Off-Roading Gold Wings A Bad Idea? These Guys Say You’re Wrong!
Here’s what it’s like off-roading a Goldwing, and it's not what you imagined.
In a literal sense the concept of “adventure riding” should be open for interpretation. Like really, who made the rule that you have to have a KTM, a GS or KLR to ADV? Because in reality, the more inappropriate your bike, the greater your “adventure” is likely to be.
Enter Kyle and Zac a.k.a the ‘Dos Honduros’ you might have seen online ripping along the WABRDR on two derelict 1980 Gold Wings. At first glance their antics may appear more Jackass-inspired than calculated choice, but in reality these guys are serious riders who’ve owned many street, dirt and dual sport bikes over the years — including KTM 1190s and 690s — yet here they are gleefully flogging Gold Wings on ADV routes because in Kyle’s words: “It’s the best time we’ve ever had on two wheels.”
Like most crazy ideas this caper did not start with a plan. The two Gold Wings were non-op discards when Kyle and Zac rescued them from a property that was being cleared. They massaged them to life and then in a jokey way ladened them with CB radios, cup holders and trailer hitches so they could potentially tow their dirt “cheater” bikes. For the sake of style, they swapped out the stock fairings for retro Windjammers and threw on some KC lights. Lastly, they shod the touring bikes with Kenda Big Blocks, which Kyle says “may look practical, [but] we really just like how good they look.”
When they left on their first ride from Washington headed to Montana, they didn’t think their ratty rigs would make it out of the state. Instead, they made the 1,200 miles journey with ease and have now moved on to increasingly dubious adventure ride challenges.
The first few minutes of their trending WABRDR video is cringeworthy with all the bottoming out, but as the ride goes on, it’s impossible not to be awed by the way Kyle and Zac pilot these nearly 700 pound beasts along singletrack and up steeps. From their perspective it’s hilarious. Kyle says they can’t stop laughing during these rides. Even their camera chase rider can’t stop giggling.
And yeah, you might already be working up a ballsy-feeling comment to post about how these guys aren’t serious, but before you waste the gas, know they agree. “We are riding stock 1980 Gold Wings off road; I would hope no one is taking us seriously,” says Kyle. On the other hand they truly enjoy riding these big beaters on adventure rides. In a reply to one naysayer who accused the pair of merely stunting for YouTube likes they responded: “We both had/sold…KTMs. We still have lots of dirt bikes and dual sport bikes, but we choose to ride the Gold Wings because in the end it’s more fun for us. It’s a challenge and we are laughing at each other the whole time.”
Besides, when the Dos Honduros want to tackle more serious singletrack they bring along “real” dirt bikes anyway. Strapped onto the back of their 1980 Gold Wings. There’s even a handy tutorial of the proper mounting procedure here.
And who says adventure riding shouldn’t be fun, or even funny? Why rules?
Photos by Dos Honduros
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Off-road to me means single track. I’m sure it means down a dirt road to others. That said, I can see a GoldWing on a dirt road but try taking it on the Rainbow trail in Colorado and then get back with me. (and thats an easy one)
If you watch the video to the end they ride true singletrack with fine style, straight up and over to a high altitude pass in the Cascades.
You may have missed the part about this being for fun and not taken seriously. Did you really just call out two guys on stock old Goldwings in relation to single track? Impressive.
is that an invite? Watched a couple videos, looks like it may be doable, maybe not. It’s hard to tell from video. Check out our YouTube channel for more trail stuff.
I know one of the guys in the video. These arent stock Goldwings at all, theyre Orange County Choppers tricked out to look like stock wings. Paul Sr and mikey are going to sponsor a team in next years Dakar rally.
Might want to carry a block & tackle? ? ?
We had a winch ready to mount, but didn’t get it on before leaving.
haha this is friggin awesome!
I love some of these replies because you can tell the engineers that can’t fathom the reality of their over priced BMW or KTM gear and or bikes to a level of fun and simplicity like these guys. Self reflection……lighten up peeps, this is supposed to be fun!
Strapping a bike on the back is about the dumbest and most unsafe thing you could do
Ok, Mom
Super cool adventuring for people that have zero power attitude in their bodies!!! Love it.
Great story! Have at it guys. What’s next a pair of off road Electra Glides? Stay safe.
No, we are goldwing guys. Been using like this for a couple years. But if you supply the road glides we will give it a shot.
grest rides…put a csmper on mine.
I know that I’m impressed. My MG Stelvio has become more than I feel like flogging around as a dirt bike these days (broken pieces too expensive & take too long to swim here from Italy).
Who says these guys are bending the “off road “ rules – WHAT RULES ??? Before the advent of the single cylinder BRAAAAAAP KNOBBY Tired cross country, hill climbing, go to the top mountain rigs where the same bikes seen sitting out front of the Chinese Restaurant on Saturday night in small town North America.
Here is one of those bikes, one that would fetch 100k in pristine shape today, and this belong to a gutsy attractive gal that had shown up allot of the male macho’s that competed against her.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/sadie-grimm-motorcycle-race-history-1.5179708
Zen in it’s purest form. Brilliant!!!!! Major props to pull it off.
[…] boys haven’t just thrown the GoldWings off jumps either – they’ve done ADV rallies, toured on them, and even used them to transport their dirtbikes. If this isn’t proof that we all […]
as a longtime Goldwing rider, (i had 2 1200, 2 1500 and now a 1800), for the last 35 years, i did LOVE that adventure of you guys, i’ve ben telling stories to my friends about the capabilleties of Goldwings and they just don’t believe me, i’ve done a simuler road on the Alps in Swiss on my 1200cc, and dont let a sandy road with soft sand stop me, as long as you can keep the speed up you can do very much on a Wing, i do have too say that with my 1800cc i never tryed it, bit expencive, lol, but it could do it with the appropied tyres, (excuse my english, i’m from the Netherlands so its not my native tongue), also, on windy roads in the alps i can keep up with lots of faster bikes, just put it in 3rd or 4rd gear and puch it, lol, i would say Dos Honduros,,, keep up the fun and don’t listen to the haters, lol, greatings from Holland, Roberto.