Need some opinions.

[OldWrench]

My wife loves to ride as do I. Now I just love my 83 and will not get rid of it. Some time back we rented an 1800 from Eagle rider for the weekend. Wow what a bike, but they sure aren’t cheap. Now I also love the 1500, we had a 90 a long time ago, sold it to help pay for daughters college. Here is the situation; I can get a really nice 1500 SE between 5 and 7 thousand. I can’t touch a really nice 1800 for less than 12k.
Wife wants the newer 1800 and I’m leaning towards the 1500 for two reasons, money and the 1800 fuel mileage isn’t that good. Once I retire next year I imagine I won’t put much more than 5 to 6 thousand miles a year on the bike. So guys, what do you all think, spend the extra bucks or stick with the 1500 and save a few thousand.
Whatever I do, I’m also going to do a full restoration of my 83, but right now it is my commute vehicle almost all year.

 

[dan filipi]

Well there's lots of advantages to making the better half happy.
Personally I prefer the 1500.
I've ridden both and 1500 fits me better at 6'2.

 

[AlaskaWing]

There is no way that I am going to ride one of those shiny 1800's!

I know that if I do, I wont like my 82 anymore.

 

[Omega Man]

I've never rode an 1800. Personally I don't see myself ever riding anything but a 1500 ever again. Like Dan said keeping the wife happy is a good thing. What if you want to sell that 1800 down the road? Craigslist and all the other usual places one sells these bikes are bloated with bikes folks can't sell. Some of the 1800s around here have been for sale on CL for well over a year.

Still what an awesome decision you get to make, either way you're not going to have to "settle."

~O~

 

[OldWrench]

Dan you and I are about the same height, and the 1500 does fit so well. My wife is easy to please but she does have some valid points for going with a newer bike.

Alaska Wing, the two bike are so different I'm sure you would still love your 82 as I do my 83

 

[OldWrench]

Good point Omega Man, and I love your new ride. You are right about many being for sale for a long time, but the folks that have the 1800s seem pretty firm on their prices. Many of them are still making payments on them. The power of the 1800 is incredible and the handling in the mountains is really great, but the 1500 has more power than we need but two up on the twisties they have a tendency to drag the pavement at times.

 

[Anonymous]

OldWrench » Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:50 am[/url]":1imzn4w1]My wife loves to ride as do I. Now I just love my 83 and will not get rid of it. Some time back we rented an 1800 from Eagle rider for the weekend. Wow what a bike, but they sure aren’t cheap. Now I also love the 1500, we had a 90 a long time ago, sold it to help pay for daughters college. Here is the situation; I can get a really nice 1500 SE between 5 and 7 thousand. I can’t touch a really nice 1800 for less than 12k.
Wife wants the newer 1800 and I’m leaning towards the 1500 for two reasons, money and the 1800 fuel mileage isn’t that good. Once I retire next year I imagine I won’t put much more than 5 to 6 thousand miles a year on the bike. So guys, what do you all think, spend the extra bucks or stick with the 1500 and save a few thousand.
Whatever I do, I’m also going to do a full restoration of my 83, but right now it is my commute vehicle almost all year.

I have the solution Buy the 1500 for you buy the 1800 for me (I will pm name and address) and let your wife keep the 1100.

 

[zman]

I would buy the 1500 because there are plenty with low miles, well cared for, the stuff that needed fixing has probably all ready been done, the price is low and wont drop a whole lot more like the 1800 will in years to come, and I really like the look of the 1500, never cared for that space age look on a touring bike..I`m a classic bag kinda guy but that`s just my opinion.

 

[Ansimp]

Keep searching for an 1800. Someone found one for $8k on the other forum that I visit. You loved the rental bike so just make sure that you love an earlier model as much. Good hunting! :good:

 

[slabghost]

If the wife wants the 1800. Take your time and offer 1800 sellers your price. Sooner or later one will take your offer and you will keep wifey happy. Then all you have to do is enjoy and deal with a little mpg difference. :smilie_happy:

 

[detdrbuzzard]

remember that 1800 wing i was looking at a few weeks ago? 2001 for about $7500. it had 74,000 miles and the bank basicly said it had no value

 

[Ansimp]

I don't imagine the bank rode much! Imagine what they would think about my Rats Nest. I will send them some photos of my ride and see if they can recognise value :yes:

 

[Piper]

