Honda Goldwing 1800 v BMW K1200LT

It's amazing how a short stint in the lap of luxury can turn hardened Sportsbike nuts into a couple of whinging 'softies'.

"There must be a loose wire. The CD has stopped working and so's the GPS," complained Sam, when we pulled over for a bike swap.

"That was hard going back there," added Rex. "All that rain and muck off the road made it hard to see through the screen. I had to stick my head up a bit and look over the top. How about we stop for a coffee?"

That seemed like a pretty good idea to me, given that I had just done the first two stints through the blustery headwind and intermittent rain squalls from the saddle of the un-faired Harley-Davidson Road King (featured Vol 50 No 24) we dragged along for company.

I was sitting up like a windsock and exposed to the elements while my travelling companions were cosseted in total luxury, and they still had the temerity to complain about a loose wire and a grubby screen.

Old port
Our destination that evening was Port Fairy on Victoria's south-west coast, the historic town being the site of Victoria's oldest licensed pub as well as the kick-off point for our return run the next day along the Great Ocean Road.

All up it would be an 800km round trip to compare the luxury liners of the BMW and Honda fleets - a $75,000 flotilla, or $100K-plus if you add in the Road King. Just the thing to make the insurance company somewhat jittery, and especially so given the weekend weather forecast.

Let's get something straight from the outset, these bikes aren't about covering big distances quickly. They're about travelling in sheer unadulterated opulence. If you want to get from A to B quickly then buy a K1200 RS or CBR1100XX. They're faster, and far more manouevrable.

These luxo liners aren't even about riding quickly - unless you're on a long, straight highway. Get into the twists and turns of the GOR, especially if it's wet, and you have to make allowances for their mass - sort of like manoeuvring a Supertanker in Circular Quay I guess.

Enthusiastic Team
After checking into our lodgings for the evening (historic Seacombe House) it was a chance for a few cleansing ales and to compare notes over dinner. It had been a rain-affected 350km afternoon run along the Princes Highway, but there was plenty of enthusiasm from the test team.

That crew comprised staffer Sam and friend Amanda, while reigning Aussie Post-classic champ and current Harley Sportster series leader Rex Wolfenden brought along wife Joyce.

Rex, an ex-Honda dealer it should be noted, was already leaning towards the Wing, smitten by its powerplant.

Sam on the other hand was firmly in the BMW's court, the loose wire having miraculously fixed itself after the earlier 30-minute inconvenience. The LT's more extensive gadgets were keeping him well amused.

The pillions were equally divided - tall Amanda preferring the greater legroom of the Beemer, while 154cm-tall Joyce best fitted the Honda's throne.

Screen Test
The initial discussion centred on the BMW's electrically-adjustable screen, which was a boon in the sloppy conditions we'd just ridden through.

Then the discussion switched to talk of heated seats, heated grips, and how easy it was to hear the stereo system at cruising speeds. I guess it made a change from sportsbike talk of cornering clearance, feathered rubber, and induction roar.

When the chat did turn to performance it was more to do with top-gear overtaking, and in that area the Honda has the runs on the board. And with 50 percent more capacity than the K12, I guess you'd expect it to.

At an indicated 100kmh the Wing is turning over at just 2500rpm, while at the same speed the Beemer has 3100rpm on its dial.

Compared to most bikes the LT is a real grunter. Compared to the Wing though, it's fighting in another division. To get the same sort of overtaking grunt out of the K12 you've got to shift down one gear, and maybe even two, although it's all relative.

The first day's ride had of course accentuated this straight-line ability of both luxury liners, as it had been a relatively direct run from Melbourne. However, that's not to say there were no noticeable chassis differences between the two.

Remote riding
The Honda offers the plusher ride, with the 1800's suspension a major improvement over that of the superseded GL1500/6. Rider and passenger are somewhat remote though, which made the greasy black patches of polished tarmac on the rain-drenched Princes Highway somewhat err, interesting.

Having said that, both the Wing and the K12 felt more sure-footed over the aforementioned black 'marble' than the accompanying Road King, which felt decidedly 'loose' in the front end when the roads were wet.

