Movin' on up!

[CatatonicBug]

Well, I've been mulling around the idea of "upgrading" my bike for the last couple of years. In light of my current financial situation, I discovered that an auto loan with a year of good payment history will greatly improve my credit, and I'm rather tired of having to keep welding my exhaust back together. So, I talked to my employer (a credit Union) and got approved for a loan on Thursday. Today, I discovered this...



It's a 2010 with 68k miles. No ABS or CB radio, but I can add the CB if I want to later. I pick it up in the morning. I'll be selling my XS as soon as I give it a detail and catalog all the spare parts I have in stock to go with it.

[DiverRay]

Don't sell it TOO quickly! You may find it's a great bike for around town, and easier than the wing. Hey, two bikes isn't so bad! Oh, and we still want you around here, even if you DID go to the dark side.

[madmax-im]

Nice move Marshall... a big Barcolounger but you will love the way it handles like a sport bike amazingly enough...I'd keep the old Yammie too...

[Prisoner6]

Wingin' it!

Congratulations, C-Bug!

Looks like a really nice GL ...

As for handling ... once rolling, these Wings really seem to shed the pounds.

Have fun!

[JeffH]

Ray is spot on as always. Don't be too quick to sell your XS.
In fact if you can, Keep It. Could end up with sellers remorse.

I know a guy that might admit to having a GL.


awesome sport touring machine

Have Fun with your GL

Jeff

[MaximPhil]

Hey C-Bug Congratulations on your new bike. It will make that ride to work much more comfortable
Phil

[CatatonicBug]

Well, got 'er home yesterday after making a few stops (looking to upgrade my helmet soon too). Filled up the tank, and after 58 miles, I still have 3/4 of a tank left!! That's gonna take some getting-used-to! Very smooth ride, and more buttons and adjustments than I know what to do with. I did manage to get the computer screen on it to say "Welcome Master" when I turn it on!

There's a small crack in the right mirror housing, and the left driver footpeg rubber is wearing thin. I need to add some highway pegs (looking into Mick-O-Pegs) and a new base for my Ram cell phone mount, since the GL bars aren't round.

I will definitely be selling the MNS, as I had to include that as part of the deal with SWMBO. Honestly, I don't even want to have more than one bike at a time. I've learned a lot from my first bike, and I'm sure I will always look back to the last 8 years with fondness (much like my first car, a '68 VW Bug). I just hope I can get enough $ out of the XS to pay for the things I want to buy for the GL!

[IanDMacDonald]

Well, I have 29 bikes titled to me, and I have four tagged. The Yammy is definitely getting long in the tooth, but I still enjoy it. I need to fix the Maier fairing, and get the touring setup off it.

I look forward to buying an FJR sooner or later.

[JeffH]

Hope you enjoy the GL.

First thing i'd do is let in fall over in your driveway and learn how to pick it up. Seriously. Dump it over on the left side. Pick it up. Dump it over on the right side. Pick it up. Maybe have a stand-by lifter in case you do it.

Second, note the side stand is fairly short. The bike leans quite far over when parking on level ground. So if you try and park with the kick stand on the downhill, well, its has a high chance of falling over. Point here is Don't be too Causal about where you park the GL. On flat or kick stand on a slight uphill is fine. test it. Pull up parallel to a downhill slope in a parking lot. Put down the kick stand. look at the distance between the ground and the bottom of the stand. If more than about 4" is might go over. If 5" it will go over. So dump it over in your driveway and see how you do.

Jeff

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bug,

Congrats on the new ride. Hope it's all you want it to be and more.

Jeff, I thought I remember seeing a guy with a GW that had fallen over, and that it actually had a built in lever that came out from the bottom/side and helped him get it back up on two wheels!? Might have been an accessory item??

There's a guy that rides with us at XSSE that can really throw his GW around in those twisties!

BTW, hopefully you'll still keep your website/manuals archive available for the members here!?

T.C.

