New ride -- Honda Silverwing

[maddiedog]

One of the guys we rode with put up a trip log here: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=825140. I haven't uploaded my pictures yet though.

The Silverwing is definitely more roomy, with a bigger saddle, but I'm just as comfortable on it on long distances as I am on the PCX. I'd take the PCX any day of the week at speeds under 55mph -- it's more nimble, twice as efficient, and more fun. Don't get me wrong -- I love the Silverwing and will probably commute with it once my wife gets knocked up and I start commuting by myself, but I'll ALWAYS keep the PCX for around town riding. We might even sell the Silverwing, just because I've been riding the PCX more than it recently.

In the twisties, I have just as much speed and confidence on the Silverwing as the PCX. The suspension is much more substantial on the Silverwing, which helps on shitty roads, but the massive amount of weight is a strike against it on shitty roads.

Honestly, if the damn thing got 70mpg instead of the 48mpg I'm getting, I'd like it a lot more. I just somehow can't get over the 50mpg difference under the PCX. It saddens me. It's a great bike, but at 48mpg I might as well have gotten a damned Goldwing. I'd get the same gas mileage, but I'd have a whole shitload more bike and a whole shitload more comfort.

[you you]

OOOfff. All my cars and bikes do more than 48mpg. I know theres a difference between US gallons and imperial but all the same...

[maddiedog]

Yea, and it's not like I'm thrashing the beast. One tank I even made sure to not go over 60 the ENTIRE tank. 49.8mpg. That's PATHETIC. Gah.

At least it's consistent though. My worst tank was 47mpg, and we were riding 2-up, heavily-loaded, at 80+mph the entire time on a superhighway (4 lanes either direction).

[you you]

Yea, and it's not like I'm thrashing the beast. One tank I even made sure to not go over 60 the ENTIRE tank. 49.8mpg. That's PATHETIC. Gah.

At least it's consistent though. My worst tank was 47mpg, and we were riding 2-up, heavily-loaded, at 80+mph the entire time on a superhighway (4 lanes either direction).

Is the mpg consistent with tests/fuelly etc or is it just your bike?

[maddiedog]

About normal -- here's the page: http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/ ... %20fsc600d

I usually get near the top-end of MPG figures, the Silverwing I don't... Which is odd, because I usually drive slower than my Nana, and rarely beat cars off the line. I guess it just means I can drive it like I stole it and not really give a damn because my MPG will be awful either way.

[gn2]

AFAIK post 2007 models do a bit better.

[maddiedog]

This bike's for sale. My wife's talking about getting preggo in the next 6 months, so I agreed to sell all my bikes but my KTM and the PCX. Sad too, considering I was going to buy another this weekend.

She did agree to let me get a sports car though, so there is that.


Anyways, here's the ad: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/3535892268.html

Price is negotiable, and I'll wait until spring to sell if I have to (not in a hurry at all to sell, I ride the Silverwing almost daily, its handling (or lack thereof) has grown on me).

[gn2]

My wife's talking about getting preggo in the next 6 months

Nice to have an indoor project for the cold winter months

[Taz]

I gave up all biking and flying for my kids for nearly 15 years so you will be lucky to keep 2 bikes!

[you you]

This bike's for sale. My wife's talking about getting preggo in the next 6 months, so I agreed to sell all my bikes but my KTM and the PCX. Sad too, considering I was going to buy another this weekend.

She did agree to let me get a sports car though, so there is that.


Anyways, here's the ad: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/3535892268.html

Price is negotiable, and I'll wait until spring to sell if I have to (not in a hurry at all to sell, I ride the Silverwing almost daily, its handling (or lack thereof) has grown on me).

Selling your bikes for the promise of a sports car, oh dear.

You wouln't be the first to get caught. "but a child seat wouln't fit in that" is the next thing you are going to hear.


Man up and starting buying bikes for the kid now I say. It could be twins, get a few bikes...

And quads

[maddiedog]

Just sold this one today. A bit sad to see it go (it had grown on me), but the lack of gas mileage compared to the PCX and the sluggish handling just didn't do it for me... The cash is much more interesting, because I can use it to get things like a hot tub.

[former50cc]

I really like reading stuff from you.
You are so informative. It seems we are at slightly different points in life. If only I had the internet back in the 1970's! But that is too strange.
I did all of my major touring in the 1970's with my wife on 10-speed racing bicycles outfitted for cross-country travel and living out of our tent. At that time we lived in the Midwest in our college years and we always headed toward the West on our bicycles when we had enough money saved up. Mind you - we spent many, many years waiting until the right time to have children until we were ready (in our forties). We rode our bicycles to Yellowstone, the Tetons, Glacier Park, Banff, Jasper, Dawson City Yukon, Fairbanks and Anchorage Alaska including what was then known as Mt. McKinley National Park (Denali now), not to mention the Oregon coast, Northern California, and toured on our bicycles 3 of the Hawaiian Islands.
As a teenager in the '60's I had ridden a 60cc Yamaha bike that was mostly oriented for the dirt. I also rode a whole lot on a Honda 500 something that I did not own (I can't remember much about it, but I was able to keep it under the "radar" of our friends in police cars in those days. My older brother let me ride it as much as I wanted. He was into hard tail Harleys that he chopped. I was lucky to survive. He wasn't.)
I just now want to keep scootering and surfing.
I want to ride my PCX.
There is a HUGE difference between surfing and riding motorcycles/scooters.
- - - When you wipe out on a surfboard you just hold your breath and grab your board.
- - - When you wipe out on a scooter or motorcycle, well - just DON'T.
My kids are going off to college, and I just want to ride my new Red PCX 150, and hope that I remember how to surf.

