Should I buy Honda Gold Wing or Yamaha Venture?
Morten Seipajarvi
How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
should awoid?
- Morten Seipajarvi
Norway
Alan Sanderson
> How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
are cheaper and more available...but then my 3 GWs never needed any parts
but the Venture certainly did.
> And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
> should awoid?
GW 1984-87 models had stator problems..$ 500.00+ to re&re
If you're considering one in this range, make sure the stator has been
replaced and get that guarantee in writing on your bill of sale.
'88 and up..no problems
Had: '80 GW '83 GW '83 Venture and now a '91GW
mrdancer
chrome, more aerodynamic.
Morten Seipajarvi <mor...@email.com> wrote in message
news:LuldObH9kc7p4g...@4ax.com...
> I am very fond of the Honda Gold Wing concept.
>
> How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
>
> And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
> should awoid?
>
> - Morten Seipajarvi
> Norway
zb...@wt.net
>
> Rumour is that the new Wing will have a 1.8L engine and less luggage and
> chrome, more aerodynamic.
Can't wait to see a pic of it.
Vince
97 Aspencade
zb...@wt.net
>
> On Sat, 1 Jul 2000 18:05:37 -0500, "mrdancer"
> <mrdanceratcamalottdotcom> wrote:
>
> >Rumour is that the new Wing will have a 1.8L engine and less luggage and
> >chrome, more aerodynamic.
>
> until the new Wing actually gets into showrooms. At that point,
> buyers should be able to get good deals on any leftover 2000 models
> ... and I'm betting there will be a few.
>
> ___
Shoot there is already good deals on 2000 models. I know of one dealer
who still has a few 98 and 99 models.
Vince
97 Aspencade
joe bemrich
doubt i'll buy another.
I have a problem with a company that boasts about a world-class
"touring bike" that has a seat suitable only for midgets, that softens
down to the frame in four hours of summer riding, effectively
crippling anyone who weighs more than 150 pounds... If you buy a
cruiser and want to set it up to ride to Timbuktu, then it's
reasonable to think you might want to replace that stock seat. If you
lay out 18 grand for a "touring bike," that seat ought to kiss your
ass every time you get on it and make love to it until you get off.
The old suzuki Cavalcades came with seats that did this. I did a 14
hour ride one day on my Cavalcade, and climbed off the bike with NO
soreness in my flat butt at all. I rode ten hours from Dallas to
Roswell on my Gold Wing with a stock seat and had to sit in a jacuzzi
for near an hour before the soreness even STARTED to subside. So like
thousands of others, I sucked it up and bought an aftermarket seat, at
a cost of nearly $500.
What kind of "touring bike" is it when three of the most popular major
options are a higher windshield, ANY after-market seat, and
replacememt suspension springs so that the bike will handle properly
when fully loaded for two-up riding? Granted, the windshields
probably go to guys who wives aren't bikers at heart and don't like
the wind in their faces, but what's the point of building an 850 pound
motorcycle, promote it as a pack mule, then put a suspension on it
that has to be augmented in order to do it properly.
The design of the gold wing's front fairing and engine offer their own
ergonomic problems. They effectively block nearly all wind from the
front that would otherwise provide cooling in the summer heat. The
"vents" in the fairing are a joke. (Another VERY popular option on
Wings are "wind wings", which are wind deflectors outrigged on the
fairing to deflect air around the fairing and onto the riders. They
look ridiculous, but if you ride a wing in the southern US in the
summertime, it's hard to do without them, or a vent cut into the
middle of your windshield to let air in.) The width of the engine
makes it damn hard to stretch during long rides. Where you would
normally put a set of highway pegs on your crash bars, the wing's
width makes them all but useless for anything but short periods. I'm
6'4" tall with a 34" inseam, but my highway pegs are barely 6" forward
of the regular ones, because I can't bend my legs in the three places
it would take to place them all the way forward, where they would
normally be comfortable for a long period of time.
The best feature of the Goldwing, to my mind, IS the reliability of
the motor. I see very little on the GW club boards indicating
anything other than near-utter reliability of the engine and drive
train, at least in the GL-1500 models. I do my own maintenance, and
to be honest the only thing I ever had the bike in the shop in about
three years and 25,000 miles was to have a light fixture replaced
under warranty.
On the other hand, I (who was amazed to see a post from someone
looking for a nitrous kit for his Gold Wing (he pulled a trailer in
the mountains)) was eventually disappointed by the lack of giddyup
when riding two-up. I test rode it solo, and it seemed reasonably
powered. Nearly the biggest engine they put on a production bike, and
it makes only 89 horsepower. On a good day. See my earlier comment
about mules...
The cargo space in a Wing is about (if not the biggest) as much as you
can get on a bike, and on a week-long trip with two people, it still
isn't enough for much more than a spare pare of jeans and clean
underwear and your rain gear. But it don't get any better than that,
and you can't beat being able to work the locks and open it all up
from one place. (I'm not going to discuss pulling a trailer with a
bike, I still get a knot in my stomach evening THINKING about such a
vile act.)
