We just broke in that new rear tire, so it seemed like an ideal time for a nice long up the California Coastline from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo County.
Things have been busy lately, and it’s been challenging to find the time for the ‘Wing. My cousin’s wedding in Cayucos seemed like the perfect reason to saddle up and head out on the highway with my wife for a nice two-up weekend-long test ride. We set up dogsitting, and packed for the trip.
My wife Robin is a fantastic passenger – on the right bike. If she’s comfortable, she’ll ride all day long without complaint. Put her on a bike where the pillion is an afterthought, and your riding day will be very short. We were both eager to try out the Gold Wing for an extended ride together, to see how it stacked up to its reputation as the most comfortable bike on the planet for a passenger.
After two days of riding, the report is good from the back seat – Robin wondered aloud at a coffee break what it would take for us to buy our own Gold Wing. “We would ride this every weekend if we owned it. Let’s go to Malibu. Let’s go to the mountains. Let’s go to the desert. Do you think you could get over the whole ‘old person’s bike’ thing?”
I don’t know if I’m ready to sell my Sportster and buy a ‘Wing – but I am giving it some serious thought.
The plusses – great performance, remarkable comfort, and a big step forward in technology and reliability. The minuses – a bit of a lack of personality, just okay fuel economy, and big bite price tag.
Still, our ride this weekend has my mind working. I expected comfort and a plush ride on the highway, and the ‘Wing delivered. Droning along on the long straight stretches of US 101, the Honda was dead stable, smooth and quiet at any speed. When we left the superslab for the winding road, like the Lake Cachuma Pass (CA Route 154, a fantastic 35 mile dash through the mountains), the big bike performed like a champ, with impressive lean angles, easily accessible power and smooth brakes. The power and torque delivery is so flat and consistent that I barely had to downshift, even on big hills and curves. I’ve ridden that pass a hundred times, and rarely enjoyed it more than I did on two passes (one in each direction) this weekend.
Packing the bike uncovered a few complaints: the helmet locks below the top box release with a toggle on the floor of the storage compartment, which means that the only way to access the helmet locks is to rummage through your stuff – a pain when the bike is fully-loaded. Though the saddlebags are very roomy, they don’t easily accept any standard luggage. If I owned the bike, I’d invest in a set of saddlebag liners to make loading and unloading easier and more efficient.
Still, we managed to pack for a weekend away – including a wedding – in just the Gold Wing’s hardbags. No extra bungeed luggage needed, and we didn’t jam pack, either. Pretty impressive.
I’m looking forward to my next Gold Wing excursion. Let’s see – can I think of a good reason to ride up to San Francisco?
MILEAGE LOG
- Miles: 449.3
- Gallons: 12.472
- MPG: 36.02
- Total odometer miles: 4,965
Related:
- Honda Gold Wing Update #6: About that Tire...
- Honda Gold Wing Update #5: My (Feeble) Attempts at Hypermiling the 'Wing
- Honda Gold Wing Update #4: Washing the 'Wing
- Honda Gold Wing Update #3: Riding the 'Wing Like a Sportbike
- Honda Gold Wing Update #2: Jason's First Impressions
- Honda Gold Wing Update #1: Welcome the 'Wing!
