000 miles. I’ll include that in and update but I wouldn’t expect much more as far as tire life.
ATTENTION Video to come preview: I wanted to add to this, as with all technical electronical type stuff there is a chance of failure of components which is understandable. I have had my oil light come on every time I have ridden the bike over the last two weeks. The experience has not detracted from my opinion of liking the motorcycle itself. However this experience has soiled how I feel about Honda with how they have handled it, I have brought it in twice with the oil light on and they have noted it was full on oil the first time, less than 250 miles later it was in again for the oil light issue again and the hill assist light is on. they are struggling to resolve it. Also the foot peg rubbers are wearing to the metal already and Honda says those are not under warranty. So I am not aware of Honda typically making a problematic product however I feel at this point IF you have a problem I wouldn’t expect Honda to stand behind you. I am making a video on it right now, hopefully it’ll be up in the next couple weeks.
Honda is just another company who want to make money and once they have yours you can go an FU... yourself is you have an issue
Appreciate your information it definetley helps me in my decision for a cruiser
@@mariesears2446 thank you for the comment, hopefully you watched my follow ups and see that Honda has it back as a lemon. I no longer own it.
@@alexsystems2001Does the 6 speed make you shift more than the previous model 5 speed?.
I’m in the market for a pre-owned DCT Goldwing, and your honest review has been the most noteworthy yet
Thank you! I have an updated few videos, ultimately the bike was declared a lemon and I no longer have it. I’m pretty sure mine was a one off, I hope you have a good experience.
The issue with the side door not opening is known by now. On some bikes, I think, the fit/finish of that door is not too perfect and they do jam. Max at Traxxion found a great solution. I did just that and it is a life saver. Drill a tiny hole below the upper tab on the door so the hole will face the gas door button. Plug the hole with a tiny rubber plug which can be made from anything. Keep a small nail or pin with your tool set. Any issues, that pin via the hole will open the fuel door, no problem. Other than that, I love my 2020 DCT Tour. Super machine. .
👍
Thanks for the review. I ride a 2018 GW Tour DCT airbag and absolutely love it. Prior to it I rode a GW F6B and BMW K1200GT. The new bike combines everything I loved from my two previous motorcycles: electric windshield, front wishbone suspension, TPMS, heated seat and grips....but adds DCT which is fabulous. This bike will go further than my previous GW on it smaller tank and, believe it or not I like the idle-stop function. I've had the bike 6 weeks and rode 8000 km without any issues. Like you, I have a smile on my face as soon as I press the start button. Enough said, I am going for a ride.
Jean-Pierre Jutras fantastic comment! Thank you! Enjoy and ride safely!
Can you explain the "Idle stop function", first I heard of that, is it similar to our despised stop/start function on late model cars? Hoping by 2020 Honda works out some of the little issues & will buy one. Have several bikes, including a 97 GL1500 that's a dependable work horse.
Larry J I’m not sure, but I believe the start stop function is on Canadian/European models only, I don’t believe it’s available on US released bikes.
@@alexsystems2001 Thanks for quick reply. Glad to hear it's not on US models. Have start/stop on my 2016 Malibu and manually override it each time start it, pain in the but. PS: really like the nice Black color of your Wing, my 97 Wing is Pearl Black. Their pretty when clean, but quick to show dust.
@@larryj8924 The feature is not on US bike but unlike GM cars it can be turned on or off by hitting the start button while the engine is running. The function works very well and all you hear is a click and the bike is in motion, unlike some cars where you can hear the starter engage and the engine turn over.
Thank you, enjoy your comments ,yes I have 2006 goldwing stll in love with it,yes I would buy the 2021,THANK YOU
This is a really good and honest review. You covered so much ground and its hard to find the sort of info and frustrations you covered here. Awesome!
Ricky Chua thank you very very much. Being new on TH-cam it’s super hard to get in front of the camera and organize my thoughts I’m glad it was received well.
DH I like HD. My first road bike was Honda cb 750 in San Diego CA. I was 18 and was learning how to be a corpsmen. After 9 months I got orders for Portsmouth Va. being young and dumb I got on and made the trip in 12 days. A year later I sold it and got a Sportster three other people had owned and it had 2300 miles on it. Good engine but the fit and finish was bad plus I had to tighten everything every 50 miles. I have owned 3 gold wings and never had a problem. My biggest complaint about Harley is the noise
I appreciate the honest review. no pomp or flair, just an honest review. I with there were more like this. I recently saw a 28k 2019 goldwing go on sale for 19k thats one hell of a sale considering the dealership isnt going to lose money on anything. it shows just how much profit they make on these bikes.... I love the new model though!
Outstanding review. I'm gonna stay with my BMW K1600 GT. It all beeps, has alarm and easy to open cases and fill gas. WOW, u just never know what you get until sometimes you get it or watch a great review like yours. Thanks buddy! I'll wait another few years for the wing. I love the ride and power but everything else you showed I gonna stay with what I got.
Scotty thank you very much for the positive comment! Although the goldwing has been amazing, I took the BMW out a couple weeks ago, it really was nice to be on a sporty bike again and zip through traffic. It has put me on the fence if I want to switch back, but it’s not due to any fatal flaw in the goldwing, it’s just not entirely my style of riding-ish, thank you again for the comment!
@@alexsystems2001 You're very welcome and thank you for the video reviews! At least the GoldWing is going in the right direction. I would think after a while the weight would feel light but ride it as you said then jump back on the BMW, so much lighter. The Wing would be perfect if it was 600lbs with another 20-30 HP and ESA suspension. Maybe 2020 or 2022 they will get even better and I"ll demo one again. :)
Enjoyed this blurb a lot. My last bike was the same, a K1600GT which I loved. My only real issue with it was I have the inseam of a girl scout, so it was very tall for me and helped contribute to a couple drops that could have been avoided. Now, I'm without a left foot and the DCT is really the only way I see to get back in the saddle. The BMW was a great bike. My biggest problem besides the height was the seat left a lot to be desired, but that's an easy enough fix.
Here’s a “tip” “trick” or whatever you want to call it, there’s a quick start feature if you want to jump on the bike and take off in a hurry. Walk up to the bike and hold down the start button and the bike will start immediately without having to turn the ignition knob. You’re welcome 👍🏼. Great video by the way!!! Keep us updated.
That is one beautiful bike. I appreciate you taking the time to go over the pros and cons that you have found. Those are all legitimate gripes. For the gas tank/pump problem, I would simply carry some shop towels with you everywhere and place them over the plastic before you lift the pump. on either sides of the gas tank opening.
Thank you for your comment, it definitely was one beautiful bike. It was unfortunately lemoned and Honda has it back due to the low oil pressure light regularly coming on and staying on. I think others have had a good experience with it but in the end it didn’t work out for me.
Good job! No fluff. Very honest. Shortcomings are all legitimate and appreciated. I've had 4 so far. My next will be an informed buy. I've also had 4 BMW's and 4 Harley's. Chaio.
I just started shopping for my first Gold Wing and am amazed at how many left overs are in the marketplace. Mid February 2020 and I am finding dozens of left over '18s and '19s with over $6K knocked off of MSRP on the Tour DCT Models. Not interested in an Airbag. Great Videos on You Tube on the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly on the new Wing. For $20K I'm willing to roll the dice and pay extra for a more comfortable saddle. Thanks for the video and congrats on your patience with Honda. JP
Stephen J.P. Ingley thank you for the comment! They are a wonderful bike to ride, mine is a bit broken right now, but if you get a good one they are nice to ride, very smooth, very comfortable, very powerful. I think I’m not the only one with issues which is I think part of the reason these aren’t flying off the showroom floor. If you get one, please check in and let us know what you think!
Stephen J.P. Ingley I’m doing exactly the same thing, about to shop for an 18 for less than 19 before tax and fees. Will upgrade seat if needed. Pretty excited about the new model for way less than other baggers.
The market slump has dried up and there are no leftovers and few deals to be had on Goldwing. Especially the DCT models.
It’s 4 am in the morning and I’ve been looking at vids on touring bike and really liked your vids more the others. You did a comparison on why you changed to likes/dislikes in great order. Really informative towards my decision making.
Ed D. King thank you for the positive comment, I hope whatever decision you make works well for you and you get many miles of safe riding! I have a video about my oil light issue as well if you haven’t come across it. Still no resolution to this day, I’ve been riding my old BMW since.
Thanks for the review. Very informative. Greatly appreciate the time you took to explain the little annoyances on your "Rolls Royce" (& the dealers) which by the way is cool. Finding it difficult to believe that the Japanese aren't paying attention to details of such nature. Anyway have a great time riding your cool new GW. GB✌.
Good objective no nonsense review from a different perspective than the usual on the road test..
David Price thank you!
Thanks for the review. I sold a 2002 BMW R1150R to by a 2018 Honda Goldwing Standard, so I really appreciated the comparison. I wish you had said more about how the Honda rides.
Rides like a dream, I dunno why a lot of reviewers complained about the suspension, I was 300lbs and I didn’t have anything to complain about.
@@alexsystems2001 Agree, it is a wonderful ride. My learning curve is dealing with the extra weight on slow stops and turns.