Does that mean you shouldn't buy a Gold Wing? That's up to you. What
it means is that some part of the Gold Wing organization has their
head up their ass, or that Honda has some interest in making
aftermarket parts suppliers rich.
At this risk of being scoffed at, though, I have to say that the new
ventures are just beautiful..... they come with what look and feel
like seats you could ride all day. They have more horsepower and
standard features that a comparably priced Wing doesn't have.
I did read a review that bitched about brake fade at high speed, but I
think that may have had something to do with the reviewers being
sport-bike riders at heart.. there are some things you just shouldn't
try to do with a big touring bike... ;^)
For me, I wish Suzuki would make another touring bike. They knew
what was important: power and comfort, and load-carrying capacity.
They didn't low-ball their bikes and force you to spend another couple
grand on aftermarket parts so you could actually go RIDE the bike on a
long trip. My first one was a GS850 that had been wrecked and rebuilt
and still tracked straight as an arrow and gave me not one moment's
problem with the motor or drivetrain.
On Sat, 01 Jul 2000 14:52:05 +0200, Morten Seipajarvi
<mor...@email.com> wrote:
>I am very fond of the Honda Gold Wing concept.
>
>How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
>
>And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
>should awoid?
>
>- Morten Seipajarvi
>Norway
------------------------------------------------------------
"Born to be Wild, Sentenced to Sedation, In Recovery"
Joe Bemrich - 1996 Wingabago: "Betty Boop"
1996 T-BirdL "Blackbird:
Dallas, Texas Dod #1238
------------------------------------------------------------
Walter Luffman
<mrdanceratcamalottdotcom> wrote:
>Rumour is that the new Wing will have a 1.8L engine and less luggage and
>chrome, more aerodynamic.
I've heard the same thing. I'd recommend waiting to buy any tourbike
until the new Wing actually gets into showrooms. At that point,
buyers should be able to get good deals on any leftover 2000 models
... and I'm betting there will be a few.
___
Walter Luffman, wluffman at earthlink-dot-net Medina, TN USA
I am feeling especially ept, ane and sipid today.
mrdancer
Walter Luffman <wluf...@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:ts1tls4n557r05rga...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 1 Jul 2000 18:05:37 -0500, "mrdancer"
> <mrdanceratcamalottdotcom> wrote:
>
> >Rumour is that the new Wing will have a 1.8L engine and less luggage and
> >chrome, more aerodynamic.
>
> I've heard the same thing. I'd recommend waiting to buy any tourbike
> until the new Wing actually gets into showrooms. At that point,
> buyers should be able to get good deals on any leftover 2000 models
> ... and I'm betting there will be a few.
They have an artist's concept in the latest Motorcycle Consumer News. It
looks more like a sportbike than a Wing. I could scan it for ya if you'd
like.....
MCN also reports that not one single part on the new bike is carried over
from the previous GL (so, no aftermarket parts for a while....). The new
Wing is supposed to have a lighter, alloy frame and a highly-advanced
suspension system. Fairing is narrower and sleeker, underbody panels are
gone, as is the full disc brake covers. Rumored options are heated
seats/handgrips, electrically-adjustable windshield, GPS system, cell phone,
CD changer. Standard equipment may include a a setup that locks all luggage
when the steering is locked. No word on ABS, and nothing yet on possible
availability of Honda's new push-button automatic transmission......
mrdancer
joe bemrich <nspam*audacity*deathtospammers*@swbell.net> wrote in message
news:MKZeOX5tFUhLfRE=JX=eDEC...@4ax.com...
<snip>
> On the other hand, I (who was amazed to see a post from someone
> looking for a nitrous kit for his Gold Wing (he pulled a trailer in
> the mountains)) was eventually disappointed by the lack of giddyup
> when riding two-up. I test rode it solo, and it seemed reasonably
> powered. Nearly the biggest engine they put on a production bike, and
> it makes only 89 horsepower. On a good day. See my earlier comment
> about mules...
OTOH, I think the Wing's infamous longevity and reliability come from the
fact that the motor is not strung out to produce gobs of HP. I think it is
overbuilt for its power output, and that is what contributes to its
indestructability. Would you give up 50k on a rebuild to get 20 more HP?
Personally, I've never had a problem with power on my Wing - I just
downshift it and have all kinds of power ;-)
--
'92 Dak CC 2wd 318 3.55
'84 GoldWing Interstate
joe bemrich
honda places so little emphasis on performance... At 44, I was one of
the younger riders there.... :) I doubt anyone buys a wing to race,
but I've seen a LOT of wing owners packing more weight than I do
pulling trailers of a ridiculous size on top of two "generously
proportioned" riders... and there are more than a few with sidecars
AND trailers (though I can't figure out why THAT crowd doesn't just
take the cage... )
ah well, i won't be getting another bike for another year or so
anyway.....
On Sun, 2 Jul 2000 07:23:54 -0500, "mrdancer"
<mrdanceratcamalottdotcom> wrote:
>
>joe bemrich <nspam*audacity*deathtospammers*@swbell.net> wrote in message
>news:MKZeOX5tFUhLfRE=JX=eDEC...@4ax.com...
