The subject of Goldwings as compared to other motorcycles with regard to quickness has come up again. I think there might be folks riding the venerable 'wing who might not have first-hand experience as a basis for comparison. Others may not have seen the actual numbers. I'll use the age old yardstick of the 1/4 mile drag strip time and trap speed - the definitive measure of performance in the US for 75 years.
For starters, here's a summary of documented Goldwing 1/4 mile runs published in a variety of periodicals over the years:
GoldWing (and Valkyrie) 1/4 mile times seconds:
1975 GL 1000 12.95
1980 GL 1100 standard 13.18
1986 GL 1200 interstate 12.67
1985 GL 1200 LTD 12.88
1988 GL 1500 13.06
1997 Valk standard 12.37
2001 GL 1800 12.87
2004 GL 1800 12.71
Compare these numbers with the current list of top 1/4 mile performers (these numbers include the "trap" speed at the 1/4 mile mark. This is generally regarded as a good indicator of HP based on a power to weight formula. Goldwing numbers above don't include trap speeds.:
2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R 9.47 152.83 mph (245.96 km/h)[45]
2008[46] Ducati Desmosedici RR 9.49 152.80 mph (245.91 km/h)[47]
2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2 9.62 152.01 mph (244.64 km/h)[4]
2008 Suzuki Hayabusa 9.70 148.48 mph (238.96 km/h)[48]
2008 Ducati 1098R 9.75 148.6 mph (239.1 km/h)[5]
2013 BMW HP4 9.76 152.4 mph (245.3 km/h)[5]
2006 Kawasaki ZX-10R 9.76 149.08 mph (239.92 km/h)[5]
2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 9.83 149.91 mph (241.26 km/h)[8]
2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale 9.84 145.68 mph (234.45 km/h)[7][8]
2010 Suzuki Hayabusa 9.87 146.7 mph (236.1 km/h)[19]
2002 Kawasaki ZX-12R 9.87 146.29 mph (235.43 km/h)[49]
2004 Yamaha YZF-R1S 9.90 144.98 mph (233.32 km/h)[1]
2011 Ducati 1199 Panigale S 9.91 145.95 mph (234.88 km/h)[1]
2011 BMW S1000RR 9.93 149.8 mph (241.1 km/h)[50]
2014 BMW S1000R 9.94 141.74 mph (228.11 km/h)[51]
1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R 9.99 136.80 mph (220.16 km/h)[5]
2008 Suzuki B-King 9.99 138.42 mph (222.77 km/h)[1]
Bottom line: Three seconds elapsed time at the drag strip is an eternity. One second is a serious ass-whoopin'. Induction (i.e. carburetion) improvements might yield some incremental improvements (a few tenths of a second), but would, in no way, make any Goldwing competitive in the quarter mile with many of the motorcycles produced in the last twenty years. Even forced induction wouldn't do it. Things much deeper down would need to change.
But, everyone who's been in a GL saddle for any length of time knows deeply that it's not the point. If I wanted to travel from Phoenix to Nova Scotia by motorcycle, would I want to do it on a 'Busa or a Ninja? Heck no! At the end of the day, if I gave a rat's ass how my GL compared in the quarter mile to the guy at the light next to me, I wouldn't be riding it. I would never have sold my VMax's. Or my ZL's. Or my hot rod CB750 SOHC with the RC 912 kit.
For starters, here's a summary of documented Goldwing 1/4 mile runs published in a variety of periodicals over the years:
GoldWing (and Valkyrie) 1/4 mile times seconds:
1975 GL 1000 12.95
1980 GL 1100 standard 13.18
1986 GL 1200 interstate 12.67
1985 GL 1200 LTD 12.88
1988 GL 1500 13.06
1997 Valk standard 12.37
2001 GL 1800 12.87
2004 GL 1800 12.71
Compare these numbers with the current list of top 1/4 mile performers (these numbers include the "trap" speed at the 1/4 mile mark. This is generally regarded as a good indicator of HP based on a power to weight formula. Goldwing numbers above don't include trap speeds.:
2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R 9.47 152.83 mph (245.96 km/h)[45]
2008[46] Ducati Desmosedici RR 9.49 152.80 mph (245.91 km/h)[47]
2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2 9.62 152.01 mph (244.64 km/h)[4]
2008 Suzuki Hayabusa 9.70 148.48 mph (238.96 km/h)[48]
2008 Ducati 1098R 9.75 148.6 mph (239.1 km/h)[5]
2013 BMW HP4 9.76 152.4 mph (245.3 km/h)[5]
2006 Kawasaki ZX-10R 9.76 149.08 mph (239.92 km/h)[5]
2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 9.83 149.91 mph (241.26 km/h)[8]
2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale 9.84 145.68 mph (234.45 km/h)[7][8]
2010 Suzuki Hayabusa 9.87 146.7 mph (236.1 km/h)[19]
2002 Kawasaki ZX-12R 9.87 146.29 mph (235.43 km/h)[49]
2004 Yamaha YZF-R1S 9.90 144.98 mph (233.32 km/h)[1]
2011 Ducati 1199 Panigale S 9.91 145.95 mph (234.88 km/h)[1]
2011 BMW S1000RR 9.93 149.8 mph (241.1 km/h)[50]
2014 BMW S1000R 9.94 141.74 mph (228.11 km/h)[51]
1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R 9.99 136.80 mph (220.16 km/h)[5]
2008 Suzuki B-King 9.99 138.42 mph (222.77 km/h)[1]
Bottom line: Three seconds elapsed time at the drag strip is an eternity. One second is a serious ass-whoopin'. Induction (i.e. carburetion) improvements might yield some incremental improvements (a few tenths of a second), but would, in no way, make any Goldwing competitive in the quarter mile with many of the motorcycles produced in the last twenty years. Even forced induction wouldn't do it. Things much deeper down would need to change.
But, everyone who's been in a GL saddle for any length of time knows deeply that it's not the point. If I wanted to travel from Phoenix to Nova Scotia by motorcycle, would I want to do it on a 'Busa or a Ninja? Heck no! At the end of the day, if I gave a rat's ass how my GL compared in the quarter mile to the guy at the light next to me, I wouldn't be riding it. I would never have sold my VMax's. Or my ZL's. Or my hot rod CB750 SOHC with the RC 912 kit.