I borrowed a 2008 Honda Gold Wing for a year-long test, and the experience enabled me to look at the six-cylinder touring bike through different eyes. I rode it like a sportbike, tried to hypermile it, and drew second opinions from SUV expert and motorcycle enthusiast Jason Fogelson. I also brought along some tunes for touring duty, encountered a minor mechanical setback, and posed the question: Are Honda Gold Wings Bikes for Old People?
But perhaps the biggest perspective on the 'Wing came not from the bike itself, but from the experience of riding BMW's newest übertourer, the six-cylinder K1600 GT and GTL. Though I was secretly convinced that the Gold Wing's King-of-the-Touring-Road status would be uprooted, the experience provided a different kind of surprise: The Beemer proved to be apples to Honda's oranges, offering a sport touring treatment compared to the Gold Wing's pure touring intentions. As long-in-the-tooth as the Gold Wing was getting, it wasn't exactly threatened by the BMW; it was simply a different angle on the long distance riding paradigm.
After skipping the 2011 model year, the Honda Gold Wing returned for 2012 with a series of incremental updates. Styling was refreshed with a mildly controversial two-tone color scheme, though there's no arguing over the fact that the restyled bodywork offers smoother airflow and better wind protection.
The GL's saddlebags have been reshaped for more storage, and the GPS system has been upgraded with a "Trip Planner" program that enables routes to be uploaded to the nav system via tripplaner.honda.com, and shared with fellow riders. IPod controls and a new surround sound system promise improved audio quality, while new seat material and re-tuned suspension settings smooth out the ride.
Compared to the 2010 Gold Wing-- which was available in Audio Comfort ($22,899), Audio Comfort Navi XM ($25,399), Audio Comfort Navi XM ABS ($26,599), and Airbag ($27,999) trims, the 2012 gets price bumps to $23,890 for Audio Comfort, $26,680 for Audio Comfort Navi XM, $27,900 for Audio Comfort Navi XM ABS, and $29,350 for Airbag-- around a grand more for each package.
So, what was it like to revisit Honda's Venerable Gold Wing? Click 'Next' to find out.
