[shane]

There is just too much of the CTX in the new Wing. At least much more than there is ST lineage.

I need to take a look at the ST ergos, but it seems to me that the CTX1300 was the "beta test" for the new model Goldwing. Maybe like the Rune was for the (current gen) Valkyrie?
At any rate, as much as I LOVE my new Wing, I really wish I hadn't traded my CTX in on it. I could have gotten close to the same amount of money for my Sportster, which isn't even a quarter of the bike the CTX is. I guess that's not really practical, though, since there's such a huge overlap between the Wing and the CTX. Maybe I need to get something a little closer to that Monkey that Sleepingbear was talking about up there...? Or a GROM! Seriously, though, I do love that Africa Twin... :smile:

 

[bob]

@shane , You can talk with @sleepngbear about the ST ergos. I had the ST1100 and the ergos are totally different than the CTX. I believe the ST1300 is similar to ST1100. FAR to much sport like ergos for me. Hurt my wrists after a long ride since I started leaning on my hands as I became tired.

Agreed that there were a lot of features on the CTX that were intended as a test for the new Wing.

 

[Willmarth]

Seriously, though, I do love that Africa Twin... :smile:

I did too until I nearly threw my hip out of its socket climbing aboard. The owner of the shop told me that he could lower it. I passed and went with the DCT Bagger. Couldn't be happier...

 

[strawhat1]

Thats the reason I have continued my quest to make my CTX more of what I expect. I will say that as I improve the suspension, the happier I am with it. But, I have thrown some serious money into getting what I want .

 

[shane]

Thats the reason I have continued my quest to make my CTX more of what I expect. I will say that as I improve the suspension, the happier I am with it. But, I have thrown some serious money into getting what I want .

For me, it started with heated grips. A couple of years ago, a mouse chewed up my wiring harness on the CTX and the motorcycle shop asked me if I wanted them to just take it out completely or replace it with a new one. Dummy me, I said I wouldn't ever want the heated grips so why bother? This past winter I purchased a set of heated overgrips with a different connector than what I was expecting (SAE). I ended up selling them to a family member at a small loss, but it got me thinking. I wanted heated grips. I had started looking into a heated seat. I wanted a better built-in audio package. I wanted to upgrade the suspension and it was driving me a little crazy that I had to completely remove the windshield if I wanted to go from warm to cold weather riding. Yes, I know it's an easy 15-minute job, but it was still starting to annoy me because all the switching had worn out the rubber bolt thingies and I had ended up using zip-ties for two of the bolts instead. Then I got caught nose-down in an incline parking spot and had to struggle with duck paddling backwards. Luckily no one was around to hear me cuss. I'm heading to Alaska in the summer of '21, and it didn't take me long to realize that what I really needed was a bike exactly like my CTX just more of it. That's when I started researching the new Gold Wing, around last Chsirtmas time, and I picked up a leftover '18 for not that much more than I had paid for the CTX back in 2014. It's fixed all my little gripes and I can't wait to put many more miles on it as soon as this pandemic is under control. But I sure do miss that sexy v-4.

 

[shane]

I had the ST1100 and the ergos are totally different than the CTX. I believe the ST1300 is similar to ST1100. FAR to much sport like ergos for me. Hurt my wrists after a long ride since I started leaning on my hands as I became tired.

There's a contentious split between the Goldwing riders concerning the "new" 1800 and the "old" 1800. There are owners who maintain that the old style should have been continued under the name Goldwing 1800 Tour and the new style should be called the Goldwing 1800 Sport.
It's not a sport bike.
It's not even a sport-touring bike.
It sure is a sporty touring bike, though.
I think motorcyclists are generally cantankerous and proud of their machines. But after owning the CTX1300 and immediately snapping up the Wing, I can honestly say it's a difference of degree and not a difference of kind. They have the same soul even if their heart is not the same.

 

[Willmarth]

I can’t even begin to imagine how the liter variant of this bike must go...

Like a bat out of Hades...

Loving that 650R and probably would have gotten that had it been available 5 years ago. But I love the 1000R.

