I'm I mad ????
 

:eek3:I'm planning to go around the world, through russia to Vlad then Japan and then across to do the americas north and south down to tdf.
So far every one I know think I'm mad cos I'm doing it on my 2008 honda Goldwineg.. I'm not going of the beaten track to much.. I did have bmw 1200gs adventurer but the rear of the frame broke on thhe west highland way with no load only panniers.. I am taking my time on this trip so if I have to I will go the longway round.. AM I MAD DOING IT ON MY WING.???? I HOPE NOT. ITS ONLY A MID LIFE CRISIS:mchappy:

It is my belief that if you are happy to accommodate any bikes limitations you can go wherever you like. All bikes have strengths and weaknesses.
I find most do similar MPW ( Miles Per Week) or even miles per day.

If you want to stand out like a very sore thumb in 3rd world counties, that's the bike to take. (Check out my video from India/Pakistan to get a rough idea)

Having travelled with an 1150GS (Americas) and a DR650SE (SE Asia-UK), I'd take a DR (or similar) if I was doing it all again. I'd also prefer to take a more used bike than a 2008 as it's going to end up in the ditch at some point. If you're not precious about it, then fine. Will you be able to get important parts for it where you're going and will a local mechanic know how to fix it if it breaks down?

You can obviously travel on any bike as everyone will tell you, however just be prepared to be asked 'how much is it worth'?' about 20 times a day in certain countries.

This question is asked a lot about various bikes, people do RTWs on bicycles, scooters, skateboards.....................

So, is it crazy on a Goldwing?

Better ask this chap, Emilio Scotto - Home

Could you pick it up unaided?

Your first post so ... :welcome:

Yeah, I'd say a little mad. Seems to me riding a Gold Wing over bad Russian roads, and Bolivia, and Ruta 40 to TDF with its gravel (unless it's all paved by the time you get there) wouldn't be great fun. Nor dealing with the sheer weight of the thing day after day ...

Depends on your appetite and tolerances, I guess, but know that you'll be dodging lots of potholes, at least. I'd think about a big but light 650 single (Yamaha, Suzuki, etc.), especially if it's your first big ride. Another thought, some (but not all) shippers charge by volumetric weight, so if you're shipping Vlad > Japan > North America > Darien Gap > back home that behemoth Wing might cost you some gold ...

Simple and naked bike like that is also much easier to work on when you get a flat or some other problem. Good luck ~~ :thumbup1:

thank you so far
 

thanks to you all for the advice so far. the bikes wt is 687kgs fully loaded. I have laid it on its side and yes i can pick it up, just. I'm taking her up to fort wiliam onthe west highland way and try again. Yes i WILL be riding the whole route to Glasgow off road and on forestry tracks. will post more when I get back.

yes I'm very laid back and don't rush anywhere:mchappy:

Not totally sure it's legal to ride m'bikes on forestry trails in Scotland?

Holy mother of all shite!!! Is this a typo? You´re riding a bike that weighs (ummmmm, carry the three, move the decimal point.....) 1500 pounds??? Whoa.

FWIW, mine weighs less than half that, including me and baggage, and it´s overloaded and therefore exhausting on bad roads...which have this way of appearing out of nowhere, despite what the maps say. I´d say that unless you are much better than I at evading all the fascinating places which are always located off the beaten track, and unless you are a minimum of twice my size, strength, vigor and in possession of a strong penchant for self-abuse.....best get a lighter, simpler bike.

Opinions: you know what they say about them.

Mark

sorry bad maths
 

sorry bike wt 417kgs with fuel. kit wt 98kgs this inclueds 20l spare fuel and 2 rear tyres. I have got permission from the land owners and forestry. it helps that i used to work for the forestry and the charities that I'm going to support.. (help for heros, make a wish and child restbite centers..)

