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View Full Version : For you guys that ride the wife/galpal-- fess up! I won't tell her!



Old Ryder
12-24-2014, 05:54 PM
As my 240 lbs sit in this skinny office chair typing this thread, please know that I am not trying to get too personal but I am a bit concerned. I read in the manual about a 410 pound weight limit INCLUDING ALL CARGO. As stated my 240 lbs from that does not give the better half much leadway before we are over the limit---well I will just say it-- we are over the limit. If she reads that, I will never hear the end of it. I can't believe the F6B is less sturdy than the GL1800 with the trunk and the other tons of widgets, giz-mos, and accessories. How many of you guys are also over the limit? Are you as concerned as I am? My VTX 1800 was more than this. Not that I think the thing is going to break in half or anything, but why in the dickens is there such a low load rating on such a big bike.

Another question for you guys is the GL 1800 the same load rating or more and why?

Big Jay
12-24-2014, 06:48 PM
I'm 300 and my wife weighs as much as you and we have done a few weekend trips with luggage so far no problems. tires and suspension seem to handle it ok. :shrug:

chipmaker
12-24-2014, 06:57 PM
I will tell you the F6B will haul 550 easily...

53driver
12-24-2014, 07:02 PM
Combined, "we" are over 410. That's why I put the Corbin Smuggler on it. No temptation for busting any limits. When our New Year's resolution - from 2005 - comes to pass, we might go back to tandem configuration.

bobbyf6b
12-24-2014, 07:03 PM
Honda website says the F6B weighs 844 lbs and my sticker says GVWR is 1259 lbs. That seems like an odd GVWR number. That leaves 415 lbs. Doesn't seem like much. I'm sure you're fine, I've had mine over that for sure.

Jayrock
12-24-2014, 07:23 PM
Put more air in the tires & you'll be good to go

Bowhunter1800
12-24-2014, 07:37 PM
I agree. Air up the tires, crank up the shocks and ride.

motoman
12-24-2014, 08:16 PM
Lawyers have to be conservative for Honda CYA issues...

I think they expect you to exceed the limit. But if you crash and try to sue AHMC claiming the bike became 'unstable' they can point to that sticker and tell you to 'stick' it.

Pap
12-24-2014, 10:43 PM
I'm sure the wife and I are pushing the suggested limit. When I first got the bike and after reading about the settings to shoot for, I turned up the pre-load. too stiff riding for us. I ended up turning the setting back to the lower stock setting. Never bottomed out or had any ill effects.

Michael_A
12-25-2014, 06:06 AM
I saw the same weight limit and did a bit of research. The tires fitted have a load rating of 74 (on the rear) which is 827 lbs. The 09 Goldwing I owned had a rear tire load rating of 80 (992 lbs). I suspect that Honda fitted some "better handling" tires on the F6B at the expense of capacity. Run the engineering spec through the legal department and apply a conservative margin and you end up with a maximum payload less than a Honda Rebel. IMO, it's overly conservative since the chassis is fully proven to run at much higher weights. When I burn off the OE tires, I'll replace them with something that has a higher load rating, just on general principal, and carry on. Tire pressures are critical - so check often. Real world experience from numerous Glowing's indicates that in actual practice you will be fine. FWIW, the average weight that engineers use in calculating passenger capacity of vehicles used to be some ridiculously low figure like 185 lbs each; and some aircraft engineers used 150 lbs each! I suspect Honda is also using a "low average" passenger weight. A Mazda Miata I had also stated some ridiculously low max total passenger/cargo weight like 380! :icon_doh: Kudus' for reading the manual, though....

Old Ryder
12-25-2014, 09:16 AM
I saw the same weight limit and did a bit of research. The tires fitted have a load rating of 74 (on the rear) which is 827 lbs. The 09 Goldwing I owned had a rear tire load rating of 80 (992 lbs). I suspect that Honda fitted some "better handling" tires on the F6B at the expense of capacity. Run the engineering spec through the legal department and apply a conservative margin and you end up with a maximum payload less than a Honda Rebel. IMO, it's overly conservative since the chassis is fully proven to run at much higher weights. When I burn off the OE tires, I'll replace them with something that has a higher load rating, just on general principal, and carry on. Tire pressures are critical - so check often. Real world experience from numerous Glowing's indicates that in actual practice you will be fine. FWIW, the average weight that engineers use in calculating passenger capacity of vehicles used to be some ridiculously low figure like 185 lbs each; and some aircraft engineers used 150 lbs each! I suspect Honda is also using a "low average" passenger weight. A Mazda Miata I had also stated some ridiculously low max total passenger/cargo weight like 380! :icon_doh: Kudus' for reading the manual, though....

BINGO!

Never thought about that.

Steve 0080
12-25-2014, 10:03 AM
This is why many went to the CT on the rear or both front and rear...

XKnight
12-25-2014, 09:21 PM
I weigh about 175 and mostly ride alone, but none of my Galpals weigh anywhere near me so I won't be hitting the weight limit anytime soon unless I pick up tons of fun at the local watering hole.

Fla_rider
12-26-2014, 07:14 AM
I weigh about 175 and mostly ride alone, but none of my Galpals weigh anywhere near me so I won't be hitting the weight limit anytime soon unless I pick up tons of fun at the local watering hole.

Yeah there was a day when I weighted 175 too!:moon:

Old Ryder
12-26-2014, 08:22 AM
Yeah there was a day when I weighted 175 too!:moon:

Me too! It was the 7th grade.

shooter
12-26-2014, 11:52 AM
Me too! It was the 7th grade.

+1

edgeman55
12-26-2014, 12:20 PM
175-LOL My left side is 175:icon_rolleyes:I go about 370 and have no problem on my F6B.I ride alone as my wife does not want to ride with me anymore.Thats why I went with the F6B and not anymore full dress Wings.Bike handles great with my big load on her and so far looks like I will get 12-13K on the rear tire-front should see 20K.I run 40/40 in the tires and have a Superbrace up front which did help with the handling.Back in the day on our 1500 Wing I will not tell you the loads we ran as the wife and me were a lot of lbs together.I did pull a Bushtec trailer so we would not load up the bike with luggage.Many miles that way with no problem.These bikes will handle more lbs then Honda states are safe IMHO.

Limoles
12-26-2014, 12:25 PM
Lawyers have to be conservative for Honda CYA issues...

I think they expect you to exceed the limit. But if you crash and try to sue AHMC claiming the bike became 'unstable' they can point to that sticker and tell you to 'stick' it.

Very funny "sticking" point :icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_bi ggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin:

bigbird
12-26-2014, 12:43 PM
I'm 210, my wife 105, combined for 315, my bike flies with both of us on!

XKnight
12-26-2014, 12:57 PM
Yeah there was a day when I weighted 175 too!:moon:

My profession requires me to stay in shape. I'm sure you can relate being former military. I can retire next year so am not exactly a spring chicken.

Fla_rider
12-26-2014, 01:35 PM
My profession requires me to stay in shape. I'm sure you can relate being former military. I can retire next year so am not exactly a spring chicken.

That is exactly the last time I was 175. Retired 1999.:clap2:

marmilia
12-26-2014, 02:12 PM
I don't think you have anything to worry about, My wife and myself are around 450 combined and we also pull a trailer too with no problem :yikes:

53driver
12-26-2014, 03:07 PM
My profession requires me to stay in shape. I'm sure you can relate being former military. I can retire next year so am not exactly a spring chicken.

Mine did too. In fact 181lbs was "max gross" allowable for my height.
Retired in Oct of 2009....gaining a few pounds each year since.....