CREATURES OF COMFORT

There’s no finer way to travel the open road on a long-haul than on a plush, gadget-filled mega tourer. Some will say ‘you may as well buy a car’ – but they’re clearly not real motorcyclists. Some will say ‘you can’t have fun on a behemoth like that’, to them I say – learn to ride. Both statements are wildly incorrect. Of course, you can have fun, and for those that think a car is a better option, then you should hand in your motorcycle licence and purchase yourself a nice comfy family saloon. Yes, bikes in this category are large, but don’t underestimate them, and don’t for a minute think you can’t have fun on one.

Honda’s Goldwing and Harley-Davidson’s Ultra Limited will get you from A to B via Z in maximum comfort but with two different approaches. The Wing is ultra-modern and bristling with technology, and the Ultra more traditional in both style and tech. But each has their pros and cons and, quite honestly, you won’t go wrong with either.

Before you hit the road, you’re going to want to load for your trip and both have that pretty well covered with enough storage room for a long-haul trip for two. The Ultra offers 133 litres of carrying capacity with its panniers and top box and the top box is also fitted with a carry rack for lashing lighter items to. You can fit two full-face helmets in the top box and there’s also a power supply and organiser pouch inside. Harley only provides a total storage volume, and though the top box looks smaller than the Goldwing’s, the Harley’s panniers are larger.

The Wing has a combined storage capacity of 121 litres. The top box has a capacity of 61 litres and will fit two full-face helmets with