#1 Rated touring bike the Goldwing

[Greg O]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.

[Travelor]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.

Interesting. I'm only 5'8"", and find the seating position on the full Wing to be very cramped. I feel like i'm being jammed up against the bars and dash. Love the F6b positioning. Obviously the Wing has a lot more creature comforts for touring than the F6b. As far as the H/D goes, I would take the K1600 over the Wing and the H/D any day.

[Hodgey1]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.

Greg, what is the source?

[wjduke]

They also had a Ducati in there. Thought that was a joke.

[opas ride]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.
This was true a couple years ago, not so sure about now...What was your source???

[Jimmytee]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.

Duh. :shrug:

[Greg O]

It was on you tube, look it up.

[cruzdog954]

http://www.goliath.com/auto/the-10-best-touring-motorcycles/

[Greg O]

The one I saw on you tube was from 2016 and had the Road Glide Limited as 2nd. I think.

[opas ride]

The one I saw on you tube was from 2016 and had the Road Glide Limited as 2nd. I think.

I had read this opinion last spring and pretty much agree with it...but a later road test in a rider mag said although the GW was still the king of touring bikes, the newer top line Road Glides and Indian Roadmasters had better or equal wind protection, better front end suspension, and more up-dated electronics.....Really don't care as I intend to keep my F6B....Regards and ride safe

[Greg O]

I had read this opinion last spring and pretty much agree with it...but a later road test in a rider mag said although the GW was still the king of touring bikes, the newer top line Road Glides and Indian Roadmasters had better or equal wind protection, better front end suspension, and more up-dated electronics.....Really don't care as I intend to keep my F6B....Regards and ride safe

I believe this is the one I read, although the it did put the Goldwing first.

[Redlinez]

Funny. I read that a few weeks back. Decided I wanted a Victory Cross Country. The dealer had no interest in trading for my Ninja 1000. Ended that idea. Went to my dealer expecting to ride out on a Voyager. Did not like it at all. Rode a 15 HD Road King and suprisingly loved it. Couldn't get my negative equity financed. I rode out on the F6b for less money, brand new, and much happier than I was on my first one. It took riding many other bikes to fully appreciate the B. To make it perfect it needs the right seat, windshield, and a few suspension tweaks. My wife loves it too. Biggest reason right there.

[1951vbs]

Motorcyclist chose Indian Roadmaster for touring bike of this year. Issue just came out. BMW K1600 honorable mention.

[Greg O]

The article I read must have been a year old already, but I swear I thought it was from 2016. At 56 now I could be wrong wouldn't be the first time. In my opinion it's the best touring bike. How could a V Twin Indian be rated best with all that vibration. I don't get it. I would want a smooth engine to prevent riding fatigue.

[lake_carl]

With Harley and triumph both stepping up their horsepower maybe honda will add a couple of cams and 12 valves increase red line and bring this flat six some big power, imagine 10k red line and 180 horse

LOL

[unsub]

With Harley and triumph both stepping up their horsepower maybe honda will add a couple of cams and 12 valves increase red line and bring this flat six some big power, imagine 10k red line and 180 horse

LOL

Although nice to have, that would require a whole new ground up engine design, and who knows what that would look like. As it is right now the GL1800 engine pieces work beautifully together and we benefit from 15 years of refinement.

[bigdawg]

The article I read must have been a year old already, but I swear I thought it was from 2016. At 56 now I could be wrong wouldn't be the first time. In my opinion it's the best touring bike. How could a V Twin Indian be rated best with all that vibration. I don't get it. I would want a smooth engine to prevent riding fatigue.

I'm pretty confident that I have read multiple times in Motorcyclist Magazine and similar magazines that they are considering newer models or models with significant upgrades when the choose their motorcycles of the year. I suspect that most of them would agree with us that The Goldwing is still the best touring bike made, but since it hasn't had any significant changes in so many years they are not going to consider it in the voting. With that said I would disagree with your comment about Indians vibrating. It is extremely smooth. It does give off too much heat and if they eventually use water cooling it will be an awesome touring bike.

