A Year with the Goldwing

Mrs. Bald Rider and I got up early on a Saturday morning in April 2022. We had to be on the road by 6am for a noon arrival in Phoenix. Enough cash was in my pocket to make me feel paranoid, more cash than I’d ever seen at one time in my life. Riding gear was packed in the back of her SUV. We were on our way to buy a 2018 Honda Goldwing from a private seller.

A month prior, we had arrived home from a desert road trip on the Ural. The last nine-hour leg back from Las Vegas was brutal. Shattered is a word I had never used before that journey. I’d rather not use it again. Shopping for Goldwings to take on longer trips began the next day. I was looking for older models, something we could try without investing too much. A budget of $10,000 seemed reasonable.

I was wrong.

Some older models existed on the market under five figures, barely. If I wanted something newer than 2008, I’d need to increase the budget. I nearly flew up to Montana to buy one but the distance was too great for me to pull off having just returned from a two-week vacation. Anything in a reasonable radius from me in the 2014 range with ABS had listed prices dangerously close to $17,000.

Forget prices for a second. Several sellers claimed their bikes had ABS but they had no sensor ring. When pointed out, some ghosted me. Others claimed the previous owner said it had ABS and they didn’t know any different. Not surprising for Craigslist.

I happened to be looking on one of the Goldwing forums and found a deal. A private seller had posted a 2018 with 24k miles and tons of upgrades for $18,700. The only issue with the bike was that the owner had dropped it on both sides. The saddlebags were mid-repair/repaint at a shop but the mirrors were scarred up. He was not the most responsive and the pictures provided were not very illustrative of condition. I took a chance. Within a week, I had pulled cash out of my retirement account and was driving to Phoenix to pay full asking price.

Pre-dropped bikes make new scratches less painful…and the bike slightly cheaper to acquire

Crimson Couch: The review part of my ramblings

I should probably start talking about the bike now. It is a review, after all. The Goldwing was already upgraded with full Traxxion Dynamics suspension ($1850) and tie-rod ($200), HeliBars Horizon SST handlebars ($800), Ultimate Seats Tall Boy Seat ($1045), updated passenger grab rails ($240), GoldStrike floorboards ($130), Honda trunk rack ($340), aftermarket fog lights ($330-ish) and Slip Streamer windshield ($200).

Hopping on an 800+ pound unfamiliar bike customized and set up for someone else and then riding 300 miles was not ideal.

EQUIPMENT

Floorboards

I found out quickly that the floorboards weren’t for me. As my first experience with them on a bike, I couldn’t tell where my feet were. I kept tapping the rear brake and disengaging the cruise control. They were replaced almost immediately with Knight Design pegs. I need to be careful, though. I have scraped my boot on the pavement hanging off the footpeg in a curve. Without floorboards, make sure your feet are in the right place if you don’t want to lose your foot.

Seat

The seat, while a comfortable perch for the cheeks, placed me in an awkward position. It also reduced the amount of pillion passenger space. Since the original seat was included in the deal, I installed it. The aftermarket seat was sold on a forum for $600. I was never going to use it again. The garage is full of items in that category already.

First trip out testing the Sickafus sheepskin. Went on a Strawberry Dr. Pepper run.

Many people complain about the stock seat. I don’t mind it. That may be attributed to my lack of long-distance seat time and the Alaska Leather sheepskin pad. On our first two-up outing, Mrs. Bald Rider mentioned that her portion of the seat was a little hard. Vinyl is never a great place to sit for extended periods of time. Wearing regular jeans doesn’t help, either.

I recently installed a jumbo sheepskin from Sickafus that covers rider and passenger portions of the seat. She hasn’t had a ride with it yet but it is fantastic for me. I may eventually buy an RDL or Laam custom seat but only if I have a surplus cash burning a hole in my pocket.

Handlebars

HeliBars’ Horizon SST bars adjust on multiple axes. All those fancy axes were set up for the previous owner. Even now, I’m still trying to dial them in. Sometimes, too much choice is a bad thing. I keep 6mm and 8mm wrenches in the right-side storage cubby to adjust them at the side of the road. Pain in my neck and shoulders has communicated to me that we’re not there quite yet. Getting closer, though.

Are they worth the asking price? I’m not sure having never ridden with the stock bars. I would have liked to ride one with stock bars for comparison. Sitting on one in a showroom doesn’t really give you a complete picture.

Storage

With limited space, organization is key

I’m not sure I can add much that hasn’t been said a thousand times since the bike’s release five years ago. It isn’t great. Could be better. The top trunk doesn’t fit two full-face helmets. It doesn’t fit one, really. You cannot fit anything with the Honda top trunk organizer. The side cases are oddly shaped. Saddlebag organizers that attach to the saddlebag doors help make use of the space. The OEM saddlebag liners/bags are all but a waste. They do look nice, though.

The added trunk rack helps. No matter how much space you have, it is never enough. I’ve been casually on the lookout for a trailer to pull behind for extended trips. In the meantime, two different Nelson Rigg bags (NR-250, NR-300) are on the way. I can carry them on the trunk rack (not at the same time) depending on how much extra space we need.

Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT)

I love the transmission. I’ve written previously about motorcyclists’ egos tied to being able to work a clutch. My ego doesn’t work that way. A big touring bike having an automatic transmission makes sense.

