I answered one of those online surveys a few months ago. I think it started off a Cycle World web site. Long story short, I was invited on a factory demo ride. Rode about 2 hours to Kokomo, IN for a 4 hour event. Lunch was provided. Showed up to find a large tractor trailer rig sitting in the Marriot parking lot with about a dozen Wings lined up. All colors, all models. After sign in and a brief chat of the itinerary we headed to the bikes. The guy leading it went over the Dual Clutch set up and how to operate the bike in general. Just basics we needed to be aware of. Hill start assist, walk forward and reverse assist, DCT operation, parking brake (on DCT models), etc. Then we headed out on a 75 mile loop from 4 lane highway to some twisty back roads and sweepers. Electronic suspensions were already set up for solo riders. I opted for the tour model and accepted a DCT out of curiosity. Fully expecting not to like it and pick it apart. I won't go into how to operate the DCT or its features unless someone has a question, I'm sure there are lots of youtube vids already. I will say that when the bike is off, it is not in gear, hence the parking brake in front of the left knee. Operates exactly like a modern E brake in a car. Start the bike, hit the "D" on the right handlebar and 1st is engaged but the bike will sit still until you give it throttle. There is differs from a car. The trans remains in full auto mode until you decide otherwise. It shifts in (I believe) 600 milliseconds. Seamless. The same noise as a standard shift but less mechanical jolt. The harder you flog it, the smoother it gets. Rain, ECO, Tour, and Sport modes. Rain mode is like you are pulling a heavy trailer. Slower than my 88TC Road King with cams. No way you'll give it too much throttle to get in trouble in Rain mode. Didn't try Eco. Tour mode is where I left it most of the time. PLENTY of power to do anything you want. It will scoot. Toggle up Sport mode, hit the trigger shifter and hold on. I wasn't expecting much coming off a Concours 14, but I was thoroughly impressed. It felt like it had maybe 85% of the power of my Connie. 7 speeds, perfectly geared, and shifts so fast no human could match them. It felt like much more than the advertised 98HP. On the interstate it simply feels like a horse trying to run out from under you. Again, coming from a Concours.
Suspension - All I can say is WOW. Electronically controlled, double wishbone up front. Top of the suspension is clearly seen from the saddle. It catches your eye because there is movement up an down as it soaks up road imperfections. Its obvious. Its also obvious after the fact that you as the rider don't feel 98% of what is being absorbed by the bike itself. I purposely hit the pot holes, seams, RR tracks, poorly patched road repairs, this bike sets a standard. Along with my group was a 1600 GTL rider. He told me the Goldwing puts his BMW suspension to shame, no comparison. We were encouraged to find the limits on the bikes. Pin the throttle when appropriate, try and drag hard parts, make it dance. A few of us did. I leaned mine over far enough in a few sweepers and sharp turns the toe of my boot caught and got pulled off the peg. This bike will shred further, more stable, and with more confidence than my Concours. Shes a big girl, but she can dance with the best of them. All ya gotta do is lead. Guy from the BMW was hanging off the seat in a few sweepers, I never heard scraping. I can't praise it enough. Throw her down in a tight curve and she smirks, bend her over hard in a fast sweeper and she giggles back at you. THIS is what a bike should handle and ride like. I cranked her over good when I could and the road caught the toe of my boot and pulled it off the peg.
Did get to play with the stereo a bit. Windshield down, it was loud and clear at 50/60. Full faced helmet, no problem. I noticed that it sounded very hollow and tinny. Quality sucked. THEN I found sound setting in the menu and saw everything was set in the neutral position. Bass and treble were neither enhanced, nor subdued. Factory settings. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to play with it to see how well it would improve with a little tweaking. Clarity and volume were great.
All bikes had factory GPS, Cruise, bluetooth, keyless fob which automatically unlocked the bags when you got within 3 feet, and numerous other features, including power windows, heated seats and grips. The model I rode retails for $27,700, an airbag adds $4k. For me, $27 large is a lot of bills for 2 wheels. I'd sooner have 4 used wheels with 500+hp, no top and a stick shift for the same money without the guilt. OR 2-3 nice used bikes instead. My wife would sign off on it, maybe I'm a tight wad, I still try to find 2 liters of pop under a buck. Its a small victory when I do.
