I am 5'8" and 170 pounds with 30" inseam. Can I managed a Goldwing?

Question

I am 47 and have not ridden a motorcycle for approximately 25 years. I am looking to ride again. I am considering a Goldwing for daily 45 mile commutes and weekend road trips. I owned a 1980 FS CB750 Sport in the day and drove a KZ 1100. Still the Goldwing seems a bit intimidating. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Most definetly.

Answer 2

My father is 5' 7" and weighs about 140lbs and he owns and rides a Goldwing and would not ride anything else. He LOVES it! I have another friend, a retired police officer that I used to volunteer with that also owns a Goldwing, he is much older than you and does fine on his bike.

I agree with the others that suggest taking a class to refresh your motorcycle skills. Better safe than sorry! I just finished a class and I highly recommend it because the instructors are very knowledgeable and they give you plenty of practice time on supplied bikes. Unfortunately, riding a motorcycle is a bit more dangerous than riding a bicycle, so again, I highly recommend a class!

The new Goldwings are very well engineered bikes and you shouldn't have any problems with it after you get back on a bike in the safety class and tune your skills back in. They have excellent braking systems and have different operating assist systems as well. The new Goldwings even have an airbag! Your size will not matter because the motorcycle's height can be adjusted for your comfort. However, try out different bikes by just going to the dealership and sitting on them. Every bike feels different, especially when the weight and power of the bike changes from model to model.

Good Luck and have fun joining us riders again!!

Answer 3

I wouldn't say it matters how big you are, just how comfortable you are with the bike. After some time with the bike, your legs will get used to supporting the weight and it won't be a big deal.

Answer 4

You may want to consider taking a refresher motorcycle course. They may offer it at a school(they have bikes you can thrash on), or talk to people at your local bike shop. Also I knew a guy shorter than you, who rode a 500cc to work everyday. His communte was about 3 hours round trip.

Answer 5

A Goldwing can be intimidating at first, even for very experienced riders, but with time the uneasiness starts to go away.

Honda has done a very good job with the newest Goldwings and they handle much quicker than ever before.  The quick handling of the bikes actually surprises most people that ride them!

I would definitely take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course before purchasing any new bike, however, after such a long layoff.  Many people have commented to me how helpful they are even for those that already know how to ride.

You can view their website at http://www.msf-usa.org