Not a Venture.Damn,I feel "left out"
It only started with the 1100's but I could be wrong. I ride the original, the one, the ONLY GL1000 a 1979 model if your curious. They have a wiggle/wallow in large high speed sweepers.
My Valkyrie's got no head shake. And as many asphalt baths as it's taken, if any should, it would be mine. Can't speak for the other's mentioned. But, I can't recall a head shake on any bike I ever owned(inventory on request).
I totally agree about the looks of the Rune. When the designer came in and announced he'd designed a new motorcycle, one of the people proclaimed "YOU IDIOT, YOU RUINED THE VALKARIE". They decided to call the design "Valkarie Ruin". The people in marketing found this to be a problem, so they renamed it "Valkarie Rune" to give it more "character". Honda couldn't sell them, so as a sore attempt to boost demand they gave one to Tom Cruise to haul Katie Holmes around to restaurants....and parade in front of tabloid photographers. All that got was more laughter and more people saying "damn, even with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes...IT'S STILL A FUCKING UGLY MOTORCYCLE".
Dang near 30 years on and mine is STILL fun to ride even if it isn't as fast as ANY new street bike. But it damn sure is fun to ride quick and has been know to dust off a covey of similar vintage CBX's and I don't even have the fancy Barret clutch, stainless steel brake lines, blower, dual Webber down draft carb's. Only mod I've considered is replacing the pillion seat with a 5 or 6 gallon fuel cell. 8^) I regulate stops by fuel tank NOT bladder size. ;^)
GaryWalker responded--''Bjay'',But, beyond the very minimal "shake", the bike was rock solid/steady. Quite a different experience for me. Gary: Didja' like the 'Faring Mounted to the frame'' type concept? B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
BrianWalker responds" Bjay: ‘‘You don't want to go with a FJR over a ST. The FJR is nothing more than a dumbass machine. Everytime I walk up to one and look it over, I end up finding more shit on it that's ill-designed. One of the guys in Tennessee who rode with us when I picked up the Bird rode one. He had been trying a trade of some sorts (or at least trying to sell his bike) before I bought the Bird. While I rode with him and when we'd met up, he started talking about all the flaws in the FJR. I told him that a couple people I knew of had them and talked well of them. He told me "they've never really rode the FJR, or at the least have never rode a real bike". I had to agree...knowing the only two people I'd known who owned them prior to that date. BW Good information. Like I said, I wouldnt have either, because of them sitting so ''high'' for this 5'7'' guy. I dont know if they could be lowered or not? You had discussed once on here about ''how'' to lower the Bird??? Still thinking about that???? B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
Redshad shares this with GaryWalker) ''Gary; ''Goldwings are slow..You Valk will smoke any one of them in a race...The head shake is normal on all Goldwings. It is been that way for years. It is to be expected. Redshad Remember there's not a nickels worth of difference in the 1500 and the 1800, well, maybe a dimes worth. I am impressed, that a Wing has a shake, shit, to me, that would make it seem to ride more like a dern Motorsikel, rather than a VW. To me, ya' gotta have a little shake, rattle and roll. ;>/) -wink- B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
GaryWalker goes on to ay this'' --I was just surprised of this minor demon, and now I am surprised it's apparently been accepted for such a significant portion of the Wings history. GW the bottom line is; It, is a Motorcycle, sheeeezzzzzzzz. B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
GaryWalker said: ''I was just surprised of this minor demon, and now I am surprised it's apparently been accepted for such a significant portion of the Wings history. Uh Gary, it ain't just wings. Valkryies, Voyagers, and Harleys. ...louie) Maybe the ''V'' bikes, but surely you dont believe the ''HD'' bikes fall in this category? I believe you got carried away with your point, by including the Harleys. ;<> B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
