Earlier this month, Honda->ke291 has released a video as part of a five-part ad campaign that hints the launch of something that will take you to "What lies beyond". And we had speculated it to be the brand new 2018 Honda Goldwing. Looks like we didn't fault there.

Expected to debut sometime in October, this behemoth from Japan has caught the internet frenzy wave and hasn't been spared. Low-res media images of the 2018 model have been leaked and it's nothing but exciting.

Unveiled for the first time in the world at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in October 1974, the Honda Goldwing has, over the years, become more than just another motorcycle. It became an icon which is undoubtedly re-writing the rules and creating the benchmarks for touring motorcycles all these years.

From a 999 cc (61.0 cu in) flat-four engine at 1975 to the 1832cc flat-six that is currently running the show, the Gold Wing came amongst the ten best motorcycles for eighteen years. But soon all that pomp and show started to fade away slowly and the big Red Winger fell behind the shadows of the fierce competition from the West.

Thanks to these leaked images, we know for sure that Honda has gone big for this 2018 makeover and is said come and shake the whole segment down to its roots. Even after existing for nearly 40 years, the Goldwing still is one of the most upmarket motorcycles in terms of design and functionality.

This 2018 model, however, is coming to make all that feel old and outdated. Replacing the stubby old face with a gym-trained muscular stanced front end, the Goldwing gets LED headlamp units and chiseled body panels that make it look like a bulked up sportsbike. And with the amount of technology it is packing, the competition should better be running far away and never return.

The most obvious observation is the intelligent suspension system that Honda wants to introduce in a mass production model of this magnitude. Featuring a semi-active unit, the Gold Wing is said to have a pair of wishbone attached to a cast aluminum girder and a central spring strut. This also means that the 2018 model will be bolted onto a different chassis.

Dubbed as the Hub-centre steering, this setup is made use on BMW's K-series motorcycles and is said to provide the highest level of riding precision and steering accuracy. It combines the greatest possible riding comfort, sensitive feedback, and outstanding directional stability.

Apart from these, there are a few impressive technology the scribes believe that has gone into the new model. First, it will be Honda’s exclusive automatic six-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) that debuted on the Africa Twin. Also, a seven-cog transmission system is on the cards along with a dedicated reverse gear!

Matching the exterior dimensions, the engine of the Honda Goldwing is equally king-size too. The 2018 model will run on the same liquid cooled, 12-valve, 1,832cc inline-six configuration but will be tuned much differently since the motorcycle will have to comply with Euro V norms when launched.

Rest assured, it will be bestowed with all the bells and whistles that have adorned the baggers these days including traction control, engine modes, cornering ABS, adjustable suspension, hands-free panniers, and integrated infotainment systems.

With the inception of modern technology into a motorcycle, Honda could as well make the most technologically packed motorcycle ever seen till date. And to maneuver across all these little monkeys, the Gold Wing will come with the state-of-the-art LCD and a TFT screen on the dash and a bunch of control units like the thumb-wheels, tank mounted jog wheel and multiple buttons to navigate across the bike’s mechanical limitations and the infotainment. The speedo and tacho will remain analog.

Speculatively, the 2018 Gold Wing is said to be unveiled in a private launch event in October, and if it is going to carry all the firepower we think it will, the competition better start coming up with a contingency plan real soon, or else they will definitely be mushed by the Gold Wing.

The top-of-the-line “Gold Wing Airbag” currently retails at $30,999 and the 2018 model should be priced somewhere close to this.