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Buy a 2014 or the 2015?

18K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  Silverado6x6 
#1 ·
I have the WingBug, been working on my 95 GL1500 the last month going through everything possible from front to rear, only thing not being taken apart is the engine as its trouble free, bike has something like 135,000 miles on, no major issues just a lot of minor stuff, radio lamps, dash lamps, no cruise control, broken body tabs, scuffs and dings.

But I recently was forced to make a decision, my wifes 2005 Aztek lost its head gaskets, the AWD stopped working during the summer, its Alaska, its winter, she needs transportation, so I bought a really nice 2012 Equinox AWD.
Found out I had a pretty good credit rating, I have not had to finance much in the last couple of years, last new purchase was the Star 1300 in 2009.

So even though I am currently seasonally laid off I make a good wage driving a concrete mixer, been doing it going on 19 years. I worked all through last winter, but in years past I usually get at least a month off, and I need at least one or two months off. But I want to be AWAY from Alaska next winter, and I want to ride in FL.

What I want to do is to hop on a bike, ride on through Canada all the way to Florida, rent a vacation home, ride down to the keys, just enjoy the moderate winter temps and sun, the Alaska winters are just too darn long. I have a lady friend but she will meet me in FL by air travel, I can ride forever and sleep on the side of the roads, she cannot.

In Anchorage they have the new 2014 GL1800's, all levels, but the scuttlebutt I am seeing is a fair amount of the GL1800 owners are not terribly satisfied, and furthermore is rumors the 2015 which is an anniversary year may hold a surprise or two.

I can afford a fully loaded new Goldwing, problem is I made poor buying decisions before, my gut tells me to wait for the 2015.

So tell me pretty much the gripes of the GL1800 compared to the GL1500, Thats a 10,000 mile plus round trip I believe from AK to FLA and back, makes me kinda wonder is the 95 GL1500 will hold up.
 
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#2 ·
Members of this forum have reported that the 1500 has more storage space and has more comfortable seating considering leg room. I have only owned the 1800, and can report that it is a rocket ship on wheels, and handles great. My advice would be to test ride an 1800 to see how it fits you. I cannot guarantee that there will not be big changes in the 2015 model, but I doubt it. Honda has gone about as big as it is going to get with the 1800, and they brought out the F6B as an alternative to the tourer. Enjoy your trip from Alaska to Florida. It should be a great ride. Would the 1500 make the trip? No doubt in my mind.:waving:
 
#3 ·
If it were me I'd wait for the 2015's to come out, compare the 2 models and go from there. I've never ridden a GL1800 but, from what I've read, I wouldn't have a problem adding one to my garage as the handling, performance and looks are THERE!!




Except for those slanted headlights.... That I have a problem with.... :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
#13 ·
Funny, mine is the 30th anniversary, and nobody ever notices the badges.:D
 
#9 ·
Check out the price on an 1800 in Florida. Maybe it would less than in Alaska. You could ride down, buy the bike, have a month to get used to it before you head home. You might not get much in trade for your 1500, but it would be a fun ride. As far as waiting for a 2015 vs the 2014, the sooner you get the new bike the sooner you can start riding it. And if there are major changes for 2015 do you want that over the proven reliability of the current model.

Good luck on your decision and enjoy the ride!
 
#11 ·
Sorry, my mistake, my 95 IS a 20th Anniversary. I should have had that engrained quite well, PO removed front cowl badge, I tried to find just the replacement item, actually wound up buying a complete cowl with said emblem cheaper with the shipping than just the emblem. It was just two days ago I went to work on it polishing it, glueing the rubber back in place and getting it ready to install.

I just joined GLriders.com a little while ago, mostly lurking over there, getting a handle on what most riders are griping about. That actually plays a big part of my buying decision.

On another forum about my Chevy Equinox they have actual GM employees as moderators and they are constantly cleaning up bad rumors, gripes, rants and idiots taking hacksaws and bondo to their new Equinox, oh and they absolutely hate those that refuse the GM service and DIY the oil changes. I pretty much stopped playing their game.

And I change the oil myself.
 
#12 ·
I have the 30th Anniversary edition. The badging and custom keys are nice but mostly the changes are cosmetic. Perhaps the 2015 will be different? Unless you are in a terrible hurry, I would wait and see. Honda will let slip at some point some of the changes then you can make a decision. Pick up a 14 at a discount or pay top dollar for the 2015. Whatever you decide, it sounds like on heck of a ride!!! Be safe!
 
#14 ·
I too am looking at a new 1800 but it is a 2013 level 2 model. I currently have 224000 on my 96 1500 and it is telling me its about done or going to cost alot to repair. My thought is, if I can't trust it on a long trip than it is time for replacement. I've had this one since 2000 and got it with 16k on it. I would think up there prices would be good or is it the shipping that makes it high. It was cheaper for me to go north (4000$) than to buy in my own state of Florida!!! Good luck in your decision. This would be my last one that I buy.
 
#19 ·
It would be my last "new" bike to buy as well I think, so I want to be sure. Almost every single bike I do have is being salvaged or restored, and in the future I am basically unloading everything all at once, I have a loosely formed plan and agenda. It requires cash, lots of it. I keep leaning towards getting a Wing NOT in America, but after some more research and weighing in the difficulties it will boil down to buying the Wing in the states and shipping it to Australia for about a two year ride.


