Agree with the motorcycle coat vs. a motorcycle jacket.
I just rode from MQT to De Pere WI for my 600 mile service. 38 degrees and sleet with off/on rain mixed in. My heavyweight coat made the trip bearable. I wore Gore-Tex snowmobile bibs to cover my lower body.
Motorcycling in the Yoop. Chilly!

A lot of good advice. The wife and I took out the VMax (I pick up the GoldWing next week), and it was cold and damp. We both agreed the heated seat on a GoldWing will be an upgrade we will get. The one I bought doesn’t have it equipped.

I’m more of a “let’s find our way” kind of guy. I think the best trips are one without a destination, or if a destination, no time line.

No offense to the Harley guys, I appreciate all bikes. But that GoldWing has been calling me for 20yrs. I still feel like I’m dreaming. This could probably be the last bike I buy.

quote:

posted May 30, 12:43 PM Step one trade the wing on a Harley!!

I've been (ridden) to Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis on a BMW or a GW more than a dozen times and I noticed that MOST Harley's came to the event on a trailer.

In know you’re asking about what to pack, but I’m in the middle of a short 200 mile trip on my 1978 Goldwing, and my butt is feeling it. I know a newer GW has a better seat, but dang, you’ve gotta condition the tush up for this kinda thing.

When it was time to look at heated clothing I had the chance to talk with a rep at the Gerbings booth at the International Motorcycle Expo in Cleveland. He explained that if you wear the vest and keep the core warm you do not need the jacket with the added bulk in the sleeves. I bought the vest and have never regretted it. Even in 70 degree weather in the rain, when set on low it greatly improves comfort. Enough to run from Myrtle Beach to Pittsburgh is almost steady rain the whole way. YMMV.

For 350+ mile days the LDComfort shorts are all they are cracked up to be. just have to make sure I don't leave them in a hotel trash can.

GWbiker gave excellent advice regarding practicing slow turns in a parking lot until you get comfortable with the handling. Really comfortable. My first touring bike was a Kawasaki Concours, the older 1000cc model. That was a screaming beast with the in-line four. Hell of a blast to ride. But beast was a good word for it. It was top heavy, especially with a full tank. As a short lady rider I struggled with slow speed turns. The dang thing would tip over before you knew it was happening. I ended up using “trail braking” from my dirt days (give it throttle and ride the back brake) and that was the ticket. I practiced using the course for a Motorcycle Safety class (I was an instructor at the time). Tight slow turns were no problem as long as I would look over my shoulder in the direction of travel (DON’T look down), give ‘er throttle and ride the back brake.
No more tip overs on the beast. I was concerned about tipping over in the middle of nowhere, because there was no way I could have picked it up. I did know a fellow in his 70’s who still toured on his Goldwing. He carried a cable and a come-a-long to pick the bike up in the event of a tip over.

Keep the advice coming.

I have been riding since I was 4y/o, I’ll be 49 this year. I have taken both the beginner and advanced MSF classes, but it’s been awhile. I will look into again, once I get some time on the GoldWing. I have a large parking lot nearby, that is actually set up for kids getting their drivers licenses. So I can practice daily.

I’d like to get a set of Bluetooth headsets. Although the bike is set up for a wired system, I think it would be a lot easier without wires. Any recommendations?

I usually stick to back roads. Yesterday I was getting frustrated. I am very cautious when I have my wife on the back. Kept getting jackasses riding my butt when I’m doing 10mph over the speed limit. I couldn’t go anywhere, I had cars in front of me. Technology isn’t a good thing, it makes distracted drivers even more distracted. We were driving through a park, and two pedal bikers crossed in front of me, so I slowed to let them cross. Guy behind me almost rearends me, and honks his horn. It’s a heavily regulated speed limit, 25mph, and I was doing just that. Keep your head on a swivel...

quote:

I’d like to get a set of Bluetooth headsets. Although the bike is set up for a wired system, I think it would be a lot easier without wires. Any recommendations?

The GW wired audio system is better than Bluetooth, IMO. Just plug in cables and dial up the sound/communication with passenger. Problem with this system is finding a headset and cables as everyone turned to Bluetooth technology.

I use Sena Bluetooth 20S. Connection set up is tricky and battery life must be considered. It isn't cheap and it wont interface with the older GW wired music system.

You can listen to FM radio and Bluetooth with Smartphone/ipad/ipod stored music. GPS directions is also available with your Smartphone.

I purchased a heavy sporty touring machine a year ago. I learned quickly to
(a)roll forward and gain speed before turning.
(b)plan carefully where I park (grades, side hills)
(c)never ever expect to duck walk the machine backwards up any grade whatsoever

Even though lighter machines have less of these concerns, I am now a resolute big bike pilot. Mine weighs 732 pounds dry.

^4mul8tor

I will definitely need to get up to speed on the handling. But it does have a reverse, not really a gear, it just runs the start motor backwards. A nice bonus.

My VMax is a heavy bike, probably the heaviest I’ve ridden, with fuel, around 600lbs. And I’ve been in that situation where you have to manually back up, usually busy streets, with angled head first pull in parking. Not fun. It’s my hooligan bike, the GoldWing will be my pleasure yacht. All 900lbs of it. Lol.

