Out on the Goldwing yesterday

[Ollie]

A friend and I went out yesterday afternoon. I was going to take the CB1100 but the Goldwing was already dusty from the day before so I took it. I was leading on a small road which eventually turned to nice gravel. Naturally my friend on his KTM 690 Enduro was elated. I pulled over here to drink and eat an apple while he fiddled with his tank bag that was trying to fall off.



I told him to take off and just wait for me when he came to an intersection.
After 1/2 mile or so the road degraded to rutted dirt as it started to wind up a mountain. Thankfully it was dry. Soon there was a "flagman ahead" sign, like why in the world would there be a flagger on this 1 1/2 lane path anyway?
Never did see any workers but soon came upon where they had graded a section then laid down about 4-6" of stone mixed in with the graded dirt. I was afraid I couldn't get going again if I stopped for a pic. It sure was squirrelly clawing up that section but thankfully after a few hundred yards they must have run out of stone so back to dirt.
The dirt road eventually turned back to gravel and a while further there was the occasional section of asphalt to show that section was once paved.
My friend was pulled over at an intersection saying we can't go right I already checked that out and you'll never make it. So we went left and thankfully after a couple miles on broken asphalt road ended up back on paved roads.
It was a perfect 65 degrees and other than about 5 miles it was a delightful ride on the Goldwing.

 

[the Ferret]

Adventure-Wing! I would not have liked that at all

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Sounds like it was an opportunity for the V85TT, eh Ollie?

Looks like some fun.

 

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Adventure-Wing! I would not have liked that at all

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

 

[peterbaron]

Adventure-Wing! I would not have liked that at all

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.
Is there something we should know about??

 

[Ollie]

In hind site I should have turned around not long after stopping, but I made it ok and thank goodness didn't drop my new Wing.
Yes the V85 or a couple others would have been a better choice. LOL actually any of my others would have been a better choice! My friend *said* he was going out on his big bike but when I arrived at his house he had the 690 out because the 9 month old lithium battery on his 1190 failed. So I tried to stay on fun little roads.
You're right the low COG kept the Wing surprisingly stable, really my concerns were possibly bottoming it when crossing some ruts or coming to a stop going up hill in the deep gravel but it made it just fine.

 

[Obleo]

Much braver than me I have gravel phobia.

 

[Ollie]

It's actually kind of fun on a dirt bike or dual sport but not something I want to do a lot of on my CB1100 or other street bikes. But I live off a dirt road and my driveway is gravel so every ride starts and ends this way.

 

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

On a multi-day ride with some friends, on a rented H-D Street Glide, we were on some widing back roads near Monterey, CA and ran into a long section of very deteriorated asphalt with lots of gravel and pine needles all over the place. Slow and cautious was the word to the wise.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

On a multi-day ride with some friends, on a rented H-D Street Glide, we were on some widing back roads near Monterey, CA and ran into a long section of very deteriorated asphalt with lots of gravel and pine needles all over the place. Slow and cautious was the word to the wise.

Indeed.

Extra care in the shady part of that mess.

 

[Ollie]

Harleys (Pan Am excluded) are really not in their element on "very deteriorated asphalt" because even moderate expansion joints can be jolting with such limited suspension travel. Suspension is the main reason I traded my 2015 Road King on the Goldwing because it takes smaller bumps MUCH smoother and even large bumps somewhat smoother than the Harley.
I won't knock Harley tourers though because they are very good traveling bikes even better than Goldwings in some respects.

 

[Mtneers]

Adventure-Wing! I would not have liked that at all

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Says the guy who sets his GPS road preference to “rural school bus routes”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[suhawk305]

Adventure-Wing! I would not have liked that at all

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Says the guy who sets his GPS road preference to “rural school bus routes”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Due to their low center of gravity they do better than you would think. Just don't ask Mtneers to go there on his.

Says the guy who sets his GPS road preference to “rural school bus routes”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
… And the same guy who sets his GPS road preference to “recent tar and chip pavement treatment routes”.

 

[The A-man]

I appreciate that he sets his GPS for "Philly Cheesesteaks" when it's time for lunch!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

 

[Nachodaddy]

Thanks. That was fun. His Dad will really be mad when he sees his Goldwing, though.

 

[Gone in 60]

Part of my ACML, discussed in another thread, but after watching Fortnine's video on how much of a bargain '80s vintage Goldwings are, why am I toying with the idea of getting one just to use on long-distance ride, like going up the coast? It would also be a hit at the various Radwood type events, celebrating 80s style.