Looking at a Yamaha Venture or a classic Honda Goldwing for 2 up touring

[B.C.G.S.]

I think you should stick with the Honda GW. It is by far the most popular, so fixes for the weak points and parts availability are the highest.

[Steve]

How is Pillion Comfort?

I see there is some deflectors installed as well, was that for the rider or passenger?

Mrs. Steve had no complaints on a long weekend trip to West Virginia. The weekend was the first time out with her 'new' 850, so it must have been May, 2005. She was on her 850, I had my Voyager 1300, towing a trailer and had younger son on the back seat. Older son had his Venture. First gas stop out, her bike would not start. No idea what was wrong, minimal tools available, so we talked with the manager of the gas station, arranged to leave it there over the weekend and pick it up on the way home. After transferring the contents of her saddlebags to the trailer, Mrs. Steve hopped on the back of the Venture and enjoyed the rest of the weekend as a passenger. Said it ranked right up there with the Voyager 1300 (had Russell Day-Long saddle) and that older son was a good rider. (He was about 20 at the time, and had been riding for 5 years.)

The deflectors were on there when we got it, but they benefit rider and passenger, depending on how they are adjusted. Similar deflectors are available for virtually any bike with a fairing.

.

[Wingsconsin]

Let me weigh in on the 'Wing selection.

I have owned a GL1100 - GL1200 - 2 GL1500 - and a GL1800

While they all SEEM heavy - once rolling you will be surprised how well they ride and corner -
They end up feeling lighter than they are. Low CG with the flat boxer engine - counter rotating transmission - and fuel tank under the seat.

The 4 cylinder Wings (11&12) were great fun-
the Stator is the weak point and it is an engine out process
If you want a 'naked' Wing it will be a 1000 (75-79) a 1100 (80-83) or a 1200 (84 only)
The naked 1200 is my favorite - And the 1200 is my favorite of all the Wings for riding , handling, MPG, etc.

The 1500 is a 2-up mile eater - No better bike for 2-up touring. Period.
But they are heavy and long and comfortable with cruise, and stereo and CB and fairing and trunk and saddlebags all integrated.

A carb clean and rebuild on the 4 cylinder Wings is a process with the 1100's being the most difficult to get perfect -
Taking them out and replacing them in is a PIA but the results are staggering - a good clean properly vacuum balanced 4 carbs set-up on a 4 cylinder Wing will deliver 45-50 MPG with plenty of power and low end grunt as well - RPMs are lower but can run up to 7500 if I remember correctly -
The 4 cylinder Wings were easy on tires - the rider - everything -
Belts changed every 100,000 miles - do it and forget it.

The 1100 has easy adjustment valves with the screw and lock nut - the 1200 had hydraulic adjusting valves so no maintenance.
The 1200 was more prone to the stator issue than the 1100s statistically -

Excellent brakes once cleaned and bled - do all the maintenance like you would with any bike and ride the heck outta them.
I turned wrenches on the Wings way less than I do on the GS850 I am playing with

For 2 up --- upgrade the front suspension and get new shocks from Progressive -

The 1500's (88-00) are 6 cylinder Wings -
Fully faired with bags & trunk -
A different machine while being the same -

[850 Combat]

I had a naked '78 or '79 Gold Wing. It was the last year 1000, as I recall. I hated it. I sold it to my brother and he hated it too. He sold it to some British guy in Phoenix who loves it.

It was slow, and it handled poorly. It took too turns to open the throttle. It ws so long that you had to lean it over a lot to turn, and it didn't have that much ground clearance. The seat wasn't good. A naked GS1000G is a much better bike in every way, especially comfort, seat, handling, and power. The motor comes out to change the stator, and the carbs appear to be a PITA to work on. I bought mine from a guy who taught auto shop in night school, and all the maintenance was done. It ran perfectly, and it needed nothing. Nothing except an owner who wasn't too used to something better.

I'm told that the six cylinder ones are easier to work on. There is a good chance that a Venture may be ridden less hard than a V Max. The Venture always won the performance handling and back road capability part of the comparisons. I don't know anything about how hard they are to work on. Honda V4s were notoriously difficult to R&R carbs. The Venture may share that.

