Having said all that about it's focus on touring, I don't mean to imply that the GL1000 it was a slouch in the performance department.
It was also imminently hot roddable (with a bucket full of money, and the inclination). Witness this one: http://www.randakks.com/Randakk's%20Endurance%20Special.htm On Jun 5, 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.
