1985 Honda Goldwing Limited Edition
GL1200 / 4 Cylinder, 1200cc
(Tenth Anniversary special edition)
We always imagined that someday we would tell the tale of our first cross-country motorcycle journey. It was 1988;  Carol and I were just falling in love after a 20 year close but platonic friendship.  In July we drove off from Long Island, New York and headed for the Canadian Rockies.  LIke the rest of the trip, the beginning was unusual for a "motorycle" trip. I'll explain later.  Kalispel, Montana was our first destination.  This was, in reality, a business trip for me. Ten days after departing, I was to present a 1-day lecture in Kalispel. With that business trip  serving as both our rationale for going and our expense budget, Carol and I went off to the Canadian Rockies for the ride of our lifetimes. *
           


I purchased the motorcycle in 1987 from a man who won $2 million in the New Jersey lottery. It had 3,000 beautifully broken in miles on it and it sparkled, inside and out. This motorcycle changed my life. It was my introduction to motorcyle touring.

we made checklists of packing wisdom
How to run a global corporation from touring motorcycle on the move..
IN the short time I've had my GL1200 - and later GL1500, technology has introduced so many useful products to keep a business man or woman connected to the world while traveling.

Fuel injection,AM/FM - Cassette Stereo (4 speaker joy stick centering)
Auto and Manual suspention leveling
On board air compressor (no flats)
Multi-function onboard trip computer
Closed-circuit audio between driver and passenger
Shared stereo, intercom
Auto and manual muting synched with road speed
Extended side windshield panels
Comes with two seats, original in perfect condition
Digital Spedometer with digital and graphical tachometer
All screen displays in either American and Metric units
Engine guards
Front fender extender
Leather Pockets
Cigarette lighter (Accessory) plug
Quick-release for Battery Tender
Original Tool Kit and User Manual
Adjustable backrest (with lever) with one of two seats

Some rust spots - ALL replaceable for anyone wishing perfection.
Small hole in trunk bottom needs reinforcement
Outside trunk lid has a corner chip. Does not compromise the inide insulation
     
 
Neither of us had ever taken a  long motorcycle trip before. We weren't sure about anything, including the reliabilitiy of the motorcyle, our own endurance and many other factors.  Since this was a ultimately a "business" trip we needed to assure that I would be in Kalispell for my presentation. We solved the problem by "whimping out." We rented a truck and drove the motorcycle in the back of a truck to Cheyanne, Wyoming. It was like a Soaring Plane that is released high above the earth and comes back down as beautifully and adventurously as possible. Once in Wyoming, we proceeded to drive a little over 9,000 in 31 days.  It was glorious. In fact, when we returned home to Long Island, we were bored after a few days and wished that our trip hadn't ended.  So we packed up again and took a 10 day trip to the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Province. It too was a remarkable journey of its own.
     

I came home one day driving my just purchased 1985 Goldwing Limited Edition.  Carol didn't know I bought it when I showed it to her.  Her first reaction when she saw it was "please buy it, I beg of you."   How could I not love this woman. Not only did I not have to "sell" my wife on adding this new dimension to our lives, she encouraged it - enthusiastically.  From that point on we were off and running. We took trips to the Canadian Rockies and down through the southwest deserts of the USA. We visited the Appalaichian Ozarks and Smokeys and Shenendoah and Pocono and Catskill mountain ranges.  We drove to the top of New England and beyond to the Gaspee Penninsula. 

I had to wait until after 1994 to visit Nova Scotia as planned -
except without her. It was my "one less holiday."

view from the front
   
We communicated with each other via the matching "miked" helmets that came with the motorcycle

   
   

       

When taking long trips, where the mind is one's primary companion, one invents games to keep the mind alert. With a trip computer right in my crotch, it was just too tempting to play with the 6 trip-odometers, stop-watches, real-time fuel and speed calculators and many more functions.  It was a source of entertainment for many miles.  Carol was often preoccupied in the pillion, knitting the sweater she was making for me.

The ice smooth comfortableness was overwhelmed by the hellish heat as we crossed the southwest desert of Arizona and New Mexico, and again through the central plains, Kansas and Oklahoma. Carol was having a harder time coping than I. As we crossed the state line into Texas, which had no 'required helmet" law on the books at the time, she tore off her helmet and used it as an elbow rest for a while. We made many stops during this stretch and subsequently met many locals of the towns we traveled through. We learned humility, respect and a lot of current events along the way.
  There were times when a long stretch of flat riding, on a hot day, would just make us want to soak our tushi's in the nearest cold spring. We didn't lose those opportunities.
        
 
 
Ah, the ferry across the Susquehana river in Pennsylvania, on our way home, was one of the highlights of this trip. One begins to think the adventure is ending,
the closer one gets to home, but there are delightful surprises everywhere - Like the Paddle ferry boat we crossed.
     
The Motorcycle Page

© 2005, Jerry Garfunkel ..... 172 Tinker Street ..... Woodstock, NY .... 12498 .... Tel/Fax +1 845 679 0121 ..... www.jeromegarfunkel.com ..... jerry@jeromegarfunkel.com
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