I got back this afternoon from the Cleveland Motorcycle Show. Attendance was down from last year in my opinion, but I suspect this is simply because it's Super Bowl Sunday. That said, while there were just as many bikes as previous years, the amount of apparel and accessory vendors was WAY down from last year. I went with the intention of trying on and buying a new pair of summer gloves - but was completely unable to find anyone selling any decent gloves! I found a couple vendors with an incidental small selection of gloves, but nothing decent. Previous years had row after row of apparel vendors - this year I could count the apparel vendors on one hand. Previous years had tons of unrelated vendors selling everything from food mixers to brew-your-own-beer systems. This year had none of those. So the show was definitely smaller.
- Cleveland Motorcycle Show
While I had a look at most of all the bikes, I decided I would have the closest look at bikes that challenge the Goldwing for market share, and it's on those bikes that this report will focus. In no particular order, I give you the Bikes of the Cleveland Bike Show 2014:
BMW appears to be going all-out in their attempt to create the ultimate touring bike, and make no mistake, they are targeting the GL1800 directly with their K1600GT.
- BMW K1600GT
The amount of technology crammed into this bike makes the rather dated CB and navigation on the GL1800 look antiquated in comparison. SO many bikes I saw had electrically-adjustable windshields. Hello, Honda?
- BMW K1600GT Cockpit
Features available only on the aftermarket on the GL1800 such as passenger arm rests can be had from the factory:
- BMW K1600GT with trunk
Modern adaptive projector beam HID Xenon headlights again make the 1990's technology headlight on the GL1800 look ancient. Why doesn't Honda's flagship feature this type of technology?
- BMW K1600GT Adaptive Xenon Headlight
There were quite a few Japanese manufacturers who are trying to cash in on the touring market by adding bags to massive sportbikes, to make sport-tourers such as is seen in this Kawasaki Concours. The Concours is a nice (but) heavy bike, but the leaning-forward sportbike stance on it would be very tiring after a couple of hours. The seat was also quite hard, which to me would not be very comfortable after more than a couple of hours of riding.
- Kawasaki Concours
The other type of stab at the touring market by Japanese manufacturers is the big V-Twin. Basically trying to out-Harley Harley Davidson, the Vulcan 1700 is a massive, wide, heavy bike that to me, has far too many concessions to ergonomics in the name of styling.
- Kawasaki 1700 Vulcan
The Can-Am Spyder RT is obviously intended for long-distance touring, and I suspect that this reverse trike would be on my list if I had physical limitations that prevented me from riding a "leaning" bike. Tons of storage space abound in this trike. One of the features that most turned me on was the adjustable handlebars. Easily adjusted for both angle and reach, this feature should DEFINITELY exist on the Goldwing.
- Can-Am Spyder RT Limited
Whereas every bike manufacturer explicitly warns against pulling trailers with their motorcycles, Can-Am actually offers a factory hitch and trailer to go along with their Can-Am Spyder.
- Can-Am Spyder Trailer
The bike show usually has some cool non-motorcycle things to see. These were few and far between this year, however I did see this interesting prototype four-passenger ATM from Can-Am. It's quite long with not a huge amount of ground clearance, it looks to me like it would get hung up on fairly small hills or bumps.
- Can-Am Maverick Max
Of course, Harley Davidson had a huge area, right as you first enter the show, and it was crowded with the Harley-loving Ohio folk. This Electra-Glide Ultra Classic had a comfortable seating position and lots of road-hugging weight, but the vibration, noise and stratospheric price of these bikes just turns me off.
- Harley Electra-Glide Ultra Classic
Ducati had no touring bikes whatsoever, but they did have by far the best, uh, representatives.
- Ducati
Triumph has a solid entry with their Triumph Trophy SE. A slightly forward seating position belies its slight sportbike influences. The easily removable bags have a unique suspension system that allows them to float free of the bike, to reduce the felt mass in corners. The ergonomics on this bike were excellent, it was quite comfortable to sit on.
- Triumph Trophy SE
Again, like so many other bikes I saw today, the cockpit area of the Trophy has technological innovations driven with handlebar mounted menu controls that are completely absent on the Goldwing.
- Triumph Trophy SE Cockpit
This yellow flamed Victory stood out simply because of its outstanding factory paint job.
- Yellow Victory
Love it or hate it, you can't argue that the Victory Vision (which in my opinion should be called the Victory Spaceship) has some radical styling. If only it would dispense with the 1950's era rattling, shaking air-cooled V-Twin that is cemented into America's consciousness as the "proper" motorcycle engine.
