2018 Gold Wing Ride

[opas ride]

Has anyone had a chance to ride the base Goldwing, (old F6B type) as yet??..Have seen several reviews of the Tour models but no base one yet....Regards and ride safe

[choptop]

Not that I have seen or read and I noticed that the "Goldwing" has a short shield, wonder if it is a powered one as the Touring model ?

[opas ride]

Not that I have seen or read and I noticed that the "Goldwing" has a short shield, wonder if it is a powered one as the Touring model ?

Yes it is and a larger/taller shield is a Honda option, or so I am told by my dealer....He says they won't have any base models in for a while yet and when they do get them none will be available for demo rides???...Claims Ma Honda wants to push the Touring models with the DCT trans for now.....

[Bighutch14]

Not that I have seen or read and I noticed that the "Goldwing" has a short shield, wonder if it is a powered one as the Touring model ?

Yes. Power windshield on all models. John and I went and checked them out yesterday. They had 2 tours and 2 non tours. 1 of each in dct and 6 speed manual. Said 2 of them are demos and they can’t sell them until August. They sure are nice.

[choptop]

Yes. Power windshield on all models. John and I went and checked them out yesterday. They had 2 tours and 2 non tours. 1 of each in dct and 6 speed manual. Said 2 of them are demos and they can’t sell them until August. They sure are nice.

Cherok$$ on a new Wing ?

[jm21ddd15]

Hey, Chop, not me. I got the B, just how I want it. However, the new bikes sure looked and felt nice. I sat on the new wing, and pushed the front up and down, tried to wiggle the front wheel, like I saw in a video, but I found no issues. Time will tell, after they have been ridden several thousand miles. Now, as far as me , I may ADD a new wing in a year or two, but it will be an addition. I don't think there will be much "trade in" value on our bikes in the future. If these new wings turn out to be great, then the market will be flooded with trade ins and private sales.

[choptop]

Sounds like a good plan.

[opas ride]

Hey, Chop, not me. I got the B, just how I want it. However, the new bikes sure looked and felt nice. I sat on the new wing, and pushed the front up and down, tried to wiggle the front wheel, like I saw in a video, but I found no issues. Time will tell, after they have been ridden several thousand miles. Now, as far as me , I may ADD a new wing in a year or two, but it will be an addition. I don't think there will be much "trade in" value on our bikes in the future. If these new wings turn out to be great, then the market will be flooded with trade ins and private sales.

I agree with your post for the most part and intend to wait a while before "plunging into debt again"...The new bikes are surely nice and have many needed and wanted improvements....Not sure at my age of 78 I really need another new ride....As far as these "so-called" new front suspension issues are concerned I say "BS" and lets wait and see...Many after market companies are always anxious to sell new items that make them $$$..JMHO and ride safe

[Bighutch14]

Cherok$$ on a new Wing ?

Lol. I wish. But...no. We will be rolling deep on our B’s

[Hurricane]

I posted the following on this forum in another thread. I think it is relevant to your question.
From a 2013 F6B to a 2018 Goldwing DCT
Some background:
I have been riding for more than 50 years and I have owned many, many bikes; the most recent are listed below (obviously, some were owned simultaneously). The mileage given for each bike is the approximate mileage indicated when I got rid of the named bike.

1997 Valkyrie Tourer (Black – 45,000 miles)
1999 Valkyrie Interstate (Black – 48,000 miles)
2001 Goldwing (Black – 125,000 miles)
2004 Goldwing (Silver 15,000 miles)
2005 Honda VTX 1800 (maroon and black, 15,000 miles)
2007 Kawasaki 1600 Mean Streak (black with flames, 7,000 miles)
2008 Goldwing (Red – 92,000 miles)
2013 F6B (Black, 7,500 miles, wrecked)
2013 F6B (Black, 75,000 miles)
2018 Goldwing (Silver, new, presently ~1000 miles)

I recently rode my 2013 F6B from my home in Hurricane, UT, to Sierra Vista, AZ, circa 600 miles, where I traded it for a silver 2018 Goldwing DCT which I then rode from Sierra Vista back to Hurricane, UT. In what follows, I will seek to compare my 2018 Goldwing with my 2013 F6B and two other bikes that I have test-ridden recently.
First of all, the appearance:



As they say, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. In my opinion, the F6B was the most esthetically pleasing big Honda every made, at least until the 2018 model appeared. Now, I am uncertain as to which is the best looking. The downward slope of the fairing on the F6B, picked up by the slope traced on the side bags was inspired. The second generation Goldwing (2012 – 2017) had the same basic lines, but the effect was destroyed when Honda decided to go on the cheap, and carry over the first generation trunk to the second generation Wing; BIG mistake Honda.
To compare the F6B styling to the styling of the 2018 Goldwing is sort of an apples vs oranges sort of thing. The styling of the new Wing is “edgy”; it reflects a more contemporary motif and clearly takes some getting used to. I like it a lot, but I can certainly see why many would hold that the F6B is more attractive.
Why did I trade bikes?
In the past 6 months I have test-ridden the Indian Chieftain, the BMW 1600B, my F6B and the 2018 Goldwing.
The Indian is nicely finished, has adequate but not exciting power, and it is fairly smooth for a twin. However, riding an air-cooled V-twin in southern Utah, where summer temperatures are routinely in triple digits (and the second digit is not always zero) is, IMO, out of the question. Besides, in the year 2018 I don’t fancy a bike that looks like something you might find under a dusty tarp in your grandfather’s barn.
The BMW 1600B is a beautiful bike, impeccably finished, smooth and comfortable, it handles superbly, and the power, OMG the power, is out of this world. However, having owned two BMW “Z” cars, I am reluctant to rejoin the Teutonic admiration society. Put another way, BMW dealers (and owners?) have been known to have serious attitude problems.
The F6B is an amazing bike and I loved it. It is smooth, powerful, reliable, comfortable, handles beautifully and it’s gorgeous. Unfortunately, its electronics are outdated, cruise control came late to the party (BIG mistake Honda), the stock suspension is not remarkable, and it desperately needs another gear. Here in the southwest, where speed limits are frequently 80 MPH, and people routinely drive 90 MPH, the engine spinning in the area of 3500 rpm can get a bit tiring on a long trip.
The 2018 Goldwing is a thoroughly modern motorcycle with every imaginable bell and whistle. It is smooth, modestly more powerful than its predecessors, the front suspension is simply amazing, and it is a bit lighter than the previous models. Standard features include, but are not limited to, navigation, cruise control, ABS brakes, electric windshield, Apple Play, throttle by wire, key-fob access, and four riding modes (Tour, Sport (exciting!), Economy and Rain). With the available DCT transmission it also provides a forward and reverse “walking” mode and paddle-shifting if you select the manual mode.
The down-sides of this bike, compared to the F6B, include smaller side bags, a slightly higher seat, and a smaller gas tank (although I have found the range to be about the same because of better mileage). And, unfortunately, there is the much higher price!
It is the best bike I have ever ridden by a substantial margin, followed by the F6B. On a long trip, at least on my 600 mile trip returning to Utah from Arizona, I found it more relaxing than the F6B because of the automatic transmission, which is amazingly smooth and convenient, and the lower RPM (reduced 5-600 RPM compared to the F6B) at cruising speed.
It is no exaggeration to say that this bike brings the motorcycle to a new level of comfort and sophistication. If I had to use one term to characterize riding this bike with the DCT transmission it would be “relaxing.” The seat is good, it is only spinning circa 2500 rpm at 75 mph, and the wind protection is adequate; perhaps a bit less than the previous Wing models, but good enough. And, there are genuine Honda add-ons to increase the wind protection.
In terms of passenger comfort, there is a bit of controversy. Yes, it is pretty hard to top the “princess” seat of the earlier Wing models, but many test-passengers have rated the new Wing as “comfortable” and a few even thought it was more comfortable than previous Wing models. It is going to depend on the rider. The passenger seat no longer “surrounds” the rider like it did on the earlier models and the passenger “grab” handles are not very conveniently placed.
The available luggage space is a lot less – no question about that. This is likely the most serious and non-controversial failing of the bike.
If you want to play, you can hustle the DCT bike through canyons in the “sport” mode and give most sport bikes and crotch rockets a good run. It handles beautifully under all conditions; never a twitch, no “hinge in the middle”, and the automatic shifting is so smooth that it does not upset even the tightest line.
All of that and the new suspension is so compliant that it has to be experienced to be believed.
The 7-speed DCT transmission is really the piece de resistance here. I was originally skeptical and, in fact, my original order was for a standard 6-speed. Take it from me - you DO NOT want to do that. The DCT is simply marvelous.
You start this bike with a tap of the start button (just like your car, just tap the start button and the computer takes over and starts the motor).
The bike comes to life in neutral and in “tour” mode. Press “D” (drive) and just twist the throttle and you are going. The automatic shifting is smooth and positive. If you are in “sport” mode and you grab a whole handful on start-up, you will flatten your eyeballs.
It down-shifts automatically when you come to a stop. The computer even seems to sense when you hit the brakes on a steep down-slope at speed, and drops down a gear to aid you in the braking; VERY slick.
Or, if you want to make a quick pass, just hit the “down-shift” button on the left handle bar with your thumb and accelerate to pass; the transmission will then smoothly up-shift when you ease off the throttle after the pass.
If you set the manual mode the rider is in control of the shift points with the paddle shifters. The paddle shift controls are perfectly placed ergonomically. In manual mode, the transmission will down shift, as required, when you come to a stop but it will NOT up-shift automatically.
“Walking mode” lets you maneuver forward and back using the paddle shift controls; the down-shift button for reverse, the up-shift button for forward. This is VERY convenient for parking.
I have never ridden the 6-speed, manual transmission bike. However, the reports from some of the testers suggest that it is much improved in terms of smoothness compared to the previous Wings.
Finally, Honda is attempting to change the Goldwing culture, a notoriously reactionary culture, with this svelte and more “athletic” new Wing. I, for one, am happy to get with the program, but I wait and watch with interest to see what the consensus of the Goldwing community will be.
I think that Honda hit it out of the park with this new bike!

