I did it also hope it works

Norman

Our thanks to both Rick and Francoise for orgnising such a great weekend, to Izzy for remembering and recording all the places we visited and things we did (although you did miss Mark and Pam preparing their shot for the 2013 Calendar in the Hotel Car Park – and Pam’s very cold hands as she helped Mark with his pose!!) – and, as always, the great company.

PS I do wish Izzy hadn’t allowed Edit to try on her heated jacket – as that will now cost me!!

Safe riding and best wishes to all,

Rodger and Edit

Thank you to everyone for another lovely weekend. All familiar country to Nigel, however he really enjoyed the alternative country route we took ( when one is working, one needs to take the fastest route, not the pretty scenic route ! )
The photo shoot is over—- thank heavens for the DELETE button on Alans camera !!!!!
Looking forward to the next time we meet.

We loved it too. The Sunday visit to the Castle in Warwick was great – Alan&Ann were still there !! They were expecting to leave mid afternoon but there was so much stuff to see & do they stayed untill it closed at 5.00 and came out with the rest of us. The firing of the Trebuchet was brill, its amazing how they managed to design & build such weapons, it was awesome.
The ride home on Monday went according to plan – we used the first part of Sundays route and we actually saw some countryside this time as it wasn’t as misty as the previous day. The ride home was cool, and damp but very interesting. Coffee stop was at the Doveleys garden centre cafe just north of Uttoxeter and we got home around 2.00ish.
A veryu enjoyable weekend, Thanks to all who joined us.
Cheers,
Ian&Denise.

This Gravatar thingy works really well. Since we first put this post on here I’ve changed my Pic a few times and I’ve got different ones for each email address I use.
Its great – all of you who havent already got a picture showing by your posts should take a look – its real easy to do – even I can do it 🙂
Cheers,
Ian.

Testing Testing

Great report Ireen and I forgot how funny it was most of the time.

By the way thay day it will cost because i am getting £2000 of the bike

Hi ian thanks for the info.im getting the titanium blade metalic colour it was that or white or black.ive had 3 wings in the past 02-03-and a 59 plate that i wished id never sold.ive had a daliance with a bmw k 1600gtle for the last 10 months and although a very good bike it has it short commings ie sat nav mount is badly postioned shaft drive slap is very bad and the my wife gets a lot of buffiting on the back.so we have come back to a goldwing.in the end if my wife is happy then im happy.

Yes I feel a 2015 trip on the horizon , I hope not to miss it next year

Wow, I didn’t realise we had done so much. Although the 769 mileage we did should have been a clue. Great write up Celia. Thanks for reminding us of a lovely weekend, spent with old (as in known a while) and new friends 🙂

Great report Celia it brought it all back. Can’t wait for our next trip.
Mike andNettie

Ian will the 2.80 firmware work in the CF carded units.
Will the 2.80 firmware work in the 2011 SD carded units.
Thanks.

Mine has it all loaded and ready to go!!?

IanC.

I read with interest your trail about this. Is there a simple quick way to get 2.8. I am off to Germany on Saturday 14th May and my Goldwings clutch has failed (another story ) and I have been lent a 2013 Wing with 2.70 loaded on the sat nav.

What’s the quickest way to get the upgrade ready for my trip in 7 days time.

Thanks

hi ian.
just asking if you can help with updating sat nav to 2017 on the Goldwing with cf cards /uk and European ., like to now if it can be done thanks Darren

can not get the durham dales clip, the filtering one, was ok, looks scary when watching it, i know now why ann grips the seat so tight, when i am doing it, lol

Looks great and all sensible improvements but I hope the ground clearance is improved as it looks like progressives will be no more. No crash bars so rubber buffers may be ok and they claim improved MPG but a mistake in reducing tank size. luggage capacity reduction seems wrong (where do they do their research-2 to 3 day trips only ? what about rear racks and the large no of trailers on wings).
I hate to think what the new price will be but sadly not a concern for me as I am not allowed !!!
Ian – What colour have you ordered ?
Cheers

Richard

I prefer the styling of my ’07 wing, the 2018 model looks too much like the BMW K1600, which would be around £13,000 cheaper, (pay the money & make the choice) but I can’t help feeling Honda have missed a trick and have taken away the indivduality of the wing! It’s becoming the same as cars, ” they all look the same”.

I have bought 2018 wing done 1500 miles great bike nearly every way one big big fault sat nav a night mare any out there has one would love to hear from

A voice from the past. I had a weekend out with you guys some time ago, but, just, just too busy with work. Anyhow, as Ian knows I have bought a 2018 DCT Model. I’ve done 8,000 miles on mine now. In brief I’d say the following.
The Good.
1. I like the slimmer, lighter weight bike. It’s more sports tour than serious tour. It’s not a serious comfortable, serious luggage bike as we all know/knew it.
2. Personally I love (Love) the DCT. My upshifts down shifts are virtually seamless. What “Drive” you use is of course determined by your style of riding. Mine lives in auto Eco mode, odd switch to Tour and never use the Sports mode. That said I hardly ever use the manual mode (When I do its just to play because it’s there) as I find the auto mode so good.
3. The new front suspension is ok, it’s fine….it’s not “Incredible” its ok. Is it miles better than the 2012 model…not sure it is?
4. Electronic suspension is fine, easy…it’s ok, not “Mind blowing”
5. Electric screen is great. That said apart for changing because of rain whatever, im the kind of rider who sets it and forgets it. But, a worthy improvement. I’d love it a whole lot more if Mr Honda and his team established a quick easy release that allowed both sides of screen to be quickly easily cleaned. Can’t be rocket science…..surely?
6. Brakes I fell are a good deal better.
7. Apple play? Love or hate for many. Personally I love it.
8. General handling I feel is far better, far better, lighter, more nimble easier to manoeuvre.
9. Stop start for me is a winner. Why stand wasting fuel at lights when engine can be cut and starter so easily.
10. Hill assist? It’s ok. It’s not a deal maker for me, it’s ok.
11. M. P. G. is better. That’s always good.
12. The instruments, and information available, when it works is good. Tyre pressure, temperature, available mileage, in tank etc, and much more, when it works is great. Sadly it often does not work.
13. I like big bikes; I always liked my 20112 model. That said I do like the lighter weight of this machine