I enjoyed your video. Hopefully Honda hears your gripes (all legitimate) and fix the problems.
Thank you. Unfortunately they didn’t hear them to begin with. I had to hire “representation” to convince them that I needed help. I no longer have the bike.
My local dealer refused to allow me to test ride a 2008 Vespa 300 scooter. I watched it sit there for three years before an associate bought it for his wife. The new DCT’s came out, same dealership refused me explaining the bike was sold. Funny there was no sold tag on it. I ended up buying a two seat Toyota 86 Roadster for $26,000 never having to wear any riding gear. A part of me misses riding, but, when its 109 my AC works wonders to change my mind. But, I miss the group Goldwing riding I used to participate in years ago.
Good Video. I enjoyed your perspectives sir.
I thing Honda engineered that bike very well. for instance, gas procedure:
1) open side door, press gas release button, take gas cloth out( every rider should have one)
2) unscrew gas cap, place gas cap in side door where the gas rag was (there is a perfect well for it) place fuel pump in tank with Gas rag under it protecting your paint.
3)when finished, take out fuel pump using gas rag to catch any drops of fuel from pump. put gas rag back in side compartment grabbing gas cap and putting it back on the tank, shut both doors and your done.
Tonto Gonzales thank you for the comment! I’ve never had a gas rag, my BMW you fill it just like a car, literally, you stick the pump nozzle in, lock it, it clicks when done, you don’t have to fiddle with the cap, no deep well, no mess. I think the goldwing is designed like most bikes but I based my observations on what I came from the best I could.
@@alexsystems2001- the gas rag is to catch those pesky droplets of gas when putting pump nozzle in and out of tank. also handy to lay down to protect paint from gas nozzle.
I have a 2018 Indian Chief Limited. Nice bike, but it feels like there’s a heater on the seat! I’m one with air cooled bikes and thinking of a Goldwing. So, it’s nice to hear from a owner instead of a dealer!! So please post updates on your bike experience. Thanks
Hello there
About the video I totally agree with you on the complicated tanking procedure with the two leads to open and one more to screw off. We have already forgotten the screw one on a petroleum station. About your wishes to take the side cases away in to the hotel or what ever place you are staying we think it’s much more convenient just to take the inner case in fabric. And finally not being able to look the upper tank storing case must be a big mistake from Honda, but who knows this mistake if you are not a Honda Goldwing owner.
Looking forward to more information from you.
Thank you for your comment! I hope if you got a goldwing yours is going better than mine did. It was lemoned out and I no longer have it.
Great video, very informative! I just bought a 2019 GW Tour 4 days ago. Had 12 miles on it so I'm taking it real easy breakin it in. I completely understand your comments and I thought some of the same things as you mentioned in this video. But, there isn't a biker on the planet that's satisfied with their bike, new or not. They will find some way to fix the little problems they don't like. And they will customize their bike to their liking. Adapt, improvise, overcome! - Gunny Highway USMC
You really should get yourself down to the Southern Oregon coast. Great rides along 101 all the way to the Redwoods in Cali! Keep it safe man!
How has your 19 been doing, any notable issues??
Awesome review! The things that you pointed out are obviously some things that anyone buying the goldwing would be annoyed about. Very informative and unbiased review. you just got a new subscriber. keep up the good work. 🙏🙏
Rajesh Khairajani thank you very much for the positive comment. I am getting a new video going about my first unexpected service experience that has so far kept my bike out of service for 6 days.
Bmwryder I look forward to the new video! I am very close to closing either the GW DCT or the K1600 GTL so watching this space for inputs. Thanks
Good review. I’m not shopping for a GW however, I do like a good, honest, consumer review. My last 7 have been 3 BMWS then 3 HD baggers, and 1 Indian. I still have a 2012 CVO Ultra & the 2016 Indian. I’m getting rid of one of those & buying a K1600B very soon. I do like the GWs of a couple years back & nearly bought one. I rode it at a Honda Hoot a few years back and found out as you did that the local dealers were pissy about a test ride. So, I bought a new CVO Ultra then went by that same dealer to rub it in. Again, nice job.
Murf Rirhke thank you very much for the comment and the positive feedback. It was very hard to break away from BMW, their dealer system is amazing, and their bikes are a lot of fun, I went through my service records of my BMW and found with the miles I’ve put on it I spent over $10,000 in repairs to it, so I wanted to give Honda a try. I definitely think for spirited, enthusiastic and soulful motorcycles and motorcycling that Honda doesn’t tick those boxes but BMW definitely did and Harley has the soul and the following.
@@alexsystems2001 Same experience here ! I own a 2015 r1200RT, a wonderful bike. I plan to buy a '21 Wing DCT Airbag model. The BMW has been expensive ! 2 tires, oil changes, air filter change, and 12K tuneup has run me about 2 grand thus far. While I now do oil changes myself (bike is out of warranty), labor cost from my Ohio dealer is very costly.
BMW's are fine bikes. My boxer, however, does not compare to the 6 cyl Wing in terms of smoothness...not even close ! What I will NOT miss by going back to Honda (I rode an '81 Wing for 12 years) is the dreaded BMW gearbox "clunk". DCT will take care of that ! Nor will I miss the handlebar buzz at highway speeds. Thanks for great video !
@@geraldfrieberg7921 thank you for the comment! I hope whatever you decide on works out well. Unfortunately my goldwing is back in the hands on Honda as a lemon and I’m back on my R1150RT-P. The GoldWing is a fine bike and I hope for 2021 they worked out some of the kinks. I had an issue with the oil light coming on and not going out, that was the issue that lemoned it. However before 3,000 miles the rubbers on the foot pegs wore through, the plastic over the instrument cluster started to be come hazy, the hill start assist and ABS lights would come on regularly, the side cases wouldn’t open if the doors were a little preloaded with clothes inside, the door you have to open to unlatch the fuel door frequently would take a lot of finagling to open, it became a problematic bike pretty quickly. Problematic isn’t too bad if they can fix it but even the worn out rubber on the foot pegs at 3,000 miles at first the dealer was going to charge me, the oil light they never fixed when when I brought it in with the light illuminated, the other lights were too intermittent for them to fix, the hazed dash glass was never fixed. My feelings, although the BMW is expensive to keep on the road, I found when it did/does break the technicians usually know how to fix it. As for the BMW maintenance I got the tools to do a valve adjustment and throttle body sync on mine and someone created a manual to flush the complicate ABS pump unit so that saved me a ton of money. I posted a video of the issues with the goldwing on the channel. I hope whatever decision you make works out well. Thank you again for the comment!
Great bikes these Gold Wings, any of them. I have had a GL1200 and GL1500. Now waiting on a 20 DCT airbag Tour model. All the journalism addressed the changes for the 20 model. Center storage door was one of them. Also refining/ smoothing out the shift points of the DCT transmission, passenger grab rails were raised to create a better grip and navigation and system firmware updates. As always Honda creates a great product with a track record of reliability and performance. Naysayers are everywhere and will complain about just about anything. Some haven’t even tried a product. There loss, those type people miss out on great things in life. Congrats on a great bike. Life’s short, just buy the bike.
Road Glide thank you for the awesome comment! I hope my issues are isolated that I’ve had with my oil light continuously coming on and the dealer not fixing it after numerous trips in. I do hope you enjoy your new bike when you get it, check in and let us know what you think.
Nice review. The GW is no question, a solid machine and Honda is by far a very good bike maker for years. All those silly minor issues could effect the purchase of the bike. It's a shame that Honda could not sit a bit more tighter before realising the bike. My main concern was the lack of storage space and above that, it may found some readers strange, the look of the bike all around same as a typical car that turned me off. Riding the bike got me excited on the first 20 mins or so and then I lost the vitamin. I got board !!!!! Too car like riding. That is why I got hooked like no other bike ever to buy a new BMW K1600 Grand America. By far, the best bike I ever had. This bike got me so sick to ride when ever I can. Before you buy any bike, please ride them all. Your body and mind will guide you right. Do not be shy and ride a long test rides, hwy and city a like. Happy riding.
Al P thank you, I agree, you gotta do the test ride and see what is best for you.
BTW...I sold my K1600 Grand America. Sadly, I had too many electrical issues. Got tired going to the dealer so many times. The only one that was really close to mine was the GW Tour. I took it for a ride at few dealers and came to conclusion that the GW will do me good. I have great experience with Honda in the past.
I'm in the same predicament as you were. Looking to upgrade from my '07 VTX 1300R. Although I was able to test drive with no issues so I guess I should be happy that I didn't have to deal with that part of it like you did. I really enjoyed your review, there are a few things that I myself didn't like, as you pointed out in your video. I appreciate your review and think you were very honest and clear. Keep up the great work.
Carlos Motta thank you very much for the positive comment. I am nearing time for my first service I hope to do another video pretty soon.
Heres a "tip" there are keychains you can buy that link to your smartphone and you can set up alerts to go off if you walk away from them! They sell them at Walmart and Amazon has some there are tons of different kinds like "tagged" but you have to read the features some are just "find my key" helper sorry i dont have a specific brand or link
Your point of there being no beeping or nothing letting you know the bike is locked up is a very good point this bike is not cheap and is supposed to be top of the line.
