Interference Engine

[TonyinCNY+]

I've finally found a question that the Internet cannot answer. Is the inline 4 engine in the 1991 Kawasaki Voyager XII an interference engine? I'm shying away from the Goldwings because of their "boxer" design which is an interference engine and I don't want to jump to another make and model and have the same problem. It also seems as though that boxer design limits where you can place your feet whereas the Voyager has foot rests all over the place.

[GrandpaDenny]

Neither the Gold Wing nor any of the Voyagers are known for having timing mechanism issues. They'll all go close to a quarter million miles without having to tear the engine apart. So, I wouldn't worry about whether they're "interference engines" or not. As for comfort and such, ride both, pick which one you like. Gold Wings can have highway pegs, and not all Voyagers have them. Goldwings are the pinnacle of comfort and luxury and reliability. Voyagers (at least the VXII, the only model I have experience with) are just about as comfortable, are just as reliable, and are <ahem> sportier. In either case, engine durability is absolutely not an issue.

[Stew]

I believe the Voyager is an interference engine as well. Most overhead cam engines are, with few exceptions. The Voyager runs a timing chain though versus the Goldwing belt system. The belts on the wing have a 100,000 mile replacement interval, I don't think there is a replacement interval for the Voyager chain.

The boxer engine on the Wing doesn't really restrict your foot mobility. I had an 86 GL1200 and never recall having the heads get in the way when stopping or putting my feet on the pegs. I also had highway pegs on my Wing (I have them on my Voyager as well) but I've never used them much on either bike.

Love them both, great machines! Lol, still regret selling the Wing but I had too many bikes at the time.

[Nails]

The boxer engine on the Wing doesn't really restrict your foot mobility. I had an 86 GL1200 and never recall having the heads get in the way when stopping or putting my feet on the pegs. I also had highway pegs on my Wing (I have them on my Voyager as well) but I've never used them much on either bike.

+1. I had a '75 Goldwing, when it was still a bike. I remember the engine heads keeping my feet warm; but an indelible image of my XII is convection-baking my legs during a desert trip. On the Wing, the highway pegs put my feet in clean air; but the XII doesn't have an option to get my feet out of the hot gill exhaust.

Yeppers, the Wing evolved into a behemoth luxury liner, but the XII started there. Although an unfair comparison, that naked Wing was vastly more sporty that the full-dress XII. That almost-antique 1000cc Honda came in at 600 lbs (dry) with 78hp and 61 ft-lbs. The '84 full-dress 1200 Wing had specs only slightly off the XII (94hp, 77 ft-lbs, and 728 lbs), but the boxer's low center-of-gravity and mass centralization were splendid. The early Wings, even the full-fairing versions, had a well-deserved reputation for ripping the twisties. (I sold my Wing to buy a house and because I got tired of vapor-locking the fuel pump located on the right cylinder head.)

I couldn't quickly find a head-to-head review of GW 1200 vs XII. https://motoadventurers.com/kawasaki-vo ... -goldwing/ compares an 1800 Wing. Even with the portly Wing, "When it comes to performance and handling, both the Voyager XII and the Goldwing excel on the road."

"If you prioritize agile handling, sporty performance, and ample storage space, then the Voyager XII is the better option for you. However, if you prioritize premium comfort, advanced technology, and luxurious amenities, then the Goldwing is the better option for you." The 1200GW would narrow that distinction considerably (Honda's mistake). And the GW offers a much deeper aftermarket and tried-and-true mods for those of us who like to screw with that stuff.

But I agree with GD: interference-or-not or potential highway-peg locations seem like lame criteria. You might be over-thinking this a bit. (The XII heat issue is non-trivial in triple-digit heat and significant in 115 and above. Probably best to just avoid doing that.)

For the record, I bought my XII for the bargain-basement luxury-liner crap ... but I've sure been dumping unwanted weight and centralizing the luggage mass. (The older, less-bloated Wings are getting mighty affordable lately. If so 6 years ago I'd be on a Wing now.) Although I'm not a breathless advocate, I do like the XII. But downsizing is looking pretty good to me right now, too.

[GrandpaDenny]

I couldn't quickly find a head-to-head review of GW 1200 vs XII.

That's probably because the 1200 Goldwing and the VXII didn't exist at the same time.

Someone asked a week or two ago if the VXII was kawasaki's answer to the Goldwing. The answer is no. Kawasaki's answer to the Goldwing was the original Voyager, the ZN1300. The ZG1200 came about because the ZN1300 was just too much. Too big, too heavy, too hard to handle, so it has been written.

[Nails]

Yeah, probably. Just one year of overlap: Honda had a fuel-injected GL1200 in '86 (Stew evidently had one) and started selling 6 cylinders in '87.

Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Gold_Wing) describes some interesting history:

The GL1200's competitors were becoming more numerous. Last of the big Japanese manufacturers to do so, Suzuki finally entered the marketplace in 1985 with their full-dress tourer, the GV1400 Cavalcade with a DOHC, four valves per cylinder, V4 engine. In 1986 Yamaha enlarged the Venture's V4 engine to 1300cc, and Kawasaki introduced the ZG 1200 Voyager XII with a four-valve, DOHC, Inline-four engine.

...

The significant development was that the GL1200L was furnished with Honda's programmed fuel injection system, previously used on the turbocharged CX500T and CX650T (variants of the GL500 and GL650 Silver Wing). Also known as the LTD, 5372 units were built and sold only in North America. Claimed dry weight for the GL1200L was 782 pounds.

(Ironically, I have a GL500 in the queue. Wish it was turbo.)

You're sure up late.

[GrandpaDenny]

You're sure up late.

Nah, not really. lately I've been going to bed around 1-2 am, except for work nights, which are only one or two a week.

[SgtSlag]

I've finally found a question that the Internet cannot answer. Is the inline 4 engine in the 1991 Kawasaki Voyager XII an interference engine? I'm shying away from the Goldwings because of their "boxer" design which is an interference engine and I don't want to jump to another make and model and have the same problem. It also seems as though that boxer design limits where you can place your feet whereas the Voyager has foot rests all over the place.

I found the Wing's engine pushed my legs too far apart on highway pegs/boards, it was hard on my hip joints. YMMV. I need to be able to move my feet around on long drives. For that reason, the XII works/fits better for me.

Wife and I trade positions, every two hours. We picked up the passenger highway pegs, years ago. They help a great deal, as the passenger has less mobility for repositioning their legs. Those highway pegs in back, help a great deal.

I bought some Emgo highway floor boards that clamp onto the engine guard bars, up front. I can change their positions, and their angles, if necessary. The Emgo boards are inexpensive, easy to use, and they work well. Cheers!

[SgtSlag]

Deleted 2nd post.