[RoadSurfer]

Had my first ride on my new 04 today. As the temperature was below freezing, I only did 85 miles. But one thing that surprised me (pleasantly) was the discovery that I may not really need an after-market backrest after all. While waiting for the bike to arrive since trading in my ST1100 three months ago, I'd been assuming that a Utopia backrest would be one of the essential accessories I'b be adding asap. (I had something similar on my '84 Wing and found it to be great.) But that high rise sectioin at the small of the rider's back (or waist, really) seems to be just enough to keep me from slouching or leaning back enough to feel the need for a real backrest.

Maybe there are lots of you out there who have the same experience...?

Oh yeah, the other thing that surprised me was the fact that the owner's manual does not tell you how to remove the seat!

 

[Verdayne aka Wingnut]

Hmmm, you're right. In case you don't know, remove the bolts out of the passenger grab handles(two on each side), lift up, & back on the seat and it'll come off. Oh, and congratulations on your new ride! Also, 85 miles isn't enough to really tell much. But I hope you don't/won't need a backrest, that way you'll have more funds to put somewhere else.

 

[Jerry L]

My thoughts exactly. I sat on my buddys bike with a backrest and wondered to myself why? Save yer money for gas & oil and go ride!

 

[skipreb]

Backrest

I found after 120 miles my back would start to hurt. I bought the the Utopia and the back is fine now for ling rides. I do like the seat on my 1984 and backrest better.

 

[Sunkist]

Great to hear you're on the road, Surfer! (Hope your CB works as advertised). I had hoped to get over to our dealer on Saturday, but didn't make it. But I was out on my bicycle...was that you I saw at Catherine & Elgin in Ottawa? If so, you passed me (yellow jacket) on your way over Pretoria Bridge. That was the only motorcycle I saw today...wasn't sure if it was a silver or titanium. Looked good though!

On topic content: I too find my back hurting after a couple hundred miles. I bought a Utopia backrest with the removable option. I only use the backrest for longer rides/trips - it helps make those thousand mile days more bearable!

Does the manual not state how to remove the seat? Hmmm...don't remember where I learned how - probably this board! But I soon learned to carry a couple allen keys sized to fit the seat and top shelter bolts. The ones I bought from Canadian Tire have large handles to make their use easier. It's amazing how often I've taken off that seat!

Great that you're finally on the road. Hope to join you soon. 8)
Arthur

 

[Mike L]

Great ! Glad to hear you can go without the backrest. I could for awhile also, but I found the longer I rode and the more miles I covered the old back would start to act up. Especially if there were three or four days in a row. It sure feels good to lean back, put your feet up and just enjoy.
I like riding my Lazy Boy recliner...............LOL

 

[Blue Max]

Utopia pin

Hopefully you won't need the back rest, I do. For short rides my back is fine but for long rides I need the Utopia. You can buy a quick release pin that will let you easily take it off and put it back on as you need it.

 

[fireman howie]

being a guy that is of the manly size lol i found that i did need a back rest for the longer rides and glad i did :chef2:

 

[GL03]

Hey roadsurfer, how tall are ya, my guess is 5'9". I am a good 3 inches shorter, so the seat position and handlebars are not ideal for me at all. With cheap risers, and an adjustable Khromeworks backrest, I am fairly comfortable. God bless ya if you can ride without one. When sitting back, my hands are still short of a full grip on the handles. Honda should offer maybe three seat size styles, short, standard, and long. Would be sure of lot of us would gladly pay a LITTLE extra for a well fit seat personally. Or even different length handle bars extenders!

 

[RoadSurfer]

'Spect you guys are probably right. 85 miles is not really enough to tell the tale. And then, as a couple of you mention, if/when I add highway pegs, ... well, seems pretty certain you'd need a backrest then. I don't expect to be doing any 1,000 mile days, Arthur, but on the other hand, I'll probably do longer days than I ever did on the ST (which, in recent years, was getting my back and shoulders pretty uncomfortable after the first two hours of any riding day).

Actually, my height is 6'1", GL03, and it's more or less evenly balanced between legs and torso. Even at that height, though, another pleasant confirmation (not a surprise, because I hadn't expected otherwise after having taken several demo rides over the past three years) was that the ergos of the bike seem to be fine for me -- including the positioning of the bars. I do not find them too close to me and certainly do not get the sensation that they may puncture my gut on tight slow speed turns. Maybe it's because my 35" sleeve length alllows me to sit as far back as possible...?

Yeah, that must have been me you saw, Arthur. I did all the Parkways around town and, like you, didn't see another bike during the entire outing. Not surprising, given the -3' C. temps. I expected I'd just ride the bike straight home from Wheelsport and have to immediately sit beside the fire for an hour to beat back the hypothermia. But -- another surprise for the day -- it wasn't that bad. The heated grips worked to keep my hands warm enough (though I did have to wick the dial up to max) and four layers of fleece kept everything but my feet warm enough. If it hadn't been for the feet, I'd have stayed out all afternoon.

As it was I eventually returned home, parked the bike in the garage, turned on a space heater, unfolded a camp chair, cracked a beer and commenced to spend the next couple of hours dividing my attention between the owner's manual and long periods of gazing at this amazing machine.

