Test drove 2018 Road Glide & Goldwing dct

KURT44 · 07-16-2018, 04:08 PM

2018 Goldwing DCT
Pros: very smooth up shift
selectable modes
lots of power
Good suspension, but not as smooth as I was expecting.
electric wind shield
good radio & speakers
good breaking

Cons: will down shift right as your leaning into curve or parking lot speed
thought seat was to firm
upright seating not for me (stresses my mid back)
ankles got hot behind motor
less storage then previous models
auto down shifts can be a little harsh even in Tour mode
Price

2018 Harley Road Glide Ultra
Pros: Very smooth
good power
Very good fit for me 6`1 240
Harley sound & feel
very good radio & speakers
Nice color (twisted cherry)
Excellent wind protection with vented fairing
Cruise control by left thumb (very handy)
good smooth breaking

Cons: Price (28,800 plus doc & set up) I was offered 8700.00 trade
for my 2012 Voyager with 53,000 miles (probably not a bad offer)
Said this month only, offering retail instead of 4900.00 (wholesale)
Clutch lever pulses on all downshifts (read that is normal because it`s a slipper clutch)
Did I mention price?
I would have to get tattoos and wear a leather vest

redjay · 07-16-2018, 05:48 PM

Never had the urge to own a Harley in 50 years of riding motorcycles.

Demolition Man · 07-17-2018, 02:00 PM

Anyone thought about the BMW Grand America ?

IF I have to replace my Voyager, it will be an Indian Roadmaster or the BMW Grand America.

Test rode the Indian, still waiting for the BMW test ride.

Harley ? Never ever !

Cu,
Sven

KURT44 · 07-17-2018, 04:33 PM

I wouldn`t do BMW simply because the closest dealer is over 2 hours away. I honestly don`t care for the look of any of the Indian motorcycles.
Plus I wouldn`t trust them to be around forever. Motorcycle sales will continue to decline. Thought they should have stayed with Victory.

4Steelers · 07-17-2018, 05:15 PM

Test rode an Indian Chieftan a couple of weeks ago at Brenny's in Bettendorf Iowa. I wasn't looking for a new bike, just something to do.

The one I rode was a stage 2 with 111 engine. The bike was very nimble and easy to handle and it would go! Stock stereo was far better than the vaqueros'.

The brake and shifter pedals were a reach and took a while to get used too. A buddy of mine rode one too and couldn't believe what a smooth ride it was. I told him he needed to get rid of his HD CVO because the ride on my vaquero was much smoother.

**schoeney** · 07-17-2018, 05:33 PM

It is really funny how so many different people can have different opinions about the same bikes.

I spend a lot of time on the Goldwing forums and it is almost comical some of the contradicting opinions. You got ex Harley guys saying how slow even the more recent Harleys are compared to the Goldwing.

Long-term Goldwing guys love the new front suspension and others bad mouth it.

Many people have suggested the new Goldwing is more like a sport touring bike and are calling it The ST1800.

I have not ridden the new Wing but I certainly hope it is very similar to the ST1300 in handling and power. I loved mine. It was not perfect but it was pretty darn close for me. The ST's are better bikes for one up than a Goldwing in my opinion. The 1975-2017 Goldwing is the gold standard for two up riding.

My personal opinion is you really need a 300 mile ride to fully evaluate a new bike. Passing, merging, comfort between gas stops, fuel range, effects of vibration, noise, electrical gadget convenience. Some gadgets are more of a distraction than a convenience.

It seems like people that come off Baggers or Cruisers have a harder time transitioning to the Wing riding position... vs people that are coming off of other bikes that had the standard position or close to it. I love being able to stand up on the pegs while doing 60 so you can extend your ride between stops and get a little air underneath you.

The transition from the ST1300 to the Goldwing was not difficult for me. I am 6ft 2 and have adapted well enough to do 1148 miles in one day on my 2006 Wing.

Even with all of its luxury the Goldwing requires the typical tweaking to get the fit right for each individual rider. A backrest seems the most common tweak among everybody. Next is highway pegs. Mine has the adjustable heli bars but many just do risers.
Seems like the majority of the people have some type of suspension upgrade on the older wings (pre 2018). Mine came with some Traxxion suspension upgrades.