Or just buying one down there, but the exchange rate is horrible, and the VAT marks them up as well, and then I would have to leave it, or sell it when i leave, if I leave. Been to almost every place worth seeing in America, time to move on.

Australia is the only place that has the vastness, the climate, the english speaking people and does not have communism or dictators.
 
#15 ·
A bit of history about myself, I was born in December 1956, all my life I have had this terrible adventure streak, including hitch hiking across the lower 48 5 times before I was even 18. Been a mechanic all my life, grew up in a junkyard, had my own tow truck when I was 19 and a scrap metal business, have worked on everything from oil rigs to boats.
Moved to Alaska in 1992, settled upon being a concrete mixer driver and head of maintenance for a large family owned business in Wasilla about 35 miles north of Anchorage, its some what seasonal, though last year I worked year round, this year I have been laid off since late december. Back in the summer of 2009 I bought my first bike a 1980 CX 500 Deluxe, after a fair amount of work and self teaching how to ride I was on the road, then in september I waltzed into the Yamaha shop and bought a brand new Star 1300 Tourer, its a great bike but not one that I became attached to.

I still have it, I have put less than 2000 miles on it since then, still making the last payments on it, its a great bike, its just not one I like, I made a wrong choice.

Then last year I started by accident collecting bikes, a free one sitting in a front yard all apart, it was an 81 Wing, still have it all the body work even but engine is bad, picked up a nice 83 CX650 for $500, an 83 Yamaha Venture for $350, an 84 Wing bare frame wheels and engine for $50, a 1990 KZ1000 Police for a metal detector trade, an 85 Wing running for a rifle, an 89 Yamaha Venture Royale sweet and fully loaded for two rifles, a Yamaha XS750 for $50, an awesome absolutely great sweet bike a 95 Virago 750, traded an old 85 Blazer for it, and the last bike the 95 GL1500 Aspy sitting in an aircraft hanger, two low tires, bad battery, no rear brake fluid, bad temp sensor, no speedo, missing right side battery cover, its the Pearl Royal magenta and all the paint from above the heat shields was surprisingly good, has good Dunlop E 3 tires, fixed the minor issues fast, just filled rear MC and bled brakes and they work just fine, has 136,000 miles runs strong shifts fine, no leaks at all now after chasing down a hidden coolant leak.
The owner was a weird kind of guy, I thought it was a beautiful bike, he thought it looked like trash, he was trying to sell it on Craigslist for $2500, same year and model Wings locally are going for more than twice that. IF you can find one. I finally wound up trading a rifle and $1000 cash for it. Its now basically completely gone through, all LED lights, HID, lots of new chrome, and I happened to stumble upom a seller of a wrecked 98 SE. And a lot of that 98 SE is now on my wing.
Its been sitting in what was my hot tub room while I install lower cowl HID lights, dual 55 watt HID headlights and an extensive LED mod all over from the radio to trunk to reverse and control lights. Rear speakers and possibly a modern CB, TPMS and a Go Pro video camera.

Its still a 95 Goldwing, it still has a lot of miles, I just won an auction of all the lower heat shields all in primo shape and the same color, has new chrome levers, new grips, and some new chrome mirrors coming soon, new chrome front lower cowl as the old one has too much road rash.

Its still a 95 Goldwing. Whats its current value? Here in Alaska in all honesty, at least $7,000, anything less its a bargain for the buyer, actually I can ask more as Wings are actually pretty scarce in Alaska. I can sell the 2009 Star or possibly trade it in for a down payment on a new Wing, and I want absolutely all the bells and whistles, I want to put a custom mural paint job on it, I want a custom trailer thats so high tech it alone is worth as much as a new bike, like being a compact camper, solar powered, carbon fiber electric brakes etc. Something I can live out of for maybe two or three months a year during the winter, ride down to FL and then back.

The 95 can do it, but it is older and you never really can tell deep inside that some bearing is going out, a piston ring has just cracked, a u joint getting weak.

And then I have always had the dream of going to Oz, and THAT may be the real adventure, riding a Wing in Australia, will have to wait and see about that.
Now a new Wing or several 2014 models are in Anchorage right now, not a whole lot in shipping tacked on, actually in all truth in Alaska there is a MUCH larger Harley fan base, they are EVERYWHERE. Craigslist is nothing but Harleys, a few street bikes, a lot of dirt bikes. Less than a half dozen Wings all last summer listed, and I picked up three of them, well I have four actually.
I can part out the two the 81 and the 84, many people wanting those rear master cylinders....

Oh well thats about it, so I am kinda lurking at GL1800riders checking out what they think, and I am seeing some patterns emerge about build, paint and extras being sub grade or faulty.And it does appear as if the GL1800 is a bit behind the tech curve.
Thats not so good.
 
#17 ·
Your price estimate is about 9k high. Check out ebay for new models. Searcy Ark. comes to mind, though I bought mine new online from a dealer in Evansville Indianna. If mother Honda didn't want them to be sold $5,000 dollars below msrp they wouldn't keep supplying these dealers.
 
#18 ·
I don't know what "level" it is, but the new 2014 GL1800 I saw on the showroom floor yesterday was priced at $28,100. I'm guessing folks really need to compare apples to apples when talking about pricing...and that not doing so accounts for most of the wide variables in what people pay for their new 'Wings(?)
 
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