Topic: I believe that my 'Wang is the most Impressive bike ever made (by Honda in 1986)

[Terry in Australia]

That's it Tim, you and I both know that "You meet the nicest people on a 'Wang"!

[HondanutRider]

I mean, yeah, 50 million poor Asians and a handfull of Americans rode these things, but all that makes 'em is cheap transport for the unwashed masses.

At the opposite end of the enjoyment scale, a big black 'Wang is a thing of beauty, it will do 35 MPH in first gear, and it's got 4 more to go!

Actually Terry, it's 60 million and counting...  And my SuperCub only needed 3 gears to unwind itself, not the 5 of yer Wang.  At the opposite end of enjoyment there was the whine at over 12,000 rpm before the valve float used to set in, and the joys of slip-streaming and slingshot passes with my buddies that I enjoyed.  So, you sit back on your couch Wang and enjoy the sedate ride it gives while we know what it really means to ride. 

One of my buddies had a S65 that was great to ride along with...I've got one of those now to exercise the extra gear.

Black?   Red is always faster.

[Terry in Australia]

So, you sit back on your couch Wang and enjoy the sedate ride it gives while we know what it really means to ride. 

PFFFT! My bicycle can go faster than your "Poverty-Cycle" mate, so enjoy riding it at "Ten Tenths" as I cruise past on my wonderful 'Wang. If it's all you've got then that's fine, you've done your best, it's just, well, your best really sucks?

 

[kghost]

Mate,

Can you feel your Arteries hardening when you ride that thing?

Ever have the urge to buy a caravan and become a grey nomad?

Seriously, How many grandchildren you have now Terry?

Got the Ozzie symbol for old fart sticker yet? Courtesy of the Ulyssess Club?

You know who rides Recliners on Wheels? OLD PEOPLE.

Rock the grey beard my friend...............

[dave500]

ha ha!someone found a ulysses or how ever the #$%* its spelled back patch years ago in a skip,its still sitting in the work shop i think gathering dust,you want it terry?

[dave500]

err,umm,this is really impressive everyone.
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Dxy4n0UT82o?rel=0

[RAFster122s]

err,umm,this is really impressive everyone.
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Dxy4n0UT82o?rel=0

I think it is curious.

[Terry in Australia]

Mate,

Can you feel your Arteries hardening when you ride that thing?

Ever have the urge to buy a caravan and become a grey nomad?

Seriously, How many grandchildren you have now Terry?

Got the Ozzie symbol for old fart sticker yet? Courtesy of the Ulyssess Club?

You know who rides Recliners on Wheels? OLD PEOPLE.

Rock the grey beard my friend...............

Ha ha, no mate, don't mistake my love of my big black 'Wang as some sort of "Turning point" in my life, remember, my 'Wang is just my winter bike. When the weather warms up and the roads dry out, I've also got one of the fastest accellerating mass produced road bikes in history (0-60 MPH in 2.8 sconds) in my Rocket III, my 836 (120 MPH @ 11000 RPM in third gear) and my BMW K100RS. (which will happily cruise on 120 MPH all day)

Of course, the 'Wang is no slouch either. I've seen 115 MPH in fourth gear and it wasn't working hard, and a 12.67 second 1/4 mile means it'll see off a lot of it's contempories in a straight line. You see, people who are overly-concerned about their own self image confuse "comfortable" with "Old".

Sure, a Ducati 916 looks better than just about any other bike ever built, but the poor buggers who ride them with their heads held at 90 degrees to their spines would rather be riding my 'Wang on a long ride, especially on a cold wet day.

I'll give you an example. In 1991 I was riding my BMW K100RT from Melbourne to Canungra via Brisbane. Total distance was about 1200 miles, which I did in two days, overnighting at Dubbo. On day two, I pulled into a gas station at Warwick and had a chat with a Kawasaki ZZR1100 rider who'd ridden up from Ballarat in Victoria.

Whereas I'd averaged around 600 miles per day on the BMW, my Kawasaki riding friend could barely manage 300, and had been on the road for four days. He politely asked (well, "begged") if I wouldn't mind swapping bikes for the next leg to the Gold Coast turnoff. I hadn't ridden a ZZR at that stage so was happy to give it a go, and I really enjoyed it, but I could understand why he wasn't enjoying such a long trip, it was pretty hard on my wrists and neck after a couple of hours.