I guess this explains why the aftermarket has so many options.

It's pretty natural for all of us to be looking for the next perfect bike. My next one will be the latest version of the BMW R 1200 RT. They seem to be more reliable than previous generations. I still won't own one without a warranty.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

redjay · 07-17-2018, 08:34 PM

My 1300 V Star in stock form was a pig to ride. Poor fueling, and all the other stuff created by having to get through emission testing. Now after some mods and creature comforts the bike is how I want it to be and 500 mile days are easy, easier than on my Nomad or my Voyager. If it expires I will get a newer one (2008 to 2010) with low mileage and transfer over all my accessories and mods. Yamaha has stopped making the V Star.

ponch · 07-26-2018, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demolition Man

Anyone thought about the BMW Grand America ?

IF I have to replace my Voyager, it will be an Indian Roadmaster or the BMW Grand America.

Test rode the Indian, still waiting for the BMW test ride.

Harley ? Never ever !

Cu,
Sven

The America is speed limited to 101mph. Thank you no. If I had the cash, maybe a K1600GT or a LC R1200RT. BMW dealers are usually pretty good with a test ride. The dealer I bought mine tossed the keys and said have fun. The Kaw and HD dealers had very limited test rides and with the HD dealer I had to follow the salesman for a 4 mile ride. With the BMW, I had to put gas in it to get back to the dealer. If the bike is good, it will sell itself on a good test ride.

redjay · 07-27-2018, 12:15 PM

If you listen to this guy at Traxxion Dynamics the 2018 Goldwing has steering and suspension issues.

https://www.youtube.com/user/max9543...view=0&sort=dd

**schoeney** · 10-30-2018, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

If you listen to this guy at Traxxion Dynamics the 2018 Goldwing has steering and suspension issues.

https://www.youtube.com/user/max9543...view=0&sort=dd

Uh huh....and what does he happen to sell?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

redjay · 10-30-2018, 08:51 AM

He sells stuff to fix the issues with the 2018 Gold Wing steering and suspension.

07-16-2018, 04:08 PM	#1
KURT44 Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: WEST OF ROCKFORD IL. Posts: 133	Test drove 2018 Road Glide & Goldwing dct 2018 Goldwing DCT Pros: very smooth up shift selectable modes lots of power Good suspension, but not as smooth as I was expecting. electric wind shield good radio & speakers good breaking Cons: will down shift right as your leaning into curve or parking lot speed thought seat was to firm upright seating not for me (stresses my mid back) ankles got hot behind motor less storage then previous models auto down shifts can be a little harsh even in Tour mode Price 2018 Harley Road Glide Ultra Pros: Very smooth good power Very good fit for me 6`1 240 Harley sound & feel very good radio & speakers Nice color (twisted cherry) Excellent wind protection with vented fairing Cruise control by left thumb (very handy) good smooth breaking Cons: Price (28,800 plus doc & set up) I was offered 8700.00 trade for my 2012 Voyager with 53,000 miles (probably not a bad offer) Said this month only, offering retail instead of 4900.00 (wholesale) Clutch lever pulses on all downshifts (read that is normal because it`s a slipper clutch) Did I mention price? I would have to get tattoos and wear a leather vest __________________ Kurt44 2012 voyager Happy trails! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

07-17-2018, 02:00 PM	#3
Demolition Man Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Hannover, Germany Posts: 380	Anyone thought about the BMW Grand America ? IF I have to replace my Voyager, it will be an Indian Roadmaster or the BMW Grand America. Test rode the Indian, still waiting for the BMW test ride. Harley ? Never ever ! Cu, Sven __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner. Liberty is a well-armed lamb." - Benjamin Franklin MY LIFE - MY RULES ! 2018 Indian Roadmaster
	0

07-17-2018, 04:33 PM	#4
KURT44 Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: WEST OF ROCKFORD IL. Posts: 133	I wouldn`t do BMW simply because the closest dealer is over 2 hours away. I honestly don`t care for the look of any of the Indian motorcycles. Plus I wouldn`t trust them to be around forever. Motorcycle sales will continue to decline. Thought they should have stayed with Victory. __________________ Kurt44 2012 voyager Happy trails!
	0