John Marshall
Hurricane, UT

[opas ride]

After spending much of this afternoon evaluating both new Honda Goldwings, Tour and Base models, I liked them very much and indeed they are terrific bikes,,,but, I gave it a lot of thought and decided to keep my 2013 for now as it has many after-market parts, is paid for, low mileage, and has been custom painted..As I only ride about 3,500 miles a year anymore, just turned 78 years old and really love my current 2013 F6B, I am going to up-grade the front suspension next month and just enjoy my bike for a while longer....Regards and ride safe..

[Blk6bgg6]

Very good review John M I have contemplated making this move.I encourage any others with good honest reviews as I respect especially those coming from f6b such as myself. I Know I need demo one but am knowing I will like just from the weight issue alone.Again thanks for the detailed review

[53driver]

One thing I just learned whereas our F6B has 35 clicks of adjustment on the rear suspension, and the new Wings have the same rear suspension system. However, the Wing Tour only has 4 settings to choose from, whereas the standard Wing has a manual crank from 0-24 - but it is allegedly the same overall range as our 0-35 clicks.
But seriously....only 4 settings on a the Full Wing? C'mon, man!

[opas ride]

How much do you really adjust the suspension on the F6B???..I have had mine set at 17 clicks, (middle of adjustments) for the last 3 years and I have no issues...I suppose if you change luggage, riders, passengers, etc...some changes are necessary...but I doubt many do.....

[53driver]

How much do you really adjust the suspension on the F6B???..I have had mine set at 17 clicks, (middle of adjustments) for the last 3 years and I have no issues...I suppose if you change luggage, riders, passengers, etc...some changes are necessary...but I doubt many do.....

I actually do....a lot.
I go anywhere from 10 to 25 depending upon my next trip's destination and how my back (herniated discs) is feeling.
I will admit that I'm not the norm though.

[Jimmytee]

I actually do....a lot.
I go anywhere from 10 to 25 depending upon my next trip's destination and how my back (herniated discs) is feeling.
I will admit that I'm not the norm though.

I adjust mine all the time. Sometimes several times in a trip without stopping.:cool:

[53driver]

I adjust mine all the time. Sometimes several times in a trip without stopping.:cool:

You and your shock...windbags!!!! lol.