 

[sleepngbear]

I need to take a look at the ST ergos, but it seems to me that the CTX1300 was the "beta test" for the new model Goldwing. Maybe like the Rune was for the (current gen) Valkyrie?
At any rate, as much as I LOVE my new Wing, I really wish I hadn't traded my CTX in on it. I could have gotten close to the same amount of money for my Sportster, which isn't even a quarter of the bike the CTX is. I guess that's not really practical, though, since there's such a huge overlap between the Wing and the CTX. Maybe I need to get something a little closer to that Monkey that Sleepingbear was talking about up there...? Or a GROM! Seriously, though, I do love that Africa Twin... :smile:

@shane , You can talk with @sleepngbear about the ST ergos. I had the ST1100 and the ergos are totally different than the CTX. I believe the ST1300 is similar to ST1100. FAR to much sport like ergos for me. Hurt my wrists after a long ride since I started leaning on my hands as I became tired.

Agreed that there were a lot of features on the CTX that were intended as a test for the new Wing.

Monkey (or Grom) is a fun second bike, but only if you have no intentions of ever taking it over 50 mph. They say it has a top speed of 65, but I think that’s downhill with a very strong tail wind. After riding a big bike - and they don’t get much bigger than the Wing - the Monkey is just a toy for getting from one place to another that isn’t too far away. AND giving zero f’s about what you look like doing it. But either of those are fun little machines, and I think it’s safe to say there’s very little overlap in purpose between them and the wing. :tongue:

It’s been about 17 years since by backside has seen the ST1300, but I’ll give it a go. As I recall, the ergos were a bit more sport-ish than the ST1100. But they were was vastly different from the CTX1300. Higher seat, more forward reach to the bars, and footpegs much further back under you. I found myself reaching for the Advil after about an hour in the saddle of the 1300. Big time lower back and shoulder pain spoiled (for me) what was otherwise a really, really great sport touring bike. But really, I think the drive train is about all that made its way from the ST to the CTX. As many have already said, the CTX is so similar to the new Wing, it’s pretty clear that the former was in many ways a test bed for the latter, and they just took the ST’s drive train because it was closest to where they were thinking of heading without fully developing the new Wing. I think.

 

[sleepngbear]

Like a bat out of Hades...

Loving that 650R and probably would have gotten that had it been available 5 years ago. But I love the 1000R.

That’s a freakin nice looking ride. :smile:

Curiously, I was thinking earlier just today that probably just a few years ago I’d have opted for the 1000R if I were looking for that kind of ride and had the choice between it and the 650. Because I just had to have bigger and faster, just because. And many of the latter bigger and faster rides didn’t get ridden much. Fast forward to today, after I almost stopped riding completely a couple of times over the last few years, starting with when I totaled the CTX1300, and again when I decided to sell the Valkyrie and not immediately replace it.

When the itch came back this time, I said I want something lighter than I’d been riding, but still competent. And I stress ‘competent’ - I didn’t want anything insanely fast, sporty, or big, just something capable and fun. The Monkey was definitely fun, but lacked a bit in the capability department. I was actually looking around for a used CB1100, as the retro look combined with modern mechanicals really appealed to me, but there haven’t been any for sale in the area as long as I’d been looking. That probably ended up being a good thing.

In one of my Google quests, I stumbled on the CB650R, and it’s looks immediately caught my attention. The 650 inline 4 seemed like the perfect answer to fun, capable, and not insanely fast; and, of all the bikes I’ve owned, I’ve never had an in-line 4. So off me and my Monkey went to the dealer to see what we could work up. A few hours later I was riding home on the CB650R. I think I’ve said this already, but after a few nice rides around the rural roads in the area, I’m still quite surprised at how this ‘middleweight’ 650 goes, and I haven’t come close to tapping its potential. It definitely exceeds my ‘capable’ requirement. :smile:

 

[Willmarth]

That’s a freakin nice looking ride. :smile:

Thanks Bear. People either love or hate the saddle. I guess you're in the former group. And check out these Givi bags...

More carrying capacity than my Wing bagger. Enough about the 1000R. You are going to love that 650 as you rack up the miles.

 

[sleepngbear]

Thanks Bear. People either love or hate the saddle. I guess you're in the former group. And check out these Givi bags...

More carrying capacity than my Wing bagger. Enough about the 1000R. You are going to love that 650 as you rack up the miles.

The tan upholstery looks good on black, especially with the bronze/brass hardware trim. I’ve seen tan saddles on different colored paint that don’t look so hot, but yours definitely fits. Bags look good, too!

