Going for GOLD
Since its initial launch back in 1975 as a 1000cc four-cylinder naked, the Gold Wing has steadily grown in size, power and popularity, maturing into a byword for luxury touring. But the last big model update was all the way back in 2001, with a smaller revision in 2006, so the bike was starting to look a bit dated. Which is perhaps why for 2018 Honda has completely re-imagined its big tourer.
The latest incarnation of the Gold Wing remains the company’s top-of-the-range earth shrinker, but also promises to be just as happy on an urban commute as it is on the open road. That’s a bold statement, but given that the bike has been totally redesigned from the ground up, it might not be as fanciful as it sounds. With less weight, new looks, chassis, suspension, engine, geometry, and all the latest tech, this might just be the big do it all bike that Honda engineers wanted to create.
There’s a long line of shiny new 2018 Gold Wings parked outside our hotel in Austin, Texas. A beautiful sight, but there’s something wrong with the picture – I can see my own breath. Usually it’s around 20ºC around here, but a freak cold snap has forced temperatures down into minus figures.
Because of the weather our grand departure
