Got one...

OK, now you're going to laugh, because you all know the truth already.

I've been looking for a bike for about a year. I currently own a Vulcan 750 and it's been good, but strains a bit on the freeway. I get exactly one bike for retirement and it has to do it all...local, freeway, mountains, touring...the whole shebang...because I can't afford two or three bikes...and the VN750 just wasn't cutting it.

I've looked at and sat on dozens of bikes of all types...Hondas, , Harleys, Kawis, Yamahas, Aprilias, BMWs...cruisers, sportbikes, naked bikes...you name it, I've checked them out...

Was really having some problems trying to figure out would would be able to haul my not-insubstantial carcass down the road without strain, but still handle acceptably and carry some stuff. Nothing ever just felt quite right....

Today was the day. Went to see my buddy at the dealership. They had a nice used Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic for sale. I sat on it, but really did not like the pure cruiser seating position. The bike felt heavy and kinda porky to me...

They also had a used Honda Silverwing, which I decided to ride for laughs. My buddy rides a Hayabusa, but warned me that I might be surprised by the Silverwing. I followed my companero onto the freeway behind his Hayabusa, looked down and was running 80...didn't even really notice it...no strain on the motor, unlike my Vulcan 750 at that speed. Very comfortable, lots of leg room and places to put your feet. Underseat storage and a rack for a Givi box on the back. I really love that no shifting thing.

In fact, I liked it better than anything I've looked at over the last year or so...this one, to me, is practical, comfortable, powerful, reliable and useable for the type of riding I do. It'll do the mountains, the freeways, the tours and pretty much everything in between.

I bought it. I told my riding buddies that now I have to be drummed out of the motorcycle corps, 'cause I'm riding a scooter. A scooter that can go about 110 or so, but a scooter nonetheless. I think they don't really care...and I really don't care either. That Silverwing is AWESOME!



Bob

Bob,

Good for you!

Welcome to the forum - enjoy the ride.

Riding my Silverwing with some of my Goldwing friends it was a bit like Rodney Dangerfield's "I don't get no respect" until they realized that the scooter could keep up with them on a couple rides when I decided to take it instead of my Goldwing. My SW isn't as fast in the twisties as the big bike and doesn't quite have the acceleration but it's close enough not to matter on typical rides. Considering that the SW has around 1/3 the displacement and number of cylinders of the Goldwing it's very impressive on the road. I'll still have my SW when my aging body can't handle the 900lb. weight of the GW.

I would say Bob you have definately been bitten by the 'Wing'. It is indeed everything you say it is.

Welcome to our world of comfort and speed, not the big wheeled DIScomfort and speed!!!!!

Yes, and respect to your buddy for being a rider, not a biker!

"My buddy rides a Hayabusa, but warned me that I might be surprised by the Silverwing."

I should have included in my original post - A coworker of mine rides a Kawasaki ZRX 1200 and a Suzuki Hyabusa, his wife rides a SilverWing. When he wants to have a bit of fun he rides the SilverWing. When he wants to ride a drag racer he rides the Hyabusa. The ZRX is just a great bike, but no stowage capacity. Real riders understand it is not about what or how you ride (or get to a ride).

I'm a 'biker'...... I don't care what anybody else wants to label me as. I ride anything I can get my leg over (within agreement of my wife lol) from a Blata powered skate board to quad bikes and everything in between.

I really don't descriminate between the kids on their 50cc twist and go scoots, the 'patch lads' on their chops and 'him & her' on matching R100LT's. I treat them all the same, and only get annoyed when I'm handed an attitude in return.

The 'stereotyped' biker has all but disappeared from UK. Oh, there are pockets here and there, but as motorcycling changed from everyday transport to a hobby, so the folks who ride them have changed as well.

Its a new year now, and with it has come some very hefty price increases here in the UK on fuel. The motorcycling industry is going to be an exciting place for a few years I reckon as more and more folks leave the tin top at home to save fuel and try alternative forms of transport. Public transport is a joke, over priced and unreliable at best. Give it 25 -30 years and it will be the guy who owns a horse that will be judged a rich man!

Skippy wrote:

The 'stereotyped' biker has all but disappeared from UK.

Don't go to Bridport on a Sunday afternoon!!! They all hide there in front of their posing machines!!!!!

Thanks, folks. The machine is getting a new battery and some other odds and ends and I'll pick it up Thursday.

Went to a New Year's party last night and was telling some of my friends from the church motorcycle crew about it. I got razzed a bit, but interestingly, after the mandatory blat, a number of them were pretty interested...particularly after I showed them a photo of the bike...

It's all good and I'm very pleased....

Happy New Year to all!

Bob

Skippy wrote:

but as motorcycling changed from everyday transport to a hobby

With the car tolls in London (not for motorcycles unless they changed that), motorcycle filtering to reduce travel time and gas prices ... I thought it would be going from hobby to everyday transportation.

x

bigbird wrote:

I have found that telling someone you have a Silverwing scooter, they visualize a 49cc 10" wheeled little scooter. When they see my Swing for the first time, with its windshield, top box, and saddlebags, they inevitably say "that's not a scooter, that's a motorcycle". I just laugh.

Two of us on Swings went highway riding with a guy on a new Vulcan 900 Classic. At our first pit stop he complained that he couldn't keep up with us without straining his bike. We certainly weren't straining ours.

Enjoy your Swing. It's all about the ride and ergonomics. It's certainly not for any posers.

I find that so true. I get the same reaction.

Cathy

The bike doesn't have an owner's manual with it. I've ordered a service manual for it, but in the meantime, I need to know two things:

1. When is valve check/adjustment due?
2. When is transmission belt replacement due?

Thanks!!!

Jinglebob wrote:

The bike doesn't have an owner's manual with it. I've ordered a service manual for it, but in the meantime, I need to know two things:

1. When is valve check/adjustment due?

Inspect (cold engine) every 16K miles.
Intake clearance is: 0.006 in. (0.16mm)
Exhaust clearance is: 0.009 in. (0.22mm)

Adjust as needed.

Jinglebob wrote:

2. When is transmission belt replacement due?

Inspect every 12K miles, replace at 16K miles.

Cool...thank you.

Now...don't mean to start an oil war, but I used Rotella T in my last bike and it worked very well. Will Rotella T work in the SW, or should I be using something else?

x

Jinglebob wrote:

The bike doesn't have an owner's manual with it.

Here are some online owners manual:
https://www.silverwing600.com/t1550-on-line-owners-manual#12764

Thank you! That helps a bunch...

Good to hear about the Rotella...it's good oil and I'll keep using it...