5 Things You Need To Know About the Honda Gold Wing Tour
Recently, the Motorcycle.com staff had the chance to tour the beautiful Ontario countryside to experience the fall colors and to get a taste of what Northern Ontario has to offer. It’s a stunning place, and we thank our friends at Destination Ontario for making it all possible. Watch the feature video about our trip here or you can read about our trip here.
This trip was made possible by our friends at Destination Ontario. Click this link to help plan your trip up North.
When it came to picking out bikes for our Canadian tour, our natural first choice was the Honda Gold Wing (technically, the Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT in our case). The Gold Wing has earned legendary status as a fantastic touring motorcycle, and after putting a thousand miles on a DCT version, we came back with plenty to say about it.
Here are five things you need to know about the Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT:
It’s ultra comfortable for both rider and passenger
The Gold Wing isn’t called the couch on wheels for nothing. You sit in as much of a neutral position as possible, with a cushy seat and a natural reach to the controls for both your hands and feet. And as comfy as that is, the passenger accommodations are arguably even more comfortable! The pillion has a back rest and armrests to cruise down the road with you in total comfort. In addition to the heated grips for you, both front and back seats are heated.
Super smooth 6-banger engine
Effortless acceleration. That’s the best way to sum up the 1833cc, horizontally-opposed flat-six engine. It’s not a power hungry engine, with only about 100 horses and 100 lb-ft at the wheel, but the torque is available seemingly at idle and the power curve is flat across the board. It’s so smooth, too, making it a nice engine to tour on.
The Seven-Speed DCT Makes Sense In This Application
Touring is a great application for Honda’s dual clutch transmission, and that’s proven here with the Gold Wing. Sure, you have the option to change your own gears with the paddles, but we eventually found ourselves letting the bike do all the shifting for us. When you’re just cruising the ‘Wing searches for a high gear quickly, but if you’re trying to get on it, the revs will climb all the way up before changing over. It does take longer than we’d like for the DCT to downshift for an overtake, but again, the paddles are there if you want to use them.
The Instruments Look Dated
The epitome of utilitarian, the dash display on the Gold Wing is anything but modern. There’s a combination of analog dials and LCD screens with a colored navigation screen in the middle. They all work, but they remind me of the gauges on the Honda Accord I passed my driving test with when I was 16.
Suspension is a mixed nag and the saddlebags are kinda small
Yes this is a twofer, but we couldn’t leave it out. The Gold Wing’s twin A-arm, Hossack-style front suspension provides a really relaxing ride that’s able to absorb bumps without passing any of those vibes on to you, but what it provides in comfort it absolutely takes away in terms of front end feel. The sensation feels more like you’re floating above the road than actually taking it all in. This numbness doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence when you’re trying to feel what the front end is doing in the corners.
And it’s a good thing our Wing had a top case, because the sidecases really aren’t that big – in fact the previous generation Gold Wing had bigger bags.
Still a legend
All in all, we enjoyed our time with the Honda Gold Wing. There’s a reason why it’s been around for so long and has enjoyed the reputation that it has. It is simply one of the best ways to go touring on two wheels.
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Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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I have had many Goldwing and they became my favorite bike to ride. Unfortunately, they have become too heavy for me to lug around in the parking lot. I have high hopes for Honda's 3-cilynder motor, I am hoping that they put it in a slimmed down Goldwing tourer.
I'm in the same boat as the rider above. I'd own a goldwing if only they made a lighter version. I don't want to sacrifice cruise, heat, or push button suspension. An 8 or 900 cc bike has all the power I want for spirited two up riding.
I think All the big manufacturers are guilty of over selling the bigger and therefore newer is better concept, Which necessitates a much more expensive bike.