Hey, I just found this article on the GL1800s. Doesn't state the year, but the rider had more than one complaint.

Amazing, considering they are supposedly so much better than the Ultra.

You can read his review here:

http://will.mylanders.com/outdoors/m...ad.pl?file=312

Similar gas mileage, and some issues with overheating and ergonomics. He likes it overall, but it still ain't a Harley.

 

The GW is a pretty impressive machine and probably very comfortable to take on a real long distance tour. It has some real unique features and a ton of power! Kinda like a two wheeled convertible CIVIC! It simply does not have the character and appeal of a Harley.

 

Comparing GW's to Ultra's are like comparing apples to oranges.. 2 TOTALLY different bikes. Ultra is a cruiser/tourer and the GW is more Sport/Tourer with the power and performance of the suspension which the Ultra can't even compare.


Ride what ya like and enjoy it!!

 

Judging by your nick and your picture. I;d say 6'5"?? I to am of such statue, the Goldwing has setback pegs and the bars are not comfortable for people over I would say 5'10"?? Just my opinion

 

I agree with Bushy... I tried riding a Wing just to see what it was like, and I'm only 6'. I couldn't sit with my feet tucked up behind that engine for more than a few miles before I got cramps in my legs.

I like my bagger and maybe it ain't as fast or have all the doo-dads, but I can put an easy 700 miles a day on it without much complaint. And my radio works just fine through the speakers....

 

The Wing is an excellent bike to be sure. Whereas Harley has HOG and several groups dedicated to the Harley brand. There are just as many groups entirely devoted to just the Goldwing model. I'll confess, I've never ridden one but if I were taking a long trip I'd like to give one a try, at least once. I sat on one at a dealer recently and for a guy my size, 5'6" I fit very comfortably in the saddle. In my opinion they are enormous even compared to the size of the Ultra which is a large bike itself. While the Goldwings may be more refined and offer better performance, they simply do not have the character of a Harley.

 

I have to agree with the posts above. My '05 Wing felt too cramped for my legs too, and I'm only 5'11" tall. I changed the stock seat to a Saddleman/Travelcade which moved me back 2". I also installed a handlebar relocate kit (1-1/2" further back). The bike is now extremely comfortable for all day rides. One big advantage for the Ultra over the Wing is highway pegs. The 6 cylinder motor on the Wing is so wide that highway pegs are difficult to reach unless you have very long legs.

Ultra has it all over the Wing when it comes to sound obviously. On the other hand, the Wing has a big (real big) advantage in power. '01-'04 models of the Wing had some rather serious issues - cracked frame welds and overheating were the biggest offenders. These issues were finally eliminated in the late '04 and '05 models.

The Wing is a great bike, but as Bountyhunter put it - no character. When I'm on my Street Glide I find myself longing for the power and handling of the Wing. When I'm on the Wing I find myself hitting the starter button even though the engine's already running - what's up with that? Both are great bikes though. A SE Ultra with a breathed on 103" motor would be a great bike. Power would be closer to the Wing's and you'd still have the mysterious "character" thing going for you.

Doug

 

Kuryakyn does make cruiseboards for the GW as well. They really take care of the cramped leg issue.

 

Goldwings are pretty impressive machines but if I wanted a small car, I'd buy a small car.

No offense to Goldwing riders.......

 

Yeah, I am 6'4". The amazing thing is listening to GW riders dissing us and our bikes, then complaining to each other about what is wrong with theirs. Issues in traffic with overheating, can't hear the radio, all kinds of complaints that GW riders criticise Harleys for. It's not simply that my RKC has more character. It, IMO, is simply a better bike. Whereas we can do something about most, if not all of the issues that guy's web pag addresses, his solution, and what appears to be the only solution, is to wait for the Honda factory to come up with a fix.

I'll grant you, there is no such thing as a one size fits all motorcycle, but the plethora of adequate solutions available for the Harley make it not onlya better buy, but in the short run, a better bike, and in the long run, a better bike. SO what is all the hoopla people are generating about Harleys?

I guess the old 'If I had to explain, you wouldn't understand" statement sums it up. People fear what they don't understand, hate what they fear, and anger gets the best of them.

I just wish people like that would leave me out of their BS. Those guys have something against my bike, and take it out on my bike. I have something against them for doing so, and well, if it was legal..... Know what I mean? It just ain't right. Florida is the Sunshine State, not the Land of the Rising Sun...

A lot of this goes back to Japanese culture. They send their people out to conquer the entire world, an impossible task at best, and then slam the door on them. I don't slam the door on anyone, but I wish these guys would get a clue, and stop supporting the thing that does them that way, while we take the blame because we see it right. Most of the time when I see them out, they are constantly looking for some kind of argument to prove themseles right so they can take us off. Sorry, but I was too busy enjoying my day to trouble myself with it. And judjeing from that web page, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the bikes anymore. Similar issues, similar prices, and the extra couple grand we pay is made up for in more solid construction. Not to mention that the philosphies behind the engineering principles are totally different. I don't screw with anyone. My bike doesn't screw with anyone either. The japanee equation demands something of me I am not willing to give. Especially not to the Japanese. JMO, YMMV.