The BMW has a more direct link between rider and road surface than the Wing, and you can feel a lot more of what's happening at the tyre's contact patch. In that respect, the LT is more confidence inspiring over variable surfaces.

Foggy rides
Day two would show up these differences even more, as the return route around the GOR can be quite demanding if it's wet. But first there was the important task of a hearty breakfast, especially as the pea-soup fog looked like making things decidedly chilly.

Well, it normally would, but not on these two bikes. Both have sensational fairing protection, while the Honda even has vents to direct warm air at your tootsies. However, the big plus are the heated grips and seat on the big German.

Just when I was thinking of clicking on to the warmer of the two settings, we broke through the fog and arrived at the Bay of Islands under a bright blue sky and dry roads. Time for a photo...

The advantage of bikes like these is that you can take everything with you, including the kitchen sink. And access to wet weather clothing and camera gear is just a click of a latch away.

Yes, I know this is sounding more like the features that you'd list when shopping for a small Korean four-wheeler, which is the very reason that luxo-tourer 'virgins' Rex and Sam were my travelling partners.

I've previously ridden a GL1500/6 from Melbourne to Brisbane (twice in fact) and also around Europe (1996), while I've taken a K1200 LT to Adelaide.

It's all too easy for the uninitiated to scoff at bikes like the GL and LT and suggest they have little relevance in the two-wheeled world. And I'm sure that both Rex and Sam were of that view before our weekend away. But ask them now...

Taxing levels
It's not all rosy though. While the GL and the LT without question pamper both rider and pillion, they do require taxing levels of concentration in 'demanding' conditions, such as tight and twisty roads or in wet conditions. And as luck would have it, that's just what we copped on the run along the GOR from Lavers Hill to Apollo Bay.

It was time to compare notes again, this time at Apollo Bay's La Bimba bistro, a favourite with the AMCN crew (owner Andrew is a bike nut).

The BMW is definitely the more nimble of the duo in this usage, if I wanted to ride from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane along the coast road, then the K12 would be my choice. If I wanted to use the inland route, then the Wing would be the steed of choice.

Why bother?
I'm not a fan of the Beemer's servo-assisted brakes. I reckon they add unneeded complexity with no real gain, with the LT's brakes a bit on the grabby side as well.

The Honda brakes offered more feel, and just as much power, and believe me, when you're piloting supertankers like these, it's important to judge your stopping distances accordingly.

The Beemer is easier to manoeuvre due to its lesser bulk, although I could get the Wing on to its centre-stand easier than the LT. Strange but true.

So what wins? Be buggered if I know. Both Sam and Rex opted for different bikes, as did Amanda and Joyce. But that certainly doesn't mean I've got the casting vote.

Gadgets and Do-dads
At $39,990 the big Wing commands a presence that matches its 30 percent dearer pricetag, with an engine that makes Big Arnie look like Mr Puniverse.

However, it also drinks the jungle juice at a 22 percent greater rate than the K12 LT. We averaged a commendable 15.2km/lt against the LT's 18.5km/lt over our two-day two-up jaunt at legal speeds, so you'll be stopping more often on the Wing.

that can be a major problem. Because everyone, and I mean everyone, wants to yarn. Take the middle-aged lady making a '60s fashion statement who ran her fingers up Honda Australia's Marketing Manager Rhys Griffith's forearm during my recent GL drop-off, her hand coming to rest with a firm grip on his elbow.

"That's a magnificent looking bike you've got there," she commented. "It's a bit big for me though – I'm quite small you know and wouldn't be able to ride something that big."

"He'll take you for a ride if you want," I chimed in. "Here, you can borrow my helmet and jacket..."

You see, I know that once she's been for a ride she'll be hooked. Just as we all were.

Better value
I reckon the K1200 LT offers the better value for money - certainly if you value the additional gadgets, do-dads and luxury touches like Sam does. Dynamically it's a more capable bike than the GL away from the multi-lane freeways and straight roads, and you get a lot of motorcycle for the base price of $30,295.

But you don't get the Wing's monster engine, additional carrying capacity and intercontinental mile-eating ability - or sheer presence.

It's horses for courses. Maybe a blast up the coast to Noosa will help in my research...