[Hammer]

I know that some of you out there have burgmans as a second ride for local and routine runs and also have Goldwings. I bought one on ebay last night and am taking delivery tomorrow. I have never owned or rode a motorcycle other than my Burger K7 400 for the last 2 years. My plan was to start off slow and learn to ride then move to a motorcycle. I have owned cars with 4 on the floor standard shifting so I still retain the feel and know-how when it comes to shifting but I know that making the transition to a motorcycle will take some getting used to. Tomorrow I will have a Honda Aspencade SE 1500. I don't know the first thing about it. The seller will show me how a few things work and then I am on my own...just like when I bought the Burger. I feel a bit out of my element. It's not out of fear but ignorance that I am putting out the shout for any and all things that you think I should have rattling around in my brain case pertaining to riding, maintenance and parking-it will be street parked during the summer. I know I will need a Goldwing Forum; which Forum do you recommend? Oh, I am holding on to my Burgman. Still love it! John

 

[Daboo]

Shifting. Weight. Those are the two biggest things I can think of that will potentially be an issue. I've never owned a motorcycle larger than the Honda NT700V that I just bought. But it was a big difference from the 400 I have, so our situations are potentially similar.

For one thing, get familiar with the controls. You'll want to think ahead on everything you do. I'll give you a quick example. My driveway slopes and I pull my bike out between the two cars. Obviously, I want to keep from hitting either, and with the slope, the bike could get out of hand. With the 400, I'd simply back it out and slow it down with the rear brake. With the NT, umm...the rear brake is on the other side of the bike. So is the front brake. So I make sure it is in first gear and hold the clutch in as I'm rolling it out between the cars. Letting out the clutch, slows the bike just as the rear brake did.

Parking will be an issue for you. Just remember as many 650 owners do, to not put yourself in a position to back out of your parking space going uphill. Or does it have a reverse gear?

The bike will react differently in turns too. The 400 now feels more twitchy than it did before. It is definitely far more light and flickable than the NT is. Remember your basics when you take a turn, like to look to the exit, and you should be fine even with the difference in handling characteristics.

Good luck and please post pictures!

Chris

 

[Hammer]

Good 'ol Chris. I think you gave me what may be my biggest problem to think about. I will still be riding the Burgman and will therefore be accustomed to react in an emergency maneuver by what I am in the habit of doing. If my brain goes into auto gear then I might be reaching for something that isn't there or something else that causes me to lose split seconds or even to lose control with either bike.
The new bike comes with reverse so I shouldn't have a problem pushing it. As to turning,well I'll just have to feel it out. Easy does it I guess. The first terrible thing I learned on the Burger was not to use the front brake in a low speed turn. I almost lost it in a death wobble the third day that I rode it. I am not sure if a larger bike works the same way. Did you find yourself going for the wrong lever at times while riding at speed your NT700V? I anticipate that happening and will have to see things from a long way off to avoid a problem until I get it. I don't think shifting will be a problem but who knows...I am 60 and it has been 25 years since I clutched. Thanks Chris, Will post pics as I get 'em

 

[Daboo]

Gosh you're getting old! 60??!! (Same here... :shock: )

What I found was that I was only using the front brake. My brain connected right hand=front brake and left hand does something. But the right foot??? Nope. Forgot all about it. :lol:

What I've come to do, is to use the rear combination brake most often. My NT has both ABS and linked braking, so it seems to apply the braking effort pretty evenly. The front brake is used as a secondary since I don't usually get into a panic stop, but slow down well in advance.

I'm getting a kick out of downshifting and using the engine braking. There's also something about the mental challenge to shift smoothly, both up and down, and to be in the right gear all the time. Like you, I started with a 3 speed on the column 65 Dodge Dart, then a 66 VW Beetle and a 75 VW Rabbit, plus an Austin Allegro, a VW Squareback and Ford Cortina (and some others while working at a used car lot plus two small motorcycles in England). The memory was there, but just needed to get brought to the forefront.

One of the things I was looking for, was the mental challenge of riding something different. I got it, and I'm enjoying it.