Good honest review. You convinced me to hold onto my 2005 ST1300 for now until Honda address all those little negatives you pointed out.
Honda likely had a former Harley designer involved to screw things up as much as they did. As for getting a test ride up here in Canada, I've experienced the same attitude as you had from Honda. They say there are test ride events but they are usually for one day in different cities, they don't even have info on when or where they are you got to look it up on the internet. To add to that I recently found out that they won't service my bike because it's too old.
Sam Ross thank you for the comment. I’m sorry that you haven’t had the best of luck with Honda either. That’s something I’ve found with BMW no matter the age I haven’t found a dealer that turns me away I have a 1998 R1200C and the couple times I’ve needed to bring it in they don’t scoff at it at all. I’ve been riding my old police bike since November because I don’t want to be left stranded on this goldwing, the dealer and Honda corporate can’t figure out an oil light issue. i have a video about the oil light issue. Honda had my bike for a month and gave it back with no resolution.
I've had my new goldwing six weeks now and over 4000 miles with no problems, I love it. I have 2 Honda dealers in my area and road the new goldwing at both of them with no problems. One dealer asked for my license and turned me loose and asked me to be back by closing time, the other dealer just said be back by closing time without asking for any identification. The dealer you went to is not the norm, they are not required to take a credit application for test ride. I spoke to my local dealer and they were shocked to hear that they had asked for that information.
Tommy Bernard yes I was shocked too when I was looking around, but it shows in their inventory, the closest dealer to me when I was looking had 2 brand new 2016 Honda GoldWings still in the showroom they wouldn’t let anyone ride either those are now 3 years old. So people go elsewhere. The part that shocked me is even the ‘demo’ dealers on Honda’s website all told me no test rides except Huntington Beach Honda who as I said wanted a credit app, then emailing Honda about this concern, I got absolutely NO response at all whatsoever.
Bmwryder
Dealerships do that because they don’t want to take the risk with any potential insurance claims. The $2,000 security deposit is their insurance claim deductible.
Wow, your review was much better then I expected! I used to have a honda St1300 and loved it, but it didn't have cruise control or music so I bought a 2013 Goldwing, and love it. In 2018, they wouldn't let test drive the GW and I had the same experience you did, so I purchased a 2018 BMW K1300 GTL and kept my 2013 Goldwing. It seems my 2013 is more comfortable and has more room, which I like. I am glad I didn't buy the Gen 3 Goldwing.
Jeff Bailey thank you for the positive feedback! It’s amazing what a test ride will do, it sells a product. Hopefully Honda learns that at some point in time. How are you liking the BMW so far? It’s a great bike.
@@alexsystems2001 it is a good bike and more fun the my 2013 goldwing but for driving to work, going on trips, the goldwing is better for me. No buyers remorse on the goldwing, the k1300 gtl seems more like a toy and there are times I question the decision as the bikes are so much a like in what they do, but they feel so different. My wife likes the goldwing more too. The things I love about the BMW - adjustable windshield, Love the LED lighting, the attractive looks,different on the fly fuel maps which gives the bike different feel for each setting; better layout with a thumb wheel to contol music and contols, knowledgable staff who worked at bmw for years when i take the bike in for service. The suspension on the bmw is much better too. The new GW I hear has some suspension issues which concerned me regarding the front end, especially for heavy riders.
Jeff Bailey that’s pretty cool you get the best of both worlds! I think, BMW even my old BMW is an amazing experience to ride, very sporty. It sounds like your BMW lives up to that experience. Also side note on the suspension, I haven’t had any real gripes about it either way and I’m 6’2 nearly 300lbs, I firm it up a little in the menu if I’m going to be riding twisty roads, I am after all nearly a rider and part of a passenger. 🤣
Greetings, like you l had one Honda dealership flat out refuse me to test ride their 2018 Goldwing Tour DCT model. The dealership that allowed me a test ride, required a $2000.00 credit card deposit! Refunded, when you returned the bike with no damage. I enjoyed the demo ride, one of the smoothest motorcycles l have ever ridden. But did not purchase, as the dealership really tried to belittle and demean my trade in. A 2016 Harley Davidson standard model, in like new condition with just a little over 7000 kilometres. Safe Travels.
Have not ridden the new Goldwing, but it is smaller than the old one on which I felt cramped at 6'-2". If you're tall, try the Harley Road Glide, very relaxed ergos for a tall rider, I love mine. And the new M8 motor is a big improvement over the twin cam in my opinion.
Harley has some great bikes but I have always found the overpriced and to loud for my likings. A dealer that belittles your ride just walk out
@@mikedineen7857 Harley's fit, finish, switchgear all pretty much top tier. And there's 6 gallons more luggage capacity than the new Goldwing.
Just wanted to say I watched Max at Traction Dynamics and saw where he had the fix for the gas lid so they sent me a black plug, started out with a 3/8 bit and finished with a 1/2 inch bit and problem solved. I just now installed it so I tried it out and if you get in that situation where the door will not open it will now with the fix he came up with. Looks factory ! Hope this helps you , it works perfectly.
I bought a used 1988 Honda Magna, rode it for 6 years and 74k. I put oil, gas, tires, and plugs and never an issue while i owned that bike. I smiled too. Love Honda. Great video.
Rocky Mountain Ras thank you!
It would be nice if you could include some basic specs but man did you do a great job with the review of the day-to-day living with the bike! You have an excellent bike there and I am sure you won’t regret your purchase decision! Honda reliability with that package is mind blowing. That engine will last forever and most people will likely sell their bikes due to their lack of interest in riding or their concerns over safety when it comes to riding motorcycles. I have been riding a 2011 Triumph Tiger 800XC (past 3 yrs) and have done a ton of upgrades to the bike just to make it work for daily commutes and such. This thing comes with everything and extra (Apple car play, speakers, etc). Plus you probably don’t need to do a valve check every 14k mikes on the thing. Your video convinced me that this will be my next bike. I think it’s a better buy than the BMW 1200 GS Adventure that I was initially considering.
Thank you very much for the comment. I was thinking of including basic specs, but I was feeling like 20 minutes was pushing the average TH-cam viewers limit as it is since most specs other people cover 😅. I’m loving it so far though, there are little things but most bikes have little things that are funky. How is your Triumph with the exception of adding some things? As for services, I will find out at about 5,000 miles what is needed there and give a service update. Again thank you for the comment! Update us here if you end up getting a new goldwing and tell us what you think.
Very badass motorcycle. When my Africa Twin is paid off I'm probably going to buy one.
Slim Pickering thank you for the positive comment! Let us know about your experience when you do get one.
Thank you for your honest review
Good review, well thought out and good info. I bought a 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Classic brand new in 2016 and LOVE it, but started looking at the new Goldwings after seeing a bunch of really positive reviews about them. The Honda dealership I went to so I could look at and possibly test ride a Goldwing treated me like they weren't interested in the slightest in selling me anything. Credit check and deposit to test ride a $20k plus bike when I arrive on a just under $30k Harley??? And I actually handed over my credit card before changing my mind about the whole thing. I can't see doing business with ANY company (or individual) that treats potential clients this shoddily. I can only imagine what their after sale service would be like. Go to virtually ANY Harley dealership and they are more than happy to let you test ride ANY motorcycle on the property, no issues or delays. And service after the sale at EVERY Harley dealership I've ever been to is always first rate. Yeah, they're expensive. But you get the service level you'd expect at that price point. Guess Honda didn't want to sell me their premium bike. They succeeded.
Terrence Lucas thank you for the positive feedback I appreciate it! I agree 100% if I couldn’t do the test ride at the dealer that I went to there is no way I would have signed papers on this expensive of a bike. I don’t know how some people do it. It will be interesting to see the follow up service visits and stuff. I’m sure Harley is a lot like BMW they really take care of you in the service department too, I don’t think Honda will come close, but we’ll see. Again thank you for the comment and information.
Congrats on your new bike, she's a beauty. I am sure it's been AWESOME! Be safe out there!
That was a great review! One of the reasons I didn’t buy the Goldwing is exactly what you said... no test rides. No way, no how am I spend $20k+ on a bike I can’t even test ride. Subscribed!
DannoDog thank you for the subscribe, the comment and watching! I’m finding out that seems to put off quite a few people and I emailed Honda corporate trying to find a dealer I could test ride one at and Honda’s response was basically that the dealers are privately owned so they can do what they want. Which is unfortunate, it hurts their brand. I feel it’s a bad way of doing business. It’ll be interesting as time goes on and services and warranty stuff arises and see if they care at all on that stuff.
Now that is kind of messed up call so when I bought mine gold wing trike with no questions or nothing they let me ride it I told him on the road before and haven’t rode one before but they said that I had my motorcycle ass is already say what they were all here let me drive it that was cool and the fan that automatically let me want to buy that because I knew what I was sitting on and how nice it felt keep me drive going straight regardless and then a 2013 that I got it’s awesome I want as far as dress it up with some LED lights sound nice and proud I was of it ever since then I’ve been proud of mine even more so after I put the lights on it just imagine you got the engine light up with LEDs runningboards on Neath on the ground lit up your rims later it don’t get no beautiful than that I think Honda for let me buy this because I don’t rest up and get it looking real nice if it was Christmas time or anytime and that you see that yeah we think Santa Claus is covered they dress Wheel real well😀👉🏼👌
Thank you very much
good review . . .watching from the philippines. . . august 1, 2020 7:30PM
kesha padilla thank you, I have other videos of my update on the bike, I no longer have it, the bike is back with Honda due to some issues I was experiencing.
