Breaking up with an older bike

[stan0614]

Not sure it’s a midlife crisis or what - but I met a young 2015 Goldwing Gl1800 and I am in love. In fact, we signed the papers and she’s mine. She teases me when she gets turned on when her GPS lights up and she says “Hello Studmuffin”. I could go on and on about how I can’t wait to ride her daily, but I digress, this is about my older bike.

I went out to many places on “Suzi” ( 2007 Suzuki C90T 1500 ). Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Beaches, Montains, Twisties, The Dragon, The Snake. 55,000 miles of fun. She did let me down three times when she copped an attitude and broke her stator on purpose but other than that she’s been a joy.

It about broke my heart to move her to the old shed out back. When I mow the grass and go by the shed, I can’t even look in it’s direction, I feel so guilty knowing she’s in there alone. I guess the best thing to do is to try to find her someone new too. But the Fatal instinct part of my brain just doesn’t want to let her go.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel the same when they meet a new model and turn their back on an old love?

[Mh434]

Yup, it's not just you. I about choked up seeing my beloved Kawasaki Concours ride off into the sunset, for the last time, without me. I had many, many good years, with that bike. Mostly good times (and some bad - hitting a deer was the worst), and she never let me down. Somehow, it felt...traitorous. But, when the new owner laid eyes on her, it was love at first sight, so I knew she'd have a good home.

Bittersweet, really, but then I could devote my whole attention to my new-to-me 'Wing...

[minimac]

Same here. It was with a very heavy heart that I parked my Aspencade in the Shed. We've been all over and it never let me down. Bad hip on my part is the cause of our separation. I'm not quite ready to part ways yet, but that day is coming soon.

[WingAdmin]

I felt the same way when I got my GL1500. My GL1100 was relegated to a corner in the garage. I fully intended to keep both bikes - I told myself that they were two different bikes, and were for different kinds of riding. I would take my GL1100 out for a "pity ride" now and then, but I found myself always gravitating to the GL1500 every time I went out.

Eventually it was time to admit that the GL1100 needed a new loving home where she would be ridden on a regular basis.

[NVSB4]

I've had a different experience each time that I brought a "new girl" home. I've never had a chance to reminisce due to an outside influence.
My wife is obviously the jealous type because each time she's told me that one other woman was enough, much less two.

[Aussie81Interstate]

We might all suffer from trying or deciding to part with a much loved piece of metal which has taken us many places through many types of weather, and has faithfully on most occasions got us there and back - but when opportunities come up to buy something a bit more suitable as our needs and wants change as well - we adapt and move forward - in most cases the metal cannot adapt - and we don't want to destroy the essence of that much loved metal.

[Fred Camper]

The shed is not proper. There are many single folks out there, just need to be a match maker and align the right sole to your older bike. Many of us cannot ride enough to keep multiple bikes in great repair, and bikes just do not store well. Who would've figured that Honda did not design these machines to be stored with no prep? So best to find them a lover and ensure no long term storage.

[dogdoggybob]

I think It is going to be a lot easier for me to let one go if I have an interest in trying something else.
Yeah, I could keep them all but they are taking up too much space as it is.

Do I get rid on one or two then buy the bike I've been pondering or get it and then let them go.

Sometimes you have to jump on a good deal ( been there) but I kinda made an agreement/rule with myself not to bring anything else home until one or two go.

Bottome line - got to keep at least one (GL runner at all times!

I know this too - whoever gets one of my bikes is going to get a good deal. I know I am going to upside down on the bike $ wise, but I've had fun with it and I got a good deal so I'm going to pass the savings on. That and I'm not going to re-list it endlessly to squeeze out a few more bucks.

In the end we have to let go - (of everything )- no matter how much we paid for it!

Be safe

[memphismike]

As of today, I have my "new to me" Wing for 1 Year. I still have my 2002 Shadow Sabre and have yet to let her go. To offset this...during the warm months, I have managed to keep her running and mix up riding with the wing...Mainly just riding the Shadow to and from work..which is about 16 miles round trip. Now the cool months are upon me. I have never had to winterize a bike...but as many of you know, the Wing is so ideal for cold temps and staying warm while you ride. I am at a loss for what to do with it. My 17yr old son also wants me to hang onto it for when he gets a couple of years older. The Struggle is REAL!

[golden highway]

As sad as I was to see the old one go the new one always seemed to bring me more pleasure then the last. I often look at my wife and think hey if it works for motorcycles???? But then I look at the new models and can't stand they way they sound and fear the ride wouldn't be as good. When comes to wives I think I will stick to the old one and if one day she can't be repaired I will just leave that spot in the barn empty.

[bjrussell]

My 1973 CB450 is in the garage. I can't bear to get rid of it yet because I bought it new. BUT! my knees and feet can no longer sit on a Honda CB for much of a trip. Still riding after 51 years.
I now ride a Suzuki 800 Boulevard, much better on my knees. Oh, there are two GoldWings in the garage that my knees keep me off them.

