Honda GL1000 finished

[crazy steve]

...I'm beginning to regret it already but.... I sold my black XS1100 (in my avatar) yesterday! Someone offered me a good price for it and I gave in..... am I traitor? Will I be ejected unceremoniously from the forum? Will people still talk to me?

Oh James, tell me it isn't true!!! You let that beauty go? I hope you got a big pile of gold for that, you may find it hard to duplicate.

I'll still like you, but I may question your sanity...

[DGXSER]

According to Yamaha at least, the 85 was the only bike they ever had returned for being to powerful.

[madmax-im]

Oh that VMax is wicked...a real bad boy! Like that one too

[James England]

Yeah James, like buying the VMax was not the juvenile purchase.

Friend of mine had the 1985 VMax, first year of production. That was a WICKEDLY fast bike! The kind of thing you can get killed on easy. He also had a Kerker installed on it and rejetted. That was a mean bike!

Gulp! I'm wondering what I might be getting myself into here. I'd better proceed with caution. In the UK and some states in the USA, they only sold the 95bhp 'emasculated' version. Most people imported them from Canada as a 'grey' import. Then, after 1996, UK manufacturers decided to change their policy and exceeded the 100bhp voluntary limit. Everyone else followed suit......

I'm looking for another XS1100 to renovate and have been bidding on some on eBay. I'm beginning to regret it already but.... I sold my black XS1100 (in my avatar) yesterday! Someone offered me a good price for it and I gave in..... am I traitor? Will I be ejected unceremoniously from the forum? Will people still talk to me?

[DGXSER]

Yeah James, like buying the VMax was not the juvenile purchase.

Friend of mine had the 1985 VMax, first year of production. That was a WICKEDLY fast bike! The kind of thing you can get killed on easy. He also had a Kerker installed on it and rejetted. That was a mean bike!

[James England]

Are you a member of classic goldwing .com if not you should check them out.

Yes, I did check them out. However, I sold the GL1000 this week. I've bought a V-Max to try out and it's going to be delivered next Friday... here's the one I bought:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1507115501...84.m1438.l2649

Then I went all juvenile and got one of these for it..... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1108177482...84.m1439.l2649 I couldn't resist it, mainly because my grandkids are into pirates and skulls and crossbones etc at the moment.

[wa407mpp]

are you a member?

Are you a member of classic goldwing .com if not you should check them out.

[James England]

Range is over 100 miles. The Euro version has a higher rear drive gear. (Here we go again!) It supposedly has more range. Some friends of mine rode to Alaska from the western US last year. Before the trip, the bikes all got a rear drive change to the Euro version. I didn't hear any stories about running out of fuel.

I'm over 6' 4" and my legs are long. The bike doesn't work for me.

I'm a measly 6' 2". so it might work for me. Time will tell!

[jetmechmarty]

Range is over 100 miles. The Euro version has a higher rear drive gear. (Here we go again!) It supposedly has more range. Some friends of mine rode to Alaska from the western US last year. Before the trip, the bikes all got a rear drive change to the Euro version. I didn't hear any stories about running out of fuel.

I'm over 6' 4" and my legs are long. The bike doesn't work for me.

[James England]

The V-Max is too cramped for me.

Mmm... I might have that problem too.Yes, I did hear that you must remain always in sight of a filling station with the V-Max. There is apoparently an extra fuel tank available as an optional accessory.

[jetmechmarty]

I have been told by those who own them or have owned them that they go around corners just fine, as long you use restraint. The only issue I heard back in the day was that the big fat tire on the back felt a little funny going into a corner. Range is very short like an XS1100 Special. Some people love them and some people hate them.

I liked your Honda. The V-Max is too cramped for me.

[James England]

One owner told me that it's possible to smoke the rear tyre and wheelie at the same time. But, he said, "take a corner at anything like 100mph and you'll be thrown off". Apparently corners at rather more sedate speeds are reasonably safe though......I'm not sure that I've ever taken a corner at that speed anyway......

[crazy steve]

All I've heard is they're scary fast in a straight line, but don't try corner-carving with one! I remember when these first came out, you would see guys smoke the rear tire off of stoplights! WooHoo!!!!

[James England]

New home. New bike

Well folks, my GL1000 sold on eBay a couple of days ago and will be going to its new home tomorrow. Whilst it is a lovely looking classic bike and becoming quite a rarity (well the early ones), it just isn't my kind of bike. It has terrific handling and is super-smooth and reasonably powerful and it certainly looks retro. But....I think I've always been a Yamaha addict who has dabbled in other makes from time to time! It shows how much the bike market varies between the USA and the UK. I sold the GL for about $7,500 and had loads of people offering more (unsuccessfully) after the deal was concluded with the buyer.

I thought I would try a V-Max (not for restoration) as I missed out on them when they first came out. So, the loot from the GL has now been spent and I should be taking delivery of the V-Max next week....here it is. It's 147 BHP... rather more than the 98BHP of the XS1100 but I've heard the handling is atrocious! Anyone experienced it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1507115501...84.m1438.l2649

[fredintoon]

We used to have mopeds over here, but I haven't seen any in a while. Used to be an interesting vehicle with the fact that they were typically the only one that didn't require a license in any state (hence the requirement for pedals making them a bicycle with an engine).

Hi Cy,
there has to be an engine capacity/Horsepower ceiling on them too?
For instance, I saw a Harley with pedals. Admittedly it was a 1911 model.