ShootinBlanks,

I’ve been to the Cleveland expo, and live outside of Pittsburgh. It sounds like we are almost neighbors.

Our first trip will be for our 20th anniversary, heading to a Bed/breakfast/winery in Northern PA.

After that probably a few weekend getaways throughout the summer. Next summer start taking longer trips. We are excited.

And consider the skill of stopping / starting while on an uphill slope. I need to practice this quite a bit so I dont kill the motor while sitting at a traffic light. I have have to work at it quite a bit and my bike only weighs about 350.

Congratulations on the Goldwing. Sounds like your smitten and have every right to be. I’ve owned two Wings - a 2001 and a 2002. Great bikes as you’re finding out.

Yes practice but honestly I think you’ll find you don’t need a lot as the GL1800 handles so well. If you haven’t ridden in awhile taking the MSF Basic Rider Course or the BRC2 course might be helpful.

And yes you’ll want to work into longer rides to acclimatize your body to long riding days. The wife and I are planning a week-long ride around the Shenandoah Vally in late July and are working up our riding miles. We logged 250 miles today up into the mountains of NC and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Don’t forget to post pics of your Wing!

Out of curiosity, how many ride at night?

The reason I ask, is I had a “deer incident” right around dusk. Totaled my bike, did some damage to myself. It was my 2nd deer related incident, the first one just glanced my knee, meaning I couldn’t walk for a week.

I know the GoldWing has a very visible presence, and lights galore, but all my riding will be done during daylight hours. And if the weather gets ugly, we’ll pack it up and call it a day at a local hotel. We won’t have a timeline.

Riding solo, I’m more adventurous. With the wife on the back, not so much. But this is something we both feel we deserve, and we are truly looking forward to it.

Mojojo,

I lived in Winchester,VA, where I met my wife. The Blue Ridge Parkway, maybe this fall. Time will tell. No timelines, but I still have friends who live in the area, and free places to stay. I can leave my underwear in their trash. Lol.

I’m extremely looking forward to just meandering around the country. Enjoy the trip, then the destination.

Rode down to the BRP last week and stayed at Willville motorcycle campground a Meadows of Dan for 4 nights.

I was on my Honda Africa Twin and that's my green tent. My friend there rode his NC700.


Then a Goldwing pulling a camper trailer arrived and set up right beside us. LOL it was quite a contrast, and complete with a "garage" for his bike!

^
That’s the next evolution of long distance touring. He’s a Grand Master. I aspire to be him one day.

Deer strikes are big concern for me here in the Yoop and I love to ride at night. There are rider fatalities up here every year. I spent big $$$ money for upgraded LED lighting (Clearwaters) that give me better visibility out front. I aim the lights to give better coverage of the roadside and ditches.
No one test rides at night to check out the efficiency of their bikes headlight.

^
YooperSigs,

I’m not a hunter, and I never gave it any foresight. During rutting season, deer are more active during dawn and dusk. I wish I had known that.

I was on my last ride of the season, I had just gassed up my bike to store it for the winter. I was on a back road, and I’ll admit I was going faster than the posted speed limit. I didn’t even have time to hit the brakes, the deer jumped out of the wood line, I had no time to react. All I remember was it was still daylight, and when I woke up, it was completely dark. Some guy shaking my shoulder, asking me if I was ok. I was able to get up, but refused to get on the ambulance. I don’t recall much of this, but my wife came and picked me up and took me to the hospital. Had a concussion, broken ribs, and broken wrist. Luckily, my bike took the brunt of it. If it had been a little higher, no way I’d still be alive. I’m thinking I hit him about 70mph. But I’m an “all the gear, all the time” rider, and that undoubtedly helped. I had a full face helmet, and my first impact was on my face. Had some Held gloves that saved my hands, and a First Gear armored jacket that saved my hide. I still wear the jacket, it has noticeable stories to tell.

I don’t think I’ll ever get over that fear, so I’m sticking with daylight. And the GoldWing is a much heavier bike, it would probably cut a deer in half. Not that I want to find out again. Lol.

Deer Strike war story:
A HS friends family farm was behind a large sports field complex on my beat and he was having problems with kids trespassing at a barn some distance from the main house. Just before dawn I was on my way to check the barn and was on the access road passing the field when I saw a brand new HD Sportster lying in the ditch. A short distance away, and to the right rear of the bike was its owner, face down and deceased. He was ATGATT. Helmet, boots, leathers, the whole works. He was cold to the touch. So was the bike. I called for our Technical Accident Investigator and began to go over the scene. No skid marks were present and no indication of loss of control to point to a cause of the crash. Until I looked closely at the bike and found tufts of deer hair lodged into the brake and clutch levers. The sun was now up and when I looked across the crash scene into the fields I saw a brown lump lying on the field about 75 yards away. It was a big Doe and she was dead. When the Coroners investigator rolled over the biker, the front of his jacket was covered in deer hair. Later, after concluding his investigation, our Technical guy told me the deer was hit broadside and literally rolled over the front of the bike and onto the rider, crushing his sternum and breaking his neck.
Every time I am on my bike and I see a deer near the roadside, this crash scene plays out in my head. I have been lucky so far. And in the western part of Marquette County, you dont just have to look out for deer but for Moose, too!