I don't think I would like such a recessed fuel port, probably blocking any view of the fuel as it reaches the fill line. Can anyone tell me if either side case will hold one full size helmet?
Thank you for the comment! As for your question, neither side case held my full face Shoei RF-1100 helmet, I could kind of squash it into the rear trunk but it preloaded the trunk lid making it difficult to release open. The RF-1100 is a bit of a larger helmet though and mine is a 2XL. So you may have different results with a smaller helmet.
I’ve ridden an R1100RT police and they are comfy but I really don’t like their rear drive compared the the Honda St1300 or GW. BMW shops will lie to you to keep from having to do the annual maintenance. They put me off enough times that my rear drive in a K75RT, a bike I loved, failed and would require more than I paid for the bike to fix. I put 100K, 180K on ST1300s just changing fluids when I changed the rear tire. A world of difference. Now, at 73 I have a 2015 GW that needs nothing. I’d love a newer GW but at my age and riding habits I probably have my last bike. I can see myself riding this bike thru 300K. Honda knows how to build a bike for American riders
Kim Horton thank you! I agree mostly, the BMW is very expensive to keep on the road, and the dealer network can sometimes miss the mark. It sounds like you have a gem of a goldwing! Mine has been broken since November, I’ve been riding my BMW since then, my goldwings oil light comes on while riding, the last time I had it out once it warmed up it started tapping as well, so I don’t want to be put into a dangerous situation. Honda more so has been ignoring the issues and just pushed to keep riding it until it fails. Again thank you for the comment, I’m glad your Wing is treating you well and giving you much riding pleasure. And 73! Good on you! Keep riding as long as you can, it keeps you young. I hope you have many many more safe miles.
odd the Valkyrie has a place to put the filler cap on the fuel door and it bigger
Thanks for the information. I also have many complaints of my honda 2018 Goldwing but I love the DCT transmission.
Dale VD thank you for the comment! It’s a wonderful bike to ride and I think quite a good looking bike too, it seems there are a few minor shortcomings though.
That fuel cap portion was pretty interesting. I have a Victory Vision and other than having to turn the handlebars and turn the key left to unlatch the door, it's not too bad once you know how to do it. There is a shelf they built into it to hold the fuel cap securely while fueling. I love the new GWs and may migrate over some day, however, after watching your clip from the gas station, I would be tempted to remove the gas cap compartment latch and replace it with a velcro tab to hold it down. That would eliminate the side panel step.
What abouth you can't put 2 intergral helmets in the topcase?
Can you buy a aftermarket topcase that fits and can store 2 intergral helmets
Thank you for the comment, I’m am not sure what an integral helmet is, but one helmet was difficult enough to fit in the top case so I doubt 2 would fit unless maybe they were open face helmets maybe but I’m still not sure. As for an aftermarket top case, I think the rear top case has the speakers and stuff build into it, you can’t remove it unless you dismantle a lot of parts. I don’t have the bike anymore though, it was lemoned out. If you go to the dealer they might show you the helmet lock next to the seat, but that is a horrible thing when the weather isn’t too good if it’s raining and you have to lock your helmet on the bike it’s gonna get all wet. It is nicer to be able to put them in the cases. I would recommend you bring both helmets with you to the dealer to see if they fit. Also the luggage was pretty small in general the one trip I went on with it I didn’t have much room between all 3 cases.
I would very much like to know about the cost of ownership. maintenance, tire wear, all of it. I already don't like the seat of the 2019. it too hard. The earlier model like the 2014 was much more comfy.
ydeardorff thank you for the comment I wish I could give that to you but I didn’t have the bike long enough to experience any of that. The bike is back with Honda. I only got less than 4,000 miles on it and I had too many issues with it. Thank you though.
From the sound of it all, you might be happier with the previous generation of GW. Some things were better...storage, gas cap, locking mechanisms, remote trunk opening or use a key. Even the sound system was better. But the new one has better nav. and is fun, lighter and more fuel efficient. I loved my 2015, and like my 2018. Would I go back? I just don't know.
Thank you for the comment, I was definitely thinking about it, but so far I love the goldwing. 🤔 there are still tons on brand new 2016’s sitting in showrooms. BUT none of the ones I found had ABS, navigation and XM, for example the dealer nearest me has 2 2016’s in stock brand new, but doesn’t have any of those features. Going from BMW where ABS has been on the bikes since the 1980’s I wouldn’t buy a new bike without ABS. More so this video was to help show people a little more in depth what they might expect before the buy one.
well done - You should do more videos.
Thank you!
i wish these videos would say how tall they were and show where their feet touched. and also talk about buffeting. those are my main issues with bikes.
buzz Cutt thank you for the comment! I am 6’2” and I am flat footed on the ground. Buffeting, like how do you get beat up by the wind? I think the windshield is great for me coming off of my old BMW but the fairing leaves a little to be desired around the top of the motor. I would get wet on my shins in a bit of rain which didn’t happen on my BMW, I would get rocks smacking my shins when there was road debris, they would be cold when it’s cold. But overall the wind wasn’t too bad with the windshield up for me.
Good video. I have a 2014 Valkyrie. I used to have a 1987 BMW K 100 RT. Each bike has its idiosyncrasies. I have been satisfied with both. The gas cap access is a pain in the butt, though, something that is low tech, but defies improvement. I pry the lid up with the key, carefully, remove it, then insert and turn the key down below while I hold the cap edgewise. I am waiting for when I break the cramped lid off with the gas nozzle. I'm too lazy, so far, to adapt some tab or something else to help out. Eventually, I shall.
TheBasenjidog thank you for the positive comment! I agree every bike has its idiosyncrasies but there seems to be something to really like about every bike too! A Valkyrie! Wowee, those are beautiful bikes.
Great video Thank You. A couple of things, I have never closed my panniers and not checked that they are closed I hate stuffing around with multi keys like on my Buell Ulysses. May I say my GL1500 had it great with one key that would lock and unlock, then you operated the latches. I do worry what happen if those electric fails? Can we open them another way, can we ride the Bike with a Bypass? Newer bikes out here in the Bush have NO back up by Dealerships. Just a ute ride for 1200 ks. Motel while its repaired. Hence Bike sales down.
Maybe the mirrors folding in would be for Parked Storage and not for moving around on? But yes I see your point. I think if I was selling my GL1500 and buying new Id take a good look at the BMW 6 cylinder and compare with the new Wing? For me the Dct (yes extra $$) and comfort would win me over. I enjoyed your review totally and mean no offence just replying.
Great insight. I agree that "fiddle farting" with covers is bogus. What a shame they were so close to making the perfect bike.
Anthony C. Roberson thank you for the comment. yeah it’s a little disappointing, but overall, I don’t think I’ve ever had the ‘perfect’ vehicle. Heck my 2017 Lexus LS 460, a company that touts ‘pursuit of perfection’ as their slogan, the headliner is lumpy, the trunk lid doesn’t stay open, the infotainment system quits working intermittently etc etc but, what do I get with my alternatives? 😋
@@alexsystems2001 Well, they did say "pursuit of perfection" not "captured perfection"🤔😄
All though my sportster is put oil in and go it idles weird when cold from time to time but for some reason turning it off and then firing it back up it goes away.
The gas filling problem you mentioned is not as bad as the 2012 goldwing I owned. The gas cover had to opened with a key which was a real pain plus the second time I went to unlock it I dropped my key onto it and chipped the paint. Every bike manufacturer does somethings that don't make sense. I will say that one thing you didn't mention about the bike is its powerful motor and the its water cooled and has a history of going for many miles. The guy I ride with sold his 2017 Harley road glide and purchased another BMW which has things he didn't like. Get over it and ride on.
Would be willing to describe what the issues were? I'd like to know for my decision making. I like the 2014 model, but like the looks of the new model better....
ydeardorff my specific issue was I had the oil light keep coming on. At first I was told by the dealer over the phone I didn’t know how to check my oil, but I brought it in and they confirmed it was full of oil. So I believe the order was they kept the bike for a while, gave it back “fixed” the next morning the oil light was back on, then they kept it again for a while and gave it back “fixed” and the next day the oil light was back on, the last and final time corporate came out to look at it with their district service and parts tech, and it was “fixed” and the oil light came back on again. So after so many attempts they have the bike now. I did a video detailing a portion of the issues I had with it. th-cam.com/video/AhbR8PPpAUg/w-d-xo.html
Honestly, I feel it’s a dream to ride, some people complain about the tech but I think the newer BMW’s have super outdated tech, I applaud Honda to giving the bike modern stuff, it was risky but it definitely was nice for the time that I had it, the computer controlled suspension worked well, I didn’t have any of the suspension issues people complained about, the only real couple of odd things were the luggage situation and the way to fill the fuel. I would MAYBE consider getting another one in a couple more years to give them time to work out any potential bugs and get more user feedback.