I have also got in contact with Honda uk and japan to see if they will help with servicing and spares..:oops2::oops2::oops2::oops2::oops2::oops2: :oops2:

bike 417 kgs
Kit 98 kgs

total wt 515kgs SORRY
YES ITS HEAVY. THANK GOD I WAS ARTILLERY IN THE 80s & 90s lol

Ok, I´ll let my heartrate slow back to less-than-deadly levels. But you´re still looking at twice the bike and twice the baggage (mine´s about 200 kilos and 50 baggage, including spares, full camping kit, tools, etc.). And I´ll repeat: I´m overloaded for many of the roads I´m riding and all sorts of other situations. This can be tiring, and it´s sometimes dangerous.

If you´re going out for a test ride, be sure to do it with all your intended kit aboard. Most people, including myself each time I set off, find this very sobering indeed.

Safe journeys!

Mark

Mad no, a little crazy...
 

A guy called Emilio Scotto did 500,000 odd miles on a old wing a while back.

He wrote the book: The Longest Ride: My Ten Year, 500,000 Mile Motorcycle Journey.

thanks
 

Thanks rob, I checked out his web site and it seems he's doing it all again on a new wing.. Thank Moses and his triumph.. Now to get the book do some more riding/reading.

Asides from the sheer weight of the bike I would be concerned about the amount of work that would be needed if something went wrong.
There's a lot of bodywork to get damaged there and should anything go wrong underneath that, it adds to the PITA value.
There is a lot to be said for having a bike that can be thrown at the scenery without it suffering significant damage.
Personally I would not fancy that much weight on a loose surface on road tyres, you're sphincter ain't gonna get much relaxation.
That said, good luck with the trip whatever you take.

I wouldn't say you are mad, after all, the best bike for the trip is the one that you are happiest with...

But - I would agree with most people here that unless your middle name is Rossi, you are probably going to struggle keeping a Goldwing rubber side down on tough stuff.

I also agree that it will be expensive and difficult to fix in the boondocks.

I agree that it WILL make you look like an ATM in poorer places. You are already going to have people making that assumption, whatever you ride, but a bike that alien and expensive will only exacerbate it.

I also agree that there will be lots of places you can't get to, most importantly things like secure parking areas, or hotel foyers. I don't know about you, but I couldn't lift or ride a wing up two flights of steps into a hotel, or maneuvre it through a tight and rocky winding passage into a car park.

The tipping point for me would be that a 2008 Goldwing must be worth the thick end of 15 grand. That would get you across an entire continent in style, fuel, food and lots of partying included. I would be sorely tempted to sell it, buy a nail, and extend the period of travel by a year or more!

At the end of the day, nobody can say you are mad for choosing any particular bike. A Wing will make life comfortable on the black stuff, and give you lots of luggage capacity. It will also make for lots of good stories I am sure.

(Like the time you had to employ a dozen locals in Northern Nowherestan to lift it out of the ditch you just bounced it in to.
:rolleyes2:)

Birdy

Not on a Goldwing but on a big bike, Peter and Kay Forwood on a Harley.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/forwood/index.shtml

Over half a ton - Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

Can't wait to see the write up.

Go for it what a great story - can't wait for the trip report from the highland way try out

there was me thinking my Tenere can be a pain in the ass off road when it needs lifting.

Stay within your limits and you will be fine - I don't envy you in any ruts though so try to stay out of them.

I do envy the fact that you can cruise with the radio playing:scooter:

off out for a ride I am inspriered again

All the best

If you are intent on doing this ride, on a Wing I think you should consider going with a car tire on the rear. A snow tire would make the Wing handle the gravel and dirt much better and will also last longer. It will also be safer if you have to plug it because of a flat.

I wish you the best of Luck!

Many years ago I had one of the early four cylinder Wings, which weigh a lot less than the current ones, and found that difficult to manage off the tarmac. I'd think you'd probably be ok on graded pistes but ruts or, God forbid, sand will really test your riding skills.

The early Wings had weak clutches - not good for off road, but I presume that's been sorted in the various versions that have come and gone since. It's the weight though - over 600kg with you on it. I have a car that weighs that much and there's no way I could haul that out of a ditch on my own.

Winging it along the route you mentioned really will be taking the road less travelled. I'm not sure there will be much value left in the bike by the end of it but it's an interesting enough idea that you might be able to recoup some / all of it with a good write up. Good luck - and enjoy it!