Still, that $27K gets you a ton of proven tech. Standard warranty is 3 years, an additional 5 is optional. The bike performs. It was made to carry you and a passenger in comfort over long distances. Much of it is plastic and aluminum, Thats also why it handles so well, protects the rider from the elements and was incredibly quiet with the screen up. When I'm riding long distances, that is EXACTLY what I want. I enjoy not feeling beat after 300 miles, and it only gets worse as years pass. Am I running out to buy one? Not even with the $500 coupon they gave us towards a new Wing. But, I'll keep the Goldwing hat and remember it for when the Concours no longer does it for me and move up. My 'zen' is on the side of a mountain with not a another human in sight for the last hour, sun setting, not knowing where I'm going, and 2,000 miles from home. The middle of nowhere. Alone. Two wheels and less than a plan of where I am going or what I'm to do. For me, a quiet, capable, smooth bike adds to that.
Something I didn't like about the DCT. Slow speed parking lot maneuvers. I kept grabbing for that clutch to manipulate the engagement zone for balance and momentum. Much easier to make exact and minute adjustments with a few fingers than rolling an entire wrist. I would call that its biggest downfall as a concept. Well executed otherwise.
Bike I rode
At our half way point. Gave people a chance to swap bikes (DCT for a 6 speed, Tour for a standard, etc.)
Suspension - All I can say is WOW. Electronically controlled, double wishbone up front. Top of the suspension is clearly seen from the saddle. It catches your eye because there is movement up an down as it soaks up road imperfections. Its obvious. Its also obvious after the fact that you as the rider don't feel 98% of what is being absorbed by the bike itself. I purposely hit the pot holes, seams, RR tracks, poorly patched road repairs, this bike sets a standard. Along with my group was a 1600 GTL rider. He told me the Goldwing puts his BMW suspension to shame, no comparison. We were encouraged to find the limits on the bikes. Pin the throttle when appropriate, try and drag hard parts, make it dance. A few of us did. I leaned mine over far enough in a few sweepers and sharp turns the toe of my boot caught and got pulled off the peg. This bike will shred further, more stable, and with more confidence than my Concours. Shes a big girl, but she can dance with the best of them. All ya gotta do is lead. Guy from the BMW was hanging off the seat in a few sweepers, I never heard scraping. I can't praise it enough. Throw her down in a tight curve and she smirks, bend her over hard in a fast sweeper and she giggles back at you. THIS is what a bike should handle and ride like. I cranked her over good when I could and the road caught the toe of my boot and pulled it off the peg.
Did get to play with the stereo a bit. Windshield down, it was loud and clear at 50/60. Full faced helmet, no problem. I noticed that it sounded very hollow and tinny. Quality sucked. THEN I found sound setting in the menu and saw everything was set in the neutral position. Bass and treble were neither enhanced, nor subdued. Factory settings. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to play with it to see how well it would improve with a little tweaking. Clarity and volume were great.
All bikes had factory GPS, Cruise, bluetooth, keyless fob which automatically unlocked the bags when you got within 3 feet, and numerous other features, including power windows, heated seats and grips. The model I rode retails for $27,700, an airbag adds $4k. For me, $27 large is a lot of bills for 2 wheels. I'd sooner have 4 used wheels with 500+hp, no top and a stick shift for the same money without the guilt. OR 2-3 nice used bikes instead. My wife would sign off on it, maybe I'm a tight wad, I still try to find 2 liters of pop under a buck. Its a small victory when I do.
Still, that $27K gets you a ton of proven tech. Standard warranty is 3 years, an additional 5 is optional. The bike performs. It was made to carry you and a passenger in comfort over long distances. Much of it is plastic and aluminum, Thats also why it handles so well, protects the rider from the elements and was incredibly quiet with the screen up. When I'm riding long distances, that is EXACTLY what I want. I enjoy not feeling beat after 300 miles, and it only gets worse as years pass. Am I running out to buy one? Not even with the $500 coupon they gave us towards a new Wing. But, I'll keep the Goldwing hat and remember it for when the Concours no longer does it for me and move up. My 'zen' is on the side of a mountain with not a another human in sight for the last hour, sun setting, not knowing where I'm going, and 2,000 miles from home. The middle of nowhere. Alone. Two wheels and less than a plan of where I am going or what I'm to do. For me, a quiet, capable, smooth bike adds to that.
Something I didn't like about the DCT. Slow speed parking lot maneuvers. I kept grabbing for that clutch to manipulate the engagement zone for balance and momentum. Much easier to make exact and minute adjustments with a few fingers than rolling an entire wrist. I would call that its biggest downfall as a concept. Well executed otherwise.
Bike I rode
At our half way point. Gave people a chance to swap bikes (DCT for a 6 speed, Tour for a standard, etc.)
Frankly, I don't think I ever WANT to be. 