BJ

[Fred Camper]

Oh no, do not let go of a 73 CB450 that you bought new. That is a nice little go cart. Better keep her aroun.

[ceo]

I too tend to keep ahold of my bikes along time , but had that when to say when moment in the driveway recently . Had new gravel put in the driveway about a month before and thought everything was getting packed but the wing found a softspot and dug in and we had a stopped tip over . 4 years ago the wife and I had our first tipover after 16 yrs on this bike and I had no problem lifting it back up but 4 yrs and some health issues later thats not the case . I loved my 95 aspencade and had alot of fun adding to it and keeping it super clean not to mention all the trouble free trips we took . But picking it up in loose gravel , I thought I was going to blow a gasket and had lost my confidence in these situations . So still wanted a wing of some sort but needs to sit lower and be lighter ,enter my new to me 2014 valkyrie . Yes they look a little strange but if you get a chance to ride one do it ,you'll forget all about that . Yes I gave up some comfort wind wise but this thing is prefect for me now ,handles so well, a good 180+ lbs lighter and it sounds amazing ! Happy in the Buckeye state , Oh and the old love found a happy home in NE Ohio to someone who had been looking for her .

[wingpilot08]

I know the feeling also...

We had stopped at the local dealership one Saturday last year to get prices for part to rebuild my master cylinder. Jokingly told my wife to go look at the bikes on the showroom floor. There was a 2008 1800-HPNA that was just placed on the floor less then a hour ago. RED....low milage (3300miles) and in very good shape. The price was right...and I pulled the trigger.

At the time my current ride was a 96 GL-1500-SE that I had purchased in 1996...Pearl White! We had many miles on this bike and many smiles going down the road. Really wasn't an issue with her...but the 1800 was calling my name. I put the 1500 on Craigslist with what I thought was a fair price for a bike with just shy of 210,000 miles. I had a buyer within 4 days...he drove 4.5 hours to see the Wing...cash in hand...just asking questions about the bike, maintainence, seervice...all the right questions. And in the end...he drove off into the night on MY 96SE. It was good to know that another rider wasnted her and was going to continue to ride the 96.

I did have a tear in my eye when I saw him take an exit to return home.........that 96SE was a GREAT bike!

[captpuget]

Motorcycles are so much like living beings and I fully agree it's often hard to part with them.

Memphis Mike has it right: if can keep an older bike that is dissimilar enough from your newer one, you have a good reason to ride both. I use my Wing for two-up and travelling but am looking at an adventure bike for solo, exploring trips.

[OldZX11Rider]

When I started hunting for my Goldwing, I was sort of hoping to keep my Shadow and my wife would ride it. She knows how to ride and I talked to her several times but she wanted no part of that plan.
I was searching all the bike websites when I found the ' Wing I wanted. A 1985 Limited. A trusted relative lived nearby and checked it out for me. It was in very good condition.
I sold my Shadow for less than I was asking but enough, with my savings, to buy that Goldwing. Although I had expressed my interest to the owner a couple times, I had not made any firm commitment to buy.
His bike had been listed for over 2 months, the day I sold my Shadow I called to tell him I was coming to see his bike. He had just sold it.
I was 99% sure I was going to buy, now my Shadow was gone and the limited was gone. There was only the riding mowers in the shop to work on now.
Just wasn't the same.
About a month later I found my new to me 1500. I still think about that "little" 750 Shadow I rode many trouble free miles on.

[kepfordj]

Some of my bikes I will not part with, I've had my gl 1500 for just 2 weeks now but I still ride the SuperX on a regular basis for short runs. My KZ1300b is the bike my wife and I left the wedding on many years ago and the Matchless is my fathers old bike. The one bike I still regret losing is my 86 gl 1200, I bought it new when I was young but lost my job a year later and honda took it back.

[Nicksacco]

It's a terrible feeling! And...still struggling. I've ridden GL's all my life and took ownership of a lovely 1989 in 2007. Since then, it has had carbs rebuilt, new this and new that as I replaced the aftermarket stuff getting it back to OEM. A labor of love. I even had the seat rebuilt and installed a seat heater! I've travelled near and far on it and then I met 2012. She wooed me with her GPS, her XM and her ABS. Her power is amazing and gives me a kick each time I ride. They both share a garage and each have their own characteristics and attitudes. Hmmm, I guess I'm a softy and will end up keeping them both!

