New To Forum - Considering to buy F6B

[DaBigGreyDawg]

Guys and Gals of the riding F6B,

I currently have a 2009 Honda VTX1300 and I had test drove the F6B. I had been riding V-Twins since 1989 and this was the first six I ever rode. The ride was smooth, the bike was quick, and most importantly it was fun!

My question to you all is, how has your bikes held up since you have had them? The VTX I have to get the valves adjusted every 16,000 miles, it does not have fuel injection, but I still love the bike. I want to know if it is worth the trade?

Thanks in advance for your replies.


Da Big Grey Dawg

[dickiedeals]

Guys and Gals of the riding F6B,

I currently have a 2009 Honda VTX1300 and I had test drove the F6B. I had been riding V-Twins since 1989 and this was the first six I ever rode. The ride was smooth, the bike was quick, and most importantly it was fun!

My question to you all is, how has your bikes held up since you have had them? The VTX I have to get the valves adjusted every 16,000 miles, it does not have fuel injection, but I still love the bike. I want to know if it is worth the trade?

Thanks in advance for your replies.


Da Big Grey Dawg

Yes Absolutely! Been riding HD for 40 years. This this the best most fun bike I've ever owned. Will be perfect once someone comes out with Cruise Control for it..................Dickie

[Deer Slayer]

Yup, only one problem. How to get the grin off your face. I have over 190,000 mi on Gl1800s alone. Key word MOTORcycle. I vote go for it.

[opas ride]

Rode a 1800VTXf for over three years...Great bike and no issues at all....But, IMHO there is no comparison between the VTX and the F6B when it comes to smoothness, ride, handling, wind protection and just plain fun to ride.....Good Luck on your decision...

[MichaelG]

Welcome to the F6B forum

Now, go buy one of the best motorcycles ever made. Like Deer Slayer, I have a lot of miles on these GL-1800 platform bikes, currently around 345,000 miles combined, and it is THEE best engineered bike ever made. Have ridden HDs, BMWs, Nortons, Triumphs, Vincents, Ariels, etc, etc., and with all the riding I do, I choose to ride an F6B.

There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum, as we all...or most of us...go out of our way to help you spend all the money you have, to buy accessories, farkels, and drag you off the couch to ride to F6B gatherings so you can meet others that reside here.

This bike is as close to maintenance free as they can make a bike. Yes there are some things to do, but not like anything else you have ever owned.

[4DI2D]

Rode a CB750K3 and adjusted the valves every 5,000 miles. 16,000 ain't bad at all especially since the valves are out where you can actually get to them.
Other than that, if you rode and you ain't bought it, perhaps a Geritol & Red Bull cocktail will help you move faster!!!

[Scotrod]

Had a VTX1800C for 2 yrs. Valve check was 8k on it I believe.

Wing has a valve check at 24k I believe. Whole different process as each bank is SOHC with buckets and shims. Just like the VTX's some folks check 'em and some don't.

Lots of Tupperware on the Wings. A lot of it snaps on / off.

Wing Air filter is buried deep in the bike. 12k check intervals. Quite a bit of work to access it compared to other bikes.

GL1800 powertrain was introduced in late 2001,,, before the VTX 1300. A few have had ghost shifting/tranny issues, but with the sheer number of Wings out there, the percentage of those having problems is pretty darn small!

[DaBigGreyDawg]

Rode a CB750K3 and adjusted the valves every 5,000 miles. 16,000 ain't bad at all especially since the valves are out where you can actually get to them.
Other than that, if you rode and you ain't bought it, perhaps a Geritol & Red Bull cocktail will help you move faster!!!

The valves were checked at 8,000 but needed adjustment every 16,000.

..."perhaps a Geritol & Red Bull cocktail will help you move faster!!!" Now that's pretty convincing! Thanks for the laugh!

[MichaelG]

Wing has a valve check at 24k I believe. Whole different process as each bank is SOHC with buckets and shims. Just like the VTX's some folks check 'em and some don't.

Wing Air filter is buried deep in the bike. 12k check intervals. Quite a bit of work to access it compared to other bikes.

GL1800 powertrain was introduced in late 2001,,, before the VTX 1300. A few have had ghost shifting/tranny issues, but with the sheer number of Wings out there, the percentage of those having problems is pretty darn small!

Scott, the valve check interval for the GL-1800 is 32K. And, as you stated, some of us do NOT bother to go through that process. A lot of experience and knowledge from what others have done, lends some of us to believe that it is not worth the time and effort to check the valve clearances on these bikes.......when proper oil changes have been performed. However, I do admit that I have an electronic stethoscope, so I listen to my valves every 30K miles. So far, they have refused to speak to me.

As for ther air filter, and "checking" it every 12K miles...that is one of the reasons I install a K&N air filter, generally around 20K to 25K, and leave it alone, and in there, until the bike hits 100K on the odometer.

[bobbyf6b]

14,000 miles and counting on mine. All it needs is oil changes and gas.

Accessories on the other hand might break you.