So I guess that if you don't ride very far, a modern sports bike is a great tool. but if you like to do lots of miles and still feel good when you get there, (especially in foul weather) then nothing beats a big black 'Wang.

What's wrong with the Ulysses Club? I've been meaning to join for years now, and I think it's fantastic that there are guys in their 60's, 70's and even 80's who still love to ride, obviously for them, like me, motorcycling is a passion, not a fashion..............  

[dave500]

itll be club mentallity terry, being a new member you WILL have to ride at the rear,so slow you might aswell have your side stand welded down!we have our own club,its called the anybody can come ride with us no matter what.

[Terry in Australia]

Well I'll have to beg to differ Dave, I've already been on a couple of rides with Ulysses Club members (The Whittlesea branch is just up the road from me) and I can tell you now, they weren't going slow!

We did one ride to Bendigo, across to Ballarat and then back to Melbourne one Saturday, I was on my GS1000, and I realised very early in the ride that these old buggers could: (1) Ride very fast, and (2) either didn't give a rats arse about speed limits, or couldn't see the speed limit signs.

I've seen your vids of your rides with Tim, and I can tell you, you would have had trouble keeping up on your 500/4 that day. Great fun.........

[MoMo]

err,umm,this is really impressive everyone.
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Dxy4n0UT82o?rel=0

that is extremely well put together,   notice what bike it started with ...Larry

[dave500]

ha!no sweat terry.

[RAFster122s]

A friend suggested I buy one of the early naked wings back in 2006 timeframe as you could pick up a GL1000 or GL1100 that needed a little work for $1000-1500. I don't like the fully faired Wings in Vetter Interstate. But, the Don Vesco Rabid Transit faired Wing with Shoei  or similar vintage bags, yeah I would ride that.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah Dave, get one mate, they're "As cheap as chips" on your side of the pond, and once you've done a long ride on one, you'll never go back to a "sportier" mount for long distance work.

And if you are lucky enough to find a 1986 Interstate, you'll have the quickest of all of the 4 cylinder Goldwings, so you won't be embarrassed by other SOHC4 riders either.........

[petercb750]

All this banter about two wheeled sewing machines being the most impressive Honda's ever made is making me slightly nauseous.

I mean, yeah, 50 million poor Asians and a handfull of Americans rode these things, but all that makes 'em is cheap transport for the unwashed masses.

At the opposite end of the enjoyment scale, a big black 'Wang is a thing of beauty, it will do 35 MPH in first gear, and it's got 4 more to go! It's a huge bike, so little pippy poofter-bikes like Super-Cubs, S90's and all those other two wheeled pencil sharpeners are rightfully pushed off the road by it's wake.
 

It's Honda's apology to the first world, for foisting those annoying little mobile chicanes on our glorious motorways, where big black 'Wangs really shine. Death to poofter-bikes, and those who ride them!

Oh, and Stev-O, I've never seen a Z1 gearbox that couldn't take a pounding, and I wasn't
 referring to you with my "Trailer Sailor" jibe, I know that you're a manly man who rides his bikes, I just hate those wankers who trailer their over-restored statues of motorcycles to and from shows and club meets because they're too pathetic to ride them.

Geez Terry, that's killed my idea of trailering the 750 and the R over to next january's classic.....for you to have a ride. I don't want you calling me wanker...
 

[Terry in Australia]

That's OK Pete, you don't need to trailer anything, just man up and ride the 1100R, and leave the K2 at home, you don't need two bikes mate, you've only got one arse!

[Terry in Australia]

Well it was a great day for wanging today, even though winter has still got a couple of weeks left, the sun was out and there was a defiinite feeling that Spring has sprung in old Melbourne town.

Even the fcuking plum tree in my driveway that I've been meaning to cut down for the last 12 years is blossoming, so I guess it'll get another reprieve from my chainsaw.......

Anyway, after my last outing where I buried my front wheel in the bumper of a Kia van, I did a quick check to make sure I didn't bend the forks or crack the front rim, but all was good, so off I rode. I did around 140 miles over 3 hours, and needless to say, my mighty 'Wang performed faultlessly.

