Who rides motorcycles?

[CalG]

Moto GP bikes use magnesium wheels. And they spend a lot time tuning rigidity (or deliberate lack of) in the wheels, swing arm, and chassis.

Steel rim spoked wheels are heavy.

Did you ever notice there are no cast wheels on MotoCross bikes?

Very weight aware in those circles.

 

[Milo]

A typical cast wheel couldn't take the beating.

 

[Quaffer]

MY 1999 HONDA VALKYRIE INTERSTATE BIKE AND TRIKE. 6 CYLINDERS, 6 CARBURATORS, 1520CC, 102 HP.

Really nice!

 

[Grumpycat]

Did you ever notice there are no cast wheels on MotoCross bikes?

Very weight aware in those circles.

Yes. On motocross there is need for a controlled flex in the wheels. And for serious off-road riding.

The spoked wheels on my Beta 430RS and Husaberg FE450 are significantly lighter than any cast wheel I have handled.

 

[Darth_DMack]

There is that factor/reality to consider.

I bicycle along a mixed road-route, north of me, up to a park I ride through. Time catches up with all of us, eventually. Stopped one day, to look at an older Gold Wing with a Sale sign - ended up having a great chat, with the couple who had spent decades riding it. He was an Olympic-class distance runner, and still looked very fit, but they were selling this much loved and well taken care of Wing because of the weight - he'd never dropped a bike (despite street racing some fast-for-the-day British stuff, way-back when they first met), and didn't want to start now.

They LOVE touring 2-up, so had bought a gorgeous late-model Gold Wing trike, and will be running the roads in that .

These aren't really my thing (at least at this stage of my riding), but I can see the positive attributes they bring to the table.

Rgds, D.

I absolutely LOVE the Goldwing. I was on a GSXR1000 on the Tail of the Dragon one day, and got in behind a school bus yellow Wing, pulling a small color matched trailer. This guy was giving it the what for! I was riding at my upper edge of comfort zone, in full leathers, for a street pace. This guy was making me work to stay with him.

One of the guys I used to race with, brought his Wing out for a track day once... it too, was the school bus yellow. I went for a few laps two up with him... those big bikes will skin it back... and they are very comfortable as well!

 

[Milo]

IMO Wing's are about passenger comfort but they're almost overkill for a solo rig. Versions w/o the big trunk a little less so but still an 1800cc, 6 cylinder engine in an 800+ pound motorcycle just seems excessive. LOL but that didn't stop me from buying one and to celebrate my 70th birthday last year I rode it out to Montana.

Somewhere in the U.P.


I believe this road was in South Dakota, the gravel road was in nice shape and I only saw a few pick ups so not much dust.


Being July it was hot in western SD/eastern MT, the thermometer showed 106 here. Surprisingly the Wing funnels engine heat away very well and is one of the cooler faired bikes I've ridden. But it was still a hot 102 at 7pm so got a motel room that night.


As I continued west across MT the next day, elevation rose and temps dropped.


Some solo helmet time is just what I needed, I had a delightful 2 weeks riding small roads across the mid-west and back.

 

[deserteagle71]

My brother has worn out several Gold Wings through the years. Puts a lot of miles on them! He lives in Kansas but just sent me this pic from Nova Scotia:

Me, I've been riding all my life also but am about to sell my bike. Getting too old (too clumsy) to be on two wheels so I'm going to get rid of this thing before I hurt myself bad. At my age bones don't bend, they just break!

 

[Grumpycat]

I absolutely LOVE the Goldwing. I was on a GSXR1000 on the Tail of the Dragon one day, and got in behind a school bus yellow Wing, pulling a small color matched trailer. This guy was giving it the what for! I was riding at my upper edge of comfort zone, in full leathers, for a street pace. This guy was making me work to stay with him.

One of the guys I used to race with, brought his Wing out for a track day once... it too, was the school bus yellow. I went for a few laps two up with him... those big bikes will skin it back... and they are very comfortable as well!

I wasn’t trying to push it this day but regularly dragged my highway pegs, installed the day before, and removed shortly after this pic. Was riding a pace right at what my friend following was comfortable.

The GL1800 won’t lean as far as a proper sport tourer. My rear suspension was set to 25, the stiffest setting. And Progressive (brand) fork springs.

 

[Milo]

The GL1800 won’t lean as far as a proper sport tourer. My rear suspension was set to 25, the stiffest setting. And Progressive (brand) fork springs.

And the new generation seems to have even less cornering clearance. My recollection of the 2001 I had was it had a little more than my 2022 does. But it's enough for me, especially now I am a geezer!

 

[Rock Crawler]

I ride a proper sport touring bike, a 2018 Kwikasfucki Concours 1400. There is nothing like 2.9 second 0-60, 155 mph continent crushing bike with an engine known to deliver 300K miles and more for reliability. It's got the heart of the ZX1400 ninja and the soul of a Goldwing. It's equal neither one or the other, but it blends the sport and touring in a magical way that those who have them love them.

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