New Owner of 40th Anniversary GL1800

[halmorrison]

Silver and fast...

We are in Acworth GA.

[CMReynolds1]

So, what have the added for the Anniversary model not on the others?

[halmorrison]

They added a very cute 40th Anniversary medallion on the faring and gas tank. Otherwise no difference from last years model.

[Viking]

It looks very good in silver. Red, however, is the fastest color, but the police know this. Stick with the silver. Congrats on the new bike.

[dmarble]

I too have recently taken delivery of a '15 Wing with ABS and Nav. I have had two before it, an '84 1200 Aspencade I owned for 16 years and put over 100K miles on and a '96 1500SE I owned for 10 years. But since 1975 when I first rode a turquoise GL1000 I've longed for a brand new Gold Wing. And I will tell you I am thrilled to finally have it! I opted for the special two tone red/black paint job (which added a grand) because I didn't like either black or silver. That was my main disappointment with my experience that when I finally can get a new bike, they have such lame color choices. I really wanted the blue. But I have to admit I get a lot of compliments on this bike, mostly from the younger crowd. And it will remain unique many years after since you'll only ever see this paint job on 40th anniversary bikes. So, it's growing on me. After having the 1500, I will say I'm very impressed with how well this bike handles, brakes, rides and GOES! OK sure, there's faster bikes like the Beemer 1600. But you can't say the 1800 is slow. I mean, it's a TOURING bike, not even a sport touring bike. How fast do you really need to go after all? This is by far the fastest Wing and it is a lot more fun to ride than any that have come before, and I've ridden all iterations of the Wing over the years. As for comparing it to my previous 1500 there are some interesting differences. Why did they eliminate the ability for the passenger to control their own volume? Why did they eliminate the built in seat rain cover the SE has? That was cool and I used it on more than one occasion. While the 1500 is definitely roomier for the driver, the 1800 is much nicer for the passenger (I'm only 5'9 so I'm not cramped anyway). And since my wife is not a skinny-Minnie, she really likes the new accommodations. I hate to admit it, but while the luggage on the 1800 is nicer in its operation, the 1500 had more useable space. They say you can get a full helmet in the saddlebags on the 18, and maybe you can, but the fact is, I can't put as much stuff in the saddle bags on the 18 as I could on the 15 which is surprising. I'm sure it's all about the styling. Since I tow a trailer whenever the wife and I travel, this is not a big deal for me, but it could be for some. But, after putting over 3000 miles on my new bike since early June, I would not trade it back for the 1500. The riding experience is much better on the 1800 and that's what I'm enjoying the most. This bike is a great touring bike and it's FUN to ride. It LOVES corners where the 1500 tolerated them and that's the best part. So, while many have disparaged the fact the Wing is long in the tooth and needs serious (contemporary) updating, it's still one hell of a great bike for what it was designed for. Yes it's expensive. Yes it's heavy. But I am seriously happy to have it and look forward to many years of enjoyment with it.