Regrets?

[Injun Joe]

Hi folks,

New prospect here. I'm wanting some feedback on an unanswerable question before taking the plunge is such a thing is possible. So here's the backstory: In 40 years riding (off/on), I've never had a completely "new" bike. Closest was a few months old trade in of a M109R right after they came out. (I guess even the F6B wouldn't be totally "new" in that I'm looking at t 2013, but all the miles would be mine so I do still consider it new and ultimately, my CHOICE rather than someone else's hand-me-down.) At 58, I'm realistic that this could possibly be my last bike or perhaps my only new bike ever. (I'm not the guy that can afford to trade every riding season and this would be a 72 month loan anyways.) Final data point: My "dream bike" remains the new Indian Chieftain -- not so much for riding reasons as for style and image and yes, the "American" factor although that goes deeper for me being a Minnesota boy and Polaris being a Minnesota company in origin.

So all that factored in, am I going to regret this purchase? I absolutely love the look and ride of the F6B and I've been enamored of Gold Wings from their very inception. I guess bottom line is I don't see having the extra $8k+ that a Chieftain would set me back anytime soon and I very much do feel the biological clock ticking before it's time to consider a sidecar, trike, or Spyder. What say ye?

[Injun Joe]

Hi again folks,

Prospective newb F6Ber here. If I take the plunge, I get up to $1K in Honda branded accessories. BTW, I'm looking at the Standard and not the Deluxe which may be a mistake right off the bat.

All the shop guys seem to be pushing me towards the heated grips which weren't on my radar screen at all. I'm not at all a four season rider and just don't get the appeal. I've always been fine with thicker, gauntlet gloves. But I'm open to being convinced.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Honda shop folks are pretty dismissive of the center stand and I was coming into it considering it a near given. My rationale includes oil checking, cleaning, and parking on hot asphalt.

Both the above cause me to wonder whether I should be looking at the Deluxe. (Although my dealer doesn't have a 2013 Deluxe that I know of.)

Driving lights: I want some but see where the Honda one are ridiculously overpriced. I'm largely considering them as a way to use up the $1k. Otherwise, I'd get aftermarket for sure.

No brainers: Pannier insert bags, iPod pouch, 12 volt socket.

I ride solo and don't like back rests. So on long trips I'd either be strapping a duffle across the back seat or maybe getting that Corbin modular seat which looks kind of cool. Bottom line, I have no use for back rests, luggage racks, etc.

Intercom: No second rider on the bike and I imagine my earbuds to be a better option to the com speakers. Plus a dangling microphone immediately makes me think "old man" so no interest here though I'd love it if someone could steer me towards a 5-pin DIN to 3.5mm jack adapter to use earbuds for music and gps.

Bling: I'm looking at the black model and want to blacken it even more -- so no additional chrome gadgets.

Have I got it wrong or do you think I'm kind of looking in the right direction given my personal tastes?

[CheckpointChcky]

Buy mine....it is for sale and it already has all those extra accessories on it.

[Pap]

My decision was going with the standard.
I got the driving lights and passenger backrest. I don't need heated grips as I have heated jacket/gloves.
A center stand I think is about 175.00?
I would suggest a taller wind screen if you want more wind protection.
You should be able to get these with the bonus bucks.
Good luck

[Jimmytee]

Hi again folks,

Prospective newb F6Ber here. If I take the plunge, I get up to $1K in Honda branded accessories. BTW, I'm looking at the Standard and not the Deluxe which may be a mistake right off the bat.

All the shop guys seem to be pushing me towards the heated grips which weren't on my radar screen at all. I'm not at all a four season rider and just don't get the appeal. I've always been fine with thicker, gauntlet gloves. But I'm open to being convinced.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Honda shop folks are pretty dismissive of the center stand and I was coming into it considering it a near given. My rationale includes oil checking, cleaning, and parking on hot asphalt.

Both the above cause me to wonder whether I should be looking at the Deluxe. (Although my dealer doesn't have a 2013 Deluxe that I know of.)