[opas ride]

The article I read must have been a year old already, but I swear I thought it was from 2016. At 56 now I could be wrong wouldn't be the first time. In my opinion it's the best touring bike. How could a V Twin Indian be rated best with all that vibration. I don't get it. I would want a smooth engine to prevent riding fatigue.
Have you ridden the newest Indian motorcycles, i.e., The Roadmaster, Chieftain, etc...No noticeable vibration and on the highway damn near as smooth as one would want.....Just sayin!!!

[lake_carl]

Although nice to have, that would require a whole new ground up engine design, and who knows what that would look like. As it is right now the GL1800 engine pieces work beautifully together and we benefit from 15 years of refinement.

I do not think it would need complete resign to go from single cam two valve to for valve and better yet dual cam... new head and cam and chain, new computer tune and voila much more hp. I have seen older Porsche boxer engine turn 16k and scream great amount of power

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

Have you ridden the newest Indian motorcycles, i.e., The Roadmaster, Chieftain, etc...No noticeable vibration and on the highway damn near as smooth as one would want.....Just sayin!!!

Your right, opas. The Road Master Does Not vibrate.
I road one last week and was totally impressed with the engine - great torque, suspension - totally adjustable front and back, and the electronics were over the top.
Fit and finish is excellant. The ergoes; like heated seats and adjustable floor boards, electric windscreen and Touch screen everything, including a great sounding stereo, certainly will make this bike a tough act to follow for a premium touring platform.
31k.

[Airborne06]

I just read on the interweb yesterday that the Goldwing is the #1 Rated Touring bike for 2016. 2nd was the Harley Road Glide Limited, 3rd was BMW K1600.

I've never heard of a Road Glide Limited. There is a Road Glide Special, and a Road Glide Ultra, and an Electra Glide Ultra Limited (now known as just the Ultra Limited)...but not a Road Glide Limited. I'm so confused!

[unsub]

I do not think it would need complete resign to go from single cam two valve to for valve and better yet dual cam... new head and cam and chain, new computer tune and voila much more hp. I have seen older Porsche boxer engine turn 16k and scream great amount of power

I'm afraid it not quite that easy. You can be rest assured though that Honda's R&D teams are always thinking forward, developing new doo-dads for us to buy and discuss after racing division has had their way with them. Lol

[wjduke]

My friend has a Roadmaster. We switched rides for a few short miles. He didn't like my shorter windshield, and I didn't like all the noise. I almost bought a Chieftan when looking at bikes. I'm extremely happy with what I have. Just did a 3,700 mile trip. Added Bikers Friend luggage that I took off for the week. I have Rivco Aero pegs that I barely used, and a Butt Buffer seat pad that I might sell because I never needed it. Coming home, I was so in tune with this bike that I felt like riding straight through. I used common sense and stopped for the night, but this is a highway loving machine...not surprised at all that it's still #1. I imagine a full wing would be more awesome....somehow.

I like the 6 without the extra's. Personal opinion from a single rider.

[53driver]

My friend has a Roadmaster. We switched rides for a few short miles. He didn't like my shorter windshield, and I didn't like all the noise. I almost bought a Chieftan when looking at bikes. I'm extremely happy with what I have. Just did a 3,700 mile trip. Added Bikers Friend luggage that I took off for the week. I have Rivco Aero pegs that I barely used, and a Butt Buffer seat pad that I might sell because I never needed it. Coming home, I was so in tune with this bike that I felt like riding straight through. I used common sense and stopped for the night, but this is a highway loving machine...not surprised at all that it's still #1. I imagine a full wing would be more awesome....somehow.

I like the 6 without the extra's. Personal opinion from a single rider.

I'm right there with ya!

[VStarRider]

I imagine a full wing would be more awesome....somehow.

I like the 6 without the extra's. Personal opinion from a single rider.

1. I considered a used full Wing for a short period of time; there are many out there for sale for $10k or less. However, I am 6'1", 230 lbs...when I sit in a full Wing's seat, I feel like I am in my car with the driver's seat too far forward. The F6B seat is ergonomically perfect for a guy my size.

2. I agree 100%. Simple, easy and cheap to maintain. Plenty of power with essentially perfect reliability.

[stevenolts]

How do the Indians handle? I test rode a few recently and they just did not go into the curves like the F6B. The F6B is just so easy to lay over in the curves. You have to force the Indian and it seems sluggish by comparison.
Steve