Chris

 

[mikeyMarine]

review your procedures for picking up a bike that is heavier than at least half your ex wives put together :!: :!: , or maybe half your ex wife the Burgman when it falls doessn't really have the decency to fall all the way down and makes lifting much easier, your new bike may like gravity a lot and require the full" do the squat" type lift, which in heavy traffic can be hazardous to your skivvies

 

[Desert Rat]

Haven't ridden a GW but have ridden my sons Victory Vision. First thing you will notice over the 400 is the power. :shock: The dash will be way farther away. When stopping make sure both feet are put on the ground not just one like I did on my 400. Biggest thing I think is it wouldn't handle the same at very slow speeds. U-turns are much wider then with a 400 or even with my 650 I have now. Take your time to get the fell of it. I even needed to do that when I move up to my 650 from the 400. Ride safe & post some pictures. :thumbup:

 

[malahy1501]

Steve Saunder's site was my go to site for everything Goldwing. I had a 1500SE and a 1800

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/

Steve is/was a member here, when he was "experimenting" with the 650 :wink:

They have an excellent forum...and Steve keeps it civil and family friendly...have a question, ask, and you will receive many replies

Most Goldwings are over 900 pounds wet...plus you...yet once you are above 5MPH, they feel as light as the 650...but they are certainly a handful at 0-5MPH

i am another member of the 60 club,,,and after a double hernia repair, i just never felt I could handle the weight without a return to the surgeon

Practice, practice,practice...they really are beasts until you get to know them intimately

Bill

 

[Hammer]

CHRIS, 60 years old s**ks. New things happen to the body, go away and then return just to remind ya that we probably weren't supposed to live this long.
When you mentioned that you ignored the pedal brake it reminded me that when I switched from a stick to an automatic I found myself using my left foot to find a clutch that wasn't there and m'ty right hand sank miserably to the seat trying to find the stick. OK, so this will be an issue to quickly resolve. I can imagine trying to drag the rear brake into a turn and instead freeing the clutch and having to go wide. Like you, I haven't had to smoothly shift for a long time and am looking forward to it. It gets you closer to the machine so that you can effect exactly what you want to do. So, you were looking for a mental challenge, eh? Me too be that that wears off I guess when you know enough to become - aaaahhhh - ONE with the bike....Grasshopper. :lol:

mikeyMarine I've got my skivvies and am go to revue them asap. :blackeye: I mean I'm going to revue that youtube vid where the girl squats and lifts Hey, good advise. Better than looking for skid marks on the skivvies.

Desert Rat I haven't even thought of the power. I have no idea what 1500cc's will do. When I twist the Burger throttle I can open it all the way and let the clutch and engine do it's thing without thinking about going through the car parked across the street. I am sure it's a bit different with the GW. OK, something else to consider.
I have this training video where the instructor, who is riding a bike comparable to the size of the GW, just eases the bike straight into a parking lot slot, flicks it through the slot next to him and then goes straight up into the next slot facing the opposite way. I think that to do that requires a leap of faith but a lot less room to do a u-turn. For now I guess I'll just hobble through it. Thanks for your input.

malahy 1501 Thanks for the friendly forum suggestion. I am sure I will be using it. As for low speed maneuvers, I am very sure I will be suited up, sun glasses, looking cool and in charge and then embarrass the hell out of myself and my ancestors with a dumb slow speed move. I hope that doesn't happen but it probably will. I just hope I don't lose the bike but at my age the smart thing I guess is to let her go instead of muscling it to try and avoid what is inevitable anyway. I pulled a muscle going for the save the first week I had the 400 and laid it down anyway. There is no way I will try that with the GW. Thanks malahy 1501

 

[Leo38]

My GL1200 had linked brakes. I believe this is also the case with the 1500, tho' ABS was later intorduced as an option.

 

[JackChris]

I have a Gold Wing and have had several big bikes. I suggest practicing your turns by finding a parking lot and make slow turns in both directions more than just a few times. This will get you used to the weight and how much more space it takes to make turns. Also look on U tube for a video on picking up the Gold Wing. It is something you should know and hopefully never have to use. As far as shifting make sure you are in the proper gear for speed you are going and when slowing in traffic as well as downshifting make sure you hit the brake to make your brake light come on to alert the others behind you that you are slowing down. Hand signals are a good practice when in heavy traffic. Always park it in gear as it does not have a parking brake. When it is hot outside don't idle too long and watch the temp gauge they overheat fairly quickly at slow speed on hot days.

 

[Hammer]

My Stable

 

[mikeyMarine]

fine looking steeds, I'm jealous, will trade my f250 for either one and throw in the neighbors lawn mower at no charge

I see you have just enough room to make a ramp from the street,a wide enough door space to install an extra wide or double door , and then you can just drive the Burgie right on in to the house so the wifey doesn't have to go outside to clean it all the time and can be available to get you refills without all that shouting so she can hear you

 

[radman]

I have a B650 and now a 2008 GW 1800. Have owed GW's 1500, 1200 and 1100. The B650 allows you to be a little sloppy when driving really slow because of the weight. I can look around a bit when coming to a stop. The GW will require more attention. You need to more closely judge your speed, placement of your feet ect. The GW footpegs can catch the back of your leg when coming to a stop or taking off. You will have to learn to downshift when coming to a stop. With time it will come more natural. I can drive the B650 at slow turns with the front wheel nearly locked completely to the right or left. I can't do that with the GW.
On this board, some people mention lightly holding the brake on the burgy, and speeding up the engine slightly while making tight turns. I does help on both the burgy and GW. On the GW, you can do the same technique but use instead, ride the clutch a bit while speeding up the engine. Easier to do on the Burgy than the wing because riding the clutch requires a little more finesse.