No you're not mad, a bit eccentric perhaps.:thumbup1:
Have a look at this guys ride report, it makes me want to go out and buy a Wing.:mchappy:
It's a long post, but well worth the read.

Amblin' about North America - half a year with a 2-wheeled home - ADVrider


Trophymick

my Goldwing update
 

thanks to you all.
West highland way completed. Not much fun..
Dropped 4 times.. Bloody heavy

Thanks for the car tyre suggestion. This made a big differance to the bike off road. But not to sure when on the twisty roads around Glen Coe and Kinlochleven. ( bum doing rabbit poo inpersonations) but exellent off road.

Items I forgot.

Camara :oops2: and sleeping bag. Thank god I was not on my rtw trip. longway home. (sorry)

Will I do it on a goldwing?? Why not, it will be lots of fun and lots of picking it up and I will be very fit at the end..

Only concerns now are secure parking,repairs,tyres and cost of parts when I break down and can I fix it..... But these are only small worries as I have now given myself a longer time limit for the trip (say 4 years plus).

I will be doing more of these trips over winter and hope for lots of snow so I can ride and test the bike with the car tyre on.

I think I have now answered my own question on A'm I mad? ANSWER IS NO BUT I HELPS.

Thanks to all who have given advice and links to other rider sites..

Ps cost of damage to bike from the drops £362. (its only money and you can earn it back. but you only have one life so use it to the fullest and only leave a broken used up f&^%ed body behind when you go.)

web site is under construction and will be oneworldbiker.co.uk

will up date training and progess here.. So lets have fun and ride.

Can I just ask how you managed to go off road up there and what route you took? Is there a way anyone can go off road or did you have special permission?


Wow, £362 to repair damages from dropping it? I'd take several rolls of duct tape with you!!

permissions
 

I had to get permission from the land owners and the forestry commision..

I also had to inform the police stations en-route and check in with the mountain rescue. (this was for my own safty.

there were a couple of germans from Koblense I think from thier reg marks. I know they did not get permission and had no problems at the devils stair case.

The route I took was the old military road ( general wades road). I know this route very well from doing the scottish 6 day trial. this is also the best time to be in fort william as all the foresty roads are open.:funmeterno::funmeterno:

YES! For all reasons already written. Is there a particular reason to take it except from 'why not? or 'I already got it?'

cheers,
Sander

Good luck with your plans. I've already discounted using my Harley for such a trip but I'll follow your story with interest.

Two things about running a car tyre on the rear of a goldwing, if I may. There's a video out there somewhere that shows just what happens at various speeds on a Goldwing with a car tyre on the rear, it ain't pretty. Second thing to be VERY aware of is that with a car tyre on the rear a) you are breaking the law because it's not a correct fitment and b) you are NOT insured (unless you have a VERY understanding Insurance Company and you've got it in writing). Just thought I'd mention these two little details.

Cheers for that link Trophymick.... Absolutely great read - been reading it every evening this week..... Soopa Doopa

up date
 

well after contacting honda and receiving this reply:-

Thank you for contacting Honda UK Motorcycles.
In answer to your query, Honda UK do not hold a list of details for dealerships from around the world, however, these can be found on the Honda Worldwide website of which I have supplied the link to below.
http://world.honda.com/
With regards to your question on which parts will wear fastest, this is something we would not be able to comment on solely due to there being too many factors of which can effect a motorcycles performance. Also, with the motorcycle being used throughout different countries and climates of which it has not been designed to be ridden in, this may cause components to fail. This is down to our products being manufactured to operate at our particular climate and weather conditions.
I do wish you the best of luck with your journey and hope all goes well.
Kind regards


It seems that i'm now definatly MAD:eek3:. So will I t:eek3:ake my lovely wing around the world??????????????:confused1::confused1::confused 1:. YES, YES, AND YES:mchappy:. Cos if I listened to every body I would stay at home, lock the door and leave the big bad world outside.:stormy::stormy:So I am now going to prep the bike and have some fun for the next 2,4,8 years. who cares how long I will be out there.

