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2018 Goldwing DCT

A little off track for just a moment; C&C Powersports in Clarksville Indiana has a new 2016 (yep 2 year old new one) Honda F6B for less than $16,000. Last Friday it was screaming at me to take it home. Unfortunately, my money manager (wife) stated she needed a new car before I needed a new bike :( Very nice bike with built in side bags, real cruise control... They have had 2 new 2018 DCT Gold Wings and sold both of them in less than a week on the floor....
 
A little off track for just a moment; C&C Powersports in Clarksville Indiana has a new 2016 (yep 2 year old new one) Honda F6B for less than $16,000. Last Friday it was screaming at me to take it home. Unfortunately, my money manager (wife) stated she needed a new car before I needed a new bike :( Very nice bike with built in side bags, real cruise control... They have had 2 new 2018 DCT Gold Wings and sold both of them in less than a week on the floor....

I’d be willing to bet there are quite a few leftover new ones out there. I’d also be willing to bet that despite the criticisms I’ve seen (none very concerning IMHO) the 2018 models are going to dominate. Leftovers don’t seem to be getting discounted much - yet - and the pricing on the 2018’s is close to the same. I for one really like the heft and style of the new GW’s. Still past the point where I’d be in the market for a big tourer again, but if I was....................

Edit: I’m supposed to demo one next week. For the sake of my sanity I hope I hate it.:p
 
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The new 16’s and 17’s we can get are selling at near MSRP oddly enough. The demand to get a “new” last generation GW is high enough to hold the price up. These also are selling at a good pace.
 
The USED GW market will surely heat up in coming months. Might attract a crowd that up until now couldn’t or wouldn’t take the plunge based on price.
 
I test rode a blue DCT tour in Joplin, Missouri today.
Amazing bike!
Smooth, powerful, comfortable.
I made a short YouTube video about it, but I realized I do not have much new to say.
Thanks to Jay Hatfield Powersports. I think I was the first to test ride it.
 
I test rode a blue DCT tour in Joplin, Missouri today.
Amazing bike!
Smooth, powerful, comfortable.
I made a short YouTube video about it, but I realized I do not have much new to say.
Thanks to Jay Hatfield Powersports. I think I was the first to test ride it.

I’m looking forward to the experience :cool: is there a link to your video?
 
I test rode a blue DCT tour in Joplin, Missouri today.
Amazing bike!
Smooth, powerful, comfortable.
I made a short YouTube video about it, but I realized I do not have much new to say.
Thanks to Jay Hatfield Powersports. I think I was the first to test ride it.

Hank, have you ridden the previous GL1800 to make a comparison?
 
Watched your video and also caught one from “cruisemansgarage” with his first impressions as an owner. Very good video for those interested. He seems like a pretty credible guy who has owned a number of wings.
 
Yes, it is not my best video. There is not much more to say. The new Wing has been studied and written about more than any bike I can remember.
 
Yes, it is not my best video. There is not much more to say. The new Wing has been studied and written about more than any bike I can remember.


Hey, any video beats no video :cool: If I tried to make a vid, narrate it, ride a new bike utilizing all the new stufff, and make it all intelligent and interesting, it would be a very short ride into the nearest ditch. :p
 
The new Wing is about as complex as my new Camry. The Toyota dealer has a lady whose job is just to learn and teach the electronics.

The Wing has simplified the number of buttons, and some turn off when moving. In general they are well designed and work. Some of the menu controls feel a little old fashioned.

It is a fantastic bike. I did not notice either the excesssively soft suspension or steering slop some have reported.
 
Sooo, scratched my itch today and rode both the manual and the DCT versions of the 2018 Goldwing Touring model. No video here and plenty of folks have given very eloquent reviews on this bike - so no need for me to restate what others have said quite well. But as for my personal observations, here is my short list:

