In 1975 Honda launched the first of the Goldwing series of touring bikes. It sold very well! Each subsequent version became more luxurious & better equipped.They are still producing them today…
In 1985 Honda produced a special version to celebrate 10 years of the Goldwing which by this time was being made in Marysville, Ohio. Already a very well equipped tourer, the GL1200L Limited Edition (5372 made) had all sorts of “extras” fitted as standard such as cruise control, adjustable air suspension & compressor, 4 speaker stereo & intercom system, trip computer etc.
As if all that is not enough for you, this particular bike was totally rebuilt in 2000 by the UK Goldwing technical guru Graham Whittaker for his personal use who took the opportunity to address the known 1200 “niggles” & also fitted suspension from the later 1500 model which creates much lighter steering & better roadholding.
While he had it stripped the engine, gearbox, clutch & final drive were overhauled & the bike was customized with lots of extra bling. A matching Squires D18 trailer is included.
It has not been used on the road for a few years although it has been regularly fired up & checked over. A little recommissioning would be a good idea before use. It also has some spares & its Goldwing fitted cover & spare key.
At the moment it is UK registered & on a SORN & if registration in France is required I can offer full administrative support, FFVE certification etc.
It is located near 16210 Chalais.
A unique classic machine that many will call “eye candy” although there may be other names for it!
I had one of the first GL1000 back in the 70’s. fantastic straight line speed. Chronic fuel economy (16 litre tank) chronic tyre wear (rear and over 600 DM a shot) and then the cam lubrication which eventually killed it. After that i went back to the Norton and “gummikuhe”
Same price as the one I looked at back in the early '90s after contemplating how easy motos slipped in and out of a massive traffic jam, but I thought it was new. Could have knocked me down with a feather when the man told me it was 2nd hand. Contemplation over. Instant cure and back to the Saxo which cost the same when new.
Well to be fair a Gold Wing is at the top of Honda’s price scale, and arguably a bit over the top unless you are planning some long distance touring… for local trips something in the 250-500cc range would be plenty zippy enough, and can be had for a lot less!
My first “big” bike, a Honda CB550 Four K3, cost about £1250 new - but that was in 1977!
I remember Bike magazine’s review of the Gold wing, when they stated “given the choice between one fully faired vehicle and another, we’d pick the car”.
It’s probably improved a bit since then, but that stopped any desire for one that I might have otherwise had. They also lost advertising from Honda UK for a year.
My only motor bike was a 250 Beezer and I paid it off at a pound a week over year. Then I sold it and bought a car for £5, a mark 1 Standard Vanguard. Loved that so much that after too many bits had fallen off I scrapped it (well raced it at Long Eaton where it got turned over and caught fire) and bought another for the same price. That one was abandonned at a new dirt track in Doncaster after the banger race I was in destroyed it when I was crammed into the thick wire fencing attached to railway lines concreted into the ground. And yes, I was wearing a seatbelt but only because I could not be allowed to race without one, but, slack as it was, it was not troubled in the crash.
My thoughts too, when I sat on that one in the showroom one day. I joked to Fran that at each set of lights she would have to jump off to hold me up, and then run alongside for a bit before jumping back on again. Then someone told me that it has automatic doodads to do that job for you.
I think they suggested it was dangerous because of poor handling, inefficient brakes and a lack of ground clearance. As you suggest, probably ok for eating endless miles of flat, straight road, not ideal for a fast blat round the twisties to the coast. And not an British style of motorcycle.
I’m not going to deny that my first steps towards riding one were with trepidation as there’s no doubt that they’re chunky beasts but they handle like a bike half their size. A Harley on the other hand…
Lots of bikes in the 70s and 80s could be accused of having poor handling and inefficient brakes! I’m sure the Wing has improved in those departments since!
My first real bike - a honda 250 K4 - had great handling (we won’t talk about the drum brakes from the 1960s) but the replacement model G5 that I later had was terrible. After the G5 I borrowed a K4 and was reminded how much better it was. I also had a Kawasaki 250 S1 that was quick but scary in the corners, running wide if you didn’t keep the power on, and a Suzuki GT550 triple that was like a pogo stick in fast corners. But all these were well known at the time. I think the goldwing was on another level of terrible TBH.