Driving lights: I want some but see where the Honda one are ridiculously overpriced. I'm largely considering them as a way to use up the $1k. Otherwise, I'd get aftermarket for sure.

No brainers: Pannier insert bags, iPod pouch, 12 volt socket.

I ride solo and don't like back rests. So on long trips I'd either be strapping a duffle across the back seat or maybe getting that Corbin modular seat which looks kind of cool. Bottom line, I have no use for back rests, luggage racks, etc.

Intercom: No second rider on the bike and I imagine my earbuds to be a better option to the com speakers. Plus a dangling microphone immediately makes me think "old man" so no interest here though I'd love it if someone could steer me towards a 5-pin DIN to 3.5mm jack adapter to use earbuds for music and gps.

Bling: I'm looking at the black model and want to blacken it even more -- so no additional chrome gadgets.

Have I got it wrong or do you think I'm kind of looking in the right direction given my personal tastes?

I just bought a red 2013 standard three weeks ago. It is my first "new "bike. All my others have been used with the exception of a new 1982 ATC 185S Three wheeler I bought with paper route money . I have owned two Valkyries and still have one of them. For me, I was looking at Victories , new Valkyrie, Triumph Rocket III or the F6B. I believe I made the right choice. I'm hooked on the flat six power plant.

As far as a Deluxe model, for me, it wasn't worth the extra grand. The center stand can be had pretty cheap online.( Lot's of Wings out there that have been triked) The back rest didn't look sufficient and I bought the bike knowing I'd be looking to change the seat for an Ultimate and both driver and passenger backrest. Never had heated grips, and they can be added if one desires.

As far as the fog lights from Honda. They are over priced, IMHO,but you have to spend the $1000 on the Honda accessories and they are good quality. I am not a "No Chrome" guy, so I got the Rotor covers which weren't cheap either. I also got the 12 volt accessory outlet, again over priced, I got the bag liners and one of the license plate frames.

Since buying it, I've also added the Kury Ergo IIIs highway pegs, the Kury riser kit, twisted throttle throttle assist and a Baggershield windshield. Love the Baggershield.

[motozeke]

Hi friend, welcome to the board!

All the things you're looking for can be found on wingstuff.com. Of course there are other retailers as well, but I usually end up buying from WingStuff.

If you've been riding as long as you have and don't see the need for heated grips, and you don't need a backrest, and you don't mind installing a center stand yourself, then the Deluxe is probably not for you. I wanted everything that was on the list (except for the self-cancelling turn signals, which I never had before and wouldn't have missed). Especially heated grips--I wouldn't have a bike that didn't have heated grips, since I bought a bike with them in 2011. What a revelation! I never realized what I was missing. I use them regularly, even when temps are in the 70s, because they help with hand fatigue and circulation. Love, love, love 'em.

[opas ride]

I bought the Deluxe as I wanted the extra things without having to add on later...You will not go wrong with the F6B as it is a great bike in all regards...The Indian is also a great bike and I have ridden one a few times...If I did not love my F6B, I would probably buy the Indian above all other V-twin's available...I thought my 99 Valkyrie,(at age 59) would also be my last bike...Wrong!!..Now at 74, I have had 5 others and enjoyed them all...Depends on your needs whether or not to buy the Deluxe and only you can answer this....I added the Cobra pipes, Mustang seat, Kuryakyn grips, and other goodies, besides a custom paint job...allof which did not come cheap....In my opinion, if you are planning on keeping this bike a long time, Honda is pretty darn reliable and plenty of dealers etc...., but Polaris/Victory/Indian is growing everyday and adding more dealers.....PS, I definitely would go for the self-cancelling turn signals as the older we get they sometimes get left on!!!....Good Luck

[Ixol Phaane]

Hi folks,

New prospect here. I'm wanting some feedback on an unanswerable question before taking the plunge is such a thing is possible. So here's the backstory: In 40 years riding (off/on), I've never had a completely "new" bike. Closest was a few months old trade in of a M109R right after they came out. (I guess even the F6B wouldn't be totally "new" in that I'm looking at t 2013, but all the miles would be mine so I do still consider it new and ultimately, my CHOICE rather than someone else's hand-me-down.) At 58, I'm realistic that this could possibly be my last bike or perhaps my only new bike ever. (I'm not the guy that can afford to trade every riding season and this would be a 72 month loan anyways.) Final data point: My "dream bike" remains the new Indian Chieftain -- not so much for riding reasons as for style and image and yes, the "American" factor although that goes deeper for me being a Minnesota boy and Polaris being a Minnesota company in origin.

