This review is based on a 7,735 mile, 3 week trip. The bike: A 2007 Honda Gold Wing Audio/ Comfort/Navi/ABS. The trip: Originated in Tampa FL, from which I drove though Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky to Columbus, Ohio. From there I drove through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and finally to San Francisco, California. From San Francisco I took California Highway 1 along the coastline to San Luis Obispo. At the point I turned east and drove across California, Arizona, and New Mexico to Houston, Texas. From Houston I drove through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and finally back to Tampa, Florida. The trip covered 19 states and I visited relatives in Columbus, Ohio and Houston, TX. I stopped in California to see the Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, San Quentin Prison, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Golden Gate, Oakland Bay, and San Rafael bridges. I also drove down California Highway 1 along the coast. From California I drove across the Mojave Desert to Bakersfield, CA and then on to Flagstaff AZ. From Flagstaff I visited the Grand Canyon. From there it was on to Amarillo, TX and then on to Houston. From there I drove back to Tampa. I had checked the oil, water, and other fluids in Tampa prior to the trip. I carried extra water but never needed to add anything except gas to the bike. I changed the oil at 4,000 but that was a scheduled oil change (I change my oil every 4,000 miles). This trip took the bike thru temperatures from 40 (early morning hours on the way to Yosemite National Park) to 108 degrees F (Mojave Desert) and altitudes ranging from 8,200 (Rocky Mountains) to -82 (Death Valley). My overall gas mileage was 41.7 MPG and would go up to around 45 MPG when speed limits or road conditions limited my speed to around 55 to 60 MPH. Driving conditions encountered anything from clear blue skies to moderate rain. The anti-lock brakes were comforting while driving in the rain. They performed admirably. Also the GPS system was very beneficial in traveling to cities and locations with which I was unfamiliar. The longest single day’s travel was Houston to Tampa in 15 hours. The bike was extremely comfortable and easy to ride even on extended travel days. It performed flawlessly throughout the trip never needing anything except gas. One thing to note that the bike speedometer is 5 MPH off at highway speeds. When the bike speedometer is registering 70 MPH you are actually traveling 65 MPH. This was verified with another GPS, other vehicles, and road side speed advisory signs equipped with speed displays.
Upgrades/Accessories: Backrest, reat seat arm rests, CB radio, Scorpio paging alarm, driving lights, brake light modulator, rear view mirrors with turn signals, side stand with larger foot print, and lots of chrome accents.
Reviews are provided on an "as is" basis with no warranty and should be considered entertainment only. Reviews should not be used for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to, making decisions about any referenced vehicles, products, modifications or other information.