[roadwanderer2]

i feel the same way as some of you guys do with your bikes. here i am, not rich by any means and i have 2 goldwings. my first wing was my 83 1100 aspy. i've owned it for 2 1/2 years, put a LOT of money,( approx. $3100) and time into replacing parts from front to back on her and 23,000 miles riding her thinking i would be riding it for as long as i can. by accident i found another wing, an 86 1200 aspy SEi), sitting in a junk yard looking all sad lonely and neglected. so i took a chance and bought it only to find out that it did have some potential, but not sure if i could "resurrect" it from the dead. trailered it home, did some "tinkering" to it and got it to fire up. then the fun started with having to replace parts. that was ok with me because i liked this bike much better than my 1100 in more ways than i could have imagined. not only is this bike more comfortable to just sit on, but its nicer in almost every aspect. there's no comparison between the 2 bikes. this 86 aspy is more powerful, (fuel injection as apposed to carbs), stable, and almost "wind-proof" out on the interstate than my 1100.

for a few months now both bikes were living in my garage, my 1100 sitting in there in a corner looking all lonely and depressed dreaming to be ridden while my new-er aspy sits by the garage door ready to get out onto the road. since i have very little room in my garage to move around much less do any work on my new-er bike, i have tried a couple of times to, (with much reluctance and sadness) to sell her,(my 1100) to someone that would appreciate the bike as much as i have. i've gotten a few responses to my craigslist ad. the few responses i did get were asking me if i would trade it for a camper, ship it to another state and take a cashiers check for it. i replied "no" to all of them. i've lowered my asking price by $800 dollars and still no one wants her. im thinking about dropping the price down another $300 just to get it sold, but as of now, i purchased a new motorcycle cover and she now resides in my back yard behind my pool fence and there it will stay until either she gets sold or rots. its a shame really, you would think with all thats been done to this bike SOMEONE would want it. at this point i have 2 options, sell it complete, or part it out and sit on it until its stripped down to the frame.

stuart.

[insanemoondoggie]

I can't seem to get rid of any, I have a GL1000, Gl1500 and a 2000 Vulcan Nomad that I customized when I got it new. I met the wife on the GL1000, got married on the Nomad and picked up the GL1500 so we could ride together easier. I have put on 1800 miles since Jan 1st,so the bikes are getting rode.
When the wife goes we take the GL1500, when it's just me I take the Nomad as it is a Solo bike now, the GL1000 is going thru a rebuild right now. . I also have a 1986 Shadow 700 and a1964 Vespa VNB and can not yet part with any of them. Keeps me busy just doing the routine maintenance on them, but I'm a retired mechanic so it gives me something to do.
The only bike I do not regretted selling was my 1984 Harley Low Rider, it was an O.K. bike, but did not do much for me in the handling and power department, just do not care for Harley's much.

[Happytrails]

The way I look at it motorcycles are happy when ridden. So I'd rather see someone else taking that bike one fun trips than have it sit around slowly deteriorating. But its different if you own a few bikes. To me that would be ideal.

[WINGER3]

I had the same problem until one day I opened the garage to find that I had 5 bikes inside and couldn't remember the one I rode yesterday and that is when I started to sell all but one, 1985 GL1200A stayed. I loved the ST1100 for a weekend ride, the VFR1000 for that day when I just needed to get the blood going, the GL650I was a great go to work on bike, the CB350 was a puts around town on, but the GL1200A was the one for that long trip with the wife on the back and not a care in the world for the next 2-3 weeks on the road.
Then one day in 1994 with about 85,000 mi. on the GL1200A I sold it to buy a new GL1500I to ride to work, get the blood going, weekend rides and just puts around town and go on the 2-3 weeks with the wife without a care in the world, that's when I knew I only needed one Goldwing at a time and as my avatar shows I'v had a few more and still have one. Just goes to show that no mater how much you love many, one will have to do, just ask your wife.

[roadwanderer2]

my wife is a little upset with me because i spent over 3 grand on my 1100 to get it "just the way i want it" and now its just sitting in the back yard under a bike cover and not being used, and i have ANOTHER bike that im putting money into. so, right now, its a question of do i keep it and use it as a "back up" bike or let it go or let it sit there for eternity.

stuart.

[flogger]

The 3 that I currently have, I will not part with... and they live in the garage. Not under a cover outside nor in a shed... I guess I am a bigamist., lol... I do ride them all but I am retired. I'm lucky to have room in the garage for them and the cars.

[roadwanderer2]

i wish i could teach my wife to ride my other wing, i would let her in a minute but unfortunately its too big and heavy for her to handle. right now, in her state of mind i would be afraid to let her ride it because she is the type that would panic if a situation came up that would require her to make a split second decision to avoid danger, although she did ride a bike,(Honda 50cc dirt bike) when she was about 11 years old and only in a cow pasture, but that was a long time ago. i would have to get her a smaller bike to learn on again, something like a Honda CM400T, C or E, or something of that size bike. then when i know she can handle a smaller bike i would be willing to let her try something a little bigger like a 650 or a 750 then see if she could handle my 1100.

if i knew she would be ok i would let her have it for her own so we could go riding together on our own wings but for now im just happy to have her as a passenger on mine when we go out on my 1200.

stuart.