(FR Motorcycle Hooligan vanity) Honda F6B or Indian Chieftain?

12/5/15 | Marty

[martin_fierro]

Alright, you Freeper Motorcycle Hooligans:

Marty is tentatively in the market for a new bike.

Current contenders are the Honda Gold Wing F6B vs the Indian Chieftain

I’d like to hear anyone’s experiences with either of the above 2 bikes — or with any other large dual-bag cruiser

Here’s what I”m thinking:

HONDA F6b:

• PLUSSES:
  • 1800cc 6-cylinder boxer engine, liquid-cooled, known for great balance of torque vs high-end and for longevity
  • Shaft drive
  • Slightly lower asking price than the Chieftain
  • Modern electronic features
  • Great Honda fit & finish, engineering
• MINUSES:
  • Does not have old-school look nor much chrome

INDIAN CHIEFTAIN:

• PLUSSES:
  • 1800cc V-Twin engine, air-cooled
  • Belt drive
  • TONS of chrome & old-school styling — freaking gorgeous
  • Modern electronic features
• MINUSES:
  • Indian Motorcycle has been in & out of bankruptcy since last century. While the brand is now owned & produced by Polaris, I don’t know how long Indian will be around this time.
  • I’m not familiar with long-term reliability of the brand
  • Slightly higher asking price than the F6B

THE OLD BIKE (2000 Honda Shadow):

• PLUSSES:
  • 1100cc V-twin, liquid-cooled
  • Has about 23,000 miles on it
  • Has great old-school look, good amount of chrome
  • Great Honda fit & finish, including “blue-proof” exhausts
  • It’s fully paid for and running well
• MINUSES:
  • Undersized gas tank
  • Engine strains > 65 mph
  • A little lean on features (no radio or other electronic items)

[ETL]

You mean it’s probably not very comfortable to ride?

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

That’d be my guess. ;^)

[Spktyr]

General observation: Chrome sucks. It provides the police with nice bright shiny radar and laser reflectors, it’s a pain to keep clean and it rusts faster than painted parts do.

But if you want chrome, you can slather more of it on the Goldwing and its relatives like the F6B than almost anything short of a Harley because of the huge aftermarket the bikes have. You can just about get every external surface covered in chrome if you want for some reason.

[Spktyr]

Couple of my friends bought 2013 or 2014 models from MotoGuzzi. Both have been in the shop on a regular basis and have had to wait weeks to months for parts to arrive from Italy.

[Carbonsteel]

Hands down....the Indian.

This is coming from someone with 25 years riding experience. Currently on a R1200GS.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Traveling north on Memorial in Tulsa OK about twenty five years, someone on a Harley passed me (I was in my truck). I saw he had on the back of his motorcycle jacket these words (w/o the ***)

GOD MADE HONDAS TO KEEP NI****S OFF HARLEYS.

When one of my friends bought himself a new Honda Gold Wing I mentioned what I had seen. He went into a depression, and a few weeks later had himself a Harley.

I am NOT a motorcycle man, never owned one.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Whichever has a backrest, ya ole geezer! :-)

[gorush]

[Tigerized]

The Honda may outperform the Indian, but it’s always going to be a Honda.

Indians definitely out panache the Hondas.

And frankly, I would NEVER be caught dead on a motorcycle that has reverse. Then it becomes a car missing two wheels.

Just my humble opinion.

[bmwcyle]

Indian

[uglybiker]

Now yer talkin'!

[rbg81]

Luv the Triumph line!

[Clean_Sweep]

You just have to ride them both to decide. Otherwise you can’t really compare them. Personally I’d go for the Honda with a six.

[military cop]

“Triumph Thunderbird 900 Triple”

Cafe’d out as well...

RLTW

[Salamander]

This is really a question?

;D

[Pelham]

[Joe Boucher]

I ride a Harley Electraglide.
Only thing it doesn’t have that at times would really be appreciated is a reverse gear.
Gold Wing has one

[trebb]

Honda.

Going for a "shaky retro" to get some looks with no performance/durability perks, and at a higher cost, doesn't make sense to me.

But then again, I tend to spend my money the way I want vs. what always makes the most sense.....

[Poser]

To properly fill your garage you need the following:
1. A Yamaha Zuma moped, preferably 2 stroke, for putting around town.
2. A Sportster or Ducati Scrambler
3. A Goldwing for cross country travel
4. An Electra-glide for mid range trips
5. A 1969 BSA Thunderbolt for showing off and nostalgia.
6. A Vespa PX 150 for antique fun
7. A 1948 Panhead (you knew w you want one)

[Sirius Lee]

You will get over 200,000 relatively care free miles out of the Honda. And as for looks - it’s the 21st Century. In ten years the Honda may look silly, but in twenty it will look like a classic. Nobody looks at a 2001 PT Cruiser nowadays and says “Wow, what a classic car!”