2 cylinders short,,,ITS A GOLD WING
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:26 pm
I have owned and ridden nearly every BH V8 ,,,,so here is something different,
Hi
Got into New York from the UK, wow what a busy city. Saw the amazing lights of Time Square and then we walked down to Ground Zero to pay our respects. Caught the Amtrak train to Johnstown PA. The scenery was breath taking. Arrive and went on to Windber where Tim Tokarsky of Windber Can Am met us with a warm smile welcome and took us to the waiting GL 1800, 2012, finely sculptured symphonic engineering at its best - a Honda legend.
The bike looked so much better in the flesh and it has been a few years since I sold my GL1100 that I'd had for 19 years. The smoothness of the 2012 engine was the first thing I noticed. Smooth but still maintaining a deep rumble that gave a hint of a powerful smooth accelerating faithful friend.
Onto the Flight 92 Memorial,to pay my respect, It's still beyond me how a human being can cause so much devastation to another human under the banner of religion.
The Goldwing was silky smooth around the bends, inclines and declines. I found winding open the throttle in top gear was rewarded with a powerful acceleration from low speed right up to a healthy cruising speed. One thing that surprised me - fully laden and carrying a pillion I felt little of not no difference at all. The air suspension and the balance of my Goldwing is quite incredible. There was no feeling of having to drag the Goldwing around corners as was very familiar with my old, very loved GL1100 1982. Exploring all the controls I felt like a child finding pleasure on every new revelation - the sound system, doesn't that work superbly well even at cruising speed. The air vent in the windshield during the 90 degree riding heat we have just experienced is a marvelous after thought. I flicked it open and directed a slightly cooling breeze either to my face or chest. The storage is so deceiving, I managed to pack all my stuff and my wife's endless necessities that apparently we can't live without. All snuggly gently squeezed all the storage space that was offered.
We have done 400 miles now, up from Johnstown on the 160 South, 30 East, 26 North to Huntingdon and we are now in Bloomsburg. So far the countryside has been a gift from God for sure. Tim Tokarsky, the Can Am dealer in Windber gave us this route, convinced us Brits who are used to a small foggy rock called home would thoroughly enjoy it ,and he was right.
So far I have found the Navi to be quite amazing. I entered a phone number and it directed me 30 miles to the precise location. I wondered how I would get along with the new Honda technology. Unlike my grown up children who seem to have some digital telepathic wire free hands free do anything you tell it modern satellite linked device that to me may as well be black magic that is controlled by some higher intelligence that I just wasn't born with. But so far all the technology on the Goldwing has been very user friendly and forgiving with that wonderful "back" button that enables me to backtrack and start again.
It's too early for me to tell the mpg but it's already feeling very favourable. I am next heading onto M.I to start Route 66, hopefully by then I'll be able to upload the odd photograph if anyone is interested along with an update of the journey so far.The American Hospitality has been incredible
Ride safe.
John and Laura
Hi
Got into New York from the UK, wow what a busy city. Saw the amazing lights of Time Square and then we walked down to Ground Zero to pay our respects. Caught the Amtrak train to Johnstown PA. The scenery was breath taking. Arrive and went on to Windber where Tim Tokarsky of Windber Can Am met us with a warm smile welcome and took us to the waiting GL 1800, 2012, finely sculptured symphonic engineering at its best - a Honda legend.
The bike looked so much better in the flesh and it has been a few years since I sold my GL1100 that I'd had for 19 years. The smoothness of the 2012 engine was the first thing I noticed. Smooth but still maintaining a deep rumble that gave a hint of a powerful smooth accelerating faithful friend.
Onto the Flight 92 Memorial,to pay my respect, It's still beyond me how a human being can cause so much devastation to another human under the banner of religion.
The Goldwing was silky smooth around the bends, inclines and declines. I found winding open the throttle in top gear was rewarded with a powerful acceleration from low speed right up to a healthy cruising speed. One thing that surprised me - fully laden and carrying a pillion I felt little of not no difference at all. The air suspension and the balance of my Goldwing is quite incredible. There was no feeling of having to drag the Goldwing around corners as was very familiar with my old, very loved GL1100 1982. Exploring all the controls I felt like a child finding pleasure on every new revelation - the sound system, doesn't that work superbly well even at cruising speed. The air vent in the windshield during the 90 degree riding heat we have just experienced is a marvelous after thought. I flicked it open and directed a slightly cooling breeze either to my face or chest. The storage is so deceiving, I managed to pack all my stuff and my wife's endless necessities that apparently we can't live without. All snuggly gently squeezed all the storage space that was offered.
We have done 400 miles now, up from Johnstown on the 160 South, 30 East, 26 North to Huntingdon and we are now in Bloomsburg. So far the countryside has been a gift from God for sure. Tim Tokarsky, the Can Am dealer in Windber gave us this route, convinced us Brits who are used to a small foggy rock called home would thoroughly enjoy it ,and he was right.
So far I have found the Navi to be quite amazing. I entered a phone number and it directed me 30 miles to the precise location. I wondered how I would get along with the new Honda technology. Unlike my grown up children who seem to have some digital telepathic wire free hands free do anything you tell it modern satellite linked device that to me may as well be black magic that is controlled by some higher intelligence that I just wasn't born with. But so far all the technology on the Goldwing has been very user friendly and forgiving with that wonderful "back" button that enables me to backtrack and start again.
It's too early for me to tell the mpg but it's already feeling very favourable. I am next heading onto M.I to start Route 66, hopefully by then I'll be able to upload the odd photograph if anyone is interested along with an update of the journey so far.The American Hospitality has been incredible
Ride safe.
John and Laura