I was planning on buying a 2008 Goldwing until I found the JustWings forum. Is there really a 15% failure rate on the 2001-2010 transmissions? I know that there are a ton of these that have no problems. Please assure me that I am OK buying a 2008-2010 model year!!!
5th Generation fears after reading the Just Wings forum
ncdlt
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Thank you, I hope I have the same experience. So far the shifting is fine for me.
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I recently purchased a beautiful 01 Wing w/31k miles on it for $7200. Turns out it had catastrophic tranny damage and engine issues. Cost to get it out of the shop $7500. I had always wanted one and just knew that one with such low milage would be a gem of a find. This one did pull a trailer...so I will never buy another bike that has towed a trailer..very costly mistake.
Towing a trailer doesn't cause the transmission issues that affect some of the GL1800's...its the parts in the transmission that were not quite made right and this bike was unlucky and got those parts ...most bikes will not have any problems. I towed a trailer with my 2003 with no problems at all...my 2018 tows the same trailer.
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1,029 Posts
I'm sure we all remember the AMMCO commercials, yet we kept driving cars and never had transmission failures.
Some of these mileage post are a testament to the (not all bikes have problems).
Just because it's on the internet, doesn't make it true.
Some of these mileage post are a testament to the (not all bikes have problems).
Just because it's on the internet, doesn't make it true.
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The vast majority of Goldwings never have any transmission problems. Go to any large gathering of Wings and talk to owners. Heck, ask how many people on this forum have had ghost shifting problems. It'll be a small percentage. Greg is a transmission specialist and people come to him with their tranny problems so he sees a lot of problems. It's the old adage that if you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Glen
Glen
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11,272 Posts
Yeah, I put over 100,000 miles on my 2006 and over half of them pulling a KwikKamp/Bunkhouse loaded down. Supposedly the 2006 was the worst year for tranny problems. Mine is fine. Some people with problems had heel/toe shifters and so they blamed that. Fact is most problems were without heel/toe shifters. Some blame towing. Some blame doing oil changes by the book (8,000 miles). Fact is it's none of those. My best friend got killed in an accident when we were 21. His mother blamed herself because she left the ironing board up that night. Superstition.
It sucks that your having transmission problems on that GoldWing. But don't buy the BS that trailering or any of the others things I mentioned is the reason. Sounds like the problems didn't start when you purchased the bike. The previous owner should be ashamed.
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As with a p/u and a car, any add'l strain on the drive train can cause a transmission problem to show up sooner.
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The previous owner didn't manufacture the bike and like you he probably never did anything (like pulling a trailer) that would have contributed to the transmission problems. Honda is the party that should be ashamed for continuing to manufacture these bikes for several years with a known defect that can eventually result in ghost shifting. Unless it is a safety/liability issue, like a cracked frame or brakes locking up, Honda, like most big companies, will do nothing outside of a warranty to fix their own "mistake." We know nothing of the previous owner as to where he bought the bike or how long he may have owned it. He may have bought it used from a Honda dealer. In any case Honda should pay to fix the bike.
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20,451 Posts
Years ago, when I started fixing 5th gen trannies, I was surprised when my tranny guy said that many m/c manufactures blame the rider and will not warranty transmission problems. However, it appears Honda knew they had a problem for the following reasons:
- if the issues is reproducible by a Honda tech, and the Wing is still under warranty, and not altered such as being triked or it has a trailer hitch, Honda will do a warranty repair
- if the Wing is under its 3-year warranty, an additional 4-year warranty can be purchased
- in 2014, Honda changed their dog design for 4th and 5th gear
- as of yesterday, I had a customer who purchased a 2010 with 85k on the ODM, an 11yo Wing from a dealer, and was able to buy a 2-yr Honda Care warranty.
My point is this ... it appears that Honda is at least trying.
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Did you read the post to which I replied? We do know that the previous owner pulled a trailer. That was the whole point of my reply. It sounded like the seller had to know the transmission was shot but didn't disclose that information. So he should be ashamed. He's a crook.
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I Disagree with this assessment.
A Very well respected member of this forum (The late Mr.Tom Finch) rode his two GL1800 bike while never taking his Tailwind trailer off the hitch.
He often mentioned it was fully loaded going to GWRRA conventions.
I rather listen to a Expert with vast Engineering Experience, (Mr.Finch)
With over a Million miles towing his Tailwind, and other brands of trailers. without a single Transmission failure! (At least I have never seen him post of one)
Than someone who is doing nothing without facts to back up his claims, Than posting a SWAG at best.
I took Gregs post as if the transmission has a flaw in it to cause a failure, towing a trailer with cause it to fail sooner...he wasn't saying that towing a trailer with a good transmission will cause a failure.
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And so is Honda for selling Goldwings when Honda knew the transmission had an issue causing problems, didn't disclose the issue to buyers and for several years failed to correct the issue. As to this particular Goldwing having "catastrophic" tranny damage and engine issues how do we know if these issues did not develop only after "onedoug" purchased the beautiful bike?
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How do we know? We READ HIS POST!!! 🤣😂😅 🙄
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So the person who sold the "beautiful" bike had no issues with it and the "catastrophic tranny damage and engine issues" developed shortly after "overdog" purchased the bike. How does this make the seller a "crook?"
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1,029 Posts
I don't get how the seller can be a Crook either?.
Things happen without warning all the time. (That's life as we know it)
Must be like.
I rode the bike yesterday and the tire was fine.
Today It is Flat.
The guy who sold me the tire must be a Crook?
He should of known I would get a flat? (lol)
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Doug. please elaborated the chain of events for us all,
To better understand how your story played out?
(So we don't assume anything incorrectly)
Did you test ride the bike before buying it? (Sometimes test rides are not possible,or allowed)
Private purchase or from a Dealer?
How long did you own the bike before the transmission started having shifting problems? (How many miles?)
Did you contact the seller with your complaints?
Let us know.
Thank you.
Trailer Hitch.
As others said. Towing a trailer has nothing to do with a poor transmission design from Honda.
There are millions of towed miles, from guys who Never disconnect their trailer, after purchasing the trailer. (Tom Finch comes to mind)
I'd think towing a trailer constantly, would be better on the transmission, seeing, you have to drive differently while towing. (Slower and more cautiously-no speed shifting)
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