I can go back and forth between the bikes with no problems running the brakes/clutch. You use the front brake more than the rear and that makes it simpler. Front brake is still on the right. I feel my GW sits a little lower than the B650. However, that may be because of the feet position. On the GW my feet are in more straight down postion. On the B650 thay have to placed a little wider. The pegs of my GW also sit a little lower than the floorboards of the Burg 650. I have to raise my feet/legs higher when taking off on the Burgy.

Biggest mistake I make on the B650, is not manually shutting off the turn signals. Can be a huge safety issue on the B650. I have become extremely use to having bikes with self-canceling turn signals. It should be standard on the newer B650 executive models. Wake up Suzuki. Much rather have self canceling turn signals than motorized folding mirrors.

For the most part, dont worry about riding slow and overheating with the 1500. Not an issue. Some of the very early years of the 1800 GW series had heating issues at slow speeds. Was a combination of some bad castings in the engine or the radiator fan at slow speeds. (At slow speeds and when stopped, the 1800 GW fan blows forward rather than back like most fans. Thus when traveling slow, the air being pushed forward by the fan, was matching air being pushed back by traveling forward- not good cooling thru the radiator.) Harley guys hate riding slow or stopping on hot days because their engines are oil cooled and can overheat. You won't have any issues on the GW 1500.

The 2 biggest things I notice. 1. The GW is quieter-especially at speed. Both wind buffeting and engine. 2. GW is really smooth over the road surface. The GW 1500 is suppose to be slightly more plush than the 1800.

The 1500 does have nose dive issues when braking. That was corrected with an anti-dive valve in the forks of the 1800. The dive is not dangerous IMHO, but will pitch the front of the bike and you down when braking hard. I don't notice that as much with the B650.

I bought my 2006 B650 a few months ago. Had planned on replacing the GW. The B650 is fun to drive on the shorter distances, easier to drive in parking lots, and just easier all around at the slower speeds. However, on the road or at distance, the GW is far better. My GW has the creature comforts- radio with great speakers, GPS, intercom, smoother ride, backrest for driver and passenger, better seats, better windshield ect. More storage for traveling on the GW. However, the higher price tag of the GW allows for many of these comforts. I bought the B650 used, fairly cheap and will probably be selling it this month. I don't need two bikes. I will miss the automatic transmission of the B650. Many people want that put on the GW.

 

[Hammer]

Leo38 I believe that they were optional in '98 but don't quote me. Anyway, this one has independent brakes which is fine with me.

JackChris My neighbor offered to drive the bike to a big 'ol parking lot where we can set up some cones and practice turning, shifting and stopping. I idled the engine at 1100rpm for 20 minutes, ambient temp 90 deg and it actually ran on the cool side but riding may how a different outcome. Thanks

mikeyMarine You may not be so jealous if you knew how much detailing and maintenance checking this bike requires right now. No deal on your trade. I am going to put the Burger in the GW trunk just in case I get a flat or sumfin'. As to your neighbors lawn mower, don't take it unless you salt his fields so nothing will ever grow there again. :lol:

radman Thank you for taking the time to type out all that good stuff radman. When I first began riding the Burger I got a good lesson in 'NOT keeping my feet anywhere near the pavement when slowing all the way down or accelerating from stopped.' I imagine the GW would give me something permanent to thing about in that regard. Will try to remember to keep my legs spread like I do With the Burgman.
As to shifting and clutching, just like when I drove a stick, it will become second nature in time. I hope. I just realized that all disc braking is on the right of the bike and all shifting and engine braking is on the left. Should make it easier for me to think of it like that.
The bike was laid up for the season but not winterized. Aside from changing out the fuel, do you think I need to do anything else relating to that. Dry gas or some other additive, etc. I sold my car because I haven't used it at all since purchasing the Burgman so it makes sense for me to keep the Burgman for short runs and dependability. Right at this moment the GW is an unknown quantity as the seller bullsh**t me all the way. It was still a good deal from what I could assess so I closed with him. Thanks for the great tips radman