The Gold Wing - Honda’s seminal touring flagship - was completely reborn in 2018 with a radical weight reduction, double wishbone front suspension, brand-new, flat six-cylinder engine and 7-speed DCT option; now it rides into 2021 with upgraded audio and speaker quality. Its status as a flagbearer for new technology is well-founded, with cutting edge features ranging from 7-inch TFT screen, gyrocompass navigation, Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™, electric screen, Smart Key operation, 4 riding modes and Hill Start Assist. A new contemporary paint option also arrives for 2021.
The Honda Gold Wing, since its introduction as a naked 1000cc machine in 1975, has always represented the ultimate in two-wheeled travel. And it’s a motorcycle that’s been very much on its own journey, growing in physical size and displacement over the decades, all the while creating an enduring and unrivalled reputation for luxury, quality and comfort.
For 2018, in response to the evolution of demographics and the motorcycle market, it made a radical departure from what would have been a traditional update trajectory. The GL1800 Gold Wing and Gold Wing ‘Tour’* took a new direction and, brand new from the wheels-up, became sleeker, lighter and more agile – very much a rider’s motorcycle – while adding a host of new features to cement its reputation as a technological flagship, including the option of 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).
And, as a result, the Gold Wing’s appeal became instantly broader, reaching out to a younger generation of motorcyclists that may have overlooked – or simply not been aware of – the previous incarnation. In 2020, improvements to suspension and slow speed manoeuvrability further complemented the evocative, flat six-cylinder engine beating at the heart of Honda’s premium tourer.
For 2021, the Gold Wing gains an audio upgrade and head-turning new paint option, further underlining its standalone desirability.