I stopped for gas and a drink after the first 20 miles and again to take these pics at around the half way mark, and then cruised on home. I didn't see any other "older" bikes on the road, there were a few Harleys and BMW's and some other non-descript late model Jap bikes, but all in all, not too many bikes, I guess it was still too cold for the "fair weather riders" again this weekend?

Anyway, it was a spectacular day for riding my big black 'Wang, it'll be a shame when the warmer weather comes around and I have to park it for another 6 months!

[petercb750]

That's OK Pete, you don't need to trailer anything, just man up and ride the 1100R, and leave the K2 at home, you don't need two bikes mate, you've only got one arse!

My skinny boney butt doesn't go well with a plank for a seat for 10hrs! I'm done after about 2hrs

[Terry in Australia]

That's OK Pete, you don't need to trailer anything, just man up and ride the 1100R, and leave the K2 at home, you don't need two bikes mate, you've only got one arse!

My skinny boney butt doesn't go well with a plank for a seat for 10hrs! I'm done after about 2hrs

Oh, then maybe it's not the most impressive Honda ever made?

[petercb750]

That's OK Pete, you don't need to trailer anything, just man up and ride the 1100R, and leave the K2 at home, you don't need two bikes mate, you've only got one arse!

My skinny boney butt doesn't go well with a plank for a seat for 10hrs! I'm done after about 2hrs

Oh, then maybe it's not the most impressive Honda ever made?

There's a lot more to it than a seat......it's still the most impressive Honda ever made.........in MY shed that is...hang on it wasn't made in my shed, it lives there, and......oh forget it, I'm too knackered to care.....

[Terry in Australia]

My Harley Sportster had a little "After Market" single seat on it when I first bought it Pete, and it looked really cool. I found out though, on the 14 hour ride to Bathurst in 1987 that it was good for maybe 2 hours max.

Being the manly man that I am, I rode it all the way, then on the Easter Saturday morning, I rode into town and bought a chunk of high density foam and for the ride back to Melbourne I duct taped the foam to the seat. It looked fcuking ridiculous, but was actually quite comfy.

Once again, this highlights the raft between "What Looks Good" and "What Actually Works". If you're only going to ride your bike through the Adelaide Hills on a sunny Sunday morning, a CB1100R is a wonderful mount. However, if you're going to ride to Phillip Island from Adelaide, you won't find a better bike to do it on than a big black 'Wang, and leave your very impressive (with some limitations) CB1100R in the shed. Cheers, Terry.

[petercb750]

In the late 80s I rode two different CBRs to PI...not at the same time, haha, and I could hardly walk after that....I think it comes from being a highly tumed lean athlete with minimum padding.......  

I was on the highway this weekend in my ute, and came up behind a wang, not sure what year but was yellow with the top box and panniers etc, and i was dumbfounded by the handling. Everytime he hit a bump or dip in the road, you could see the bike wallow and actually twist....it was sh!t!

[Terry in Australia]

Hmmnnn, that's no good Pete, I'm not sure which model 'Wang it was, but like any bike, you need to pay a little attention to basic setup when you're going to go for a ride.

My 'Wang has air suspension front and rear, and while I've never had it "wallow" on me, keeping the air pressure up to it certainly keeps it tight, 750 (+) pounds is a lot of weight to be hanging off soggy suspension.

Same for tyre pressure, I checked mine yesterday before going for my ride, but I can't honestly remember when I checked them last?

Here's a guy on a Yellow 'Wang who's all over the road!

deals gap on a goldwing/gl1800 by yellow wolf dragons tail

[Terry in Australia]

Ooher, and I rode my big black 'Wang to work today, my "Worlds Cheapest Subaru" is laid up while I wait for my new water pump and radiator arrive, (good ol' eBay, a shiny new rad and water pump for well under 200 bucks? Bargain!) so I tried my hand at 'Wang commuting, and I've gotta say, it was fantastic.

I just fit within the confines of the "Bicycle lane", (once I scared those lycra clad oxygen thieves outta my way, "Use the foot path, you pathetic losers!") so was able to zip up the inside of the cars that were clogging up my chosen route, and with the incredible accelleration on tap, I was able to fly in and out of traffic like a big black eagle.

OK, so it's great for long distance riding, and equally happy in Melbourne's peak hour traffic. Is there any "Real World" motorcycling that a big black 'Wang can't do better than any other motorcycle? Methinks not........   

[trueblue]

I would like to see it doing motorcross