* Wind protection was not as good as it was on the last generation wing (I owned one for several years). I had a good test ride on a breezy day with ample opportunity to run the windshield up and down at all speeds including the highway. The power feature was very nice to have. More wind was also felt on my lower legs than what I remember from my previous wing. The new windshield is not as large in width and also seems to be a little “viby” at speed in the higher positions.
* The mirrors are slightly smaller and don’t offer quite the view as older wings. Not bad, mind you, just different.
* The seat and sitting position was not as comfortable (plush). This was confirmed when I got back to the dealership after the ride and promptly sat on an older model for comparison. Big difference. Not BAD, mind you, but not as nice.
* Also confirmed was the fact that the weight and heft of the new bike is very noticeably improved - beyond even what the numbers would lead you to anticipate. And the handling on the road is likewise even more nimble and sport bike-like.
* The new suspension is great. Soaks up the bumps, holes, and road imperfections with ease. No issues in my mind in that department.
* The DCT was flawless. I was really impressed with how smooth it was - even smoother that my NC, though I can’t explain why that was. And there was never a time when I felt the need to “paddle” down a gear to handle a turn or accelerate quickly. That motor and torque are amazing. With all of the things the left hand is now in control of; windshield, turn signals, horn, radio, paddle-shifting, etc, etc, NOT having to mess with a manual clutch on top of everything else you might be contemplating is a huge plus IMO.
* On the other hand, the manual was better than it ever was with taller gearing and a sixth speed. Short shift it if you want, it can handle it, but you can also wind those gears out and make that bike howl.

Can’t speak to luggage capacity. I’ve seen the numbers but until you pack for a trip, it’s really hard to give any feedback in that area.

Ride one if you get the chance. Scratch the itch! :cool:
 
I agree the new manual shift is a big improvement.
I want one, but....

I already have two bikes.
I just bought a new car.
My garage is full and I would have to buy a shed or put one in the barn.
It is 27,000, plus I imagine another $3,000 for extra lights front and rear, tag and title, etc.
 
Today, I popped in at Russellville Honda (Arkansas) to look over their bike selection. They had NC700X, CB500X, VFR1200X, and Africa Twin. These are the good bikes some dealers won’t even stock (because they don’t sell well?). They also had on the floor about eight 2018 Goldwings in various trims, most of them already sold. I poked and prodded at the floor models, then I asked if I could ride a manual tour model and they said, “sure, we’ll roll it right out.” I was only offered a short ride which composed of two lane highway, but hey, that’s fine. I did not investigate the electronic gizmos on the bike as I have zero interest in those features. A bit of background: I have a yellow 2002 GL1800 that I’ve ridden 50,000 miles. I really like the Wing. If I had to reduce my entire fleet to just one bike, it’s probably the one I’d keep.

My takeaways from this short demo:

The Good
* Top gear is taller, so the engine is more relaxed at highway speed. My one big complaint on the original GL1800 is that it’s geared too low. It’s not that it needs six speeds, it just needed them spaced out more. Honda could have regeared the old 1800 because it was a common complaint, but they never did.
* The suspension works well. My ride was too short to fully evaluate it, but it got the job done. Roads in Arkansas are smooth, which is a good thing, but it didn’t allow me to test the suspension on rough surfaces.

The Weird
* The bodywork is slimmer but the engine is not. The engine juts out the sides and looks out of proportion to the size of the body.
* On low speed turns, once you start the turn, the bars pull in that direction. It’s not that the bike falls into the turn, it’s that the bars want to pull that way, and you need to counteract the force on the bars. Tight circles were easy to do, but it just felt weird.

The Bad
* The seat was awful. The aftermarket seat builders have a lot of opportunity here.
* The new 1800 is louder than the old one, and I didn’t care for the sound. I see no point in making the bike louder than it was.
* The storage room is diminished, but that’s a well publicized issue.
* The method Honda provides for hanging helmets on the bike is a total joke. They must have eliminated the convenient locking hooks on the underside of the trunk for cost savings.
* Just as in their automotive lineup, the play-it-safe Honda colors are boring, but that’s just my personal taste.

Longer test rides would probably make me better appreciate some of the new bike’s enhancements . I’ll probably be riding it again at the WingDing later this year, and the wife can offer her thoughts, too. But so far, the shortcomings are making me think, “Meh.”

This new GL1800 is definitely not calling my name.

2564D18E-008A-4664-B11F-0900C762BD38.jpg
My green NC is in the background.
 
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+1
"Meh."
Local dealer had two sitting on the floor.
Didn't even inspire me enough to even ask for a test ride.
Just sat on a Tour model and waited for any 'tingles'.... nada.

I guess my AT DCT still tingles all the right senses, for me.
 
+1
"Meh."
Local dealer had two sitting on the floor.
Didn't even inspire me enough to even ask for a test ride.
Just sat on a Tour model and waited for any 'tingles'.... nada.

I guess my AT DCT still tingles all the right senses, for me.

For the cost to trade “up” to the ‘18 Wing from my ‘02, I could buy an Africa Twin and still keep my Goldwing, a choice I would much prefer. Or, I could buy a used Africa Twin, and a 250 dual sport and still keep my ‘Wing - even better!
 
I agree about the boring colors, though the cinammon brown in the base is interesting. I wish they made a nice silver / gray in the tour.
 
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