I have a little over 20K miles on my 2018 Goldwing tour. I am finding most of the negative comment and quirks I see on youtube in regards to the new wing make over are not warranted. I had a K1600GTL for a year and put 10K on the BMW. Loved it even though it had quirks. I have owned almost every generation Goldwing except the first one. They were all great bikes for what they were made for (miles of pleasure). I have yet to experience anything negative which has been mentioned on any review.
A Hetzel thank you for the comment. I feel a lot of the professional reviewers mainly highlighted the negatives. Which I didn’t like, I felt it didn’t represent the whole bike. Which is why I was honest in my experience good or bad, even showing the fuel filler flap trouble at the gas station, but made sure to highlight the positives of the bike too. With all that said, I took my own feelings and made a video myself. I am being 100% honest, I know I would love to see more super positive and happy goldwing owners videos. I would click your subscribe button and thumbs up your video if you made one. The more real owner experiences the better more informed decisions consumers can make, and that makes TH-cam a valuable tool. Again thank you for your comment!
Navigation in older Goldwings only Honda can upload for 95.00. you cannot upload updates on your computer only Honda rep can.
I have a 2012 Harley Electra glide with 67K on it. I am about to buy another bike. I am REALLY torn between another HD or a GW. Truly torn. The GW is more powerful and has a lot more features for the price but man the HD has that look to it!!!> This video DID NOT HELP ME DECIDE!!! :) (heck I am evening thinking BMW now). Like the review. The rear speakers was an issue on the HD. I had to upgrade those.
angelo iezzi That is quite the tough spot you are in. I don’t think there is really a ‘bad’ choice of motorcycle and I know what it’s like to have to make a decision to change brands. I had a ton of hesitation and doubt. Something that was comforting though, I know if I got the BMW they tend to take a bit of a hit on resale so I got a Honda figuring worst case scenario I could trade it in or resell it and not take quite the hit. BUT so far really love the goldwing though aside from a couple quirks, which you’ll find with any bike. If you think about it, please follow up, let us know what you chose and why. Thank you for the positive comment!
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited and even had Fuel Moto do a build on it. HD IS a culture and we both know that....I did demo a tour DCT and it is leaps and bounds a better ride than an HD...I have also taken the K1600GTL out and the same hands down over an HD..It is a shame that most HD riders wouldn't pay the same and have a much more exhilarating ride and just want that cool factor....TONS of folks switching their HD for a Wing :)
I to have a harley-davidson and was getting ready to buy a new touring bike. I test rode both of the limited harley models and the new goldwing dct . I rode each bike nearly 120 miles, same route with curves and straightaways. I added the positive and negative side to see which bike would be best for me. The goldwing won hands down. I have road my new goldwing over 4000 miles in 6 weeks with no problems and love it more and more every day. I still have my harley and ride it but not as much. I believe if you test ride the new goldwing you will love it.
angelo iezzi
I’ve owned a 2012 H-D Ultra Classic Electra Glide CVO and a 2016 Road Glide Ultra CVO. I now own a 2018 GW Tour DCT and hands down the GW blows H-D out of the water for comfort. The audio is somewhat lacking, but can be improved which I did. Like all motorcycles, the seat lacks true comfort, but the aftermarket is catching up now, as there are a few options out there and more and more aftermarket parts and accessories are coming out every week now. I can honestly say, I don’t enjoy riding my H-D CVO anymore. My legs don’t get hot from the exhaust, the suspension is so much smoother, the infotainment system is amazing if you have a good Bluetooth communication device. I have the Cardo PackTalk and paired up with an Apple iPhone, I have Apple CarPlay available to use. I don’t miss the loud exhaust of my H-D, and now realizing it was actually fatiguing me much faster, I enjoy the much quieter GW. I can actually hear my music while riding without it being necessary for the system to be so loud that people 2-3 blocks away could listen to my choice of music. The only reason I still have my 2016 Road Glide Ultra CVO is because I’m upside down on the value vs what I owe. So my CVO is my backup bike.
Did you test the smoother and more powerful BMW K1600?
Excellent vid. Also bought the new GL1800, but went for the DCT (really sweet, but we'll see how it works after 50k miles). You didn't mention the double wishbone front end, something that works great for me. A tip: the gas flap has a lip on the underside that will hold the unscrewed gas cap while you're filling. My experience with the dealer was different than yours. Salesman saw me lurking around the Wing, handed me the fob and told me to bring it back "sometime today". My gripes with this bike are the firm seat (my Harley Road King is more comfortable) and a ludicrous helmet lock system. I love the engine, the aerodynamics, the adjustable wind screen, and the DCT transmission. Please keep posting, I want to see how this bike grows on you.
gnrands50 thank you for the comment. Congratulations on your new goldwing! Check back in here someday and let everyone know how it’s doing for you as well. Also, I absolutely agree with you on the helmet lock system, I’ve tried to lock 2 helmets to mine and it’s nearly useless, my XXL shoei fits in the trunk though, I have to pull off the Bluetooth dealie to make it fit best, but it does fit. As for the seat, I got a little bit uncomfortable on a recent 350 mile ride. I might look into a different seat someday. On my BMW I got a Sargent seat for it and it made a big difference on the longer rides, it’s a bit more wide a flat so there are less pressure points.
I saw that little ledge too for the gas cap but with the skirt for emissions on our fuel nozzles here in California it rests on the flap a bit and gets in the way a to rest the fuel cap there without knocking it off. That’s good to know too that there are some dealers doing this bike some justice. Since it was hard for me to find a dealer willing to offer a demo ride, I pretty much only had articles and TH-cam videos to go by and there are people complaining about everything. I think if more people got to ride one very little of that would actually be a problem. As for the suspension, that’s my bad, I came from a BMW with very similar suspension, so the bike is smooth, comfortable and handles nicely for the size of bike with minimal dive to the front end when stopping, I didn’t experience the old suspension so for now I’m pretty neutral on it. The suspension on mine looks just like anyone else’s, near the little bump stop, but my 320lb butt doesn’t seem to bother the suspension much.
A test ride will sell a bike if it's any good and if a dealer won't allow test rides, either the bike sucks or they are too risk averse. A test ride is what sold me on BMW. I had been riding a 1600 Nomad and sold it in anticipation of getting something else in 2010. I test rode a Voyager and the Kawasaki dealer wanted me to only do a very short ride. I went a little farther. Didn't really like the Voyager. Heavier than the Nomad, vibrated more, not really any quicker and was more cramped. Next up Ultra. I had to follow the salesman on a 4 miles ride. It was ok, good low speed handling, but nothing stood out. Next up was a Vision. Was better than the Voyager or Ultra, but it had a couple shortcomings. Brakes felt wooden and the cruise control looked like something from the JC Whitney catalog. Storage was less than it looks. The same dealer that sold Victory's sold BMWs. He had a leftover 2009 RT and tossed me the keys and said have fun. I had to put gas in it to get back. I bought the bike with a 49L topcase. I've been thinking about a new bike, but the bikes I'd be interested in have gotten a lot more expensive. My RT was 19K OTD with the topcase. The RT today would be around 26K OTD. The new Goldwing would be on my short list, as would the new RT. The Challenger would if it came with a topcase for the price offered, but it's too expensive for what it is. Might was well get a K bike then. What I don't like about the K bikes is the cost of maintenance. A Valve check alone is 4-500 and to change the clearances double that. On my RT, I do everything. HDs look nice, but...everytime I make a pro/cons list, the cruising styled tourers come out last.
Brilliant pointing out the obvious NFG stuff!
I appreciate the comment. For some reason that’s what a lot of people took from this video. I think I talked about good stuff too. It was just my early impressions of the bike. Either way I appreciate your comment and I hope the video helped.
Nice interview, I completely agree on the minus and plus points about the Honda Goldwing, but you have good and bad points with every bike. I hope Honda will work on it. One thing I can tell you I have had several motorcycles but this is the best motorbike that I have ever driven. I subscribe to your channel I am curious what you think about it after a few months.👍✌
Motorvrienden De Pallieters thank you very much for the positive comment! I really love it so far. Every motorcycle has its good and bad points. Thank you for the subscription too. This bike doesn’t get enough good press and there isn’t enough information for people buying them which I think can cause people to not consider it, I almost didn’t with some pro reviews complaining about the luggage size, fuel tank and suspension, but so far none of that has been a problem for me. Hopefully this will help anyone thinking about getting one.
@@alexsystems2001 My opinion is that this new Goldwing is the rolls royce among the motorbikes. The longer I ride it, the better I have it than you forget the minor flaws of the motorcycle 👍😉✌
Thanks for sharing ! Black is fastest😎
FYI, I noticed Corbin is making high capacity doors for the luggage on this new goldwing. Here is a link. If any of you have tried it. How does it work for you? www.corbin.com/honda/h18gwdoor.shtml
Bmwryder those Corbin bag extenders look good.
RanGer498 they do look like they fit quite nicely, and supposedly you can get it pre painted. I’m just hesitant and hoping someone has already ordered them and can give some feedback.
I’m 6 feet one inch will it be to small for me because of the low seat position
I’m 6’2 I didn’t feel as though it was too small but I no longer have the bike. I didn’t have much luck with the reliability of it.