[JeffH]

WOOPS .................

didn't get the kick stand down properly
Driver should know how to get his (or her) 1/2 ton bike back up by themselves


Ain't no lift bar on there that I see
Just the passenger hand hold for lifting the bike up on the center stand

Bug: i'd get a few miles under your belt before you try this

What is it, the Victory that you can get on and ride it up after its fallen over. Victory i think it is. Really interesting to watch. Bike falls over. Rider gets on and holds the handlebar a certain way and takes off in 1st gear. Bike pops right up.

If you are into all weather sport touring (and 46 mpg) this thing is the cats meow. Key fob locking bags handy too. Rest of the stuff it comes with except WB NOAA weather radio is just unnecessary add-on junk.

Jeff

[2manybikes]

New scoot

I enjoy riding all my bikes, the two road sofas included. Sometimes I head to the corral with a certain one in mind, usually I just pick something that inspires me. I hope you enjoy your "new" ride!

Ian,

I am about halfway to your mark, but have more on the road. It's nice to know I am not alone with my "obsession"!

[XJOK2PLAY]

I recall seeing a youtube about that setup you're talking about.
It was an extra set of smaller wheels that would deploy and right the bike if it fell over, or would come down at stops so the driver never has to put his feet down!

I also remember seeing a vid where a wing owner was instructing others how to lift the bike back up by one's self if it was over on it's side. Showed a girl doing it! All about turning the handlebars a certain direction, and placing your back against it while using your legs as you lift.

Marshall, congrats on the new Wing. They are sweet LD tourers, and total luxery for your passenger. The only two things I saw that are kinda drawbacks are it's sheer size and bulk, and too many switches and buttons. Honda really needs to improve on that in their next gen's. But those things are smooth, sweet, quiet, and comfortable! They're serious mile eaters. I was fortunate enough to be driven around the Colorado mountains back in '09 by Rod Brakhage. He was an excellent rider, and I was totally impressed with that flat six 1800's power and smoothness, and the tremendous stopping power of the brakes. They handle well for their size, once they're rolling.

But, like the guys are saying... you may wanna make a deal with the wife before ya get rid of the MNS! It might be nice every once in a while to jump on a smaller, lighter bike...

One thing an XS11 has that a lot of other good bikes don't... They got SOUL.

I'll always miss my XJ and wish I could have hung on to it. I just only have room for one bike at my place. Love my C14, don't get me wrong... but there's nothing like getting to ride Cody's '79 F "Time Machine" every once in a while!
(There's another gem I wish I could have kept, too! But, at least it's "still in the family" sorta...)

Something to seriously think about...
Again, congrats bro!
Ride safe!
Bob

[XJOK2PLAY]

WOOPS .................

didn't get the kick stand down properly
Driver should know how to get his (or her) 1/2 ton bike back up by themselves


Ain't no lift bar on there that I see
Just the passenger hand hold for lifting the bike up on the center stand

Bug: i'd get a few miles under your belt before you try this

What is it, the Victory that you can get on and ride it up after its fallen over. Victory i think it is. Really interesting to watch. Bike falls over. Rider gets on and holds the handlebar a certain way and takes off in 1st gear. Bike pops right up.

If you are into all weather sport touring (and 46 mpg) this thing is the cats meow. Key fob locking bags handy too. Rest of the stuff it comes with except WB NOAA weather radio is just unnecessary add-on junk.

Jeff

Dang, Jeff!! I didn't even know it was possible to wheelie on a Wing!

Is that Trbig riding that one??

Also, did ya notice that the driver's wearing a full set of leathers and a full face helmet...while the passenger's not? What's up with that?

[tcoop]

Congrats on the new bike Marshall! That looks like one comfy ride. Your winter commute is going to be a whole lot nicer.

If it is possible to swing it keep the MNS. It's nice to be able to change up your ride once in a while. But sometimes it is not possible to have multiple bikes. Just make sure who ever buys it appreciates a well maintained bike that is mostly original.