Honda Goldwing on the BRP?

[9fingers]

Hi all, I am planning a trip with a few buddies next year, the Blue Ridge Parkway from Charlottesville down to Asheville. In places we will take side roads that are more interesting. One of my buddies that wants to go has a Goldwing, which I can't imagine is an ideal bike for the trip. But I have never ridden one so hoping for some guidance. I have discussed with him the possibility of adding something smaller to his stable...BMW GS Honda Transalp (if they bring it in). Can you offer any guidance on this? Goldwing an acceptable ride? I have done it twice on my Royal Enfield 500.....people look at me like I'm nuts, but that bike, and the V7III Special I took this year, are great on those type of roads.
Scott

[Vagrant]

It is a superb bike for the BRP! Too big and heavy for my current tastes, but it might just pass 1/2 the bikes the others are ridding.

[pebra]

After having been thoroughly outridden by a couple on a Goldwing on a bumpy, twisty, narrow mountain road, I'll be careful with my advice....

It was great to see that big Wing just sort of dancing ahead! 

[Stretch]

My sweetie and I did a 2800 mile tour from Maine to North Carolina and back last June on
my Triumph Trophy 1200. 2 up, loaded heavily - we had a ball!  We did most of the Blue Ridge Parkway
twice and all of the Skyline Drive twice. He'll have no trouble on a Wing, unless steep gravel roads
in North Carolina or Tennessee are on the agenda. The Trophy is more sporting than a Wing to be
sure, but he shouldn't worry at all on pavement. Go and have fun!!!! 

                                                             -Stretch

[JJ]

Hi all, I am planning a trip with a few buddies next year, the Blue Ridge Parkway from Charlottesville down to Asheville. In places we will take side roads that are more interesting. One of my buddies that wants to go has a Goldwing, which I can't imagine is an ideal bike for the trip. But I have never ridden one so hoping for some guidance. I have discussed with him the possibility of adding something smaller to his stable...BMW GS Honda Transalp (if they bring it in). Can you offer any guidance on this? Goldwing an acceptable ride? I have done it twice on my Royal Enfield 500.....people look at me like I'm nuts, but that bike, and the V7III Special I took this year, are great on those type of roads.
Scott

If I am not mistaken...the speed limit on the BRP is only about 45mph, yes?  So, a lighter bike, like the RE 500 is perfect.  IMHO - - a Gold Wing is overkill for that parkway...

[PeteS]

Certainly the Blue Ridge is no big deal on a Goldwing or 129 Deals Gap for that matter. Not my first choice but its more than capable. Used be be a guy who would regularly pass sport bikes riding his Wing at the gap.

Pete

[guzziart]

Certainly the Blue Ridge is no big deal on a Goldwing or 129 Deals Gap for that matter. Not my first choice but its more than capable. Used be be a guy who would regularly pass sport bikes riding his Wing at the gap.

Pete

Yep, me too!

[Stretch]

If I am not mistaken...the speed limit on the BRP is only about 45mph, yes?  So, a lighter bike, like the RE 500 is perfect.  IMHO - - a Gold Wing is overkill for that parkway...

Yes, the speed limit is 35 - 45 MPH on both the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Many, many of the corners are blind because of terrain or vegetation, so anyone possessing even
the barest hint of the self-preservation instinct isn't going THAT fast. Even one of those new RE 350s
would be an awful lot of fun on those roads. Heck - an old Honda CB125 would be a blast!!! Keep
the corner speed up and have a ball. Yes, a Wing isn't the ideal mount - but it would still be great fun!
And if you have to ride a long way to get there, a Wing might have advantages......

The road is beautifully engineered. Most of the corners are constant radius. I can't remember any BLIND, downhill,
off-camber, decreasing radius, pothole-filled and gravel-strewn corners at all between Front Royal and
North Carolina.  Views are spectacular and there are lots of turn-outs and parking areas.

                                                                                    -Stretch

[Guzzistajohn]

It's a beautiful part of the country on any bike! The lead wing will be fine! 

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I ride sections of the parkway probably 60 days a year (I live 2 miles from an entrance), and have ridden it end to end at least 5 times. I've ridden Roanoke to Asheville or Asheville to the south end at GSMNP dozens of times... I am wondering why on earth you couldnt/wouldnt ride a Goldwing on it?  The surface is smooth (except between the Linn Cove Viaduct and Boone-- and a couple places in S.VA- but those VA sections were recently resurfaced), the curves are gentle, and nothing is tight or twisty-- there are only about 3-4 decreasing radius bends on the entire thing. And even if none of that was true, no reason a Goldwing would present any sort of barrier to riding it.

Speed limit is low in spots (35 through/near towns), but 45 for most of the duration...  Sweet spot to me is 55-65mph. The only real limitation is traffic, not enforcement. I have seen LEO with a radar set up for speeders on exactly 2 occasions, and I could probably count the times I've passed a marked LEO vehicle beyond that on one hand.  If you pick your times/days/sections to ride it, you can really give it some stick and it's a nice road. No lights, no driveways (well, in Virginia there are). Biggest issue are rubberneckers who drive 20mph so they can see the sights instead of pulling off at a dang overlook. But there are plenty of passing zones and even where there aren't, you can find places to pass with acceptable visibility.  I don't ride it like a racetrack, but I certainly don't putt along at 20-25mph behind any leafpeepers.

