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I admit I even looked at the Honda's. They are a nice product there I said it. But that is it. There is no soul to a Honda like a Harley. I was told by the salesperson that I could have test rode any Honda I wanted to. I could not be happier with my 06 Ultra Classic. The sound the ride and the time on my bike I really enjoy even it is just riding to or from work.
Jeff
Went through the very same thing here in NC. Ride a FatBoy now, but wife and I decides we want a bagger. Well my brother rides a Wing and was up my A** about I got to ride one. I had ridden his and told him I felt like I was on top of the bike as opposed to riding it. But the wife and I go out and look, same story from the dealers. Oh how those Harley su*k compared to a wing. I get a little defensive, advise this is probably not a real good tack with me as I happen to like my Harley a good bit. Guy keeps it up though. I ask him to explain then why there are so many more Harley on the road. No real response to this query.
I can test drive a GW if I buy and then they will refund if I dont like it. This ain't gonna fly with me so we leave. I get a call a couple of days later "oh gosh we didn't mean it" come on back in and ride a wing. Well we went about two miles before the bride says I hate it, cant see over your helmet, wind buffets me and in general I am not comfortable.
So we rent an UC for a day, I pick it up, come home get the bride, we go about 30 minutes before she tells me to be sure to take the check book when we go back to the dealer. the UC will be in Mid Sept. I am scheming on how to keep the Fat Boy in addition.
Moral of the story is, My experiance with the GW is that the sales stratigy is to tell their potential customers how much Harley will leave them disappoitned and they will find eternal happiness on a new GW. Funny thing is there was not one HD trade in on his lot, go figure. Additionally that feeling was just missing like one of the members said.
I told the GW guy that must be why so many GW riders wear full face helmets, so no one would be able to see who is riding it.
About a year and a half ago, I was looking for a bike. My wife loved the Goldwing. And I liked it also. We looked around at used ones and could not find anything that suited us. We went to a Honda dealership and found a new red one! Our Color! And was really ready to buy it that day. I asked the salesman to start it up so I could hear it run. He said " I cant do that until you buy it" " It does not have any fluids in it, And we can not add any until it is sold" I said " what a bunch of **** that is! How the hell do you expect to sell a bike? " And walked out. And Bought a HD a few weeks later. And I seen a GW yesterday pull into a fast food joint. And I was SOO SOO glad that I finally Bought the Ultra for touring!
ORIGINAL: Beavis
Four dealers before you could test ride one, I just don't understand it. Here you are, ready to drop $20,000 and they expect you to do it without a test ride.
I've owned both bikes and they are both GREAT, so put a smile on and ride safe.
I've never ridden a wing but I was thinking about it since by wife is having a second neck surgery and we were riding a Vic Kingpin. I ended up with the ultra classic because of the money (thats someting you don't here much). If the goldwing where 12K-15K I probably would own one but for the same money (almost) how can you not go Harley.
As far as the "soul" aspect. I think it is more of a VTwin thing that a Harley thing (don't stone me). I still have my Kingpin for ripping up the roads when Mamma has to stay home. I bonded with that bike from the first time I cranked it over. They are a well balanced VTwin but you can still feel it. My ultra 96ci engine on the other hand jumps around in the frame like a camed up big block getting ready to leave the tree (I love it). When I'm at a stoplight with it you can see people on my left. The aren't looking at the blue pearl paint or the chrome bag guards, they are watching the horn jump all over the place and thinking, "I bet that think is faster than h#ll.
Just make the glide a gift to her, and then explain to her how much you will be getting ripped off if you trade the fatboy in. Tell her you are going to try to sell it yourself, and then well you get the picture...
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