"43 years and millions of miles later, we can’t stop wondering what lies beyond".

This is Honda’s bet to give us a revolutionary new touring machine that promises to heighten our experiences to whole new levels of satisfaction. Presenting the all-new 2018 Honda Gold Wing.

The “couch on wheels” is not an “old man’s bike” anymore. What it is, is a scintillating new machine that brings in Honda’s long legacy of precise engineering and craftsmanship into one single amalgamate that will, without any hesitation, entice modern and old folks alike.

Designed from the ground up, this model packs in all the bells and whistles you can fathom including the electronic suspension and the new 124 hp engine that performs like a well-built athlete compared to the previous generation Gold Wing, making all that past feel old and outdated.

Prepare to be blown away.

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2015 Honda Gold Wing

2018 Honda Gold Wing


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. Even after existing for nearly 40 years, the Goldwing still is one of the most upmarket motorcycles in terms of design and functionality.

With what started out as a 999 cc flat-four engine in 1975, the Gold Wing came amongst the ten best motorcycles for eighteen years. Most of those were with the 1832cc flat-six that is currently running the show. But slowly though, this Honda seemed a bit too long in the tooth for the likes of BMW, Harley-Davidson and Indian flooding the market with their best shot.

Now, Honda said that it has had enough and have completely redesigned the Gold Wing from scratch to get back right on top of the luxury touring segment. It seems to have hit the gym seriously for a year or two (unlike you and me) and has finally shaped to have clean and sleek cuts rather than the bulbous outlook of the older versions. LED lights and everything pompous.

And Honda has made it clear to express the future in its designs rather than having a retro take on the 2018 model, all without losing the core principles the bike. The aggressive looking new Gold Wing has an ingenious body design to delivers a ‘pleasant cooling breeze’ to the riders that will also improve the fuel efficiency by 20%.

This allowed the makers to streamline the body further by reducing the fuel tank size that will accommodate 4 liters lesser fuel without hampering the range between fill-ups. The smaller electrically adjustable windscreen is also designed to suit the sleek body, so is the rest of the bike including the top and side panniers.

Now, this is what a real-world definition of ‘efficient design’ is.

Coming to the soul of the Gold Wing, Honda hasn’t bothered changing the 1833 cc horizontally-opposed flat six architectures. They have instead burnt the midnight oil and managed to chop 6.2 kilos off the bulk from the previous engine. Yet, the new powerplant gives 124 hp of peak power (from 117 hp) and 125 ft-lb of peak torque now coming at just 4500rpm.

The new engine gets four valves per cylinder instead of just two. Also making way into the 2018 model is the fly-by-wire throttle seen first on the brand’s new Fireblade and four-rider modes (Tour, Sport, Economy and Rain) that alter the power delivery, traction control, suspension damping and braking system.

What’s more intriguing with the powertrain are the two brand-new gearboxes that Honda has developed for the 2018 Gold Wing. A 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT that caters to a taller top end to reduce engine revs at cruising speed compared to the 5-speed in the previous one.

The manual 6-speed gearbox comes with a new cam assist slipper clutch to make riding a breeze with lighter clutch action. There is a new reverse gear added to the bike to help you maneuver tight corners available both in the manual and DCT gearbox.

The optional 7-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) picked up from the Africa Twin has two clutches for odd and even gear operations. You can also operate the DCT using the manual mode along with Drive and Sport modes selectable on the “+/-” paddles on the handlebars. Additionally, a ‘walking mode’ allows you to crawl at 1mph for those city snarls and rough terrains.

The biggest change on the 2018 Gold Wing is not the body or the powertrain that we have been ranting about till now but is the suspension and the frame. Introducing an intelligent suspension system featuring a semi-active unit, the Gold Wing has a pair of wishbone attached to a cast aluminum girder and a central spring strut.

According to Honda, this means that the rider will get a 30% smoother ride compared to the old bike and will be 40% nimbler due to the separation of the steering unit that makes it easier to steer. Not exactly sure what this means, but riding it should make it apparent.

