i met a guy that would strip down and race goldwings with no engine mods.. he prefered the 1500s, but he says that with the right engine mods my 1200 would spank any new 1800 they have out now... (hes talking lightening, custon pistons, and NOS)...
On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 9:27 AM, surfswab <[email protected]> wrote: > No, you're correct. In my opinion, that's where Honda outfoxed the > competition, marketing-wise. Kawasaki had its litre bike, the > KZ1000. Suzuki drastically and quickly upgraded its 750 to the GS1000 > in-line four to compete with the other two, in what was thought to be > a race to produce the biggest, baddest road burners available -- to be > the fustest, wit' da mostest (!) > > But that was not what Honda was all about with the Goldwing. It was a > tourer, plain and simple. Opposed four boxer engine, like the BMW, > low center of gravity, lots of torque, nimble handling and all around > comfort. Just the thing for two-up riding over hill and dale in a > relaxed, but still powerful fashion. Kinda like a two-wheeled Buick. > > Honda never intended it for stoplight drags and never touted it as > such. In fact, the original speedo's numbers only reach to 85 mph. > > They just kept refining the touring/comfort idea and carved out a > niche that has appealed to a lotta folks. > > > > > On Jun 5, 8:28 am, Joey Kelley <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks for the history lesson! > > What I never understood - I look at my GS1000 (1978) and I > > see a bike that is unfortunately vastly inferior to the Wings of even > > the early 80s. What I guess I failed to remember was that this bike > > was brought out as a competitor to the 1975 era GL and shouldn't be > > compared to a model that wasn't even out yet. > > In many ways the GS1000 and the GL1000s are the same - add > > on touring parts etc. What I think is the biggest difference - the > > GS1000 advertisement I have talks about its drag racing ability - 0-60 > > time, Quarter mile ET, etc. Somehow I don't see Honda using that sort > > of information to sell Wings. > > Am I all wet? > > -Joey > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 12:29 AM, surfswab <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Not sure what the question is, but here's what I know about early > > > Wings: > > > > > The 75 GL1000 was a brand spanky new design category, unique in that > > > it > > > was designed from the ground up as a tourer (heavy, torquey, > > > comfortable). > > > > > Its success started a trend which spawned similar designs from other > > > manufacturers. So yes, your GS competed with it, in much the same way > > > as > > > categories of bikes from different manufacturers do today. > > > > > The bike in the picture is a "naked wing" as they all were from > > > 75-79. But it's > > > fitted with aftermarket bags, trunk and fairing (mostly by Vetter). > > > Honda didn't > > > start making proprietary accessories until '79, when they offered > > > optional > > > Hondaline saddlebags and a trunk (but no fairing). The first model > > > refinement > > > was in '80 when they tweaked the motor to 1100 and offered a factory- > > > equipped > > > model -- the Interstate -- with integral bags, trunk and fairing. > > > They continued the > > > naked wing, but with the new 1100 motor, simultaneously, calling it > > > the Standard, > > > until '82. > > > > > In '83, they upped the ante on the tweaking process -- 1200 motor, > > > slicker plastics, and > > > state-of-the-art (for the time) audio gear. And they've been doing > > > that ever since. > > > > >> We've discussed 80s wings numerous times on here - but I don't > > >> recall many discussions about the mid to late 70s versions. > http://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/3056560899.html > > >> The irony is - I went by that one and wondered if it was for > sale :-) > > >> Here is the thing - I'm looking at the picture and well - > > >> frankly - I'm wondering if this is the bike my GS-1000 is supposed to > > >> be a competitor to. The shocks on the rear look tiny and the design is > > >> very close, particularly with a Windjammer or rebranded Windjammer > > >> fairing on it. > > >> Thoughts? > > >> -Joey > > > > >> -- > > >> -Joey Kelley > > >> JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online > > >> JoeyFixesComputers.com - Its What I Do! > > >> JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > > > -- > > -Joey Kelley > > JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online > > JoeyFixesComputers.com - Its What I Do! > > JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