I'm not familiar with the prices in California but around here you can find immaculate 1500's for around $4K. I have owned both and very much prefer the 1500's. I owned the 1800 for two weeks and could never get comfortable with the handling. For instance, I couldn't hold a line through a curve with it for some reason. The 1500 was like on a rail compared to the 1800. Maybe a bad tire or something else, I don't know, but anyway I sold it back to the guy I bought it from for what I paid for it. With the 1800, Honda, by design, went away just a little from the touring image and a little bit more toward a sport image. The bags (1800's) are smaller and won't carry as much and they are a little shorter.
Because the 1500's are getting older, and for the most part, the parts from 88-00 are all pretty much the same, they're very abundant at reasonable prices. As an example, one of my 1500's (the 92) had a bad bearing in the transmission. Splitting the cases on the 1500/1800's isn't a very pleasant option so I picked up an engine from a wrecked 97 with 46,000 miles for $400. (I did borescope the engine before I went through the work of changing it). I just started it yesterday for the first time and it sounds like a watch.
But anyway. you have ridden them both and will make a good decision either way I'm sure.

 

[OldWrench]

I have the solution Buy the 1500 for you buy the 1800 for me (I will pm name and address) and let your wife keep the 1100.

Your idea goes way beyond my generosity. :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

A lot of good opinions here, and thanks guys for your various insights. Piper you said you didn’t like the handling of the 1800, and for me that is what I loved about it, the one we rented handled the Sierra mountain roads like a sports bike, never dragged metal once and I got her down pretty low a few times, trying to keep the wife entertained.

There are plenty of both bikes available, and I have no problem traveling to get one. The parts prices on the 1500s are down and plenty available, and the fuel mileage is better, not that it will make that much of a difference. Slabghost has a good point, just set my price and wait for the person that is willing to sell at my price.

Wife and I were searching the net last night, she really likes that bright yellow on the 1800, and I thought that she had good taste, whatever we get it won’t be yellow.

As for my 83, I really love that bike have already began buying what I will need to restore her. I just picked up another 83 engine and it is setting on the workbench and rebuilding it is the first project.

 

[Ansimp]

My mate is on his second 1800 and the handling is what is the most impressive part of these bikes. It is practically twice the weight of most of the sports tourers that the rest of s ride but it still keeps up. He took his first one out to a track day at a local hill climb course and the instructor could not believe his times and how well it could be ridden around the course. For the right price I would put up with any color and at least with the yellow it would be hard for cage drivers to say " I didn't see you".

 

[OldWrench]

at least with the yellow it would be hard for cage drivers to say " I didn't see you".

That may be true in Australia, and even in certain other parts of the US, but California drivers are in a world of their own in my opinion, no they wouldn't see it. I seen a video clip of a guy taking an 1800 on a track, don't remember what track it was but wow was that impressive. I was taking 15 mph switchbacks at 45 a few times until she told me she couldn't read her nook while I was taking the corners that fast.

 

[Anonymous]

OldWrench » Fri Jun 28, 2013 9:16 am[/url]":2t0ut1e3]

I have the solution Buy the 1500 for you buy the 1800 for me (I will pm name and address) and let your wife keep the 1100.

Your idea goes way beyond my generosity. :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

A lot of good opinions here, and thanks guys for your various insights. Piper you said you didn’t like the handling of the 1800, and for me that is what I loved about it, the one we rented handled the Sierra mountain roads like a sports bike, never dragged metal once and I got her down pretty low a few times, trying to keep the wife entertained.

There are plenty of both bikes available, and I have no problem traveling to get one. The parts prices on the 1500s are down and plenty available, and the fuel mileage is better, not that it will make that much of a difference. Slabghost has a good point, just set my price and wait for the person that is willing to sell at my price.

Wife and I were searching the net last night, she really likes that bright yellow on the 1800, and I thought that she had good taste, whatever we get it won’t be yellow.

As for my 83, I really love that bike have already began buying what I will need to restore her. I just picked up another 83 engine and it is setting on the workbench and rebuilding it is the first project.

Well ...... it was worth a shot ..


I hear the 1800 handles like a sport bike and the 1500's are big as a bus, I haven't ridden either so I'm just going by what i hear but bigger is better in my book (mind you the air bag in the 1800 might save your life one day) ..!

 

[slabghost]

They don't see big yellow trucks here. With enough lights to look like christmas trees.