Both the front and the rear suspension unit gets four settings (rider, rider and luggage, rider and pillion, rider and pillion with luggage) and is electronically adjusted to match the riding mode selected. You can also adjust it for your personal preferences and comforts.

Few other niche pieces of tech are packed in this model which includes the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) which maintains rear wheel traction and the Hill Start Assist (HSA) which provides smooth and confident starts on gradients with the help of ABS on its side to prevent rollovers.

On the infotainment side, the Gold Wing has all the gizmos and gadgets and doesn’t shy away from anything. Bang on the center of the cockpit, there is a brand new 7” full-color TFT screen giving you all worldly information you need for the ride including GPS Navigation, audio and all other relevant data with the minimum of eye movement.

Honda is the first manufacturer to add Apple Car Play along with USB and Bluetooth to tether the rider’s phone for telephone and music. It is played out on new high-output audio amplifier system that can also be controlled by the pillion passenger via control switches located on the upper part of the right pannier.

Luckily, Honda has been smart enough to merge all those control buttons on the tank with an intuitive system controller/jogger rather than cluttering the handlebar unit that already has its share of buttons and toggles. It does the job of being aesthetically and functionally beautiful.

There is a gyrocompass that will ensure continuous GPS guidance even if you are traveling in a tunnel. The Honda Gold Wing smart key fob allows the rider to turn the ignition on/off and lock/unlock the handlebar lock remotely and the passenger can operate the panniers with the unlock button on the smart key.

All around LED lights are becoming the norm these days, and the Gold Wing sure does not miss out on the party. An Idling Stop system newly developed for 2018 cuts off power after three seconds of idling to save fuel. It can, however, be switched off at the handlebars if the rider dislikes the feature.

All of this makes the 2018 Honda Gold Wing a lighter weight, more compact, and more technologically advanced motorcycle than any on the market currently. It is, without a doubt, going to be a whole lot of fun to ride on this continental shrinker and play with all the gadgetries it offers. The aggressive looks are here to pull in the younger crowd back to the stable, and I think it looks just fabulous doing that.

They have literally gone above and beyond with the new Gold Wing here. Good job Honda.

The new Gold Wing will be available in five versions starting February 2018,

• The base model will be the 2018 Gold Wing which starts at $23,500. Colour option: Matte Majestic Silver, Candy Argent Red and Pearl Stallion Brown.

• 2018 Gold Wing Automatic DCT for $24,700. Colour options: Matte Majestic Silver, Candy Argent Red and Pearl Stallion Brown.

• 2018 Gold Wing Tour for $26,700. Colour options: Candy Argent Red, Pearl Glare White and Pearl Hawkseye Blue.

• 2018 Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT for $27,700. Colour options: Candy Argent Red, Pearl Glare White and Pearl Hawkseye Blue.

• Topping the range will be the 2018 Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT for $31,500. Colour option: Candy Argent Red/Darkness Black and Darkness Black metallic.

2018 Honda Gold Wing Specifications

Engine Type

1833cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder

Displacement

1833 cc

Bore/Stroke

73mm x 73mm

Induction

Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)

Ignition

Full transistorized Ignition

Compression Ratio

10.5:1

Valve Train

Unicam SOHC; four valves per cylinder

Transmission

Six-speed including overdrive / Seven-speed automatic DCT, plus reverse and walking mode

Final Drive

Shaft

Frame

Aluminum tubular & box-section double cradle w/ single-sided cast aluminum swingarm

Front Suspension

Double-wishbone w/ Showa shock; 4.3 inches travel

Rear Suspension

Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link single shock; 4.1 inches travel

Front Brake

Hydraulic; dual 320mm discs w/ Nissin calipers & C-ABS

Rear Brake

Hydraulic; single 316mm disc w/ 3-piston floating caliper & C-ABS

Front Tire

130/70R-18

Rear Tire

200/55-16

Rake

30.5 degrees

Trail

109mm (4.3 inches)

Wheelbase

66.7 inches

Seat Height

29.3 inches

Curb Weight

787 pounds / 800 pounds

Fuel Capacity

5.55 gallons