><snip>
>> On the other hand, I (who was amazed to see a post from someone
>> looking for a nitrous kit for his Gold Wing (he pulled a trailer in
>> the mountains)) was eventually disappointed by the lack of giddyup
>> when riding two-up. I test rode it solo, and it seemed reasonably
>> powered. Nearly the biggest engine they put on a production bike, and
>> it makes only 89 horsepower. On a good day. See my earlier comment
>> about mules...
><snip>
>
>OTOH, I think the Wing's infamous longevity and reliability come from the
>fact that the motor is not strung out to produce gobs of HP. I think it is
>overbuilt for its power output, and that is what contributes to its
>indestructability. Would you give up 50k on a rebuild to get 20 more HP?
>
>Personally, I've never had a problem with power on my Wing - I just
>downshift it and have all kinds of power ;-)
------------------------------------------------------------
ju9...@my-deja.com
Morten Seipajarvi <mor...@email.com> wrote:
> I am very fond of the Honda Gold Wing concept.
>
> How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
>
> And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
> should awoid?
>
>
Are you talking new or used? If you are talking used, I can say the
second generation ('87 - 97/98?) Ventures were great bikes. I have
a '87 Royale and have never had a problem with it. It is comfortable
for both me and my wife. Comparing a Wing and Royale is like comparing
a Cadillac to a Ferrari. Both are great cars, and both will get you
where you want to go in style and comfort. The Cadillac (Wing) is a
land barge with which you can ride all day and never feel a bump in the
road. The Ferrari (Venture) is a performance vehicle where you
experience the road in detail and are able to become one with the
road. So which do you choose? If you plan to ride the super slab all
day, choose the Wing, your butt will thank you. If you plan to ride
the back roads, and do the twisties, choose the Venture, it won’t keep
up with Ninja, but it will leave the Wing in the dust. Hope this helps.
’87 Venture Royale, the original sport tourer!
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Rick Damiani
>GoldWings are still being made while the Venture ceased.
Not exactly:
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcyam/venture.html
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/01motorsports/01mcy/1_tour/starventure/info_body.html
--
A host is a host from coast to coast ..................... Rick Damiani
and no one will talk to a host that's close .... ri...@nospam.paton.com
Unless the host (that isn't close) ......... ri...@nospam.earthlink.net
is busy, hung or dead ..............................NGI# T695 DoD #2659
dvandyke
Good Luck.
--
Men are like grapes. Women stomp all over them
until they become something they'd like to
have their dinner with. :)
Dan AKA wildncrazyguy
http://CoolFreeLinks.com
Morten Seipajarvi <mor...@email.com> wrote in message
news:LuldObH9kc7p4g...@4ax.com...
> I am very fond of the Honda Gold Wing concept.
>
> How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
>
> And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
> should awoid?
>
> - Morten Seipajarvi
> Norway
Alan Sanderson
dvandyke <dvan...@ford.com> wrote in message
news:8jqs7g$sj...@eccws12.dearborn.ford.com...
Cant you think of a new tune ? Perhaps you should get your typist to
invent a second "line" for you to use.
Road Glidin' Don
<mor...@email.com> wrote:
>I am very fond of the Honda Gold Wing concept.
>
>How can I compare the Gold Wing against Venture?
>
>And while I am it; are there any special production year or models I
>should awoid?
They're both Jetson-mobiles. I prefer motorbikes, myself. <g>
...
Work to ride. Ride to work.
98 FLTRI (mine)
83 Nighthawk (wife's)
zb...@wt.net
Are you the type that will not wave back when I wave because you are on
a Harley and I am on a Wing?
Vince
97 Aspencade
Road Glidin' Don
>> They're both Jetson-mobiles. I prefer motorbikes, myself. <g>
>
>Are you the type that will not wave back when I wave because you are on
>a Harley and I am on a Wing?
<waving frantically>
Hi Vince!
...
Work to ride. Ride to work.
98 FLTRI
83 Nighthawk
Web page recently moved (and updated): http://members.home.net/langkd
zb...@wt.net
>
> On Wed, 05 Jul 2000 14:57:04 -0700, zb...@wt.net wrote:
>
> >> They're both Jetson-mobiles. I prefer motorbikes, myself. <g>
> >
> >Are you the type that will not wave back when I wave because you are on
> >a Harley and I am on a Wing?
>
> <waving frantically>
>
> Hi Vince!
>
> ...
Hi back at ya.
Vince
97 Aspencade
Debbie
Royale and would not trade it for anything else on the two
wheel road, including the new RSV .. Yes, the new 99/00
RSV is a wonderful bike and have many friends who have them.
But, ole "Charlie Tuna" is just right for me.
If you want many more opinions, why not visit "The Venturers"
web site at http://www.venturers.org .. Go to the forum and
ask. Think you will find a lot of ex-wingers who have gone
to the Venture and love it ..
Marshall
Onethumb
Check the different factory warrantee periods and mileage limits and how
well the dealers honor them. That may help with one data point too.
--
Mark Johnson, Fort Worth, Texas
DoD #2021; onethumb at swbell dot net
"Paranoia is a disease unto itself. And, may I add,
the person standing next to you may not be who they
appear to be. So take precautions." - Primus