Spent most of the day test riding....

A Pan European and Goldwing, courtesy of those nice people at Honda Chiswick.



I've been meaning to have a go on both these machines for a while now and when i popped in to Chiswick Honda on Monday I discovere that they had both an ST1300 and GL1800 available to test ride. Today's meeting was cancelled and so that left me with a fw hours to spare so a quick call to the dealer and a back to back ride was set up.



I arrived there at 1115 ish and was provided with a cup of Costa Latte from their in house Casta franchise. An exchange of license and a signature on the insurance form agreeing to a £2500 excess and I was ready for the off.



Chiswick don't just let you out with their bikes they accompany you and today I was escorted by the manager of the bike sales team. I started on the Pan and he took the wing and we headed out from Chiswick into Buckinghamshire, changing over bikes in Chalfont St Peter where we had a sandwich before heading back



The Pan



What a truly refined motorcycle. I was impressed with the power, handling, finish well pretty well everything really. Ok a sportsbike it ain't but it would keep up with the best of them in the hands of a good rider, no wonder the police like them so much.



Was really surprised at just how "small" it felt even compared to the VFR, I don't mean that in a bad way either it felt more compact despite being bigger.



Thought that the protection from the elements was great, ok so it wasn't raining today but the fairing is generous and probably what I would be looking for from my next bike TBH.



The bike I test road was the metallic silver that is useed on the VTEC and on the Pan it was just divine.



Over all a great bike, perhaps a little too good but isn't that the way with Hondas. I rate it better than the BMW 1200 RT although its dissapointing that you can't get quite as many extras as you can on the german offering (no CD player option)



I liked it.



The Goldwing



Well I loved it. I need one. It needs to have led lights aerials and flags.



Joking aside I was very surprised by the wing. OK I really wanted to like it and I did. and that surprised me I thought that I would be dissapointed compared to my imagination - I was not.



The GL1800 has loads of power and it delivers it really smoothly. It doesn't on the other hand have very much ground clearance and it was a bit disconcerting to grind the foot pegs on roundabouts and corners to sart with, especially when done with a £2500 excess are referred to above. Having said that once you get used to it its really quite satisfying.



The demo bike had a radio fitted and I have always thought that a radio on a Goldwing would be a waste of time, how wrong can you be. At 100 mph on the M4 the radio was as clear as you like even with a full face helmet on, OK visor up, even playing in great stereo and fading front to back on the optional fitted rear speakers.



Rider information from the dash is clear as you like, I do wish it had a full gear indicator fitted instead of just telling you it was in top though.



The big bonus of the Goldwing is the fact that it is the bike that all non bikers wish they could have. Whilst we were parked up having a sandwich it was the Goldwing that was attracting the crowd and I mean "crowd". OK it may not be every bikers cup of tea but how many have actually ridden one before coming to that conclusion?



So would I buy one?





Yes - and I probably will one day. OK I can't afford the £17,000 new price (before extras) and in all fairness I couldn't afford the £14,000 for this pre owned one I rode today but at some stage I will find a way to get a goldwing in the stable, even if its and old GL1500.



So surprise of the day for me was that if I had my way I'd have the Goldwing over the Pan.

I rode out a month or so back with a bike copper on his personal Pan and he was telling me he grinds his boot slider things all the time

I guess the engine feels more refined than our 'tractors'. But what about the new K1200GT...not sure they are out yet but with the new K series engine should be interesting.

BTW saw a K1200R monday....as amazing in the flesh as the pics IMO. Read one review on advrider from a guy who tried it. He really rated it. Not for touring, mind

our tractors are what biking is about, the goldwings and co are about well driving cars! whats the fun in that? unless you do 100's of motorway miles, then you have to watch you dont fall asleep.(sorry but i cant like them)

Well I'm gobsmacked. I admit that I have never ridden either bike and I don't know anyone who has. I quite like the look of the Pan, but never particularly liked the look of the Goldwing, and thought they'd handle like a wet bag of gravel. So your report surprises me, and perhaps in future I won't have such a closed mind. I think it's very good of Honda Chiswick to do this, all kudos to them.

I am picking up a GL1500 Goldwing tomorrow, yes I liked it that much. Still keeping the VFR and at the moment the GS.

I rode a 1500 last Friday and was as impressed with that as well.

As for the "they can't handle" comments I feel that is more to do with the riders than the bikes, once you get used to grinding the pegs on nearly everry corner and the fact that there is still loads of lean left when you do they are quite nippy through the twisties.

I don't know how long I'll keep it but I jolly well intend to enjoy it whilsst its here, first non standard part will be some spark'n'scratch hero blobs from BSR Aerotek

[northwind]

Top stuff... Don't see why some people have so much difficulty with the idea, after all biking is a passion for most of us, not a logic game. Don't see the attraction myself but at the end of the day, why would anyone else care what I think?

I can see a Pan in my medium term future, I suddenly realised the other day that they're actually really handsome bikes, in their own way.

For those that think they don't handle

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=R...ragon-Part-One

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=R...ragon-Part-Two

Prepare to be surprised, best with sound - so you can hear the pegs scraping

I know everyone will think I'm a dork but I don't care.

What are hero blobs?

the little metal bits that stick out of the underside of your footpeg. Its usually the first (and hopefully the only) bit of the bike which grounds out when leaned right over.

Some peeps take 'em off (they usually unscrew) to increase lean angle - but that a bit outta my league!!

on the sv the hero blobs are non removable, the bits under the foot pegs, i have touched mine down a few times once when i crashed .



edit * non removable on the pointys unless off course you grind them down