My Unexpected Transition From A Kawasaki Concours To A Honda Gold Wing

My first sport touring weekend was a non-traditional one, to be sure. Having just returned to motorcycling, I awakened my 1970 Honda CL100 from its twenty-five-year slumber and began researching a means for its transport. The driftless region of Wisconsin was beckoning.

A weekend of riding fun with other vintage motorcyclists was waiting for me there. "Don't look at it as a 250-mile ride. Look at it as five fifty-mile rides," said Bob Burns, a new mentor of mine. Accepting the challenge, I experienced the trials and joys of traveling many miles on minimal displacement … all in one day.

Weekend excursions such as these have been the extent of my two-wheeled travels but never without the siren call of a longer trip. You see, balanced on the other side of my life's scale are the demands of being a good husband and father. That involves carefully conserving the little vacation time my employer allots me.

Eventual additions to my garage included motorcycles of increasing power and alternate function. My KLR650 made a very useful platform for touring to Starved Rock State Park with my young daughter. Years later, I replaced it with a Kawasaki Concours.

The Concours is an uber-capable, detuned 1000cc motor complete with a shaft drive, sixth gear and full fairing. The atmosphere in the saddle is quiet and the bike delivers all-day comfort even at high speeds. I rode the Concours through 500+ spirited miles of the "M2M," a back-roads tour along Wisconsin's best twisties. Riding the Concours that day taught me to make use of higher RPMs and lower gears. This bike is heavy but with the right touch, she's responsive and powerful.

A recent move to Madison, Wisconsin, opened an opportunity to include my family in more of my riding activities. After one of these rides, someone aired an old lobbyist request: Get a Gold Wing. A whale?

The arguments of former semi-professional racers echoed in my head.

I remember the instructor at my advanced riding course having a Honda Gold Wing. He showed us just how nimble those so-called "whales" can be, diving into tight circles and figure eights on the practice course. He even ground his footboard with an impressive display of sparks. While certainly not the hyper sport-class that Ducati and Aprilia represent, the Honda Gold Wing remains legitimate for street riding. Also, there are groups that get a knee down on the Honda Gold Wing during track day events.

For me, finding a bike that will draw my wife and child to the pillion more often is worthy of compromise. Though I'd love to own an array of motorcycles, one for every riding style, I don't have the space, money or motivation to maintain such a fleet. With the Honda Gold Wing, I look forward to a few frills, a smooth-as-silk drive system and more saddle time with the ones I love.

Sidenote: My mid-range motorcycle, an '82 Yamaha XT550, is becoming the year-round go-to, single-passenger multi-tool. It has taken me through dirt riding school, the "Bucky Five" dual-sport event and ice riding. It stays.

Are You Considering A Transition To/from Sport Touring Motorcycles?

Riding style and posture have a big influence on which bikes we buy. What kind of motorcycling do you prefer? What inspires you about this particular sect of motorcycling? Your input is invited. Leave a comment and/or write an article!