So all that factored in, am I going to regret this purchase? I absolutely love the look and ride of the F6B and I've been enamored of Gold Wings from their very inception. I guess bottom line is I don't see having the extra $8k+ that a Chieftain would set me back anytime soon and I very much do feel the biological clock ticking before it's time to consider a sidecar, trike, or Spyder. What say ye?

Hey, Big...

The new Indian Chieftain looks like an awesome bike with great specs. It looks to me like it's got a lot going for it. I don't envy the choice you're faced with.

The F6B and the Chieftain represent two different rider styles, in my opinion, so you gotta ask yourself which style fits you. Are you more a traditionalist when it comes to riding.. or are you more progressive in your tastes? I don't think you can go wrong with either machine.

I'm 52. I've been riding my own bikes since I was 18. I started with a Honda CB400 way beck then, and I've racked up close to 300k miles. I've been blessed with a solid career so all of my bikes (8 over the years) have been bought new. They have all been Honda street bikes but one Kawasaki. My taste is more progressive and I have owned a big Gold Wing, a VFR race styled bike and even a Pacific Coast. None of my bikes has ever let me down. My last bike was a VTX1300S cruiser (go figure) that I rode, contentedly, for 11 years.

I couldn't be happier with my new F6B. I wanted a bike that handled well in the city, and that had the gravitas for going the distance on the open road. My previous experience with the Gold Wing showed me its reputation for long distances touring was truly earned. And every review and write up I read before I bought my F6B was glowing. It's a challenge to find someone who has anything negative to say about the bike - aside from a lack of certain equipment like cruise and reverse. I can add cruise to my F6B, and that would make it MY dream bike.

But... there's a lot to be said for dreams and I'm big on going after 'em. I was soooo ready to drop coin a year ago for the 2013 model F6B, but couldn't swallow either red or black color, so waited. Honda rewarded my patience with the new fastest yellow.

If the Chieftain really is your dream bike, then I think you should either be patient for a year and save some cheddar by buying a model year sell-off (?)... OR do what it takes to make the down payment sooner.

I guess the bottom line here is... if you choose the F6B, I think you might regret it. NOT because the F6B a lesser bike, (it ISN'T, it's a GREAT bike)... but because you may feel you didn't buy what you really wanted.

Ooooh... choices.. choices.

[Injun Joe]

Thanks folks for all the great advice up to now! I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive to come here with this in that I've posted questions to other forums only to have my premises completely disregarded. I really appreciate you all being respectful of them. Now to a couple specific follow ups:

To the person with the used F6B, hit me up with specifics. Understand it would have to make financial sense which would include a bank and a transfer from where you are to where I am in Colorado. (I'd most likely want to make a road trip out of it. )

To the person saying the Indian and F6B are different riding styles, I would beg to differ having ridden both extensively. That is part of what makes consideration of the F6B possible but I can understand your comment if you've never ridden the Indian. I have never ridden a V-twin that is so well balanced and so stable and vibration free. As my wife says, it's alchemy. Where I see the difference is in style. I realize I'm style conscious and at my age, I'm unapologetic for that. But I appreciate both styles. Truth be told, the F6B style is more consistent with who I am: I believe in riding protection and full face helmets for instance.

Maybe I should be giving the heated grips more consideration. I keep hearing about this "revelation" thing, I live in a highly variable climate and I do have some hand aches, numbness, etc.

I really hope I don't have to go for a taller windshield. This is one area where the F6B has it all over the Indian. I am absolutely adamant about looking over a windshield so that's the starting point. I could add SOME height and still look over but the way I've had it explained is the stock shorty blocks body wind and pretty much allows full helmet wind. Whereas slight increases in height actually induce buffeting. I'm just going on what I've been told here. I'll confer with my buddies at Clearview tomorrow.