- Victory Spaceship
The refined, stylish cockpit and swoopy lines of the bike just don't fit with the engine in my opinion. This bike deserves a silky smooth inline or V 4 or 6.
- Victory Spaceship Cockpit
The Yamaha FJR is another sport-tourer - bike sportbike with bags on the back. Having done thousand-mile-a-day rides, I just can't imagine doing more than even half of that on a bike that has you riding in the position this cockpit puts you in. The seat on this bike was rock-hard in my opinion, another strike against it as a long-distance tourer.
- Yamaha FJR
The "adventure" bike segment was well-represented at the show, especially with BMW and KTM, the two heavyweights of that market. However, the Yamaha Super Tenere had one feature that I heard many people comment about:
- Yamaha Super Tenere
And here's the feature, something unique that I've never seen on a bike before. Having had many occasion to pull myself out of a sticky (ok, muddy) situation on an ATV using its winch, it makes perfect sense to have one on this type of motorcycle.
- Yamaha Super Tenere Winch
I expected to see a big crowd around the brand new Honda Valkyrie, the same way there was a huge crowd around the then-new F6B last year. Instead, the poor, unloved Valkyrie was being completely ignored. Perhaps it was a mistake for Honda to put it right next to the F6B, which itself was getting a reasonable amount of attention?
- Honda Valkyrie
Sitting on the Valkyrie with no fairing and no windshield, it felt extremely exposed. I would expect this feeling from a tiny sportbike, not from a massive GL1800-powered bike.
- Honda Valkyrie Cockpit
The front end of the Valkyrie, with its modern HID headlight (again Honda, what about the Goldwing?) is, in my opinion, a disaster. It's just...ugly.
- Honda Valkyrie Headlight
The Honda F6B, in yellow over flat black was getting a fair amount of attention from the attendees.
- Honda F6B
The familiar GL1800 cockpit has a few relocated buttons in order to fit the new fairing on the F6B.
- Honda F6B Cockpit
People really seem to like the flat black blacked-out GL1800. To me, flat black is just about the worst color for a bike - not only is it dull and boring to look at, it's virtually invisible in traffic, particularly at night.
- Honda Blacked Out GL1800
- Honda Blacked Out GL1800
To me, the new CTX line of motorcycles is where Honda is really shining. The new CTX700 would be perfect for my wife, and I would buy it for her tomorrow, except for two glaring problems: the ridiculous forward foot controls, and the automatic transmission. Honda, please, stop with the automatic transmissions. We ride motorcycles, we LIKE to shift gears. The CTX700 has a perfect upright seating position, good handlebars, removeable bags, and uses that sweet 700cc engine introduced last year on the NC700X. However, you are forced to sit with your feet uncomfortably way out in front of you.
- Honda CTX700
How embarrassing (for Honda) that the technology used in the cockpit on its CTX series, for the audio system, and driver informatics far exceeds that which is used on its "flagship" GL1800?
- Honda CTX700 Cockpit
Honda's CTX1300, with its longitudinally mounted V-4, is a serious contender to the Goldwing, and I suspect will suck up some of its sales. With pulled-back handlebars, an upright seating position, perfectly positioned footpegs, a deep-sculpted seatback, huge saddlebags, and current technology, this bike is designed to eat up the miles.
- Honda CTX1300
- Honda CTX1300
I had read about the new lithium batteries offered by Battery Tender, and got to have a look at them today. With an 18 year shelf life (charge them up, and they will maintain their charge for 18 months, unlike lead-acid batteries, which lose their charge over time), 5+ year life, and weighing 80% less than lead-acid batteries, I don't really see a downside. They don't sulfate, there is nothing to spill, and they weigh next to nothing! I thought at first they were just a demonstration battery, and were empty plastic boxes - but no, they really did weigh that little!
- Battery Tender Lithium Batteries
Lastly, I was pleased to see bands from one of the Cleveland School of Rock music schools playing throughout the show. I'll give them a plug because I know they do good work producing great musicians - because my daughter goes there. Not only has she learned to play guitar, she's overcome her paralyzing fear of singing in front of people. These kids played amazingly well.
- School of Rock on stage
So that was the Cleveland Motorcycle Show for 2014. Did you attend? Did you see something I might have missed? Speak up and let's hear what you thought of the show!
I have had Corbin seats on my last three bikes and love them. Just touching one you say its hard but to ride on one is pure comfort no hot spots on those long rides. Will be doing a couple hundred mile trip mid March on my Goldwing and will be able to evaluate the factory seat. Let's face it Cowboys didn't have a soft saddle yet rode all day. At least the Harley Ultra comes standard with a CB and doesn't cost you an extra $1,000 if you install it yourself.