I didn't like the 2005 Concours 1000 I bought new either though. No low end power, weak fork, buffeting, bars too far forward and too expensive to fix, access to the oil drain and filter made difficult by the useless styling only fairing underbody.

If you had a 1000Connie and loved it you might like a 1000 or 1100 Gold Wing.

Oh yeah, I forgot that my Wing had the gauges on top of the fake fuel tank where the tank bag normally goes on a touring bike. Brilliant.

[storm 64]

Come on Combat, tell us what you really think about the Gold Wing! Haha

[B.C.G.S.]

Here's an idea, throw a bike or two in the truck. This way Shan can share in the driving and you'll get there quicker and fresher.

PS: plus you won't be stuck riding some big turd touring bike.

[lurch12_2000]

Here's an idea, throw a bike or two in the truck. This way Shan can share in the driving and you'll get there quicker and fresher.

PS: plus you won't be stuck riding some big turd touring bike.

This is a good idea....but if you do go old touring bike I wouldn't hesitate to say the '83 Venture is a great bike for under $1500. As far as 2 up, my wife always thought that it was the most comfy bike of the 45 bikes I've owned in the last decade or so. Better handling and more power than the GoldWings for cheap $. Here is my old '83 Venture.

[IMG][/IMG]

I traded it even for an '86 Connie, which is one my least favorite bikes owned.

[IMG][/IMG]

As you can see I used to ride both in the cold and snow.

Here's the Yammie with my old GS1100E and GS1100G back then. Notice that I replaced 3 of the clutch springs to tighten up things in 5th gear. The V4 did outmatch the old stock clutch springs. I may still have the 3 new/unused aftermarket clutch springs in the garage somewhere if you need. I had an extra set of blue side bags with keys that I never could give away so after 8 years of collecting dust I threw them out!!


[IMG][/IMG]

[GS1150Pilot]

Such a cool photo!

[storm 64]

I had a friend that would take his Yamaha Venture to the Drag Strip. What a hoot, he'd run down the strip with the stereo blaring! Everyone loved it! He was pretty good at it too.

[B.C.G.S.]

https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1984-honda-goldwing-standard/6328200729.html

[Jedz123]

This is a good idea....but if you do go old touring bike I wouldn't hesitate to say the '83 Venture is a great bike for under $1500. As far as 2 up, my wife always thought that it was the most comfy bike of the 45 bikes I've owned in the last decade or so. Better handling and more power than the GoldWings for cheap $. Here is my old '83 Venture.

[IMG][/IMG]

I traded it even for an '86 Connie, which is one my least favorite bikes owned.

[IMG][/IMG]

As you can see I used to ride both in the cold and snow.

Here's the Yammie with my old GS1100E and GS1100G back then. Notice that I replaced 3 of the clutch springs to tighten up things in 5th gear. The V4 did outmatch the old stock clutch springs. I may still have the 3 new/unused aftermarket clutch springs in the garage somewhere if you need. I had an extra set of blue side bags with keys that I never could give away so after 8 years of collecting dust I threw them out!!


[IMG][/IMG]

Thanks for the input Steve. I knew you had Connie 1000 for we have slandered the bike together before. That was probably one of my least favorite bikes I've ever owned as well.

Good new about the Venture... I would likely ride it deep into the colder months as well.

I'll see what happens.

Hope things are well! FYI Tell Leigh that Shan wants to have her over and get some opinions on the house and catch-up. We should connect soon!

Best,

[GS1150Pilot]

I had a friend that would take his Yamaha Venture to the Drag Strip. What a hoot, he'd run down the strip with the stereo blaring! Everyone loved it! He was pretty good at it too.

Those were pretty quick bikes-pretty solidly into the 12 second range if I recall.

[Jedz123]

https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/mc...328200729.html

That's clean but I'm not spending that much on a bike right now... Bit rich I'd say but I'm sure it's worth it to someone other then the seller.

[GS1150Pilot]

Naked Wings are reasonably rare and, so, command pretty decent premiums over their dressed brothers.

[Jedz123]

What's the Story of the Cavalcade?
Here is one for $500:

https://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1987-cavalcade-1400-cc/6322281375.html