To the person who claimed hardly any down sides to the F6B. I start hearing a growing list of nagging (non show stopping) ones. The biggest bummer is the "drone" of aftermarket pipes. I'm not a loud or "macho" pipe sound guy necessarily, but the stock "Jetsons" sound is border line embarrassing to my sensibilities. So I'd prioritized different pipes quite highly heavily favoring the Cobras because they look so bad*ss. I'd already noticed that first gear is way too short. Not a show stopper for me, but a nit. Earlier today I started reading about this "ghost shifting" thing that apparently is significant enough for Honda to address is more recent models. I've yet to determine how much of a concern that is.

The soul searching continues! I've just gotten back from a long brunch with my wife where she probed me deeply on all these issues adding on top, "How would you feel if I got an Indian in a year?" Since she's mostly thinking the Scout, that's not such a huge concern.

[opas ride]

Thanks folks for all the great advice up to now! I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive to come here with this in that I've posted questions to other forums only to have my premises completely disregarded. I really appreciate you all being respectful of them. Now to a couple specific follow ups:

To the person with the used F6B, hit me up with specifics. Understand it would have to make financial sense which would include a bank and a transfer from where you are to where I am in Colorado. (I'd most likely want to make a road trip out of it. )

To the person saying the Indian and F6B are different riding styles, I would beg to differ having ridden both extensively. That is part of what makes consideration of the F6B possible but I can understand your comment if you've never ridden the Indian. I have never ridden a V-twin that is so well balanced and so stable and vibration free. As my wife says, it's alchemy. Where I see the difference is in style. I realize I'm style conscious and at my age, I'm unapologetic for that. But I appreciate both styles. Truth be told, the F6B style is more consistent with who I am: I believe in riding protection and full face helmets for instance.

Maybe I should be giving the heated grips more consideration. I keep hearing about this "revelation" thing, I live in a highly variable climate and I do have some hand aches, numbness, etc.

I really hope I don't have to go for a taller windshield. This is one area where the F6B has it all over the Indian. I am absolutely adamant about looking over a windshield so that's the starting point. I could add SOME height and still look over but the way I've had it explained is the stock shorty blocks body wind and pretty much allows full helmet wind. Whereas slight increases in height actually induce buffeting. I'm just going on what I've been told here. I'll confer with my buddies at Clearview tomorrow.

To the person who claimed hardly any down sides to the F6B. I start hearing a growing list of nagging (non show stopping) ones. The biggest bummer is the "drone" of aftermarket pipes. I'm not a loud or "macho" pipe sound guy necessarily, but the stock "Jetsons" sound is border line embarrassing to my sensibilities. So I'd prioritized different pipes quite highly heavily favoring the Cobras because they look so bad*ss. I'd already noticed that first gear is way too short. Not a show stopper for me, but a nit. Earlier today I started reading about this "ghost shifting" thing that apparently is significant enough for Honda to address is more recent models. I've yet to determine how much of a concern that is.

The soul searching continues! I've just gotten back from a long brunch with my wife where she probed me deeply on all these issues adding on top, "How would you feel if I got an Indian in a year?" Since she's mostly thinking the Scout, that's not such a huge concern.

Again, I hope you make the choice that is right for you in the future...but I disagree with you on the Indian being vibration free compared to the F6B, there is no comparison as I also have ridden many, many new Indian bikes since they were introduced at several demo-days rides as a volunteer helper to the local dealers....I have also owned (2) different Victory bikes both a Kingpin Tourer and a 2011 Vision Tour...Both great bikes but nowhere , in my judgment, near as smooth, as powerful, nor as good handling as the F6B...The F6B is in a whole different league compared to any V-twins available as far as I am concerned....I have owned and ridden my share of big V-twins and am now totally sold on the rheostat like power delivery of the Honda 6 motor...and at the ripe old age of 74, I don't feel the need to shake, rattle and roll anymore!!!