Review Honda Goldwing F6B – the Bagger
In Hamilton we are lucky to have a very good Honda dealer with a wide range of motor cycles available.
On Saturday, 18 January 2014 I wandered in for a look around and there was a stunning looking, red and black F6B on the floor. I discovered that that machine was a demonstrator. The dealer had got it in for a client to ride in the meantime, the instructions from Blue Wing Honda were to get it out and about, for as many people to look at and ride as possible. Apparently, it isn’t intended to import anymore.
I suggested that I should borrow the F6 to take it on the Waikato Ulysses afternoon ride the following day, Sunday, 19 January 2014. With a little bit of arm twisting, I managed to get my way. I returned to the shop at 1.45pm, dropped off my ST1300 and picked up the F6. The first thing I noticed was the width of the seat. Although it is a lower machine than the ST, because of the width of the machine, I was not quite able to plant my feet fully on the ground while seated. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a handbook, however, I was able to work out most of the controls. I had promised my wife that I was going in to the office to do some work on Saturday afternoon, I rode it gingerly and carefully 2kms around the streets to our work address. It’s a completely different machine to the ST1300 and felt distinctly unfamiliar.
After putting in sufficient time at work, it was then a 6km ride to home. By the time I completed that, I was beginning to feel more familiar with the machine. That evening, we photographed it and put some photos up on Facebook. It is a machine that most people have an opinion about. We ended up with about 27 comments, both positive and negative. On Sunday, the rendezvous for the Ulysses ride was the Rototuna BP. We left home, put in an extra 10 litres of fuel and headed to the meeting point just prior to 1.00pm. To my disappointment, there was only two other bikes, Mick with his Triumph and Peter with a Kawasaki Cruiser.
It was out from Rototuna on to the Gordonton Road, a right turn on to the Whitikahu Road, Tahuna Road and then Swamp Road to Paeroa. By now I was well and truly getting the hang of this machine. I found it to be reasonably manoeuvrable but not quite as much as the ST. I found a little counter-steer helped when cornering. The very smooth 1800cc motor was a joy. What I didn’t enjoy was the short cut-off screen, I am well used to something higher which I just look over the top.
It was then through the Karangahape Gorge to the Station Café. Heather wasn’t so keen on pilloning on this machine. The main problem was the lack of a back rest. Other than the back rest (a back rest for a pillion is available as an optional extra), the machine is ideal for carrying a pillion. You simply don’t notice the extra weight. The only problem was if she wriggled at all, you certainly felt that.
After a relaxed coffee at the Station Café, it was then a free ride home. We travelled back out through the Gorge, down to Te Aroha then back across to Hamilton.
Monday morning, I was up early and took the machine back in to Honda Hamilton and picked up the ST. In some ways, I was rather glad to retrieve the ST, a dramatically lighter machine. I ended up having a short discussion with Peter Bryant and he had also made arrangements to ride a second hand 2009 Gold Wing by way of comparison.
Contrast - A ride on the real thing
On Saturday morning, 25 January, it was back to the Honda Hamilton shop and there was a 2009 Gold Wing waiting for me which I could ride by comparison. Immediately I got onto the Wing, I noticed that the seating was different, a little bit higher and of course, the seat was a little more refined than on the Bagger.
When I left Honda Hamilton on the previous Saturday on the Bagger I felt nervous and uncomfortable, I didn’t have the same feeling at all with the Wing. Maybe it was a result of having previously ridden the Bagger. I was surprised how easy this very heavy motorcycle was to ride. I took the machine out from Hamilton over the hill to Whatawhata. From Whatawhata I turned left and proceeded down Kakaramea Road for just over 4kms and turned left into Koromatua Road then Collins Road and back into Hamilton.
On the whole, I was very impressed with the Wing, to me it was a much superior machine than the Bagger and much more suited to my style of riding. It was very easy to control on the road. In the short ride I had, I was unable to work out how to use all the controls and equipment. A manual and a couple of spare hours would no doubt be necessary.
Am I in the market for a new machine at the moment? No, sadly I have to conclude not, I still thoroughly enjoy riding my Honda ST1300, although I can see an eventual move to a Gold Wing being a logical progression for me.
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