It isn’t perfect. In ‘Tour’ mode, it may shift mid-corner which isn’t ideal. I tend to keep it in ‘Rain’ mode in tight twisties to keep from shifting when I don’t expect it. As I get more comfortable with it, I may play with the other modes. ‘Sport’ has a more sensitive throttle response than I am comfortable with in technical corners. You might call it snatchy. I call it unnerving. I could always just switch to manual mode and use the triggers to shift or hold a gear, when necessary. Maybe down the road.

Though not specifically DCT-related, I use the forward and reverse walking mode every time I ride just to maneuver all that plastic and metal on wheels out of my garage.

Android Auto

Android Auto randomly dropping is so aggravating.

Google did us dirty. If you want AA to work, you must have a headset connected via Bluetooth to the bike. You must also have the right cable that will both charge and reliably connect AA from the phone to the bike. I’ve gone through cables that will charge the phone but not stay connected and ones that will run AA consistently but not charge the phone. AA disconnected over 100 times in 2 hours on a recent trip. An official $20 cable purchased directly from Google’s store is the only one I have found so far that will do both., at least with my Pixel7 Pro. Otherwise, pick your poison.

Good news has come with software updates. You are no longer required to disconnect/reconnect your phone to have Android Auto work after stopping for fuel or an Instagram photoshoot. Small win but I’ll take it.

I haven’t run Apple CarPlay yet. I’m typing this on a MacBook but that doesn’t mean I like iPhones.

CAPABILITIES

If you haven’t read or watched anything I’ve published, I’ll let you know now: I’m not an expert rider. I think that is a valuable position from which to express opinions because I am not a professional moto journalist. You aren’t going to catch me riding a sport bike through the mud on a ride to work like Zack Courts or be invited to a manufacturer’s press release and/or model shindig. I’m just a guy who bought an 800+ pound bike and try to make it home from every adventure with the same number of scratches I had when I left.

That said, this motorcycle is the most effortless bike to ride I have ever experienced. Whether just riding solo or with a passenger, the Goldwing doesn’t care. Having an 1833cc six-cylinder probably has something to do with that. You only really run into trouble when you think too much and don’t just let the bike do what it needs to do.

A Goldwing is a heavy bike but the weight is carried low. You never feel the weight unless you are pushing the bike up a hill or forget to put the kickstand down when parking.  I can understand the internet jokingly calling it the ST1800. A modern Goldwing is plenty sporty with limits far exceeding what my skills can reach.

How much range is enough? A 5.5-gallon tank and my average 46 observed mpg will provide at least 250 miles before you are stranded on the side of the road at the mercy of a stranger or AAA for emergency refueling. I will be testing actual range soon by hypermiling until I run out of gas. I already have the can for extra fuel I’ll be bringing with me.

MAINTENANCE

I’ve done some work (oil, final drive, brake fluid) but don’t want to tear the bike apart to change the air filter or flush the coolant. I also don’t want to deal with the half screw, half shim valve job. I need to decide on a shop that I can trust to do it. It has been put off for too long. Maybe after this riding season a shop can perform its ‘break-in’ service.

COMPETITION

I’ve never ridden any other large touring bikes and cannot compare directly. BMW K1600 has a reverse assist but no forward. No other manufacturer has either, as far as I know. That’s fine if you live in or travel to places that are flat. I’m not sure I could live with a big, heavy touring bike without the forward and reverse walking gear.

A trade-off is dealer support. The only reason I would consider a Harley Davidson is the immense dealer network and repairability. Well, that and The Motor Company’s fantastic paint work. Honda doesn’t really like to work on their own bikes after 10 years or so. They don’t really like working on Goldwings at all. Finding a shop in an unfamiliar town for unplanned maintenance could prove challenging. Good thing Hondas never break down ever.

VALUE

I may have scooped up the deal of the decade with this machine. Used bikes were going for stupid money back then and I still see bone-stock 2018 examples listed online for up to $23k. A quick look online in my local area found a dealer selling a new 2023 for $32k (with freight and ADM without registration and other fees).

Deals can be had. Have cash-in-hand and be ready to move when opportunity presents itself. I paid under $19k for a bike with nearly $5k in upgrades and a few scratches. It isn’t for sale but, if you offered me $30k, I might consider it.

CONCLUSION

I am very happy with my acquisition. If I had to change one thing, it would be storage. That can be corrected by giving your credit card to Corbin but I could also pack less. Two-up distance touring will require pulling a trailer.

Who is this bike for? Most people, honestly.

MSRP is a limiting factor. Walking into your friendly local Honda dealership and dropping $30k or more on a new model is prohibitive for many, especially younger folks with less disposable income. Purchasing used impacts the wallet less and opens ownership up to more people.

Image is another factor. Many do not consider it because it is seen as an old man bike. It isn’t, especially the current generation. It also isn’t a Harley Davidson or made in the USA (anymore). That matters to some people.

If you have been riding for a few years and don’t plan to travel on roads requiring knobby tires but would like to crush miles in comfort, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not considering Big Red’s flagship tourer.

I had to stop and get the obligatory Instagram picture. I never get tired of looking at this bike or riding this road.