Website is now being built. and full route being worked out. and now looking for sponsors. May call the website mad winging it around the world.:rofl::D:funmeterno::funmeteryes::funmeterno ::funmeteryes::innocent:

Great to hear your MAD defiance....... Can't wait to read your adventures......

ONEWORLDBIKER

Strange choice but why the hell not?!! Keep us posted. I dont understand WHY youre using one of them big old things, but i suppose, how heavy were the BMWs that boorman and macgregor were using? They canny have been THAT much lighter? (tho there were two of them to lift the buggers back up!).

I see youre from Lochmaben? Is that the place down Dumfries way? Jeez, i love it down in D&G...........could spend the rest of me days playing on me bikes down there!! Lucky guy!

all the best


The Dikkobat:mchappy:

Go the Goldie!
 

:thumbup1: OWB, you're not in the least bit mad - in fact, you're very smart.

I have recently returned from riding Korea - Italy on a Burgman 650 - the Goldwing of scooters, and I have ridden to South America two up on a Honda Silverwing (CX500 mini Goldwing).

What most riders fail to appreciate (or choose to ignore) is that 90% of your riding is on regular bitumen - with only 10% offroad, so it only makes sense to choose the vehicle which is most at home, for most of the kilometres.

Any bike can make it anywhere, provided you are willing to take your time - last month I rode from Melbourne to Innamincka/Birdsville on my Burgman, probably one of the toughest rides you can do riding on a sand track that is virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the desert for long stretches - I even met ADV riders enroute, on offroad bikes, who turned back because they thought it was too tough. See about 2/3rds of the way down on this page The Wild Rough National Parks of NSW Australia AKA Mungo RUN - Page 3 - ADVrider

It all depends on the rider and your state of mind - RTW should not be an ego trip about looking the part and making the ride out to be some sort of macho endurance, and harder than what it really is.

Just heard a story which may well have a bearing on your choice.
A very good friend of mine bumped into one of his old Traffic Cop buddies on sunday, he enquired about how his 2007/8 Goldwing was going. This is his tale.

Riding in Italy he hit a small brick with the front wheel, brick bounced off the bottom sump but he stayed upright. At their next stop he discovered that there was an oil leak from under the sump. A temporary repair was made with silicon and it got him home to dublin with no problems.
When he got home he left the bike into Honda for a repair estimate....I HOPE YOU ARE SITTING DOWN FOR THIS.





€7000.....yes seven thousand euros.

Apparently the sump on the bike is all part of the engine...2 large crankcases split down the middle. Unfortunately the crack on his bike is on both sides. Honda told him that you can't just buy the parts as each engine is built specifically for each frame/bike. Knowing how the Honda Importers work here in Ireland(only 1 year warranty, whereas the rest of Europe has 2) I suspect this last bit may be a little fairy tale.
When his insurance company got the claim there was no surprise when their assessor queried the value. Owner handed over the quote to the assessor and suggested he went down to Honda to take it up with them.
On his return to the owner he informed them that the claim would be approved.

If anyone can with Honda knowledge can confirm or deny that this is how the Goldwings are constructed I would appreciate any replies.

I don't think Touratech etc do engine/sump guards for the Goldwing.

thanks everybody
 

thanks to everybody who has helped make up my mind. Thing have now changed.

the wing is staying at home and now looking for 2, yes thats 2 bikes to go around the world.

I am now taking my son with me. (god help me I'm insane)...:helpsmilie:
Now looking at older shafties from the 90s so bikes like the suzuki gs850 and gs 1100 bmw 850/1000.

the most I am going to spend on each bike is £1500 max b4 conversion for RTW.

that way if they break I can just burn and carry on.

So to all thanks for the comments. Will still do this on the wing but next time and on my own..

I am mad
 

I am mad and so is my son, as he has now purchased a gold wing for this trip so now Oneworld biker has become 2 wings. :helpsmilie:Oh crap this is now getting very expensive..