07-17-2018, 05:15 PM	#5
4Steelers Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Rickman, TN Posts: 59	Test rode an Indian Chieftan a couple of weeks ago at Brenny's in Bettendorf Iowa. I wasn't looking for a new bike, just something to do. The one I rode was a stage 2 with 111 engine. The bike was very nimble and easy to handle and it would go! Stock stereo was far better than the vaqueros'. The brake and shifter pedals were a reach and took a while to get used too. A buddy of mine rode one too and couldn't believe what a smooth ride it was. I told him he needed to get rid of his HD CVO because the ride on my vaquero was much smoother. __________________ 2015 Vaquero "Ivanized" V&H Dual Slash Cut Slip Ons Auxillary Lights Kuryakyn Longhorn Highway Pegs Mustang Seat VBA #: 3681 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

07-17-2018, 05:33 PM	#6
schoeney Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW Region Posts: 5,222	It is really funny how so many different people can have different opinions about the same bikes. I spend a lot of time on the Goldwing forums and it is almost comical some of the contradicting opinions. You got ex Harley guys saying how slow even the more recent Harleys are compared to the Goldwing. Long-term Goldwing guys love the new front suspension and others bad mouth it. Many people have suggested the new Goldwing is more like a sport touring bike and are calling it The ST1800. I have not ridden the new Wing but I certainly hope it is very similar to the ST1300 in handling and power. I loved mine. It was not perfect but it was pretty darn close for me. The ST's are better bikes for one up than a Goldwing in my opinion. The 1975-2017 Goldwing is the gold standard for two up riding. My personal opinion is you really need a 300 mile ride to fully evaluate a new bike. Passing, merging, comfort between gas stops, fuel range, effects of vibration, noise, electrical gadget convenience. Some gadgets are more of a distraction than a convenience. It seems like people that come off Baggers or Cruisers have a harder time transitioning to the Wing riding position... vs people that are coming off of other bikes that had the standard position or close to it. I love being able to stand up on the pegs while doing 60 so you can extend your ride between stops and get a little air underneath you. The transition from the ST1300 to the Goldwing was not difficult for me. I am 6ft 2 and have adapted well enough to do 1148 miles in one day on my 2006 Wing. Even with all of its luxury the Goldwing requires the typical tweaking to get the fit right for each individual rider. A backrest seems the most common tweak among everybody. Next is highway pegs. Mine has the adjustable heli bars but many just do risers. Seems like the majority of the people have some type of suspension upgrade on the older wings (pre 2018). Mine came with some Traxxion suspension upgrades. I guess this explains why the aftermarket has so many options. It's pretty natural for all of us to be looking for the next perfect bike. My next one will be the latest version of the BMW R 1200 RT. They seem to be more reliable than previous generations. I still won't own one without a warranty. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk __________________ VBA #659 2003 Nomad 1500 (Gone but never forgotten) 2005 Honda ST1300 - Sweet and still kickin 2006 Honda Goldwing - Best Boat in the Marina Last edited by schoeney; 07-17-2018 at 06:11 PM.
	0

07-16-2018, 05:48 PM	#2
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,931	Never had the urge to own a Harley in 50 years of riding motorcycles.
	0

07-17-2018, 08:34 PM	#7
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,931	My 1300 V Star in stock form was a pig to ride. Poor fueling, and all the other stuff created by having to get through emission testing. Now after some mods and creature comforts the bike is how I want it to be and 500 mile days are easy, easier than on my Nomad or my Voyager. If it expires I will get a newer one (2008 to 2010) with low mileage and transfer over all my accessories and mods. Yamaha has stopped making the V Star.
	0

07-27-2018, 12:15 PM	#9
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,931	If you listen to this guy at Traxxion Dynamics the 2018 Goldwing has steering and suspension issues. https://www.youtube.com/user/max9543...view=0&sort=dd
	0

10-30-2018, 08:51 AM	#11
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,931	He sells stuff to fix the issues with the 2018 Gold Wing steering and suspension.
	0