[strkngfang]

As a previous owner of the Silverwing, I will say it is an awesome machine. I rode one for over a year but recently traded for a PCX due to the kind of riding I do. The Silverwing is a touring bike and not so good for just around town riding. I only weigh 145 and it was a lot of mass to handle. Relying solely on dealer servicing was expensive as well. I traded mine just prior to its 16,000 mi service which would have ran me 800.00- OUCH! My average mpg wasn't horrible at 58, but I usually stayed in the 40-50 mph range. The PCX is my new mini SWing. Same "maxi scoot" looks, more nimble, phenomenal mpg and a ton of fun.

[you you]

As a previous owner of the Silverwing, I will say it is an awesome machine. I rode one for over a year but recently traded for a PCX due to the kind of riding I do. The Silverwing is a touring bike and not so good for just around town riding. I only weigh 145 and it was a lot of mass to handle. Relying solely on dealer servicing was expensive as well. I traded mine just prior to its 16,000 mi service which would have ran me 800.00- OUCH! My average mpg wasn't horrible at 58, but I usually stayed in the 40-50 mph range. The PCX is my new mini SWing. Same "maxi scoot" looks, more nimble, phenomenal mpg and a ton of fun.

Hmmm

I've got a peugot 107 that does 58mpg at a steady 80mph on a 180 mile trip.....each day for four months now. I'll drop the oil and change the oil and air filter next week

[skuuter]

I really like reading stuff from you.
You are so informative. It seems we are at slightly different points in life. If only I had the internet back in the 1970's! But that is too strange.
I did all of my major touring in the 1970's with my wife on 10-speed racing bicycles outfitted for cross-country travel and living out of our tent. At that time we lived in the Midwest in our college years and we always headed toward the West on our bicycles when we had enough money saved up. Mind you - we spent many, many years waiting until the right time to have children until we were ready (in our forties). We rode our bicycles to Yellowstone, the Tetons, Glacier Park, Banff, Jasper, Dawson City Yukon, Fairbanks and Anchorage Alaska including what was then known as Mt. McKinley National Park (Denali now), not to mention the Oregon coast, Northern California, and toured on our bicycles 3 of the Hawaiian Islands.
As a teenager in the '60's I had ridden a 60cc Yamaha bike that was mostly oriented for the dirt. I also rode a whole lot on a Honda 500 something that I did not own (I can't remember much about it, but I was able to keep it under the "radar" of our friends in police cars in those days. My older brother let me ride it as much as I wanted. He was into hard tail Harleys that he chopped. I was lucky to survive. He wasn't.)
I just now want to keep scootering and surfing.
I want to ride my PCX.
There is a HUGE difference between surfing and riding motorcycles/scooters.
- - - When you wipe out on a surfboard you just hold your breath and grab your board.
- - - When you wipe out on a scooter or motorcycle, well - just DON'T.
My kids are going off to college, and I just want to ride my new Red PCX 150, and hope that I remember how to surf.

GOOD STUFF...I got into Motorcycles in 1970 after graduating High School...then spent 19 years driving Race Cars, 9 years owning a Bicycle Shop, 14 years of R/C Car Racing, even riding to Races on Motorcycles....the 70s were a Great Period. I owned several "Early Scooters", but (IMO), I think Scooters really started to emerge around the mid-nineties as Safe, Good Handling, Efficient Trip Takers. I tend to prefer Scooters over Motorcycles nowadays having owned everything from 50cc to 650cc in Scooters, and Sport Bikes, Cruisers, Trikes, etc., etc., etc. in Motorcycles.....Enjoy Your PCX and the Surf.....

[skuuter]

Wife and I 2-up on Our second Silver Wing on "The Dragon" in 2009.....



Dragging the Framerails at Full Lean.....

[maddiedog]

It was a bit too easy to drag the rails on the Silverwing, I scared myself doing it a couple of times!

[strkngfang]

Awesome picture skuuter, I would wet myself-ha ha! With my lightweight, I took turns with as little lean as possible, out of fear.
It is so much fun to have a sub 300 lb scoot again to "throw around" & feel secure.
I have a facebook Silverwing fan page, do you care if I post it there? Also check it out, I'm proud of it.

[maddiedog]

Put up a link to the facebook page, so we can see it!

[skuuter]

It was a bit too easy to drag the rails on the Silverwing, I scared myself doing it a couple of times!

Yep, They lean in quickly and sharply.......