@@alexsystems2001 what reliability issues did you have I’m due to pick-up a 2023 model in 2 days time
@@hawkslayers1 I’ve got additional videos on it but I had issues with the oil light coming on regularly. The dealer did all sorts of things then finally said they won’t do anything else. They just left me with a bike with lights on the dash. Then as that was worked thru with Honda corporate, other lights started coming on like the hill hold light and stuff. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they seemed to care or even provided transportation back and forth to the dealer every time it had to go in for service. That was the biggest pain. I brought it in the first time and they thought maybe the filter was just creating low oil pressure, so they replaced that and checked the oil level, I rode it home and then had to come back right away and drop it off again the light came right back on. It was like they were playing science experiment with my bike and didn’t care about my time. They replaced the sensor, the computer and all sorts of stuff. It was finally lemoned. I don’t think you’ll have the same problems as me, lemon anything is few and far between but once you go thru it, it really sours you to the brand. Honda wasn’t very easy to work with during it all. I wrote them several certified letters and finally had to get an attorney involved because they just gave up on my bike and I was stuck with a nearly $30,000 motorcycle that was having troubles, I was making the payment and paying for insurance and registration and it was sitting in my garage. I certainly didn’t want to go on a long ride with my oil light coming on here and there knowing they don’t cover towing or help out at all. My AAA only covers to a max of 200 miles I wouldn’t want to pay for it to be towed the rest of the way back home from the other side of the country if the oil light was correct and the engine was starved for oil. I ended up going back to a BMW 😅 my last two BMW’s lasted for over 100,000 miles each. I’m also sort of glad I did, after the little bit of time I had with the goldwing the luggage started to get annoying, between not being able to store my helmet in the cases to not being able to remove the cases to pack anything. Also the electronic lids on the cases got really annoying, if you packed anything that pre-loaded the lids they wouldn’t open. Like if you packed your jacket into a side case and it pressed on the lid, you’d have to push inward and then try the release again before it unlatched. I don’t know what was wrong with mechanical latches and a key 😅. I really don’t mean to sound sour but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Again, I highly doubt you’ll have the same problems as me, but that’s just the experience I had. On a positive note, the bike was real smooth, quiet and comfortable, and really really looks beautiful. I wish you the best and that you have safe travels.
@@alexsystems2001 thank for the reply in the uk I believe Honda are somewhat different to they’re customers hopefully I won’t find how good they are and it will be reliable 🤞🏻 I have a bmwr1250gs at the moment the ultimate edition but I find the seat terribly uncomfortable even putting on a comfort seat doesn’t help , happy riding and be safe out there brother
Hi I'm a 1500cc Goldwing owner been on one since 94 I own 2 a 1993 and a 1995 both SE What I seen in the 2001 on up to present was Honda went cheap and fancy both my bikes came with beautiful chrome covers in the front rear spoilers with led's and two toned colors. I like the 1800 engine and that is as far as it goes let me know when you drop it how much it will cost just from a fall from oops I lost my balance. I went to Honda and I dropped my bike in front of the dealer to go there few scratches on the chrome crash bars drop that cheap crap lets see if those lil guard's protect it. Another thing I find a lot of less space on the actually both 1800's I can put a full face helmet in a side bag left or right all because lets put these little braces to ease the lids to slowly open. You just said you had to purchase the inner bags what a sham the bags were included on the older wings. If you ever wreak it and the insurance company wants to offer it back to you at a price I'll go $1000 over what you paid the insurance company for it cause I want to do a engine and electronic swap into a 1500 giving a older wing a real upgrade. Honda quit listening to its original owners of GW's I wont buy a minney version of what is supposed to be the largest touring machine on the market.
Why do you assume the new Goldwing is meant to be the "largest touring bike" on the market? Honda's update of the Goldwing was way overdue and the new version is a marvel in innovation. Manufacturers that live in the past can't expect to be successful. The new GW still has crash bars that prevent scratching body panels in case of a "oops" but now they're hidden by plastic caps and my GW Tour DCT airbag is two tone 3-stage metallic paint. I also believe TPMS, cruise control, Bluetooth, LED screen with GPS and all LED lighting is much more useful than chrome trims and fake wood dash panels. Comparing a GL1500 to the new GW Tour is like comparing a Ford Crown Victoria to a brand new Mustang Boss...
@@jean-pierrejutras480 Well Guess you never read a 1100 Goldwing Brochure or 1200 Goldwing brochure and then a 1500 Goldwing brochure the 1500 was the marvel it can hold more luggage at the time of any other bike. I know the 1500 will ride through a cross wind better then the 1800 wing cause it is heavier I pass them up every time on a major crosswind. Sure this is innovation but it was not supposed to be Goldwing. It dose not deserve to be called Goldwing. You know why they left usa rider's like me whom sang the song either go bigger or go home. Yeah hidden under what plastic that breaks and off to the dealer for what new parts where Honda wants its riders not on the road in the shop buying stuff that would not need to be touched for a lot more drops. I'm looking at Yamaha if the put a big engine in something similar to a Riken make it a tourer with luggage that would dwarf the 1500 wing I'd buy it but Honda could get the game back too then I'd would buy it. But doubt that will happen cause once I hit 70 I wont be going on long rides any more. The Goldwing was not meant to be a sport bike but a touring machine Honda listened to the babies of the world not people whom enjoy to pull a 600 lb pop up trailer and gear. I laugh at the tiny speakers they put on it the whole bike looks like they had 100 people build some part for the bike then ok lets put it together who cares if it looks normal it is not supposed to be the worlds best tourer any more just 10th best.
@@jeffsmith8449 We surely share the same passion for Honda motorcycles and I owned a 13 F6B that I replaced with a 18 GW Tour DCT airbag and I also own a 78 GL1000. I can see a progression between each generation and after selling basically the same model for 17 years Honda had to bring the GW into the 21st century...I've never ridden a GL1500, but I know that the new GW is a huge improvement over the 01 - 17 GL1800. I guess Honda can't please every rider...but after owning 3 BMWs and 1 GL1800 I can truly say Honda hit a homerun with their new GW.
@@jean-pierrejutras480 So I'm taking it your a Honda dealer. You know when Honda came out with the first 1800 wing you know how many riders as there old wings got over 130,000 miles on them switch and went HD a lot of Honda dealers went out of business cause Honda when they brought out only one tone colors and oh God that ugly bright yellow color they even tried to bring in a two tone color scheme back in 2016-17 but it was like poorly done areas were just striped with decals while other areas had the decals and were properly clear coated I told a dealer how cheap that was he said he would have it clear coated but I'd have to pay them to take the parts off and to have it painted I looked at him and said oh really something that should have been done in the factory I have to cough up probably 600 to 900 more for no thanks I'll keep my 1500 see ya!
Is that a crack in the plastic engine cover at 2:08?
Charles Sadler good observation. But no, I had just washed the bike on the center stand for the video walk around and that is a little stream of water that came trickling out when I put it on the side stand. I didn’t see it until I used the video 😋 at 2:12 you can see the little pools of water at the valve cover bolts too and a little bit on the ground. I was waiting for someone to ask that question.
What’s the proper way to turn the GW off?
I’m not sure what you mean, I’m used to the BMW with that little flag kill switch around the push button starter that breaks, so I never use the kill switch for fear of snapping it off, So my habit of using the kick stand engine stop which is usually have the bike in first and the clutch pressed then put down the kick stand, that kills the engine then I shut off the “key switch”.
Excellent review and summation of the bike. Road test results compared to the BMW would be nice to have also.
tim gear thank you very much for the positive comment. I’d have to think more so how to go about that. I really like to show things like the gas filling issue I had and the mirrors. So I would want a way to show the bike in action. I’ll give it a try on my next video to be a little descriptive on how the bike rides and handles.
I've had 3 1800s and a 77 1000 and an 82 aspencade. From 77 on they made great improvements to the bike. On the 2018 and up they made several more improvements some which were good, Bluetooth, power windshield Dct etc. My only objection and as far as I am concerned it is fatal. Lack of room in the bags on a "Touring Bike" is not my idea of any Touring bike. Other annoyance is Apple Car play and no Android auto. So I have to buy an Apple to use the sound system?? I suggest you look at the bags on an older Gl1800 and see the space difference. Honda says they only took 10 liters out of the luggage capacity. But in so doing the also reduced the shape of the bags so they are not as deep both on sides and top. I will keep riding my 2014 until either it or me dies unless Honda improves luggage capacity on their "Touring Bike".
The best bags were on the GL1500. I had a 1991 GL1500SE which I traded in on a 2003 GL1800. I have a briefcase that just fit in the trunk on the 1500 but not in the 1800. I now have and 1800 40 Anniversary with navigation and ABS. The trunk and bags on the 1800's are definitely smaller than on the 1500, and they even smaller still on the new 1800 than on mine. The trunk on the new 1800 will NOT hold two full face helmets and the helmet lock is virtually unusable. I don't like the smaller fairing on the new bike, and the gas tank is too small. Honda would have done a lot better if they had simply used the new engine on the previous generation 1800.