Keith S. responds to Gary; ''I ride the original, the one, the ONLY GL1000 a 1979 model if your curious. They have a wiggle/wallow in large high speed sweepers. Keith Schiffner Well I imagine, chuckle!-! shoot, your wing is 28 yrs old, with probably 150,000 road miles on it. Keith, that's not a great comparison. I had a 74 GL1000, a sureNuff stripped down Goldwing, compared to the newer Barges, hail, I dont recall, but I bet it had a bit of vibration, but nothing compared to the inline fours, I rode with in those days. Let me say, I admire that you ride a 79 model, out on tours. (good deal) B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
Say Gary our Valks dont have ''no head'' shakes....period. No ''ifs'' and ''ands'' about it. Right.... OTOH, maybe I dont know how a head shake feels, (just thought of that) can someone explain what a sureNuff head shake on a 6-cylinder engine, feels like to the rider???? like: does it vibrate the cup holder, the I-tune sounds, head sets, edsets, the fancy GPS deals.....curious??? B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
Yeah, speaking of those early Goldwings, I was the first and only one of my Bunch who had a water cooled, shaft driven, smooth-no vibration....big Ole Motorcycle. I rode it for a year, around the region, without any kind of Windshield, no bags, nothing. I packed it like a mule, camping stuff and whatever. Hardly anyone wore leather in those days. Put a regular whitney type windShield on it, when we planned our western tour, for two weeks. (those were fun times.) (;-} B. Jay Kana-- NETexas 03Valk-&-98 Magna Have a Dandy Day--
Goin' all the way back to '73, I've owned at least two bikes(that I can recall) with frame mount fairings. I run hot/cold on the fairing thing, but you're not gonna' find many Gold Wings runnin' around these days w/o fairing.
Let me explain it this way.... I don't want a head shake on a Gold Wing because it will slosh all the water out of the swimmin' pool. Seriously, the head shake I experienced is more a dis- traction by perception, that a distraction by reality. In it's most demur form, it merely occurs as a minor oscillation either felt or seen in the bars.(handle bars, that is, for all you drinkers). It's just a very faint movement of the steering mechanism when the rider is not holding tight enough to suppress the movement. In the more serious occurrence, it can progress to what's affectionately referred to as - "tank slapper", "speed wobble", "shimmy", or my abso- lute favorite - "grocery cart wheel". I suspect the shake on the Wing disappears with speed. But, with some bikes, the condition intensifies with speed, eventually tossing off the rider and crashing the bike. Have you ever seen any of those Bonneville Salt Flats videos where MC speed records are being attempted? Those bikes(the ones that still look like motorcycles) will get into shakes at speed, and down they go. Unlike my 40 mph experience, there's not much correction time at 250+ mph. The type of oscillation I saw on the Wing was really nothing more than a hands free issue. I wasn't riding hands free, but I gently felt it and backed off the grip to let it go and see just how serious it would become. Here's the result of a speed wobble in it's most severe variety. Thanks.
I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to suggest that a faired bike, or more specifically, a Gold Wing, would ever exper- ience similar disasters. BJ asked a question about the wobble, and associated characteristics. Most likely, the question was in jest, but I took the trouble to describe/show the symptom/result anyway. Speed is certainly the catalyst for a serious speed wobble. Although I've never experienced one, I've certainly heard all the stories on speed wobbles. I guess I would've really thought they were an item of the past. But, maybe not. Thanks.
Feels the same as on a 1 cylinder, or it could. There are degrees of headshake. Take that post-maintained Valk of yours up to about 50mph in 4 or 5th. Take your hands from the bars and let the bike decelerate down to about 10 or 15mph. If nothing happened you ain't got the shakes, but expect the bars to oscillate just in case. This example is probably the lesser degree headshaker. ...louie
Gary, Heres where you facked up..You took a DEMO ride. Did they let you ride that thing like you stoled it? Did they let you get out of first gear? What was the top speed on this DEMO ride? Are you sure that wobble wasnt because the front tire was off the ground and the wind was blowing the front tire? Next time you get out with us,lets swap bikes and you can ride that Goldwing like its supposed to be ridden. Then you will switch up on us and say...damn them Goldwings have WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY to much power for me...scared the shit out of me...I think I will go look at something toned way down like a Yamaha Venture. Redshad
