Tractor repairs are a breeze. Try working on a motorcycle to prove the point

[3930dave]

I got a Farm Permit when I was 12 in Wyoming, 13 Had a motorcycle license that let me on the road 24 hours. Not sure when I got my first drivers license (I did have to have a "Permit" for a year if I remember correctly - I think the permit was when I was 14) but given our area in Wyoming, no one really cared.

This would have been in the late 70's. Then again, I could be making it all up as that memory fades.

I like what I've heard about Wyoming. I remember one thread on here where a guy was talking about growing up in Wyoming - he summed it up by saying that Back When, there were more laws on the books about horses than vehicles.

Hey daugen, from a different angle, how about a spyder ? Never been on one, but usually Rotax is a good motor.

Spyder RT: Powerful, Comfortable Touring Motorcycle | Can-Am Spyder US | Can-Am Spyder US

For one up a favourite economy bike of mine is the Kawasaki KLR650 - for puttering on fire-roads w/o needing a trailer.

Nothing wrong with a 'Wing Gary..... if I was going coast-2-coast, it would be at the top of my list. Rolls-Royce smooth is hard-to-beat, esp. rolling on big miles....

On a budget (me), if I could convince the better-half to get on a bike, I'd also check out a Connie (Kaw Concours). I like that the older ones I've looked at had hydraulic valve lifters.

Rgds, D.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I like what I've heard about Wyoming. I remember one thread on here where a guy was talking about growing up in Wyoming - he summed it up by saying that Back When, there were more laws on the books about horses than vehicles.

Hey daugen, from a different angle, how about a spyder ? Never been on one, but usually Rotax is a good motor.

Spyder RT: Powerful, Comfortable Touring Motorcycle | Can-Am Spyder US | Can-Am Spyder US

For one up a favourite economy bike of mine is the Kawasaki KLR650 - for puttering on fire-roads w/o needing a trailer.

Nothing wrong with a 'Wing Gary..... if I was going coast-2-coast, it would be at the top of my list. Rolls-Royce smooth is hard-to-beat, esp. rolling on big miles....

On a budget (me), if I could convince the better-half to get on a bike, I'd also check out a Connie (Kaw Concours). I like that the older ones I've looked at had hydraulic valve lifters.

Rgds, D.

Wings are definitely a hard surface bike. I hate to ride mine on hard gravel, just too hard to control. There are lots of great touring bikes, Kawasaki Concours was one of them and nothing wrong with the BMW bikes.
I don't know why Honda went with solid lifters on the GL1800 as there was nothing wrong with the hydraulic lifters on the 1500. At least they finally got off the carbs and went back to FI. 1985 they made one with FI that may have had some issues and Honda was scared away from FI for 16 years.

 

[3930dave]

Wings are definitely a hard surface bike. I hate to ride mine on hard gravel, just too hard to control. There are lots of great touring bikes, Kawasaki Concours was one of them and nothing wrong with the BMW bikes.
I don't know why Honda went with solid lifters on the GL1800 as there was nothing wrong with the hydraulic lifters on the 1500. At least they finally got off the carbs and went back to FI. 1985 they made one with FI that may have had some issues and Honda was scared away from FI for 16 years.

Major Japanese companies are interesting in many ways...... technology obsessed, but at the same time very conservative about introducing new tech into volume production. Yamaha being a bit of an outlier to that trend. (I like Yamaha, just saying they seem, by Japanese standards, more likely to push up production dates on something new. I think they had FI on 50cc scooters quite a while ago).

I like knowing that those companies have interesting stuff in the pipeline, and that by the time it's on the street, it's well-sorted out. Understanding First Mover Advantage wouldn't give me much comfort if I'm 100 miles from the Back Of Nowhere, on an un-driveable MC. Something like at Yammy TW200 is attractive (to me) for its relative simplicity - electronic ignition is about as "tech" as it gets on that bike.

Cars/trucks are one thing, but obviously flaky tech driveability issues on an MC can put the rider at severe risk. I was at a training seminar at least 10 years ago, and got talking with the presenter about a project they had just worked on with Audi - can't remember now which A_ platform it was, but the car had tens of thousands of software threads - and that was just in the infotainment system. Complexity like that is one reason I like products like a TW200, or the EX500 in my garage.....

I know Spring is on its way here :cool2:, when I start looking at all the new bikes.....

Rgds, D.

 

[Gary Fowler]

What lots of folks don't know about the Goldwing is that it was mostly made in the USA. From 1980-2006 the bike was made in Marysville Ohio. It had its beginning years in Japan but very early moved to USA where I think most of the sales were at. I don't know why they moved production back to Japan.

 

[PJSprog]

I suspect the ever lowering cost of international shipping had at least something to do with that, Gary. The incredible amount of product shipping from Asia to North America has drastically dropped the per container rate, probably making the decision more financially viable to bring the work home for Honda.

 

[Arc weld]

You guys are riding the wrong motorcycles. I can tear my CR125 down to the frame, change the filter, oil, sprockets and chain, wheel and linkage bearings, and put it back together in one of your Goldwing oil changes...

You must have one exotic CR125 2 stroke to have an oil filter.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Air filter?

 

[Arc weld]

Maybe.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I suspect the ever lowering cost of international shipping had at least something to do with that, Gary. The incredible amount of product shipping from Asia to North America has drastically dropped the per container rate, probably making the decision more financially viable to bring the work home for Honda.

I did later read that Honda used all the Goldwing mfg. space in production of their Honda cars so no space was wasted also. Also their decision had something to do with more profits by doing the work in Japan.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

I think the reason Honda got away from the hydraulic lifters in the Wing was to take up less space in the valve cover area as they increased engine size and made the engine part of the frame. I have to agree for long distance trouble free touring it is at the top of the motorcycle list. Most valve adjustments turn out to be just valve checks especially after the first one at 32000 miles. I have a brother with a 2002 wit almost 500,000 miles he doesn't even have the valves checked as they never changed in the previous checks when the bike had lower miles.

I have changed my air filter on my 1800 and have to agree a better way would sure be nice but with all the forums and you tube videos it is doable with patience. What I liked worse was tightening all the hose clamps for the coolant lines. They are so well hidden you have to remove the gas tank under the seat to get at them they are turned so you can not get a screwdriver on them. I have ridden over 1000 miles in a day several times on my Wing without too much problem, never rode any other bike where I could come even close I do admit none of the others were touring bikes though. A lot of the big Harley seats look comfy.