One other comment, where is Android Auto. Apple Car Play won't work with Android phones such a my Samsung Galaxy S10+.
Mark here's a company that offers expanded size saddlebag doors for the '18 up GWs and are pre-painted, too:
www.corbin.com/honda/h18gwdoor.shtml
Sucks that one would have to spend more $ on an already expensive touring bike so they can tour on it. Perhaps Honda should offer upsized saddlebag and trunk doors as an option to attract the riders who need to bring stuff with them?
Im thinking of buying one same year and color, 13000 km for 22,000.00 Canadian, What's your opinion. I already own a Buell and a Road King,
@@waynecampbell4840 well, I have a follow up video regarding the bike, Honda has it back and I got my money back. The low oil light as well as various other lights kept coming on and I kept bringing it back to the dealer and they couldn’t fix it and I kept escalating it to Honda corporate and they kept kicking it back to the dealer and ultimately I had to hire and attorney to help me and Honda no longer holds a favorable spot in my heart. I ended up getting a BMW R1250GS-A and it’s been flawless for almost 15,000 miles. The really bad part is I would have been happy if they just replaced the bike but they absolutely refused to, their customer service was terrible. Defects happen, but make it right, these bikes aren’t cheap. Anyways, that probably biased my view but I certainly wouldn’t buy one again.
I really appreciate your review and comments regarding the new GL1800. I have owned two of these bikes, a 2006 and a 2012. I am hoping to buy the new model in the near future and this review showed some honest flaws in the design. The fuel door and fill port was a big one for me. No doubt the paint will suffer over time and that just seems like someone got lazy at Honda. Very nice review and I look forward to future posts. I would like to know, and I don’t believe you mentioned this, the new front end design without the telescoping forks; Does it seem to be a well thought out design or something that might need a Traxxion upgrade later on? Thanks.
Great review keep up this great work.(from egypt)
I like those new go wings the compartments storages is like smaller areBut are used to ride at 1600 Vulcan classic had a nice ride to it but with my back and my hips need some little different like those going trikes the new ones I’d rather have the older model like a 2012 1314 so we’re out in there
I did enjoy your Honda goldwing review! It gave me insights to functions others didn't an I thought retracted mirrors hitting handles shows lack of thoroughness! The passenger grip narrowness was an over sight too! I got to speak to Mr Honda when he used my 750cb for 100cc oversized piston systems for his shops! He called me "Master Barnett" an I said, "Who is this really?" An heard laughter on line! Oh, on my test ride around America, my only problem was hinged trick fuel tank cap that got pounded down an broke hinge!
Nice job here Alex. BTW a BMW K1600 GTL, the equivalent of a Gold Wing is not thousands more but on par with the Gold Wing. Now on with my .02. A Focus Group comprised of Gold Wing owners culled from the GWRRA and Iron Butt participants would have helped mitigate many small but some completely overlooked important issues brought up here. Nonetheless, Honda still did a great job. However where it gets lost in translation is at a many Honda dealership where they are selling way more of other Honda products than premium priced Ultra luxurious Touring motorcycles. If a dealership doesn’t sell enough Gold Wings to have one each of the DCT and Manual transmission Gold Wings as demonstrators. As you noted this is an automotive level priced motorcycle, a non essential product for the most part. In any event, on a better note, this bike is a Torque Monster in Sport mode in a low RPM range. The DCT model is absolute sublime in smoothness, a a result there’s never, at times, passenger helmet knock in aggressive accelerations or downshifts to stop. For more answers, solutions and fixes for this great motorcycle check out Traxxion Dynamics and Cruisemans Garage videos. Ride safe and ride often.
Thank you for the compliment, it’s quite hard getting in front of the camera. I also agree maybe I misspoke, the goldwing seems to be priced higher than the K1600GTL’s. That’s why it was so hard for me with the difficulty to get a test ride and stuff to say ‘hmm I wanna spend more on a different brand with a bike I can’t test ride’ I almost gave up.
I also agree on the engine. I didn’t believe it when the dealer said ‘you might want to keep it out of sport mode until you are more comfortable with the whole bike’ well, I put it in sport mode, for what it is, it turns into a rocket 🤣. Surprised me! Again thank you for the comment, I’ve watched and subscribed to cruisemans garage, very helpful dude, and the traxxion channel, I’ve checked out a few of his videos but I haven’t explored it too much since I want to keep it pretty stock until I get a few more miles on it.
Bmwryder
Sounds good.
There’s mention through out Traxxion Dynamic’s videos regarding many of the issues you speak of not just suspension upgrading. If anything will give ideas. Also he mentions quality lighting accessory solutions as well. Check out Wing Ding 41 a yearly gathering, this year in Nashville, TN. Sponsored by the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA). They have great benefits. Just thoughts. Ride safe and ride often.
Why would you want to carry your registration documents around with you ? We leave them safely at home in the U.K...
A YZ good question, by the way thank you for watching and the comment. Here we have 2 documents one that is registration, it’s basically a receipt that says you’ve paid the fees to use the vehicle this year and that is required to be in your vehicle in California. The other thing I think you might be referencing is the title or pink slip for the vehicle, that is the form needed for transfer of ownership, that stays at home in a safe place.
Also, we have to have insurance cards with us either electronic or paper. I was pulled over at a drunk driver checkpoint one night commuting to work, I checked out sober of course but my insurance cards were electronic on my phone, and my battery was dead, so I did get a small fine and a ticket then had to go to the court and prove I had insurance at the time of citation. Big pain, so I make sure I have the paper copies of what they want me to have. It would be nice if there was a quick small locking place on the wing it could be put.
You need to ride the Harley or Indian and check out their torque. After all 1800 ccs is not 114-117 or even the new 124 c.i. motors either. Or even 2400 cc or the Triumph Rocker III at 2294 cc. Doesn't the Honda come with a plug in for the passenger to the radio and intercom, for their helmet? I would want highway foot pegs on it as well or forward positioning pegs of some kind. I would require some kind of bars on it to help pick it up if it were to go down. Looks to me that you need to keep some W D 40 with you so you can keep the levers oiled and free moving, I had a lock cap on my fuel tank do the same thing till I started carrying a lubricant with me. Can't you put the cap on the machine that you are getting gas from? That is what I do. Now coming to the parts that you are not happy with, I feel that you are getting a little nitpicking but with that said; you are buying something that is not top quality and not hand Italian made either, this is a mass produced bike made for an imported market to keep the costs as low as possible and still try to compete with other foreign markets as well. This Honda is well below the costs of a Harley or Indian as well; but you get what you pay for as well in my book. So just enjoy it and remember, that there is a lot of us out here that are on disability that have to buy used and worn out bike and rebuilt them if we want anything to compare to what you are riding daily. Count your blessing and stop the winning ok? That'e not why anyone come to anyone's channel to hear someone complain about what they bought.
You commuted 160 miles a day to work ? .... WOW !!! .........Interesting, honest review though, of a fine motorcycle. Well done.
A YZ thank you for the nice words!
I really like the personal owner rating video... I have been Harley for awhile and traded my 2016 ultra on a 2018 Indian roadmaster and got up to 5000 miles on the roadmaster and bailed out on the Indian... love hate relationship on that bike...was always thinking about Honda GW and haven't found much information about it until your video... anyway your type of information video I should say... thanks... maybe I will go look at a GW
Chris W thank you very much for the positive comment! I really appreciate it, let us know what you end up thinking.
I don’t want to spoil it because I plan on putting it in a later video but I will, I’m at about 2,500 miles now and the side cover issue for the gas cap stopped happening and it’s working every time so I’m guessing with use things have gone past the break in point. I’ve ridden in rain and the windshield is pretty good. I really like the smooth ride, the low center of gravity with the fuel tank under the seat and the flat opposed 6 cylinder keep the weight on the bike really low so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is. The case lid issues of them being a little hard to trigger the closed light has gotten better too I’m assuming the rubber seals have gotten a little more contoured and mushy breaking in. The cases are a little small though. Other than that I’m still pretty happy with it. I’d check out cruisemans garage videos too, he has a lot of insight on his goldwing.
How much did the bike cost after all was shed and done
Absolutely nothing! Thank you for the question!
nice to see someone telling the truth
john bekkers thank you!
Happy to see videos on Honda's, because we have enough on Harley's.
That problem when you need to become serious buyer before you can test ride the bike also happen here in Indonesia, these guys need to rework their policies
Reza Laluyan thank you for the comment, yes I think it has cost them a few customers, you can go to some Harley and BMW dealers and test ride no problem. I got lucky I don’t have the bike anymore Honda took it back when I had too many issues with it.
@@alexsystems2001 yes that goes here too, you'll have no problem when you try to test ride a bmw, harley, or ducati bike, heck even kawasaki or yamaha wouldn't give you problem for test riding their bike, but when it comes to honda, my experience is when i try to purchase their cbr250rr, i ask them if i could test ride the bike first, they didn't let me, they say that i have to make sure that i will buy the bike first then they would let me test ride the bike
Surprised you didn't complain about the Navigation. I hate that you can't turn on the maps while moving. I'm not saying you should be able to calculate a route or anything, but to be able to pull up the map should be possible.