His wing is the 1500 Aspencade and he payed £ 3k jammy git. We have now got most of ojur route planned and site is now being developed. will up date this soon.
would also like to thank every body that has made a coment or given advice.

Hi There,

yep you're both mad!

However life would be boring if everyone rode a GS or similar wouldn't it!

Great stuff - Their is a great write up about a chap who rode up & down the USA on an old Goldthing - I'll try to find the link (Advrider I think).

Make sure you post your site details a.s.a.p!

Well let put it like this. 20 grand goldwing yah I think your mad. On a old gl 1000 to 1200 Maybe at least if they get nick you re going to get mad and pissed and go find another. A 20 grand bike in a lot of places is going to get taken. Beyond that how in the world are you going to fix a flat on it at the side of the road. :oops2: Can you get parts if it breaks down. It can do it but at the end of the trip it's not going to worth much . I myself would rather spend 5 grand use the other 15 grand for a longer trip.

Hello, Madman!

I post here below the website of a friend of mine from south Italy that has been touring a LOOOOOT with his Honda Gold Wing 1500.
You'll see how many are the Countries in the world he's been to, including Mongolia and Central Asia on muddy and gravel roads, as well.
It means those areas can be ridden astride your big bike...

He's never been to Americas, anyway, but you can give yourself an idea of the good possibilities you have.

Click on MOTO after entering [url=http://www.gold-wing.it]

RTW on a Honda Goldwing weighing over half a ton! :eek3::eek3::eek3::eek3::eek3:

No of course you're not mad your utterly CERTIFIABLE! :clap:

Joking aside I simply don't believe that you can safely lift the bike single handed if your stuck in the middle of nowhere. If you don't already have a knackered back you will have one quite soon if you embark upon this trip with a Goldwing.

I'd say you would be better off looking at a smaller bike in every sense - something like a simple XT600 or similar single cylinder bike. If you want to ride 2 up then perhaps increase the engine size to 800 or so and get a twin. Remember the difficulties that those posers had on the "Long Way Round" - the bikes they used were way too heavy for the project. They both would have had a much easier time if they chose a lighter enduro type 600cc bike.

Perhaps you should be looking at a BMW 800cc bike instead? :clap:

An older Suzuki GS850G is not much better than a Goldwing for the purpose you propose, I should know I have owned 2 of em. They are 70's and 80's bikes not 90's. These bikes are seriously heavy too and are not (in my opinion) robust enough for a RTW trip. The only thing they have going for them is a shaft drive. As a normal everyday bike they are fine but NOT RTW. Look towards using something a bit more recent. As I say perhaps a BWW F800 would suit sir?

Whatever you decide to ride I wish you luck.

Stay alive & safe.
:mchappy:

guys have done some serious miles on Goldwings ... and I have to work hard to keep up on my little DR650, even on twisty roads. these Wings are highly modified with better suspension. Both these guys have gone to Mexico (doing some dirt roads) and up to Alaska TWO UP in the mud and rain. I was impressed. They are always trying to get me to ride the things. I won't get on. Too big, too scary for me, but they love them. NOTE: Both these guys have ridden bikes all over the world and both currently own 3 or 4 other bikes, including a R12GS, Vstrom, Burgman Scooter and DRZ400 dirt bikes. They love the Wings and take them just about anywhere. Enjoy your trip, get good recovery insurance! :clap:

thanks everybody the wing is staying at home
 

thanks to all for the comments....

I am now changing my plans and selling everything but my house and bike.

I am now going to do the same but in a Landrover, ( OH shit you fanny/coward.) I here you say b4 I finnish..

Here is my plan.... Landrover and yes MT350 (FOR YOU NON BIKE FREAKS THE MT350 IS A HARLEY DAVIDSON ROTAX) both ex mod. Still RTW but I plan to ride, drive, climb, canoe every country I visit. This is due in part being Madish and starting my RTW trip just b4 winter and want to use every skill I have learned in the armed forces to good use.

I will be putting my whole Idea on the HU trip planner for you check out and maybe some will want to come with me.. Afghan is on my list as with all the stans... This is not for the light hearted or those with a fear of not knowing..