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The Honda Goldwing has came a long way. I remember my first GL1500 with the reverse gear, feeling like a flying couch gliding down the highway.
It is comfortable, it is nice, it has a lot of storage. Since then, I’ve owned a lot of other Goldwings and I would say, I’ve ridden all the different versions.
I remember riding the GL1000 — the NAKED Goldwing. It looked hefty and beefy, but the seats just look so comfortable. Before getting this Goldwing, I’ve tried various GL1000, and I would say about half of them were simply bikes that were ridden everyday!
Yes, these bikes are made to last, and I was tempted to buy one on sale for $1,500. It was running but it had over 500,000 miles on the original engine. Mechanically, it feels great, but the exhausts, forks and valve covers look worn, and I decided to pay a little more and get a nicer one.
What comes after is the GL1100. I’ve tested several, and they are slightly cheaper than the GL1000, but there is nothing much different. I’ve talked to many owners and they swear that the GL1100 is more powerful, however, riding the GL1000 to test the GL1100, I could not feel much difference.