Best section to me is North of Mt.Mitchell to Little Switzerland....  Or on the south end past Graveyard Fields down to the southern terminus. (No coincidence these are also the most lightly trafficked sections)


If you want a good loop off the parkway to go around Asheville, get off on NC Hwy80 North (just a bit south of Little Switzerland) and head up to Micaville. Take 19 West to Burnsville (coffee/gas/food) and pick up 197 heading south all the way thru Jupiter on Jupiter road->Ivy Hill Rd... From there pick up Hwy 25/70 at Marshall (Coffee/gas/food) to Hot Springs (Coffee/Gas/Food). From Hot Springs, take 209 ('The Rattler') down to Lake Junaluska (more coffee/gas/food here). From there you can navigate directly back to the parkway via highways, or use 276 briefly to double back to 215 and go back up to the parkway that way. 215 is my preference. 
This loop avoids all the 35mph sections/commuter corridor thru Asheville, as well as the most heavily trafficked section in NC (Asheville to Mt. Pisgah)

[Ncdan]

https://youtu.be/0nrMQ3QwyPo

The guy filming the wing man was on a sport bike and gets paid to ride behind riders and film them.
He was struggling to keep up.

[Tom]

"Ride your ride."  Let your friend bring up the rear.  Any turns off the road.  Wait for him to catch up at the turn then take off.  It all depends on your friends riding ability.  The speed limit is all vehicles.  Up to him if he wants to push it past that.  If he has a pax then he might not. 

[PeteS]

BRP isn’t a particularly demanding road. Its more about the rider than the bike.

Pete

[Tom]

 

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Single lane farm dirt roads, no. Otherwise the gold wing is fine on pavement if they’re a decent rider. It’s all about their skill level more than the bike.

[Tom]

 

[Bulldog9]

BRP isn’t a particularly demanding road. Its more about the rider than the bike.

Pete

Exactery........... . Easy Pasy on the BRP. Is a great road period, and great to ride slow (at speed limit). There also are many fine LEO's willing to help you keep to the posted speeds. Last time I rode (2021) there were many sections that were fresh gravel and oil, not much fun....

[9fingers]

Best section to me is North of Mt.Mitchell to Little Switzerland....  Or on the south end past Graveyard Fields down to the southern terminus. (No coincidence these are also the most lightly trafficked sections)


If you want a good loop off the parkway to go around Asheville, get off on NC Hwy80 North (just a bit south of Little Switzerland) and head up to Micaville. Take 19 West to Burnsville (coffee/gas/food) and pick up 197 heading south all the way thru Jupiter on Jupiter road->Ivy Hill Rd... From there pick up Hwy 25/70 at Marshall (Coffee/gas/food) to Hot Springs (Coffee/Gas/Food). From Hot Springs, take 209 ('The Rattler') down to Lake Junaluska (more coffee/gas/food here). From there you can navigate directly back to the parkway via highways, or use 276 briefly to double back to 215 and go back up to the parkway that way. 215 is my preference. 
This loop avoids all the 35mph sections/commuter corridor thru Asheville, as well as the most heavily trafficked section in NC (Asheville to Mt. Pisgah)

Agree with you on that section Mayor! And thanks for the tips on the other roads. I have done some around Little Switzerland.....bee n staying at the Skyline village in each trip.
Scott

[sgl0226]

I can’t speak for the older gold wings but for the 2018+ it is more nimble than just about any other touring bike out there, except maybe for some of the BMWs. 

[chuck peterson]

https://youtu.be/0nrMQ3QwyPo

The guy filming the wing man was on a sport bike and gets paid to ride behind riders and film them.
He was struggling to keep up.

Great video!! I’ve seen another where the Wing is putting down sparks at every corner.

??  “Where can a Goldwing go?”

Answer, “Anywhere it wants ..”

[steven c]

 It should be fine.
https://youtu.be/EMrxee_fazo

[JJ]

It should be fine.
https://youtu.be/EMrxee_fazo

Geeeesh!!!  FLOG and ABUSE that poor old Goldwing!!!

Speaking of vintage Goldwing's...I miss my ol' 1978 naked GL1000...aka "The Root Beer Float" -

*SOLD* for $2500 about 7 years ago...Now, they are bringing much more monoey on BaT...

[twowheeladdict]

I have ridden the entire length of the BRP on
Ninja 650
Versys 650
Concours 1400
Voyager 1700

And have done sections of the BRP on
Road Glide Ultra
Road Glide Special
Triumph Trophy SE
KLX300SM
V7III


I will say that some of the lesser used approach roads can be bumpy and challenging but not impossible if one is a skilled rider.

The hardest part about riding the BRP is balancing paying attention to the road and enjoying the scenery.

[Tom]

I was able to use Fred's Goldwing and ride up South Mountain to the summit and to Tortilla Flats in the Phoenix area.  I rode it like I was in the Alps.  1st & 2nd gear and no, I didn't drive it.  No chicken strips.  Very capable bike.  Stock bike except for the Vetter fairing.  This was about 2 years ago.