My wife eventually looked in on me and said she wished she had film in her camera. I said, "You know, I've been doing this since I was 16 [40 years!] -- sitting in a garage and admiring my motorcycle." And it's true. I first did it with my '64 Triumph Trophy and I've been doing it with every bike since then. I've loved 'em all -- not just as wonderful vehicles but as objects of beauty.

As I gazed at the Wing yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder what that 16-year-old would have thought if this bike had been miraculously plunked down in front of him back in 1964. :shock: It would have seemed so huge as to be laughable :lol: , so beautiful as to be unbelievable , so technologically advanced as to seem a figment of science fiction :wink: .

Now that I have it in my stable, I am more in awe of this machine than ever.

Thanks for the welcoming congratulations, guys. Glad to be among yuhz.

 

[Lucky Phil]

Does the manual not state how to remove the seat? Hmmm...don't remember where I learned how - probably this board! But I soon learned to carry a couple allen keys sized to fit the seat and top shelter bolts. The ones I bought from Canadian Tire have large handles to make their use easier. It's amazing how often I've taken off that seat!

Sunkist, didn't you get the toolkit with your Wing? Mine has the allen wrenches in it.

 

[Lazyboy]

Roadsurfer:

That last post was almost poetic. :clap2:

I've been out in that garage a million times.

Welcome aboard

 

[cycledude]

Had a backrest for my 1500 used it one day then it hung on the wall of my garage for years untill the bike was sold. Backrests are great for people who need them but for me it was just a PIA.

 

[Sunkist]

Surfer, you bring back memories...only a year ago, I did much the same thing. I had planned to pick up my bike from Wheelsport on Saturday, April 5, but a major snowstorm was forecasted for that day, so I pleaded with Robert to pick it up on Friday instead. Left work early with some friends, headed over to Wheelsport, and rode home. Turned out my bike was the 18th new bike to leave their premises that day! By the time I finished inspecting the bike it was getting dark, and, being intimidated by the thoughts of black ice, headed straight home. It did snow heavily the next day and it was at least a week before I got out for a real ride. But I spent many hours Friday night and the rest of the weekend going over my manual and gazing fondly at my new Wing. It was a perfect time to add accessories too...mounted my spoiler, fog lights, alarm and cb over that snowy weekend.

Phil: yes my toolkit does include allen keys. But, perhaps because of my XXL hands, I find them awkward to use. I had my seat and top shelter off so many times in the early days that I went out and bought a set of allen keys that were more ergonomically designed (large handles). There are only two that are used regularly on the bike, so I keep them in the cubbyhole in the trunk (no cd player) with my other tools.

Unfortunately, my bike is at my dealer's waiting for a new audio unit. Apparently redesigned units (to overcome the feedback problem) have been manufactured and should get here in the next couple weeks. So no riding for me for the next while.

Congrats again Surfer and look forward to seeing you on the road soon.
Arthur

 

[Jeff in Ferndale WA]

This is the first bike I've owned that had a backrest.I rode several thousand miles without it,and was getting a constant pain in my neck and shoulders.
That pain went away as soon as I put on the rest and got it adjusted properly.

 

[MadDog]

Roadsurfer:

Here I thought I was the only one.

Setting and staring at my bikes (with a beer) over the years has been one of my favorite pastimes. I have had many good visits with each.

 

[RoadSurfer]

Back in '64, it was an old, crumbling, barn-style, one-and-a-half story clapboard garage, with a dirt floor, a slight list to starboard and one single 60 watt bulb overhead. Being as it was in the middle of New Brunswick's two-month long summer, I didn't need any space heater, but the fog rolling in off the Bay of Fundy made it a cool evening nonetheless, as I recall. Still, that one faint bulb only served to accentuate the highlights of the British twin and the yellowy-orange and white two-tone paint scheme on its racing-striped fenders and classic teardrop gastank. Even then, I wondered what the hell it was that kept me sitting there on that discarded kitchen chair, studying every shiny black cable, glittering spoke and dull silver cooling fin, the hours just drifting away with my imagination.

Forty years later and I still can't figure it out -- what it is that can make a motorcycle so mesmerizing. But it is one of life's unique gifts and I just take it while I can. Never mind the explanation. Whatever it is, it's good. It's good, I like it.

("You like it now," she said, "but you'll learn to love it later.")

 

[Jerry J]

At first I didn't think I needed a backrest either but I got my 01 wing for long trips and to see the country and after about 10 back to back 500 mile days my need for a back rest showed itself. So I got one and really like it.

 

[BrianSC]

As it was I eventually returned home, parked the bike in the garage, turned on a space heater, unfolded a camp chair, cracked a beer and commenced to spend the next couple of hours dividing my attention between the owner's manual and long periods of gazing at this amazing machine.

Damn, I thought I was the only one!!!

 

[DaleC]

Roadsurfer - you may indeed not need backrest.

My advice to you is to go on a long multi-day ride, something like my outing this past 3 day weekend which was a mini southwest US tour (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and then back home again to California) - 2235 miles. Go on a lengthy ride similar to that, and then ask yourself if you need a backrest or not.

I'd be curious if you would answer the question the same way or not.

DaleC