Yes, every mile I put on the 650 feels more and more comfortable than the last. I’ve never been a huge fan of the crouch, although I didn’t mind it too much on the ‘99 VFR back then. Honestly, I was a tad concerned about it on the first ride home, since it’s been about 17 years that I was last on anything other than an upright riding position. First few miles took some getting used to. But by the end of the second ride, I was pretty much feeling right at home, especially getting up over 50 mph where the wind starts taking the load off your shoulders and wrists. The 650 feels like it’s right in that sweet spot - not suicidal fast, but definitely plenty fast enough. And for a nekkit with virtually no wind protection, it sure seems to be easier on the head and upper body than I remember the CTX being with the stock shorty windscreen. So far I’m not feeling the need to put any kind of screen on it. In fact, at the moment I can’t think of anything I want to do to it, other than maybe a small tail bag, if I can find one small enough to my liking. Haven’t seen anything out there yet that suits my unique tastes, so it might just stay totally nekkit.

 

[bob]

Rode around the outskirts of 3-4 suburbs around the metro area and then out into the country just for something different. Ended up with 81 miles round trip. Felt good to get out, especially since tomorrow I have to mow the yard and the next 5 days after that show thunderstorms coming.

Was followed by a bike that looked a lot like that one @Willmarth showed on the last mile and a half.

 

[Willmarth]

Yes, every mile I put on the 650 feels more and more comfortable than the last.

Bear on a rip...

:520:

 

[ctxbryan]

Rode my Honda NC700X to TWOS in Suches, Ga because the Arkansas meetup was called off because of rain. Camped from Thursday until Saturday and rode around the NW Georgia mountains. Total trip of 620 miles.

 

[Willmarth]

Although I didn’t mind it too much on the ‘99 VFR back then...

Speaking of VFRs...

I sure do miss mine. My arthritic neck had other ideas though so the beloved VFR and CTX1300 parted my company to leave room for the CTX1800 DCT Bagger. Gone but not forgotten and sorely missed both of them.

 

[Tomasz]

I put my other bike for sale

 

[Willmarth]

Overdue Spring wash and wax. Almost too pretty to ride :350x700px-LL-66dd6d

 

[sleepngbear]

Overdue Spring wash and wax. Almost too pretty to ride :350x700px-LL-66dd6d

That’s the bike I was actually looking for before I spotted the one I got. Retro look, new(er) technology. Looked high and low for a used one within a rideable distance from home, but there were none to be found. It was during one of my later searches for one that the CB650R popped up, and I said I guess that’ll do.

No complaints. But I’m still jealous. :wink:

 

[Willmarth]

That’s the bike I was actually looking for before I spotted the one I got. Retro look, new(er) technology. Looked high and low for a used one within a rideable distance from home, but there were none to be found. It was during one of my later searches for one that the CB650R popped up, and I said I guess that’ll do.

No complaints. But I’m still jealous. :wink:

Long story but I was looking into restoring my CB550F bought new when I was in high school...

And it was going to cost me a lot of money and a lot of time and I knew I was getting in way over my head. And then in December of 2017 I was in the shop where I bought the CB1000R two years before. I was torn between the two when I made the decision and sprang for the 1000. But here I am 2 years later and the price was marked all the way down to $6,199. And it is the closest thing to the beloved 550 four in decades. So I pulled the trigger. And now I find myself in a state of bike equilibrium with the DCT Bagger, 1100, and 1000R. There are worse obsessions.

 

[bob]

Over the last week and a half I've been riding (most days) to my son's house to work on framing a bedroom and bathroom in the basement of their new house. About 46 miles round trip, 278 miles altogether during that time. That put the odometer just over 14550 and the service interval was at 14500. Changed the engine/transmission(reduction gear set) and final drive oils and oil filter today.I also checked the rear brakes today but still have pad left for a another 500 miles. I had to remove the caliper to check the pads since I needed to clean off the brake dust just to see the little notch showing when to replace. It was coated so I couldn't see it. I'll have to simply note the thickness on the new pads as they wear (after I get around to installing them) since they don't have that wear notch. I did find I will need to replace one of the pad pins soon. the socket is rounded out inside so that one will be a bear to remove. I'll replace both at the same time. The rear brakes on the Burgman have 2 pad pins, but the front are same design as on the CTX and ST. The Burgman is nice like the CTX in that there is no need to remove any plastic panel to change the engine oil, other than snapping off a small maintenance panel to get to the oil fill port (about like snapping off the right cylinder top cover on the CTX/ST). Though I do remove 2 panels; one for the reduction gear set (same type oil as the engine and wet clutch), and the final drive cover. But those are easy to pop off and on.