2006 Shadow vs a Goldwing?

Question

2006 aero shadow looks in excellent condition and is considered to be in excellent condition only 8,000 miles by owner. He is selling it in 5k and claims this to be because of sickness.

However I am in love with Goldwing motorcycles

I cant find a Goldwing anywhere (Not a cheap one) but if I do which one should I get? Love: Goldwing or renegade lust: the Shadow?

What are the difference in gas and repair prices? I got a bit of something in my bank but Im not rich so I need something I can afford to fix

Answer 1

if you are traveling long distances go for the wing. if less than 100 mile trips. the shadow. hondas are cheap to keep up and are the best bikes on the road (bar none)

now i'll make some people mad / if you do not mind your chrome being plastic go Honda and if you would like to pay an extra 10 grand for real metal chrome get a Harley ( but also expect to empty your bank account quickly with the harley .i.e. expensive to maintain and they break down a lot/

Answer 2

The Shadow sounds like a great deal. If I was looking for an around town bike short-trip kind of bike, I'd probably get it. Lots of power to buzz around, and the lighter weight would make it more maneuverable.



Years ago I rode a Honda custom CS 500 through Yellowstone and bumped into a group of doctors and lawyers that were riding across the country. They had been on the road for about a week. The guys that did NOT have a Goldwing said that the first thing they were going to do when they got to Seattle was to trade what they had in for a Goldwing because they were so much more comfortable on long trips and they were going to ride down the California coast and then on route 66 back to New York.



So, long trips...Goldwing. Short trips...get the Shadow. That's my advice. Most bikes other than a Goldwing seem to wear you out after only 100-200 miles.

Answer 3

A Shadow and a Gold Wing is two different motor cycles.

The GW 1800, even the 1500 (old model) is regarded as the best tourer in all the beavy duty bikes class. Other manufactureres like Yamaha, Kawasaki and even Harley have come out with almost similar large ride. I have the opportunity to own the Gold Wing 1500 and 1800), Harley Ultra Guide and Road King and also the Yamaha Venture. My personal opinion is that the GW is still the most comfortable, smooth and reliable big machine. On top the GW is fitted with a reverse gear that takes helps you reverse out of slopes and parking lots. Most of these bikes are fitted with cruise control and highway lights and is meant for serious tour riders.

A Shadow is only 400/600cc which is grossly under powered for its heavy body. Performance is below par and is nothing buy a Harley wannabe.

Answer 4

My dad owned a Goldwing for a few years and he got about 30 to 35 mpg @ 1200cc. The Goldwing will probably have a longer life but the Shadow will have better gas milage probably 40 to 50 mpg. Motorcycles in general are expensive to repair and maintain but the Goldwing will definitely have higher repair costs as there are more parts to go wrong and/or more parts to remove to get to the symptom. If your in love with the luxury of the Goldwing, may I suggest taking a look at BMW K1200LT. My dad picked a 2006 for $6k with 40k miles. He likes it much more than his Goldwing. Still very expensive to maintain/repair.

Answer 5

It's up to you, the Shadow is a cruiser, the Goldwing one heck of a touring. I like Goldwings, but a Shadow would suite my needs a lot better, so that's what I'd go with.

Answer 6

If you can't afford a 6 cylinder GW, the 84-86 4 cylinder 1200 would be the best one. Hydraulic valve lifters and good stereo. The 1100 was short on low rpm torque and was geared up pretty high, leaving the engine spinning like crazy. The 1000s were real short on low rpm power and are pretty outdated.

Answer 7

Ride one of each and then decide. I found an awesome looking 750 shadow once that was a big disappointment when I rode it. Several of my friends own them and love them. I have never ridden a goldie, they are too big for what I call riding, but owners swear by them. For the record I have a K75, I went to look at a K1 that was sold when I got there, decided to test ride something anyway and couldn't resist it.

Answer 8

Do yourself a favor and get a Suzuki Burgman 650 EXEC. An automatic scooter with a 650CC engine. Has storage space and a nice automatic transmission. Reliable and everyone who owns one loves it.

Answer 9

Do you want a touring bike, or a cruiser? At some point, you have to decide for yourself.