Thank you for the comment, there are things people have fully experienced like the luggage space, fuel capacity, navigation and suspension issues. I haven’t experienced them to the fullest yet. I have hit the 2,000 mile mark in the now 2.5 months I’ve had the bike but I haven’t done any long distance riding with many destinations or stops. So there are things I plan on touching on in a later video. Also I like built in satellite GPS systems because they work when you don’t have cell coverage but I think for the most part I would use the voice controlled apple car play through my phone. I’ve used car play so far for navigating around locally.
@@alexsystems2001 I currently ride a 2015 Goldwing and a 2015 HD Ultra Limited. My buddies have all moved to the 2018 or 2019 DCT models. I like the bikes but I believe Honda short changed us on some of the features. For instance, a bike this expensive should have a touch screen system instead of a control knob. Other bikes in its class and price range have had this functionality for 5 years. The Apple CarPlay is a huge plus. My friends use Waze most of the time, where I can't. Still, if you're riding and just want to see where you are, you shouldn't have to stop the bike to bring up the Nav map. That just bugs me. It's the same way on my 2015 Wing. That storage compartment that doesn't lock is no different than on the older wings. They have one on the fairing, and I have absolutely walked away and forgotten my phone in there. You were spot on with that one. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Bluetooth if you decide to connect a headset to it and maybe ride with a group of folks with headsets. My friends struggle with that on the new Wings. It works reliably, but the set up kind of comes and goes and we waste a lot of time at stops trying to get their headsets resync'd with the bikes.
How tall are you? I’m 5’7” and wonder if I’m too short for the GW.
I am 6’2” my opinion is find a good dealer that will let you demo ride one, it is fairly low to the ground.
Me too.. 🖐🏽😓 i'm just 165cm / 1.65m tall. Can i ride this GW 1800 ???
I like the look of the non touring option more. But I dont know the differences besides the passenger back rest and the trunk
Fallon Ocean I don’t think there was any mechanical differences I think maybe height of the windshield but that’s a maybe? Other than that I think it is the same bike. I was looking at both and I opted for the trunk because the more storage on long trips the better, the necessities is cool, but I’ve been on some long trips, emergency supplies are nice to have with you too like bottled water, granola bars, a small first aid kit etc etc and didn’t want to have to cut back on my supplies.
Bmwryder Those are some great points! Extra storage is always a plus for sure. And, after watching your video, I did watch a video of the trunk being removed. So u can take it off if u ever want to ride without it. And it is simple. U can easily find the video on here. Your bike is beautiful. And the black is definitely the best color on it!!! Thank u for responding and thank u for doing this video!!
Welcome to the World of Honda, i own a Goldwing F6C Valkyrie 1832cc and i came from the Harley World , but if you look around there are dealers that let you test ride, Where i live in NH Naults Honda in Manchester is one of them, and they don't care if you are buying that day. Sadly Honda America needs to Step up it's Game, because their Dealer network is Awful, like break in service i was told by the 8 or so dealers in my area everything from 250 miles to 1000 miles and everything in between, and prices from 150 to 600 dollars for the 1st service until again i called Naults (sadly not the closest) and they told me what Honda told me 1st service was 4000 miles and it was about $150
Bruce NHBeachBiker thank you for the comment, I am finding out the product is pretty good but the customer service is lacking. I had a 1975 goldwing I got used about 10 years ago and I didn’t interact with the dealer there was a small ma and pa shop I had it repaired at. So this is my first experience with Honda dealers.
@@alexsystems2001 well you have to remember 99.8% of dealers of any brand have a 10 year cut off, after 10 years parts become hard to find, and as a retired Harley service manager i've worked dealers that followed the 10 year rule and they were very profitable, the ones that fixed old bikes struggled to make money, because in the service dept you are selling time, and it you are wasting time and lift and storage place you are losing money.
When I asked a Honda sales guy if I could take a test ride he literally laughed at me. He said nobody lets you test ride bikes. I had to sadly inform him that I'd ridden a BMW K1600 and a HD Ultra within the last week and I'm buying the one I like best. I can understand not letting young kids taking out the latest rocket ships but I'm an old guy who just pulled into the lot in my $70k truck.
Dirt Beard it’s surprising at how many people come to Honda’s defense on the lack of test rides. I called Honda corporate because of an array of issues with my goldwing. The latest being an oil light that keeps coming on that they have kept my bike out of service for over 30 days. I asked about loaners and demo bikes and stuff, Honda’s response was they just don’t do it. So I mentioned BMW and Harley, Honda then basically told me their customers aren’t necessarily as seasoned of riders as BMW and Harley. It’s appalling at the lack of care for their customers and potential customers. It’s appalling how many people are OK with it. With my bike being out of service and them providing no resolution I asked them if I break down somewhere, is a tow included or anything? They told me no, I have to figure out how to get it to the dealer. Just overall not a brand that seems to stand behind their customers.
@Joseph Marton Michigan
If you are storing the bike and have the mirrors folded in, why would you need to move the bars side to side? Seems like it is a good way to make sure you aren’t riding the bike with the mirrors folded in... but hey, what do I know??? Good review.
Joey Honz Thank you for the question, with my situation, I would like to be able to lock the handlebars with the mirrors folded in. At work people are quite careless and a friend of mine had the mirror knocked off of his bike in the motorcycle parking because it’s quite tight there. So I have one of two options with this goldwing fold the mirrors in or lock the handlebars, I can’t do both. The goldwing mirrors make the bike quite wide
Thank you for the video yeah I own several bikes I don't have a big preference on brand I own two older H D's a breakout and bad boy hey 2016 Triumph Thunderbird hey Brand New 2019 Ducati Diavel s a 2015 Yamaha Raider 1900 and I can't wait to get the 2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT but I have had serious consideration of the Honda Goldwing F6B which I don't think they call the F6B now it's your bike so I appreciate the video of great deal I think I will also love that bike and I completely agree with you about the detachable bags I really wish they would put them on there they really are a great help for certain people like you and me
Drew Larsson thank you for the positive feedback. Sounds like you have had quite a few bikes to have a pretty well rounded feeling of what you like and don’t like. Let us know what you end up getting.
my dream bike hopefully i could have 1 by next year!
problem is im a short guy 5"6ft and currently owns a 2017 tmax sx
mark angelo fancubila Garcia thank you for the comment, have you sat on one how does it feel sitting on one, I’ve wondered how it is. Please let us know.
Have a 2016 Wing and were looking at a 2019, but are wondering how you secure your helmet(s) when you take them off to go eat, etc. while traveling. Older models have hooks that pop out beneath the trunk and lock the helmets thru the D-ring. And with the smaller truck space, I don’t see how you can secure/store a couple $500 full face helmets. Suggestions?
Betty Bowden thank you for the question, there is a little pop out latch next to the passenger seat and a hook that goes into that latch. That hook goes through the D Rings on the helmets. However it’s a bit of a hassle to get 2 helmets on 1 hook. You can... kind of... sort of with a lot of fuss stick 1 full face helmet in the trunk it’s it’s empty.
My 2 cents worth, I wouldn’t get another goldwing, but that’s just because mine is having problems. I posted a video about it. Anyways good luck on whatever decision you make I hope it goes swell.
Glad you like the bike - yes, you’ve identified a few issues and yes, there are more. With a few more miles and a bit more research and maybe you’ll solve some of the issues you are having. There’s a TH-cam site that has addressed the potential issue of not being able to open the 1st gas door, ‘Fuel Door Emergency trick’ - Max McAllister with Traxxion Dynamics - yes, he’s selling a upgrade to the bike’s suspension system but he also helps solve other issues and problems for the 2018+ GW. electricalconnection.com sells a solution for the gas cap and it works great ($2.95) - however this is something almost anyone (not me) can DIY (sorry Lewis - he sells the best fog light(s) kit). Another excellent site it cruisemansgarage.com - he’s also selling in particular GW Maintenance videos but does a ton of stuff online for free!
I’ve got the DCT model with 21,000 miles and it’s a great bike - just rode my old bike 07 GW last week 230,000 clicks (night and day difference) and I’m so glad I made the plunge.
David Morgan is the dct model easy to learn?
Hi. I am very much interested in buying goldwing. But have a confusion between goldwing and bmw gtl 1600. Which one do you think is the best one to go for.
Aruna Aslam thank you for the comment that’s a good question, I really like my old BMW, but I also like the goldwing. I think any bike you look at there will be oddly designed things. I guess it depends a lot on what type of riding you want to do I think the BMW will be more sporty with more luggage. But I think the goldwing is more smooth, maybe with more room between the driver and passenger and stuff. I would totally suggest a test ride on both to help with your decision.
I think the gas fill situation may come from the EPA dictates, as my 2017 H D occasionally will burp , when filling for no apparent reason. I am interested in one, but would be interested in tire life. 10,000 miles is not acceptable.
Donald Remington I plan on posting more videos as I go through the ownership experience. So I had a question on the tire life. Do you mean 10,000 miles is not enough? I don’t know what the tire life is yet, but I found on the BMW the front tire to last between 10,000 and 12,000 miles and the rear tire to last between 8,000 and 10,000 miles. I’ll include that in and update but I wouldn’t expect much more as far as tire life.