I got talked into a goldwing had it for 6 months decided I want a harley I am to big for the gold wing looking at a 2011 ultra limited
ultra glide vs gold wing
- Thread starter bubba1213
- Start date
I got talked into a goldwing had it for 6 months decided I want a harley I am to big for the gold wing looking at a 2011 ultra limited
or my half helment with the GW, 
oldhippie
Senior Member
Had a '83 Aspencade that I ran for 9 years. Sold it last year after buying my Ultra. Tried a new G'wing just a couple hours before I test rode the Ultra. Hands down the Ultra was more comfortable for me. Yah, the G'wing has gobs of power, but that engine just had no soul. Too quiet. Putting pipes on the G'wing doesn't really do that much for the sound either (kinda like the difference between a turbo muffler on a 4 cyl as opposed to a big block V8 :rofl)
The seating position sold me on the Ultra. Feet planted and knees bent at 90 deg like sitting in a chair. The G'wing forced me to bend my knees past 90 deg and they'd cramp up. Coulda put highway pegs on but, when my knees get cramped, swinging my feet out into the wind to get to the pegs just caused too much pain (that was what I found with my old G'wing).
My wife liked the passenger seat on the G'wing. Looked to be more comfortable for her but she doesn't complain about the Ultra when I put the sheepskin on.
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
Always have owned American
little_earl
Active Member
I've had a Yamahaha and a Kawisaki back in the day but just traded my Heritage on a UC and could not believe the differance. GW's look bulky to me.
Quite honestly, both are perfectly good touring bikes. The Gold Wing though built by the Japanese was born of American design on roads here in the USA...while the debate could rage indefinitely, each has it's nits and picks. Both have aspired to the best development of their respective bloodlines as they can be. The Gold Wing gets the nod for workmanship, reliability and it's almost "anticeptic" way it handles the road. The Ultra does virtually the same on the first two, substituting "character", but due to the air-oil cooled design, is at the limit it can carry. The lesson here is, it took the Gold Wing 30 years to achieve it's marketing success, the Harley took twice as long to achieve it's level of success, with the only question being where do we go from here? JMO
fisherman124
Active Member
two harley baggers 80 flt 2000 RK
Rode a 96 Wing for the last 14years. For a touring bike - a performance handling bike and for a bike that was rock solid mechanically - you can't beat a Wing IMHO. I did everything from feeling like I was on a rocket-ship cruising 80mph on auto-pilot down the interstate to racing fully-dressed crotch rocket racers on the twisty backroads of Suches, GA on that Wing. Stuff you'd never be able to pull off on an Ultra, at least I 'd don't think I could do the performance riding on this cruiser that I could on the Wing now that I've ridden an Ultra. For an all-in-one package of performance, handling and comfort touring capabilities, I honestly don't think you can beat a Goldwing, especially that 96 model. But reflecting back on my time on that Wing, I feel it was more a utilitarian tool than an extension of mind and spirit as I feel when riding that Harley. It's a strange feeling, but it's something different for sure. I hardly took that Wing out unless I was doing some type of distance riding. I get this Ultra bagger out every other day and just tool around. And when I look down at my reflection on that big ole chrome gas lid cover when I'm riding, I swear it seems I have a smile on my face. Loved the Wing - happy for the time and experience I had on it - but think I'm home now with this Harley and doubt I'll ever be going back to a metric.
01dynaglide
Junior Member
I have friends with metric bikes and I have rode theirs and I can tell you that there is no other motorcycle that compares to a HARLEY. All I have ever owned is Harleys and that is all I will ever own.