Points that are not so good.
1. Sat Nav is less than useless, let alone importing of routes and other stuff, mine works sometimes seizes up much of the time. Less than useless and quite shameful for Honda to release this bike with such a pitiful (Truly pitiful) system. I kicked off and my dealer got a Zumo 550 fitted at no cost. A truly pitiful Sat Nave
2. Reduction in luggage beggars belief. For two people riding off for say two weeks it is woefully inadequate compare to previous model. Im a solo rider, not doing huge trips, for me its ok. For many it is just not fit for purpose.
3. 3. The position of horn is something I hate…seriously hate. Ergonomically for me it is just not in the right place for me to react and hit it fast enough in an emergency. On the 2012 model it say in the right place for me thumb and I could hit it in a Nano second. Really don’t like it on the new bike. I’d go further (Can only speak as I find myself) I’d say it’s even potentially even dangerous. Others may be ok with it….I hate it.
4. Seat, I don’t find as comfortable as the 2012 model. OK for daily trips but ive regular done 600-800 1000 miles in a day. I don’t fancy that kind of mileage on this new bike.
5. The electronics on this bike are really not fit to be released. A machine of this cost should come out the door fit for purpose and or quickly sorted if there are issues. There are issues and at this time, Honda seemingly has no plan to fix? I mention the following and have forgotten some. Sat Nav worthless, Tyre pressure monitoring does not work, Display reef miles left in tank does not work, Temperature does not work,
6. The little cubby box on right hand side of DCT model houses a button that open fuel filler cap. Driving home this week, low on fuel, but not sure because the read out is not working saying how many miles left in tank, the cubby box (At petrol station) would not open. I had no choice but to run the risk and carry on riding back to my nearest point (Office) I ran out of fuel the side of the rd on a 30,000 quid motor bike looking like an idiot. The number of electronic failures just is not good enough. Even more than this my bike needed to be recovered. No problem call Mr Honda recovery. First firm that came out simply said “Can’t do this, too difficult, nowhere to strap the bike down” I get on the phone to Mr Honda recovery “Can we get a specialist firm out who knows what they are doing to recover my Bike?” Yes indeed Mr Brewin. They sent out a second firm who said “can’t do this. No crash bars front or rear grab rails can no longer be used to strap down. They threw arms up in the air, threw the towel in, and drove off. My bike still awaits recovery.
7. Hand brake works fine. I had to have mine adjusted after about a 1000 miles as it would not hold the bike, it now needs doing again.
8. No crash bars? A bit worrying, we have all dropped our bikes. (have we?) That said regret to say dropped my new one….the rubber pads did the job. Not a scratch on the bike. Think id still like to see crash bars?
9. It beggars belief that the trunk will not hold two helmets….simply staggering. If rider and passenger have heads the size of an orange with now head sets on, you might be in with a chance. I have a Schubert with built in electronics (nothing on the side) no hope whatsoever of two helmets in the trunk
10. Security clip for attaching helmet to the exterior of bike. Almost worthless on its own. The helmet hangs down side of body work, chances are rain would get in. Ive had a modified security steel wire loop made up so I can fix helmet to seat and fix/secure to bike.
11. No strap down points for luggage on the bike
12. Weather protection this bike falls significantly short of the 2012 model. I was never cold on my 2012 bike; I have to take a bit more care on this one.

The overall deal for me, I like it. The DCT and lighter feel for me is the deal maker, I love it. For many DCT will never be a motorbike, I love it. Sadly, I regret to say Mr Honda has over promised and under delivered. On so many points. Let us not forget this is not a five bob motor bike. For most it will be about 30k or more. For this kind of money I can buy a decent Mercedes or BMW and chances are electronics, Sat Nave etc. will work perfectly. All balanced up i like the bike. Sadly it falls short in a number of areas.

That’s a great description, Tony – many thanks.

Several of us had planned to buy the new bike when it was announced, but gradually changed our minds as the main deficiencies became known. I think you have identified a few more!

Would you mind us repeating your comments elsewhere, with credit to you of course, as it is excellent information which deserves a wider audience than it might get here?

Is there some reason why you have uploaded such tiny pictures, Mike? It’s a shame for your excellent photos not to be seen as well as they might be.

Hi Ian
Switching to daytime mode sorted the problem but I will not be able to update the Garmin for the new model even though it works through the XR handlebar wheel system as I don’t do enough touring.

Lorenzo my old touring buddy has sold his FJR1300 and bought a new S1000XR with the new compatible Garmin and has just done 3,000 miles in Europe two up and confirms that it is a great system and works through the bikes information set up perfectly.

When I say I don’t do enough touring I mean I have been told !!! I don’t do enough touring to justify the cost !!!

Cheers
Richard

Thank you to all who were able to make the Afternoon Tea yesterday. It was great to catch up with so many of our Elitewing friends. Looking forward to some good biking weather and the chance to get out on our Wing and some more meet ups.

In the past on our Scottish trips you would have been treated to one of Ireen’s infamous quizzes, sadly this will not happen this year for obvious reasons, unless another member would like to volunteer to keep up the tradition.

I trust not having a quiz will not deter you from coming on this tour.

Norman