1995 GL1500 passenger weight

[GilletteWing]

Hello from Wyoming! 1995 GL1500 Aspencade.

My question is just a tad embarrassing so NO LAUGHING!

The manual says the max cargo and passenger weight is 408 pounds. My beautiful bride is about 140 pounds and her big fat ass husband is 310 pounds. Obviously when we ride 2 up we are over the weight limit by roughly 40 pounds ( depending on how many doughnuts I had that day). We don't carry a whole lot of stuff in the saddle bags or trunk but let's add another 20 pounds just for the sake of argument. So that puts us at roughly 60 pounds over the Maximum weight listed in the owners manual. Now I am fully aware that all manufactures of anything that has a max weight listed has put some buffer room in there. So the big question is are we safe to be riding with those weights? I raise the air close to the max of 57psi when we ride together. So other than the obvious lose some weight fat ass, what do you guys think? Are we cool?

I just bought the bike about a month ago so I am still getting familiar with it (I've been riding an 82 GL1100 Interstate). I put progressive shocks on the 82 a couple of years ago and they sure made a difference in the riding comfort. I don't know if this new one has the progressive shocks or not yet. What's kinda weird to me is that when you take a quick look at the rear, the right side looks like any old other shock I've seen but on the left side, it's just a spring. Is that normal?

What say you?! LOL

[Rednaxs60]

I'll jump in for the "H" of it. I agree that there is some slack in the GVW; however, it is how the bike is registered and should be adhered to. Having said this, there are a lot of bikes out there that you see daily that are pushing, or over the GVW.

There is nothing you can do in the way of mods, etc to change this rating, but you can give yourself some wiggle room with tire load rating, heavier shocks (use the heavy duty ones). Changes such as these will only give you a bit more of a safety margin, but cannot change the initial issue of the bike being overloaded in excess of the GVW. Installing a PVT (CT - not for everyone) can give a better load rating on the rear of the bike but does not change the GVW, and before anyone jumps on this, many bikes tow trailers, but there is no OEM that condones that or mentions it in their literature or owner's manual as an option.

Overloading the bike will require more diligence on your part, no more hard into the corners and such. Have to ride it more like a Cadillac then a Miata.

You mention the suspension upgrade you did on an 1100 a few years ago - highly recommend doing the same on the 1500. Get the best you can afford because of your situation - I put the Traxxion suspension on my 1800 and for my 1200, Progressive non-air shocks rear and Race Tech front fork suspension. You won't regret it and it is your safety that is paramount.

You mention your weight, and I commend you on that - I'm 210 lbs at 6'2" (struggle with weight every day - want to get back down to about 195). There was an article in the Motorcycle Consumer News about this. He mentioned that we are very diligent when it comes to maintaining our rides in the best shape possible; however, we tend to not take care of ourselves the same way. The author further mentioned that our longevity in riding is directly proportional to our fitness and health level, and as such, he and his wife are embarking on a better life style regime because he is not ready to pack in his riding yet.

You ask are you safe - this is perspective and cannot be quantified. Is a person who is 150 lbs, duck walks across parking lots and needs forty acres to turn around any more safe than a person of your size that may be able to turn his bike in 18 feet, never duck walks, does continuous rider education to keep his skill level at a very high level.

Only you and your Mrs can determine your safety level and how you want to ride. Good luck and ride safe - remember we are at the bottom of the food chain on the highways.

Just MHO.

Cheers

[GilletteWing]

Hello Rednaxs60. I really appreciate your response and honesty. Now that I look back at it, are we safe is a pretty unanswerable question. I used to be down around 200 pounds years ago but after two heart attacks and quadruple bypass, 9 stents put in my heart and emergency artery rupture during a heart cath has taken its toll. Had to open me up right there on the cath table wide awake albeit for only about 2 seconds before losing consciousness. I definitely don't recommend it! I have about 48% heart function as of last year so exercise is extremely difficult as I can only walk a block or so before I am hurting. So losing the weight is the best thing to do but extraordinarily difficult in my case. But I'm going to keep trying! Riding is about the only thing I can still do which I love. Going to have to figure something out. I am not giving up riding!

Again, appreciate the advise. Any idea why there's a spring on one side and a shock on the other side?

[Rednaxs60]

No worries. It's not easy to lose what we put on. Treated for throat cancer in 2014, all is good, dropped 50 pounds - nothing tasted good. Don't recommend radiation as a weight loss program either. My issue is I like food and intake too much - working on it.

As for the shocks, looked at a the parts fiche. Looks like there is one air and one non-air shock on the 1995 1500. Have looked on line as well, one air and one non-air. Maybe the 1500 crowd can chime in here.

Cheers

[golden highway]

Shock issue is factory. From what I under stand the air shock on the 1500 is more of a ride hight adjustment.

My wife and I also exceed the weight limit on the 1500 but riding around looking at other riders I think we are ok. I see much larger couples riding all the time. I also see them loaded down with gear plus towing a loaded down trailer.

[GilletteWing]

Yeah. Just yesterday I saw a couple who were at least 500 pounds and loaded up heading home from the Sturgis Ralley. I see it a lot this particular week of the year. Anyone who is going to or from the ralley from the West on I-90 go right thru my town. We see thousands of bikes this week every year.

[golden highway]

If you are really concerned you could always make that tough decision and tell your wife she needs to lose 40 pounds

[GilletteWing]

LOL! I'd prefer to live a little bit longer yet!

[garwil]

I have always considered the weight limits listed as "Suggestions" or "Guidelines" rather than hard rules. Primarily because, as noted above, you see them exceeded all the time. How many of us has never put more weight in the trunk or side cases than the manual says the max weight is? Likewise, as mentioned, safety is in the eye of the beholder. My father-in-law was adamant that pulling a trailer behind a car was tantamount to signing your own death warrant. But he would load more weight onto a roof rack than the primary weight of the car, and go swaying down the road without a second thought.

As mentioned above by others, the combined weight of my wife and I (Note I did not list either of our weights) exceeds the max load of our '99 GL1500. This is because we are both past age 29, and the load rating on the bike is determined by a combination of engineers and lawyers. However, in a nod to safety, I choose to carry our luggage in a trailer I pull behind the bike. That keeps the rear tire from carrying all the extra weight of the luggage. Now some cover their mouth in horror at the excessive risk I am taking by pulling a trailer, but I feel that it more than off set by the added safety of staying closer to the load rating of the tires.

Another option that seems to be gaining lately is to teach the wife to ride her own bike. This has a number of Pro's and Con's, but for me they are all mostly con's. First, my wife has told me that she had absolutely no interest in learning how to ride (I think it is because she likes sleeping back there, and it would be to much work to have to sit up and pay attention). Second, it would require us to buy another motorcycle (I don't know if this is a Pro or a Con?) Also, I like having my wife all snuggled up as we go along (most of the time). Lastly, I think my greatest problem is that I don't think it is wise to give my wife the choice of riding off in another direction. So, for now, we just consider the weight limit to be more of a suggestion.

[GilletteWing]

Great response! I'm in the exact same situation as you concerning the wife. We are just going to ride and enjoy ourselves and leave the stress at work were it belongs!